Over 1,400 boys and girls across the country will commence the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport/National Sports Commission annual ‘Teach Them Young’ swim camp, which is dubbed the largest-ever in terms of participation since the camp started several decades ago.
Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle told News Room Sport that the camp is set to commence on Monday (July 18) in Region Four, and on Tuesday (July 19) in Berbice and Linden, with approximately 1,430 youngsters registered to participate.
The camp is geared to furnish the youths with the fundamentals of the sport, with the hope of them also going on to join clubs and go on to represent Guyana in the future.
According to Ninvalle, 1,210 boys and girls have signed up for the camp in Region Four alone. In Berbice, 102 persons will be part of the sessions, while in Linden 120 have expressed an interest in being part of the programme.
The Director added that the response to this camp has tripled that of the overall number of participants in the two-week Easter camp held earlier this year. The Easter camp attracted close to 400 boys and girls, with sessions in Region Four, Berbice and Linden.
For this camp, sessions in Region Four will be held at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal and the Colgrain Pool on Camp Street from July 18 to August 12, while sessions in Berbice will be held at the Albion Estate pool from July 19 to August 10 and in Linden at the Watooka pool from July 19 to August 5.
The camp caters for youngsters between ages nine and 18, with sessions being held from 09:00h to noon daily.
At a grand ceremony on Monday morning at the National Aquatic Centre, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. is slated to deliver feature remarks and officially declare the camp open.
Director of Sport Ninvalle, Commissioner at the National Sports Commissioner Cristy Campbell and President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association Dwayne Scott are also expected to speak at the opening.
