Five Important Questions to Ask Before Sending Your Child to Camp

"I am worried about my child attending your day camp.  What precautions do you take to assure my child will be cared for and healthy?"

In the day camp (or sports camp) world, there is no more important question. 

To answer it, ask yourself the following five questions to determine if a camp is prepared to care for your child properly.

1.  Does the camp ask for sufficient contact and health information? 

The first step any good camp will take is creating a camper profile for your child by acquiring comprehensive health and contact information. 

Importantly, does the camp request:

• Multiple phone contact numbers?
• Your child’s age, weight and playing experience?
• Third party emergency contact information?  
• Doctor's name and phone number?
• Unique medical issues of your child? 
• Medicine he/she may need at camp? 
• Who is authorized to pick your child up from camp? 

With this information, the camper profile is created, providing an excellent starting point for safe camper management.  Remember to ask yourself: “Does the camp request enough information to keep my child safe?”

2.  Is the staff qualified?
Before developing athletic skill, camp staff must be able to manage the children.  They must be positive motivators. They must be strict disciplinarians without casting a negative cloud over the entire camp. The staff must manage bullies, shy kids, experienced athletes and newcomers to the game. Above all, they must have the background and experience to succeed.

Important considerations of a camp’s staff include:

• Must staff members pass a criminal background check to work at the camp?
• Do staff members have a "professional educators" background?
• What indicates they can manage large groups of children?
• Are they trained in first aid and CPR?
• Do they maintain a strong staff-to-campers ratio?
• Are health experts or certified athletic trainers on site?

3.  Are the camp’s location, facility amenities and equipment safe?
With respect to inclement weather and athletic activities, can the camp function safely?
Consider the following:

• Is there access to indoor classrooms or a gymnasium?
• Are there ample water or hydration sources?
• Is there a complete supply of first aid equipment on site?
• Are landline phones available?

4.  How does the camp manage its campers?
Ask the camp organization how they will manage your child.  This includes both on-the-field athletic issues and off-the-field activities.

• How are the campers grouped with respect to age and experience level?
• How are pick-up and drop-off exchanges handled?
• What are the lunch time management policies?
• What are practices with respect to sun screen and hydration?
• Is camper profile data (from section #1) accessible?
• Are drills designed with safety in mind?
• Do coaches emphasize respect and sportsmanship as the highest priority?
• Does the camp offer “Extended Supervision” services?

5.  Does the camp effectively communicate with me?
Finally, a quality camp management company proactively communicates to the customer.
Consider these elements of customer communication services.

• Do confirmation notices arrive with complete information?
• Do you receive reminders or updates with respect to the camp or your registration status?
• During the camp week, do you have an easy way to communicate issues or negative experiences?
• Does the camp offer an orientation meeting or introduction to parents?
• Can you communicate problems with camp operations confidentially?
• Do the coaches make themselves available for discussion before and after camp?

With these questions in mind, you can more easily determine if a camp is prepared to manage your child’s day camp experience. If you have additional questions, please email me at tom@prosportsexperience.com.

Regards,
Tom Finks, Executive Director, Pro Sports Experience

Pro Sports Experience is the official camp management company of the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles.