Eastern Lions Sports Academy to Host Inaugural Summer Camp in St. Thomas

The St. Thomas-based Eastern Lions Sports Academy is gearing up to host its inaugural multisport summer camp starting on Monday (July 21).

The camp will run for two weeks, beginning with a first instalment at Morant Bay Primary School from July 21 to 24, followed by a second session at Yallahs Primary School from July 28 to 31.

Leah Bedward, who represents the non-profit Academy and proudly calls herself a “champion for bringing sports into St. Thomas”, told JIS News that the group’s mission is to introduce alternative sports to the parish.

“We want to bring alternative sports that are not traditionally accessed by rural children. We don’t have a major sports complex here in St Thomas, but we are using what we have,” she said.

Ms. Bedward identified chess and swimming as examples of the alternative sports being introduced, noting that the camp is open to children between the ages of four and 12. The Academy also focuses on traditional sports such as netball, basketball, and football.

For Ms. Bedward, sports are a vital tool in the development of children and young people.

“I think literacy and numeracy are key to academic growth, but I think [that] when we are talking about enrichment, personal development, confidence, self-esteem, team building, cooperation, those life skills – those softer skills – they are not necessarily about ‘A-stars’, they are gained through sports. I think people’s anxiety levels, mood, health and mental state can be balanced and healed through sports,” she told JIS News.

Ms. Bedward indicated that the camp will feature “local, homegrown coaches” from schools across St. Thomas, alongside overseas instructors.

She added that this approach is intended to expose young people to diverse pathways for growth and development in sports.

In terms of cost, Ms. Bedward noted that the weekly fee of $12,500 is nearly 50 per cent lower than the market rate for comparable multisport summer camps. The fee covers swimming sessions, transportation to swimming venues, three daily sports activities, and a wellness or craft activity.

“We are aware of the nature of people’s economic experience, and so we have done the best we can to cost this in a way where we are just covering the cost of paying our coaches and buying our resources,” she explained.

Eastern Lions Sports Academy is partnering with the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, which will lead agricultural initiatives, and the HEART/NSTA Trust, which will provide volunteer support.

Interested persons may contact Ms. Bedward at (876) 410-5474 or connect with the Academy via social media at @easternlionsja.