Summer camps offer plenty of fun

Pasco County children will have plenty of summer camp options this year. Here is a partial listing.

COUNTY PARKS

Summer day camps offer sports, swimming, games, field trips, arts and crafts, movies, talent performances, weekly themes and special events for children ages 5 (and completed kindergarten) to 13. Camps run Monday through Friday, June 28 to Aug. 6; no camp July 5.

The county Parks and Recreation Department's three largest facilities are: Holiday Recreation Complex, 2830 Gulf Trace Blvd., Holiday; Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O' Lakes; and Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson. Each camp costs $60 per week, plus field trips, and accommodates 200 children. Camp runs 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The department also will offer camps at:

• The Land O' Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O' Lakes Blvd. in Land O' Lakes, can accommodate 40 children and costa $45 per child per week, plus field trips. Camp runs 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Odessa Park Community Center, 1627 Chesapeake Drive, Odessa, can accommodate 40 children at a cost of $45 per child per week, plus field trips. Camp runs 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Shady Hills Community Center, 15840 Greenglen Lane, Shady Hills, will offer a camp at a cost of $45 per week per child, plus field trips. Forty children can be accommodated per week. Camp runs 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Rodney B. Cox Elementary School, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Dade City, can accommodate 100 children; camp cost is $15 per week, field trips additional. Camp runs 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• James Irvin Civic Center, 38122 Martin Luther King Blvd., Dade City, can accommodate 60 children; camp cost is $15, plus field trips. Camp runs 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Lacoochee Elementary School, 38815 Cummer Road, Dade City, can accommodate 100 children; camp cost is $15. Camp runs 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For information about any of these sites, call the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department at (813) 929-1260. These camps fill quickly; call for availability and waiting lists.

NATURE CAMPS

The Pasco Parks and Recreation Department will offer the Science Ecology and Environment program nature camp 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays in the Starkey Environmental Education Center and on the grounds at Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park , 10500 Wilderness Park Road in New Port Richey.

The Starkey camp is June 28 to Aug. 6.

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF TAMPA BAY, Lewis Abraham Lacoochee, 38749 Patti Lane, Dade City, (352) 583-2994, call Michael Brittingham at (352) 583-2994; Port Richey Teen Center, 8239 Youth Lane, Port Richey, call Julie Johnson or Gary Moses at (727) 842-5673; Port Richey Youth Center, 8239 Youth Lane, Port Richey, call (727) 842-5673. Comprehensive summer program includes everything from field trips, arts and crafts and bowling to swimming.

JAMES P. GILLS FAMILY YMCA: 8411 Photonics Drive, New Port Richey, will offer an array of summer day camps and larger camps June 14 to Aug. 16. These camps, which range in cost from $40 to $225 per week, offer a variety of camp activities from sports adventure to theater, aquatic science to criminal investigation. Camps will run full and partial days, Monday through Friday. For information, call (727) 375-9622 or visit www.suncoastymca.org/summercampinfo.htm.

NEW PORT RICHEY SUNTRUST BRANCH YMCA, 6130 U.S. 19, New Port Richey, will offer an array of summer day camps and larger camps June 14 to Aug. 16. These camps, which range in cost from $40 to $225 per week, offer a variety of camp activities from sports adventure to theater, aquatic science to criminal investigation. For more information, call (727) 844-0332 or visit www.suncoastymca.org/summercampinfo.htm.

EAST PASCO FAMILY YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills, will offer an array of summer day camps this year. Full-day camps will be offered 7:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 14 to Aug. 20. One of these camps, geared toward children ages 5 through 12, will emphasize field trips, indoor and outdoor games, swimming and more. It will cost $90 for facility members, $120 for program participants. Another camp, geared toward children ages 12 through 17, will be a Teen Extreme Leadership Program that will teach community outreach, volunteering, shadowing, etc. Community professionals will serve as guest speakers.

This location also will offer free half-day camps including: Soccer Camp, Volleyball Camp, Basketball Camp, Golf Camp, Swim Camp, Fit Camp, TRI-Camp, Flag Football Camp, Cheerleading Camp, and Strength and Conditioning Camp. Prices for these camps are $75 for facility members, $100 for program members. For information, call (813) 780-9622.

YMCA CAMP McCONNELL in Micanopy will offer a residential camp June 13 to Aug. 7 for children ages 7 through 16. The camp will offer sports, archery, horseback riding, trail and ropes activities, dance and drama, arts and crafts and more. Campers can choose their activities.

For information, visit www.ymcasummercamp.com/camp.html or call 1-800-232-9622 or write YMCA Camp McConnell, 210 S.E. 134th Ave., Micanopy FL 32667. Registration forms can be obtained online and faxed to (352) 466-0600.

SCOUT CAMPS

THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA COUNCIL will offer an aquatics camp July 12 to 16 and a Webelos Resident Summer Camp July 5 to 7. The camps will be at Sand Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville, Hernando County. Also, a day camp will be offered June 14 to 18 at Francis Avenue Park in Port Richey. For information, visit www.wcfcbsa.org.

THE GIRL SCOUTS OF SUNCOAST COUNCIL INC. offers day and resident camps June 3 to July 31, covering everything from cars to cooking, aquatics to horseback riding, moviemaking to photography.

At Camp Scoutcrest in Odessa, day camps will be offered that include Garden Growers, Green House Dollhouse, and How Much Wood....

Scholarships are available for these camps; for more information about dates and pricing, visit www.gswcf.org/rescamp10/sessions.htm or call (813) 281-4475.

SPORTS CAMPS

WESLEY CHAPEL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION will offer flag football camp 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 5. Cost is $25. The camp will be held at Wesley Chapel District Park, Boyette and Overpass roads.

For information about registration, go to www.wcaaflagfootball.com or e- mail the Flag Football Committee at flagfootball@wcaafla.org.

• University of South Florida Young Stars Soccer Camp will run June 21-25 in Wesley Chapel District Park.

• Challenger Sports' British Soccer Camp will run June 21-25 in Wesley Chapel District Park.

Visit www.wesleychapelsoccer.com/Default.aspx?tabid=62.

For information about WCAA programs, call (813) 994-6633 or visit www.wcaafla.org.

SPORTS +FIELD, 2029 Arrowgrass Drive, Wesley Chapel, call (813) 948-5500, visit www.SportsAndField.net, will offer a 2010 All Star Summer Camp for grades kindergarten through six June 14 to Aug. 13. Skills will include team sports, arts and crafts, karate, dance, waterslide, American Idol Week, Wii competitions, bounce house day, board games, face painting, Zumba, and surprise visitors.

The cost is $105 per week for an all-day session (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.); $85 per week for a half-day session (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.). All campers will be charged a $50 registration fee, half off for members.

Sports and Field also will offer a 2010 Sports Performance Summer Camp for grades nine through12. All aspects of sports training and performance will be covered, from training, eating, and mental competitiveness to strength, power and speed. These sessions will convene June 14 to July 9; session 2, July 12 to Aug. 6. Both sessions will meet 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The cost is $250 for a four-week session.

WEST PASCO YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION will offer camps this summer. Bill Capobianco's Finesse and Finishing Soccer Camp will run June 9 to 13 for 6- to 10-year-olds and June 16 to 20 for 10- to 14-year-olds; skills taught include dribbling, passing and shooting. The cost is $85 per week, with discounts available for siblings. For information about dates and prices, call Bill Capobianco at (727) 457-2059.

SADDLEBROOK RESORT, 5700 Saddlebrook Way, Wesley Chapel, offers a Golf and Tennis Prep School. Committed student athletes master their game while completing a fully accredited college prep program. The school combines a rigorous daily regimen of scholastics (grades three through 12) with concentrated golf and fitness instruction at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. Also, Junior Camps are available year-round for golf and tennis players. These six-night, five-day programs teach the fundamentals in a variety of ways. For information about the golf program, call 1-800-729-8383, ext. 4500.

IMPACT TRAINING SUMMER CAMP, Quail Ridge Country Club, Shady Hills Road just off State Road 52. For information, call (727) 919-2011 or visit www.brentwellman.com.

SILVERADO JUNIOR GOLF CAMP, Silverado Golf Club, 36841 Clubhouse Drive, Zephyrhills, will offer personal instruction, rules and etiquette, plus a certificate of completion, video analysis, a hat and T-shirt and lunch daily, plus a 20-foot ice cream sundae. Zephyrhills High School boys golf coach Chuck Lail will teach this camp, open June 21-25 and July 19-23 to students 12 through 17 and July 14-18 for students ages 7 through12. The cost is $100; for information, call (813) 788-1225.

PINSEEKERS PRACTICE RANGE, 35378 State Road 54, Zephyrhills, will offer a summer golf camp with two classes -- one for ages 6 through 12 that will run 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and will cost $69.99 per week. Ages 13 through 18 can attend a golf camp 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; the cost is $49.99. Classes begin June 7. Women's and all-ages classes also will be offered this summer. For information, call (813) 355-4855, contact@pinseekersrange.com or visit www.pinseekersrange.com.

TRINITY TAE KWON DO ACADEMY, 6732 Ridge Road, Port Richey, will offer a 10-week camp complete with tae kwon do lessons (including self-defense and combat techniques), arts and crafts, fishing, bowling, ice cream, and trips to the beach and park. Call (727) 844-5724,

RLMA, 9332 Little Road, Port Richey, will offer a karate summer camp this year. For information, call (727) 868-2700 or go to www.rlmartialarts.com

JOHN PREVATT'S AFTER SCHOOL KARATE, 1916 Oak Grove Blvd., Land O' Lakes, will offer karate sports camp that will include daily karate classes, field trips to MOSI, swimming, movies, bowling, laser tag games, and lessons about discipline, self-respect, respect, manners, etc. For information, call (813) 948-4004 or visit www.johnprevattkaratelutz.com.

PREMIER MARTIAL ARTS, 24038 State Road 54, Lutz, will offer summer theme camps June 14 through Aug. 13. This is a martial arts-driven summer camp is centered around games, forms, grappling, 10 weeks of high-level martial arts training, sparring drills, karate ball, and competitive skills. Call (813) 948-4844.

INGRAM'S PROFESSIONAL KARATE, 4116 Little Road, New Port Richey, will offer camps, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting June 10, at a cost of $165 per week. The summer karate camp will offer karate classes, games, movies, battlefield chivalry, Nerf Wars and field trips to the Ingram's Ranch for horseback riding, swimming at the New Port Richey Aquatics and Recreation Center pool, Celebration Station, and laser tag. Special activities will include Make a Movie Day and a luau. Call (727) 372-7673.

KYOKUSHIN KARATE ACADEMY, 5157 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills, will offer a karate camp 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, until the end of summer. It will offer karate lessons, swimming, movies, fitness, self-defense and confidence-building activities, and field trips to the park and the beach. The camp costs $75 per week for one child, half price for siblings. Call (813) 779-9756.

SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO, KEIKO SHIN KARATE ACADEMY, 26312 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Wesley Chapel, will offer a summer day camp that will feature daily martial arts classes, games, sports, reading, movies, and video and board games. The cost is $85 per week, field trip fees are extra. The class has a capacity of 20 students per week; family discounts are available. Call (813) 994-9253.

WESLEY CHAPEL KARATE, 30052 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel, will offer a summer camp that includes daily martial arts instruction, transportation from school, physical fitness, character development, better focus, increased confidence, and other benefits. No registration fee is charged; limited space is available. For information, call (813) 973-1403 or go to www.wesleychapelkarate.com.

WESLEY CHAPEL MMA, 30052 State Road 54, will offer a comprehensive martial arts summer camp that will kick off June 14. Call (813) 973-1403.

HORSE CAMP AT ANGELS MEADOW, 28432 Saint Joe Road, Dade City, will offer summer camps June 14 to 18, July 5 9, July 19 to 23, and Aug. 9 to 13. Children will learn skills that include feeding and grooming, trail rides, stall cleaning, horse bathing, tack care; additional activities will include 4-wheeling, horseshoes, basketball, arts and crafts, marshmallow roasting over an open fire, and swimming. The camp will run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and will cost $150 per week for students ages 6 through 16 years. Call (813) 494-3066.