1500 kids at Rovers camps
THE Sligo Rovers Halloween Camp concluded recently and rounded off a magnificent year of kids camps for the club, with close to 1,500 children attending throughout 2017. The Sligo Champion is proud sponsor of the summer camps. The camps have grown in popularity year on year, and help children make new friends while also improving their football skills. This year also saw the introduction of an optional breakfast club from 8.30am each morning. This involved the children coming to The Showgrounds before the camp started, having their breakfast with members of the first team while also learning about nutrition, along with a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities. This initiative proved hugely popular with close to 200 children enrolling in the breakfast club since its foundation in July of this year.
Shane Crossan, co-ordinator of the camps said: “I am overwhelmed with the success of this year’s camps.
“I cannot thank the coaches, parents and of course the kids enough for their support and dedication to all of our camps throughout the year. To see chil- dren coming back week after week is personally very rewarding, as that shows how much they enjoy their time here in the club”.
First team manager Gerard Lyttle also spoke on the success of the camps. He added: “When I first arrived to The Showgrounds back in April, I was really taken aback by the amount of children in the ground smiling, laughing and playing football.
“It was in the middle of Easter camp at that stage and to see such a professional set up for children within the club was very encouraging to see. Both the Summer and Halloween Camps were equally as popular and huge credit must go to everyone involved.”
Chairman Martin Heraghty summed up the success of the camps in 2017. He said: “We are delighted with the increasing popularity of the camps. We see the Showgrounds as a focal point for football in the community and the various camps certainly help achieve this goal.
“The camps provide a terrific opportunity for outdoor activity for children of various ages during holiday times and of course introduce new generations to “The Rovers”.