May 30, 2013
Swim Camp Registration Information
Diving Camp Registration Information
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Coming off of an extremely successful 2012-13 season, the Penn State swimming and diving programs and head coach John Hargis will offer five camps this summer. The Nittany Lions will first host Swim II on June 14-16, followed by Swim III (June 16-20) and Swim IV (June 21-23). Diving Coach Craig Brown will then offer Diving I (July 3-6) and Diving II (July 8-10) later in the summer. Registration is currently open at http://www.gopsusports.com/camps.
In his fifth year as head coach of an ever-improving and impressive program, Hargis watched as his first full recruiting class ended their careers as some of the most decorated student-athletes in school history and lauded them for their dedication to Penn State, the swimming and diving program and, most importantly, setting a good example in the community and the classroom.
In 2012-13, Penn State swimmers broke school records on 15 different occasions, while 39 women and 16 men wrote their names onto the all-time top-10 in school history. There were 13 women and seven men that participated at the 2013 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships with one men's and one women's diver participating at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships. A pair of men's relay teams claimed first team All-America honors, while nine different swimmers claimed ten honorable mention All-American accolades.
Both Swim II and Swim IV will serve as Penn State's Competitive Start & Turn Camps, with the main focus on starts and turns to give young swimmers a true competitive advantage with emphasis on these often overlooked skills. Swimmers will receive intensive instruction on the forward and backstroke starts with safety being a priority, as well as coverage on fast, legal turns for all four competitive strokes and the IM transition turns. Each athlete will receive individual attention from a staff of outstanding coaches and instructors. Held for swimmers in grades 4-12, each camper will receive a DVD analyzing his or her technique in their starts and turns at the conclusion of the three-day camp. Past or current membership on a swimming team is a requirement for camp enrollment. For information on enrollments and fees, click here.
The Penn State Swim III camp is structured around a philosophy of teaching skill acquisition and development in all four competitive strokes. Three daily water sessions are led by a world-class staff, with workouts structured to improve stroke technique with a combination of drills, skills and training. Each athlete will have opportunities to enhance all phases of competitive swimming through individualized attention from our excellent coaches and counselors. Individual stroke analysis, dryland instruction and lecture sessions will give the campers one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date training camp experiences available in the United States. Held for swimmers in grades 4-12, each camper will receive a DVD analyzing all four strokes at the conclusion of the five-day camp. Past or current membership on a swimming team is a requirement for camp enrollment. For information on enrollments and fees, click here.
Beginning in July, both Diving I and Diving II camps serve to provide students entering grades 6-12 with a competitive atmosphere, with participants engaging in an intensive daily routine consisting of two two-hour springboard workouts and one two-hour physical activity session. Emphasis is on proper stretching, physical conditioning, springboard mechanics and developing a healthy perspective on the competitive nature of the sport. Platform diving is introduced to campers who are qualified to train in the event. For information on enrollments and fees, click here.
Penn State boasts some of the finest swimming facilities in the nation. McCoy Natatorium has a heated Olympic-size outdoor pool and three indoor pools: a six-lane, 25-yard racing pool; a six-lane, 25-meter instructional pool; and a deep diving well, used for start and turn instruction. The racing and diving pools have underwater observation windows for analyzing stroke technique. The Natatorium has more than 500 lockers and a gallery that seats 1,500. The pool deck has ample space for stretching and dryland instruction. The campers will train in the outdoor 50-meter course in the morning and move to the short-course, indoor pools for the afternoon and evening technique sessions.
Diving facilities include eight cheese boards, all on Durafirm stands; 1-, 3-, 5-, 7 1/2- and 10-meter towers, a porta-pit and video equipment. The indoor complex includes a separate 42- by 42-foot diving well, two 3-meter cheese boards, two 1-meter cheese boards and an on-deck porta-pit board. The outdoor facility includes two 3-meter cheese boards, two 1-meter cheese boards and 1-, 3-, 5-, 7 1/2- and 10-meter towers.
For more information, please contact Penn State Sports Camps at 814-865-0561 or visit www.gopsusports.com/camps.
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