First, choose a few summer goals.

Make sure the goals are specific. A vague goal, such as, “get better grades,” is challenging because it isn’t well defined. It will be easier to create activities if your objective is very specific, such as:

• Improve multiplication skills,
• Choose a topic and start research on a science fair project or
• Complete three SAT practice tests.

Next, start gathering your resources.

A great place to start is at school. Ask this year’s teachers and teachers in the next grade level if they have suggestions. Teachers might also have what they call “summer bridge” booklets and activities, which are designed to help students smoothly bridge the gap between grades. Share your summer goal with them. Teachers often know of books, summer programs and have insight on what challenges most students face when entering the next grade.

Check online for resources.

The Virginia Department of Education (http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/index.shtml) lists on its website the information students should know at each grade level as well as standardized tests from previous years that can be used for practice. The site even has a special summer learning section (http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/summer/index.shtml). One cool feature: parents of elementary school students can sign up for a daily, free summer math email (http://www.quantiles.com/content/summer-math-challenge/) to help kids keep those math skills sharp!

Make sure your summer plan is fun!

Because you’re not sharing your learning experience with a class of 20 other students, your summer curriculum can be tailored to your needs and interests. If you like bugs, make all of your math, science, reading and writing projects about bugs. If you’re a science geek, incorporate that into your social studies, science and language arts lessons.

Summer break should be filled with fun and exercise—and we’ve got that covered while you’re at one of the most sough-after basketball camps in Virginia! But you don’t want your academics to suffer. Make sure you create your plan and stick with it!

I cannot tell you what a great experience Shaka Smart Basketball Camps was for my son Mac Smith and for my husband and I. We all loved it.

The camp was so well organized and run. I feel terrible that I have forgotten the young man’s name who directed the camp, but he did a superior job. All of the coaches and players who coached and instructed the campers were knowledgeable, positive, upbeat and FUN!!! It seemed that they were having more fun than the kids!

The campers were quickly organized every morning and put into action almost immediately. Every good teacher and coach knows that players only get better if they have a ball in their hands and are practicing skills. It’s called “time on task” and the campers got plenty of it. The station work was excellent and always evolving—giving players a chance to show off skills they already had or learn something new and practice a skill they may normally neglect. The instructional environment of these stations was very beneficial.

The games and contests were very exciting and provided excellent game play experience. I liked that there were referees for each game and teams were composed of the right number of players for ultimate floor time. Lunch was reported to be good and the photo, basketball, bag, shirt and other goodies were icing on the cake. Loved the campwear too!!

All staff involved with the camp was helpful, polite and smiling at all times. A tornado warning went into effect one day during our week and the staff handled it beautifully. I can’t think of anything I would change and offer no advice for improvement.

My husband and I are both PE teachers and have coached a variety of sports for many years. My husband has played major league baseball. We have spent many years working at and watching sports camps and we both agree that Shaka Smart’s camp receives an A+!  I feel it is the best camp value for the unbelievably low fee. We can’t wait to come back next summer!!

Please forward this email to any camp staff member who would get a smile from receiving our gratitude and compliments (Shaka too!)

Thanks for all of your professional help Dianne (Long).

Sincerely,
Cyndie Smith

Fresh vegetables and fruits are the best foods for growing bodies.

A recent study showed that children under age 6 are eating more fruits and veggies, however, teens are eating less.

A great way to get more produce into kids is to let them pick out their own at local farmer’s markets. Shopping at these markets not only gives you access to fresh food, but gives you and your family the opportunity to meet the people growing your food. This might pique the interest of a pre-teen or teen who has been avoiding green leafy vegetables.

Below are some of the area farmer’s markets:

Resources:

Richmond Times-Dispatch’s listing of local farmer’s markets

Richmond Good Life’s list

Richmond.com’s list

A good listener will find success at camp, school, or home, and ultimately in life.

Fortunately, listening is simple. First, it requires your full attention. This means you should remain silent, so that can accurately absorb the information coming from your parent, teacher, or coach. If you’re talking, playing or otherwise distracted, it can easily make it difficult to hear and understand everything you are being told.

For example, whether Coach Shaka Smart is speaking to 300 campers or to 15 VCU basketball players, it’s important that he have everyone’s undivided attention. This way players and campers understand what Coach Smart expects of them and it gives them a better shot at success.

Another way to ensure that you’re listening well is to make eye contact with the speaker. This is true if you’re sitting in a classroom with 25 other students or if you are working on free throws one-on-one with your camp coach. Eye contact tells the speaker that you’re paying attention and makes it less likely that you will be distracted. Also if someone is speaking and you are reading, looking at your feet or fiddling with your pockets, the person speaking may feel as if they’re being ignored. They may decide that you’re uninterested and focus their words on those who are making appropriate eye contact.

In a basketball setting there may be lots of noise, such as balls bouncing, whistles blowing, sneakers squeaking on the floor or coaches speaking. If you’re not focused on your coach, it will be very difficult to tune in to what the coach is telling you.

It’s easy to see how this advice works in the classroom as well. Often in school there may be someone talking on the other side of the room or music coming from the band class. Your job is to focus on your teacher and your assignment. If your teacher is speaking and you are speaking at the same time, that’s disrespectful and disruptive. It could potentially cause you and your classmates to miss important information about a homework assignment or test, which could negatively affect your grade.

On the court, during a game, it’s even louder with fans yelling and horns and blowing. Here, your listening will really pay off.

Keep these suggestions in mind at camp, on the court, in the class and with your parents. You’ll find that good listening is contagious!

Tolbert, who lives in Spain, had long wanted to come to camp during his family’s annual visit to Richmond, said his mother Maria Gonzalez. But, the timing hadn’t worked out until last summer. During the summer of 2012, the family was thrilled one of the camp sessions coincided with their visit to her husband Jack Tolbert’s hometown.

“My husband is from here,” Gonzalez said at camp. “James’ grandfather lives in Henrico. It takes us a little while to get to camp, but it’s worth it.”

“James feels like he’s learned a lot of new things,” Gonzalez said on the last day of the camp last summer. Her family flew back to Spain the next day after a three-week visit. “The way the camp is organized and the atmosphere has been very pleasant. He likes basketball and plays during the school year. James has been very happy.”

James Tolbert, 13, at Harlem Globetrotters game in Spain

“My favorite part were the games after lunch, I liked how every team had a real team name, like VCU or Butler,” said James, who is 13. “I learned a better way to fight for rebounds and a a better way to position myself.”

The family has lived in a village on the outskirts of Madrid for a dozen years, said his father, Jack Tolbert. The elder Tolbert attended Douglas S. Freeman High School in Henrico and took classes at VCU before graduated from SUNY Purchase. Tolbert said the benefits of living abroad include, being close to his wife’s extended family and friends, the great food, and being in the area around where his wife grew up in the Montañas Palentinas in Northern Spain.

“My favorite things about getting back to Richmond would include getting out in the James River and spending time at old spots in the Fan,” Tolbert said. “I’m also very happy with the camp—great atmosphere. Coaches were always present and encouraging from what I could see and gather from James’s comments. All the kids seemed to get along well without any foolishness. He had a lot of fun, got great exercise and hopefully it will also prove beneficial when he starts playing with his team again in the Fall.”

Not so fast!

A few weeks remain in the current school year and finishing strong is just as important in school as it is in basketball. This is true whether you already have great grades or if you could stand to pull up a grade or two.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the final days of this academic year:

1. Don’t skimp on studying. Yes, it’s warm outside. Yes, it’s tempting to play outside. No you can’t slack off. A poor grade now can pull down your yearly average.
2. Focus. Limit distractions, such as the television, video games, text messages and social media. Turn them off until you’ve finished your assignments.
3. Team up. Teamwork works on and off the court. Grab a study partner and motivate each other. With a friend, you can both provide encouragement to avoid distractions.
4. Set goals. If your goal is to pull up your grade in English or to master something new in math, make it your objective, then design a plan. Tell others about your goals and get to work. Outlining your goals and plans helps you stay on track.
5. Talk to your teachers. They know your strengths and weaknesses. Your instructors can give you tips and suggestions for staying on the right path through the end of the year.
6. Ask for extra credit. If you think your grades are shaky, ask your teacher if there is anything you can do to bring up your grades. Offer to do an extra project, paper or presentation. Teachers love initiative. Ask as soon as possible, because teachers don’t like last-day-of-school panicky requests once grades have been submitted.
7. Don’t give up! Sometimes when we get a poor grade or have trouble grasping a new concept in class, we might be tempted to stop trying. That’s the opposite of what you need to do when facing challenges. Instead of throwing in the towel, keep trying.
8.  Share your success. We can’t wait to hear about your awesome grades at Shaka Smart Basketball Camps!

We appreciate your patience and support as we bring you a new online registration system. We apologize for any inconvenience this delay has caused. The early registration period and $25 discount have been extended until May 15.

This year’s camp is a celebration of our fourth year. Please join the excitement as we teach the fundamentals of basketball and fitness to boys and girls entering 3rd through 12th grade. Learn from experienced coaches, make new friends and play on at the Siegel Center, home of the VCU Rams!

If you have any questions, please let us know!

To register your child for the day camp, please click here for the form that should be printed and submitted by mail.

Online registration will be available soon.

2013 Camp Dates:

Session 1:      June 24 through June 28 (students entering grades 3-12)

Session 2:      July 15 through July 19 (students entering grades 3-7)

Session 3:      August 5 through August 9 (students entering grades 3-12)

Camp hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For campers who are registered before May 1, the cost per session is $250. After May 1, the cost is $275.

Camp will include lunch each day, an official camp T-shirt, official camp backpack and an official camp basketball.

Please note that due to USA Basketball obligations Coach Smart will not be in attendance during Session 1. The rest of the VCU men’s basketball staff, former VCU players and graduate assistants from VCU’s Sports Leadership Program and other youth coaches.  will be there to ensure the same high level of fun and instruction that campers have enjoyed the past four camp seasons.

Session 2 is only open to students entering grades 3 through grade 7.

Team Camp will be Friday, June 21, 2013

The cost is $350 per team and three games are guaranteed.

Games are officiated by high school officials. Register your varsity, junior varsity and AAU teams today.

Click here for the Team Camp Form.

All checks should be made payable to Shaka Smart Basketball Camps, LLC.

Rodney hugs two fans at Adventure Expo

Rodney was joined by Camp Director Maya Smart and other camp staffers at the expo to share information about the camp, which will be held in the Verizon Wireless Arena at the Stuart Siegel Center.

“Getting out to the Expo was a great way for us to meet new people and let them know about the camp,” Smart said. “Even with the spring snow, the tent was packed with families and mascots. We loved the excitement.”

Kids came over to test their skills at the mini basketball hoop and everyone walked away with a Shaka Smart Basketball Camps sticker. Two lucky visitors won READ posters autographed by VCU Head Basketball Coach, Shaka Smart.

Camp Info:

To register for camp, click here, print and mail in the form along with the $250 camp fee ($275 after May 1) or the non-refundable $50 deposit to:

Shaka Smart Basketball Camps

Online registration will be available soon.

2013 Camp Dates:

Session 1:      June 24 through June 28 (students entering grades 3-12)

Session 2:      July 15 through July 19 (students entering grades 3-7)

Session 3:      August 5 through August 9 (students entering grades 3-12)

Camp hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For campers who are registered before May 1, the cost per session is $250. After May 1, the cost is $275.

Camp will include lunch each day, an official camp T-shirt, official camp backpack and an official camp basketball.

Please note that due to USA Basketball obligations Coach Smart will not be in attendance during Session 1. The rest of the VCU men’s basketball staff, former VCU players and graduate assistants from VCU’s Sports Leadership Program and other youth coaches  will be there to ensure the same high level of fun and instruction that campers have enjoyed the past four camp seasons.

Session 2 is only open to students entering grades 3 through grade 7.

Rodney with Nutsy, Richmond Flying Squirrels mascot

Learn about fun summer camps, including Shaka Smart Basketball Camps, other day camps and overnight camps. The expo, with indoor and outdoor activities, gives families a glimpse of the summer camp options in the Richmond area while providing live music entertainment, games and door prizes along with a free rock wall for climbing.

“We love meeting families and spreading the word about Shaka Smart Basketball Camps,” said Maya Smart, camp director. “The high-energy atmosphere of the expo is what we’re about: getting kids moving so they are healthy during camp and all year long.”

Don’t miss it!

When: Sunday, March 24, 2013 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Peak Experiences Indoor Rock Climbing Center

11421 Polo Circle

Midlothian, VA

www.peakexperiences.com

Cost:      Free