While some camps are geared toward beginners, others are designed for high school students looking to be recruited by Dartmouth coaches.
Men's soccer is one program that offers both options. The camp, organized by the company Soccer Academies, has a daycamp option for local youth, from kindergarteners through 10th graders. The advanced option is a residential camp for high school students.
"Many of the kids that attend the residential camp want to be recruited by Dartmouth," Dartmouth soccer player Stoian Nedelchev '13 said. "It's a great chance for them to show their skills and compete with other potential recruits, while making the recruiting process easier on our coaches."
The coaches at the women's field hockey camp also use this opportunity to seek out potential recruits.
According to Lisa Masini '13 who worked at the camps, most of the campers are high school age and would like to be recruited by Dartmouth.
The squash camp, run through head coach Hansi Wiens' company H.W. Squash, offers a two-week intensive option or a one-week option. Varsity squash players Chris Hanson '13 and Robert Maycock '13 both assist in coaching the campers.
"I think there are a couple reasons for having the camp be two weeks," Hanson said. "First, many of the coaches that [Wiens] brings in come from all over the world, and wouldn't come for just one week. Second, I think that with a two-week program the campers really get to see themselves improve at the camp and get to receive instruction from each coach at the camp."
Some of the older campers are looking to be recruited by Wiens, while others simply want to play squash and see Dartmouth, according to Maycock.
"I really enjoy teaching younger kids how to play and helping them develop a passion for the game," Hanson said. "During the intensive session, there are a mix of levels, so you have to take a different approach to instructing each kid."
Dave Jones, the assistant women's tennis coach, operates the Kinyon and Jones Tennis Camps. Students attempting to be recruited by Dartmouth tend not to attend the tennis camp.
"Tennis is an individual sport, and there is a small pool of potential recruits," varsity men's tennis player Alex de Chatellus '13 said. "Rather than attend camps at schools a player wants to go to, a junior tennis player will play tournaments that college coaches attend."
Although most sports offer summer camp opportunities, other teams such as the rugby team do not.
"Unfortunately, rugby doesn't offer a summer camp," men's rugby player Chris Zhao '13 said. "Our coach, Alexander Magleby, is the collegiate All-American coach, and is gone much of the summer, making it near impossible to offer a camp."
Zhao added that because many other sports recruit through their camps and help get students interested in Dartmouth, it would probably benefit the rugby program if a rugby camp were offered on campus.
Some siblings of members of the Class of 2013 have participated in camps this Summer term. James Fisch, brother of Christian Fisch '13, is currently attending Wiens' squash camp.
"It's been great having my brother up here the past week," Christian Fisch said. "Since I don't have the opportunity to go home between Summer and Fall due to rugby preseason, I really appreciate the opportunity to hang out with my brother and watch him play in the squash camp."
