On May 20 — a professional day in the Merritt school district — the local branch of PacificSport Interior once again had area youngsters taking part in new, exciting XploreSportZ activities.
The 13 registered campers, ages eight to 12, were introduced to Ultimate, lawn bowling and water and boating safety.
An unidentified participant in the water and boating safety lesson. (Ian Webster/Herald).
Ultimate, originally known as Ultimate Frisbee, is a non-contact team sport that uses a flying disc to pass from one player to another.
Ultimate players Billy Blachare, Raydon Bond, Trianna Clarke and Hales. (Ian Webster/Herald).
The objective in Ultimate is to successfully pass the disc (Frisbee) across the opposing team’s goal line.
Players can run around all they want without the Frisbee, but must immediately stop upon catching a pass and endeavour to pass it to a teammate.
Teaching Ultimate to the children on this occasion was Adam Sanders of the Kamloops Ultimate Association. “The sport is a lot of fun, and is tremendous for hand-eye co-ordination and fitness,” he said.
Following their fun with a Frisbee, the XploreSportZ youth travelled to the Merritt lawn bowling facility for some expert instruction by local club members Joe and Trudy Geill.
Lawn bowlers Hales, Ryan Lambe and Blachare. (Ian Webster/Herald).
The full day of activities finished with a pool session at the Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre, where lifeguard Connor Sucharyna gave expert instruction on general water safety and also boating safety.
Local co-ordinator Josée Warren stated that Merritt’s branch of PacificSport Interior has a full summer of activities for youngsters, starting the first week after school is out.
“We’ll have seven weeks of summer camps (day-to-day registration), alternating between two age groups — five-to-seven-year-olds and eight-to-12 year-olds.”
For more information, contact Warren in person at the City of Merritt’s Leisure Services Department, phone 250-315-1050 or email [email protected].
