Eastern’s cross country track camp this week focuses on the development of the camp participants not only as athletes but as people.

“We want them to leave here acting and feeling like champions, not necessarily trying to be state champs, but behaving in that capacity by being good people that pay attention to the details and the little things like being good teammates and good sons and daughters,” cross country head coach and co-director of the camp Geoff Masanet said.

Eastern has hosted the cross country track camp for 15 years. It consists of boys and girls from sixth grade all the way through high school. The camp counselors hope to cultivate the camper’s level of running so that they leave with more confidence and better skills than what they came to camp with.

A big part of going to a summer camp is meeting new people and making new friends. Many of the campers think that is one of the best parts about camp.

Camper Patrick Snyder came to camp to condition over the summer and to increase his distance speed, but he was also able to make a lot of new friends, which made his time here even more enjoyable.

“The best part of camp so far has been the bonding with fellow runners,” Snyder said.

The camp offers recreational activities after practices so the kids can relax, have fun and get better acquainted with each other.

“The best part of camp so far was playing dodge ball with each other,” camper Nick Selby said.

Coming to camp is also a great way for Eastern to show off its campus to kids who may decide to come here after high school. Reagan Aylmer said she liked the morning runs because she loved the great scenery and the view of the campus, but her main focus for the camp was improving herself.

“I really needed to work on endurance,” Aylmer said. “We’ve definitely learned a lot, like breathing techniques and running form, and that’s helped me a lot.”

The only complaint Aylmer had about camp was that they would eat after running and that would make her nauseous.

Aylmer comes from a small school that doesn’t really focus on distance running, She said the camp allows her to focus on what she loves doing without having to divide herself among other events.

The counselors give the campers in-depth coaching over their form and technique as well as monitor their weight training and running. The counselors will also run with the campers on occasion so that the campers can view the proper running form and techniques.

Masanet said that his favorite thing about camp is interacting with all the campers and knowing that he is helping them to go on to be better athletes and better people.

A group of runners race around the Campus Pond during the afternoon session of the Co-ed Distance Running Camp Wednesday.

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