Attendance increases for summer volleyball camp

By Laura Pelner
Summer Reporter

The first of two different volleyball camps hosted by the Purdue women's volleyball team starts today with a higher number of attendants than ever before.

Jeff Hulsmeyer, the head coach of the Purdue women's volleyball team, said, "We're leading the department in percentages of increases."

The volleyball camp attendance is up 164 percent, which is the highest for all the camps that Purdue offers. Hulsmeyer stressed that the percentage does not reflect the total number of participants of all the camps, but that the volleyball camp numbers have increased a lot.

Hulsmeyer attributes this to improvements in the camps program and the publicity it has received.

Cindy Sargent, conference coordinator, agreed. "They've done a better job of getting their name out there," she said.

The members of Purdue's volleyball team act as the camp's counselors and coaching staff. There are also high school and college level coaches who participate as well.

Maegan Petersen is a member of Purdue's volleyball team and will be part of the coaching staff for the camps. Petersen is happy to participate in the camp and have the opportunity to interact with the kids who attend it. "The best thing about camp is working with the kids and getting to know about their lives," she said.

Hulsmeyer added that Purdue's players are always popular at camp. "They work a lot with the campers, it's very hands on. I think what it does for the campers is it gives them a variety of experiences, they can be thought of as role models."

Petersen is flattered by that thought. "I really enjoy having kids look up to us. As far as being a role model I really like that position and I think the team does too, we enjoy doing things for the people," said Petersen.

Having the interaction between the camp's participants and Purdue's players is an advantage for those who attend camp. Hulsmeyer said that the campers get a lot of contact with current players. "The campers can talk to them about how they got where they're at. They can also measure their skills against a college level player."

The main goal of the camp is to create an atmosphere where people can enjoy the game of volleyball and also play at a higher level. "If they enjoy it they'll continue to play," said Hulsmeyer.

Petersen added that it's important for the campers to get knowledge of the sport, and get a better understanding of the game and what they can do if they continue to practice.

The two camps being offered are General Skills Camp from Friday to Sunday and Advanced Hitter/Setter Camp from July 14-16.

The General Skills Camp focuses on the fundamentals of volleyball and involves different skills. "They go over team skills and individual skills. It's a little bit more broad based," said Hulsmeyer.

The General Skills Camp does not require any prior knowledge of volleyball and it's open to all girls ages 10-18.

The Advanced Hitter/Setter Camp is designed for players who already have experience and want to sharpen their game in specific areas. "The main focus is hitting and setting, and generally a lot of older kids attend," said Hulsmeyer.

This camp is also open to girls ages 10-18, although primarily older students attend.