Summing It Up
Activities Abound Here’s just a sampling of camp and kids’ club activities and seasonal events that promise to engage and entertain children of all ages: |
There’s nothing quite like being a kid at summer camp. Those experiences are some of the fondest childhood memories for many adults, so it’s no wonder that resorts and clubs are giving serious attention to replicating this very picture of bliss, as a great way to appeal to today’s active families. In an effort to boost their overall business and capture the interests of members with young children—who may, in fact, become future members themselves—more facilities are offering carefully planned programs that include everything from junior golf to art classes. The results can translate to satisfied customers and loyal members—for life.
Deep in the heart of Austin, Texas, is Barton Creek Resort & Spa, which boasts a luxury spa facility, along with four championship golf courses. But adults aren’t the only ones who enjoy the amenities. This resort has been running both a year-round kid’s club and summer camp for the past eighteen years. According to Jayme Clark, Activities Coordinator, special attention has been paid to enhancing both programs over the last six years. “Working parents look for quality private summer camp experiences for their children; it’s a large market,” she says.
Barton Creek’s kids’ club is offered to members’ children, ages 6 months to 8 years, at no extra cost, while guests pay by the hour (the 2006 rate begins at $12/hour). Says Clark of the club, “Our philosophy is to help nurture children’s growth and development in an environment full of fun and education. Different themes, events, and hands-on projects are offered seasonally or rotated throughout the year, which offers a variety for those who return each week,” notes Clark.
Barton Creek also taps into its existing resources for youth programming. At the resort’s Chuck Cook Golf Academy, a junior golf academy is available for kids ages 12-18. “This is a [week’s worth of ] half-day programs designed to introduce the game of golf or improve the skills of experienced young golfers,” says Clark. A three-day Family Tee Together golf school is also offered three times a year.
On the tennis side, pros are made available for children’s lessons, and junior tennis clinics are also on the schedule. Barton Creek’s fitness department is also involved in helping to coach and train the club’s junior swim teams, and in organizing pool activities for guests, like family movie night. For this event, the food and beverage division sets up s’mores, ‘dirt puddings,’ popcorn, and soda at poolside. As further evidence of innovative culinary activities, the resort’s chefs recently orchestrated an ice-carving exhibition.
Barton Creek maintains a dedicated staff—operating on a 5-to-1 child/counselor ratio—that is carefully selected. “Each applicant must go through a criminal background check prior to employment,” says Clark, who holds a degree in recreation administration. “Camp counselors are selected based on their experience with children. If they are not CPR/first aid-certified, we offer training on-site.”
With so much attention devoted to children’s programming, it’s no wonder Barton Creek boasts a high number of return participants. “That’s the biggest compliment we can receive,” remarks Clark. “The members and guests are always willing to offer suggestions or new ideas. That only helps to increase the success of our children’s programs.”
Prestonwood CC’s kids’ camps have grown from 100 to 1,300 participants over 12 years. |
More Than a Private Matter
Private clubs aren’t the only ones interested in finding new ways to appeal to younger players, of course. One leading public facility in the New England area, the Sagamore Golf Center,North Hampton, N.H., has been home to The First Tee of the Seacoast (TFTS) for the past three years.
A national youth development program with over 200 chapters, TFTS serves as the New Hampshire division that teaches kids the game of golf while incorporating essential life skills. “One such example is patience—a skill that is important in golf and life in general,” says Brian O’Hearn, Sagamore’s golf professional.
Kids are able to sign up for after-school programs in the spring and fall, and also a week in April when school is not in session. Morning and afternoon classes are available during the summer. Each session is for three days, and O’Hearn says some children register for multiple weeks. The cost for one child is $75 per session.
Prestonwood CC’s kids’ camps have grown from 100 to 1,300 participants over 12 years.
O’Hearn is joined by another trained coach and a staff of volunteers that he trains. Background checks are conducted on all instructors—volunteers included— while The First Tee organization handles all insurance and liability issues.
In an effort to attract potential new students, O’Hearn visited local schools this past winter and taught golf during physical education classes, at no extra cost to the school. He remains enthusiastic about the upcoming season and notes that there are plenty of opportunities to teach new students. “There are so many different topics to cover between golf and life skills that in the course of a session, there is very little repetition,” he notes.
Kids Add Value, Too
Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C., is no stranger to the kids’ camp side of the business. This summer marks the private club’s 12th year with its camp, which has rapidly expanded since its inception—from 100 spots to last summer’s 1,300 participants.
Because of such continued interest, the club also offers children’s programming during the school year. “We felt that offering children’s activities year-round gives a country club
membership more value to the entire family than just golf, tennis and fitness,” says Carol Beaird, Kids Club Director. Out of 2,000 member families, she adds, 75 percent have children of camp age.
Year-round camps are designed with all ages in mind.Older children can enroll in art classes held weekdays after school when school is not in session, while preschoolers can attend KinderMusik classes or enjoy free play during Moms’ Morning Out (babysitting services are provided).
During the summer, Prestonwood members can take advantage of a full roster of camp options. Choices include week-long art, triathlon, gymnastics and preschool camps for $80, along with sports and day camps at $190 weekly.
Country club instructors are designated to assist campers with golf, tennis, swimming, basketball and soccer. Food and beverage staffers provide the children with lunch. And Prestonwood’s fitness group supervises the triathlon program. In addition to this staff, one full-time supervisor and four part-time staffers manage the year-round offerings, while outside contractors—primarily teachers—are hired for the after school art and music classes.
Come summer, approximately 10 to 12 counselors and one bus driver are retained for the camp season. Because many of the counselors are teachers, Beaird says the local school system handles the screening process. She, along with returning counselors, train new staff one week prior to the start of camp. “Everyone receives CPR training and first-aid classes and is given instructions on how to handle discipline issues and safety concerns for the pool, bus trips and sports,” she adds.
Prestonwood requests that campers’ parents complete the necessary registration paperwork—including all personal information on their child—and sign a waiver. All off-site activities require permission slips. “We emphasize the importance of safety with our staff on a daily basis,” Beaird stresses.
As of this past March, Prestonwood’s camp program was nearly 90 percent full. “Our membership director has confirmed what parents tell us: They joined our facility partly because we offer activities for the entire family,” says Beaird.
Fitness at an Early Age
Leveraging the success of its summer camp program,DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del., plans to integrate fitness into this year’s roster of activities.
Primarily a sports program, the club’s summer camp typically includes tennis, golf and volleyball instruction. But thanks to a staff brainstorming session, the 2006 program will feature the theme of enjoying a healthy lifestyle through sports. “It was a team response to thinking about how we could make things fresh for our members,” explains General Manager Steve Matlaga.
As a result, kids will now be encouraged to stretch and prepare themselves before participating in sports. “At lunchtime, we’ll educate them on healthy food choices,” adds Matlaga, emphasizing the food and beverage department’s involvement.
The fitness theme is a first for the club’s camp, which typically runs for three weeks on a weekly basis and draws 80 kids per session. DuPont members pay an additional cost for the camp, which will range between $275- $325 per week, depending on whether or not parents require after-care once the camp day has ended.
“The camp is a vital part of our club and very important to the future of athletics and fitness,” adds Matlaga. “It’s all part of being a balanced club.” (He notes that roughly a quarter of DuPont’s membership is comprised of families.)
Creativity is Catching
When one children’s program is a success, it only makes sense to develop another complementary initiative. Such was the case for The Beach Club in Santa Monica, Calif.—where, after launching a stellar year-round children’s program more than 20 years ago, the need arose for a kids’ summer camp that’s now in its fourteenth year.
Today, the Beach Club’s summer camp boasts approximately 300 children under the age of 12. The club makes full use of its existing departments for its kids’ programming. “There are so many synergies created by a successful kids’ program and a desirable, heavily used dining facility,” notes Assistant Manager and Youth Director Andrea Curthoys. The club’s most popular sports—paddle tennis, beach volleyball and surfing—are integrated into the camp program, and the enrollment fees include instruction.
Fitness is also encouraged. “Raising active children results in active college kids and fit adults who use the club’s fitness facilities and athletic courts on a regular basis,” Curthoys says.
The department that probably benefits the most from the Beach Club’s kids’ programming is food and beverage. The club offers a kids-only buffet, featuring kid-friendly favorite foods, and the increased revenues help the staff increase the portion of their earnings that comes from service charges.
Kids at the DuPont Country Club participate in a summer program that is sports-focused.
While she is the only employee dedicated yearround to the club’s children’s programming, Curthoys says she typically hires 35 staffers and lifeguards for the summer camp—that’s 30 percent of the club’s summer staff. Employees come from all walks of life, and Curthoys likes referrals. “Many of the member children who work with me were once campers themselves,” she says, “and this simplifies the screening process.” But regardless of how an employee comes to be hired, everyone must get 40 hours of training in a camp/youth-specific orientation. Curthoys trains all of the youth employees herself to “create a consistency in the training process and the behavioral outcome.” From an insurance standpoint, the kids’ programming is covered by the club’s liability policy, while workers’ compensation coverage is available for employees. If a camper is injured while on the premises, they are covered by their family’s health insurance.
“The feedback we’ve received lately suggests that value is the most important factor when it comes to participation,” Curthoys notes. “When members feel they are receiving ‘good value,’ they are willing to pay the price for those programs.”
Keeping kids’ offerings fresh has its challenges, however. Costs rise as programming becomes more creative, Curthoys notes—and there is always a need to be sensitive to that group of members without children who feel their dues shouldn’t go towards kids’ programs. C&RB
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.