2021 SUMMER CAMP
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2022 WAVE SCHOLARSHIP
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The WAVE Program Swells Again in Pacific Grove This Summer
By Michelle Netzloff-Luna
Cedar Street Times - May 18, 2018
As The WAVE Program is back and even better than before! This free summer camp is for girls and boys ages 10, 11 and 12 who live in Pacific Grove. Starting in July, this phenomenal event runs for two weeks from July 9-20, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, and is a one of a kind opportunity. This year the WAVE Program is now providing all the sports and activities that are offered at Pacific Grove High School. This year's list of activities includes basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, football, tennis, track and field, wrestling, lacrosse, swimming, art, music, dance, health and nutrition, and games...plus new to the bill is golf, culinary arts and a cheerleading clinic. To top everything off, making it's debut is The WAVE Leadership Program, running concurrently with the sports program. This program is reserved exclusively for 13 year olds and is based on the teachings of sports psychologist Jim Thompson, founder of the world class Positive Coaching Alliance, or PCA. Darryl Smith, executive director of the WAVE Program, explains it this way, "PCA teaches about how to be a great player, a great citizen, a great student...all the things we stress with our kids. PCA has been so successful they've written a book, they've written every exercise. In our Leadership Program, there will be leadership workshops everyday and guest speakers coming in over the course of the two weeks. So it's not like we're just having a coach stand up and tell them their thoughts on motivation, or whatever. It's going to be 'today our exercise is loyalty, why loyalty is critical to any family, any team or any workplace.'" After that the kids go out and help coaches and student aides with daily activities and the kids will be working on a community project to benefit Pacific Grove.
"As of right now we already have 231 kids signed up, 121 are girls and 110 boys. We have 27 kids in the leadership program. We hope to serve 300 kids this year and I'm pretty confident we'll meet that goal."
The WAVE Program is stronger than ever and the future is looking very bright. When asked about the financial backing that makes this camp possible, Darryl had this to say, "We originally got funding for three years, and didn't start raising money until after the program was run last year. In the course of three months after the 2017 camp we raised $30,000. This year we have two generous revolving grants, and we've already raised enough that we can finance a fourth year. We have another one in the works...if we get that grant, then the program will run forever. We're really happy about that, things have gone really well that way." He adds, "I think this financial support is a testament to how much people really care about kids. People want to help kids and I think they understand that things aren't like they used to be. The philosophy of the program is to keep kids together and not separate them by the kids who can afford to play travel ball and the kids who can't, and leaving people behind that way. Just the whole philosophy of the program is really true."
On the HOME page of the WAVE Program website is a written statement that sums up beautifully the philosophy and mission of this unique camp. It reads:
"We are committed to developing respect for self and others, highlighting the importance of sportsmanship, following the rules, and loyalty. We believe a strong work ethic is the foundation for success in life, and our staff model that idea. We emphasize character building and goal setting right along with sports fundamentals and fitness. And we just want them to have a blast with their friends for a couple of weeks before the pressures of the school year begin!"