Sports Camps at Mississippi College Are Booming

A blitz of sports camps at Mississippi College should attract more than 1,300 kids this summer.

Whether it’s football, soccer, basketball, cheerleading or volleyball, Mississippi College will again offer a diverse lineup for a variety of ages.

MC Choctaws head football coach John Bland and his staff will get help from instructors at other schools to run June camps for rising high school juniors and seniors.

Football talent from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Rajun Cajuns team will assist at the MC gridiron camp on Tuesday June 9.

On Monday June 15, the MC football staff team up with instructors from the University of South Alabama Jaguars team in Mobile. The camp sessions cost $30.

Last June, 300 high school students signed up for Bland’s first two football camps on the Clinton campus.

Expect another strong turnout of offensive and defensive players seeking to improve their skills.

With Mississippi College athletics transitioning to NCAA Division II and returning to the Gulf South Conference, “the 2014 summer camps were a huge success,” Bland said. With MC entering its second year of transition to NCAA Division II, “I believe that the camps will be even bigger and better,” the coach said.

The high school campers should bring their cleats and athletic attire and hit the ground running at Robinson-Hale Stadium. For details on the MC Choctaws football camp, call 601-925-3356.

The MC Lady Choctaws basketball camps should be popular again this June and July.

Paul Duke, who enters his 21^st season as head coach for the MC Lady Choctaws hoops squad, has a variety of camps he’s overseeing. It begins with a shootout camp on June 6 with players guaranteed a minimum of three games. There’s a team camp set for June 11-13, and more dates to come.

“The purpose of the camp is to teach basketball fundamentals in a Christian environment, regardless of a camper’s level of ability,” Duke said. “Each camper will have the opportunity to improve her individual skills and gain valuable experience in league and tournament play.”

Jed Kanengiser, head coach for the McLaurin High Lady Tigers hoops team, will bring his squad to summer camp on the Clinton campus for the fifth time June 11-13.

“MC has one of the best team camps in the state,” Kanengiser said. “The coaching staff is professional and the campus and facilities are very nice. We look forward to playing some of the teams that we may not play during the regular season.”

MC men’s basketball coach Don Lofton will welcome scores of high schoolers to his his Choctaw Super Hoops Basketball Camp. Overnight camp will begin on Sunday June 21 and wrap up June 24 at the A.E. Wood Coliseum for boys in grades six through twelve. The cost is $250. There is also a day camp costing $100 for students entering grades 1-5. It runs from June 22-25.

If volleyball is your game, try the Middle School All Skills Camp at the Baptist Healthplex taught by MC Lady Choctaws coach Peter Cosmiano from June 9-11. The cost is $90.

Soccer anyone? Try the MC Lady Choctaw Soccer Camp led by head coach Darryl Longabaugh for girls, ages 14-20 on June 21. The cost is $60. “Each camper will be challenged with highly competitive training and exposed to a college-level-environment,” says the MC goalkeeper.

MC men’s soccer coach Kevin Johns invites boys and girls, ages 4-15, to his camp running from July 21-25. The registration fee is $120. “Campers will improve upon their technical and tactical soccer ability while having a fun time.”

MC softball camps are booked September 13-14 at Traceway Park in Clinton. Girls in grades 9-12 are invited.

For more information on MC sports camps, church camps and others contact Ken Gilliam, director of the Office of Continuing Education at 601-925-3264 or gilliam@mc.edu.