People often ask me what I do outside of June - July - August, the most intensive, yet rewarding schedule of my year as the AKA Summer All Sports Camp remain as the heart and soul of AKASPORT.

Well for starters, September is my month to breathe, to wrap up loose ends and to review what went well and what did not throughout the AKA Summer. In October we put together the vision and the details for the following year (as well as launch our seasonal AKA After School and Charitable Giving programs) and November through May we get back to work in filling programs and boosting all of those people, Staff and Partners, who make AKA all work.

Having two solid facilities this Summer, a strong staff from top to bottom and hundreds of amazing kids!, I must say that AKA Summer 2018 was a great success!

Highlights and Low-lights from the 2018 Summer AKA All Sports Camp Season:

• Near Perfect Summer Weather! Unlike 2017, this year I only had to move around a couple schedules or events based on the weather. Not too hot, not too rainy, two thumbs up!

• Two successful locations…thank you Centennial Sports Arena & the National Sports Center! Say what you want, these facilities make this program work, both inside and out! Hope to continue for years to come!

• Successful Trips to NEW Field Trip Partners… Urban Air Trampoline Park & UofMN Rec. Center Tour (AKA NSC) - Always seeking new Trips, Twin Cities!

• And Interesting / Unusual Trips to others…

  • Target Field vs. the Boston Red Sox - It’s been a tough year for the Twins and our trip to Target Field in late June played consistent with that.

  • Blue Lips Bunker Beach - Kids stayed strong on an unusually chilly day at our favorite Water Park.

  • Taylor’s Falls Canoe Trips - High River! AKA Centennial rerouted their trip to the Lakes Beach in Blaine (success) do to unusually high water on the St. Croix for our Canoe Trip. AKA Blaine got lucky in mid August.

• Incredible Partners and Supporters! Just Tremendous!

  • Captain Jack and his work with our AKA Archery weeks!

  • Healthy Bites - 4 summers of tasty meals!

  • JamHops! - Could not have asked for a better partnership…hard work, very professional and full of new activities for AKA! Thank you!

We are not perfect, no. But we do everything in our power to get there. AKA was founded on the basis of keeping kids active and well rounded through a variety of sports and recreation. Yet as I reflect on each and every day of this summer, and I’ve said this before, I am most proud of all the social connections that take place with these kids. Sport is a tremendous vehicle to get kids (and adults) together, to enjoy and to learn from each other’s company each and every minute they can. Issues arise and emotions at times go heavy. But what we need to see more clearly is that overall, sport (and free play) teaches kids how to adapt to one another, to learn life skills and ultimately, more so later in life, allows kids and people to hopefully forget about the stresses of the world. We see that every day at AKA… so thanks for another successful, extremely active summer!

And contrary to popular opinion and personal wishful thinking, I do actually do a ton of AKA work outside of the summer months (as well as my year round duties as the Youth Director of a large local soccer Club). AKA will be busy again in no time. Don’t you worry, we keep at it as there’s always room to improve and new ideas to expand.

I hope you are all off to a spectacular new school year. I wish you All the Best, CS