MONMOUTH, Ill. — A unique and successful camp will return to the area this summer, as Monmouth College hosts the fourth annual Monmouth All-Sports Camp. Boys and girls currently in grades second through eighth are eligible to register for the camp, which will be held July 20-25.

Since 1982, MC graduates Bob and Judy Tucker have directed a similar camp at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. They have seen so much growth over the past two decades that four one-week sessions are now needed at Loras to accommodate more than 2,300 campers.

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to bring the concept of an all-sports camp to Monmouth College that focuses on Christian values, sportsmanship and citizenship, along with athletic skill development," said Bob Tucker, a longtime professor and coach at Loras. "Each year at Monmouth, the camp has gotten bigger and better. The future for the camp is really positive."

This year’s camp will offer instruction in baseball, basketball, cheerleading/dance, football, golf, rollerskating/rollerblading, soccer, softball, swimming, water polo, tennis, track and field and volleyball. The camp’s promotional brochure says that "a close camper-counselor relationship is developed since all the groups are kept as small as possible. This enables the counselors to spend more time assisting campers with their individual needs … The counselors themselves are selected with extreme care to reflect not only outstanding teaching ability in their sports, but also the desire to work with and help develop youngsters into good citizens."

Besides meals, a typical day includes instruction in a camper’s major athletic activity in the morning and two periods of instruction in their minor athletic selections in the afternoon. There are also "huddle" activities throughout the day, in which the campers test their new skills under game conditions, and a 90-minute program each evening.