Sports camps under way in Valley Stream

The Village of Valley Stream Recreation Department’s summer sports camp began its 12th year of operation June 27 with its week-long soccer session at Firemen’s Field.

“It’s fun for the kids and affordable for parents,” said co-coordinator Joe Gustafeste. “This year we’ve added some evening indoor sports camps. Every camp features an experienced high school varsity coach from the district.”

Gustafeste and fellow coordinator Mike Paolillo, both teachers and coaches in the Central High School District, have been with the camp since its inception. In addition to the traditional four specialized programs — soccer, flag football, lacrosse and baseball/softball — consisting of 15 hours spread over five days, they’ve added wrestling, volleyball and basketball. Camps are limited to kids set to enter grades 4 through 8, and the cost is $85 for village residents and $90 for Central High School District residents.

“I like that the coaches are from the surrounding high schools,” said Concetta Veltri, a Franklin Square resident whose son, Michael, attended the soccer camp and plans to participate in every camp being offered. “My son likes all sports,” she added. “Here he gets a full week to better his skills in a specific sport.”

Gustafeste, an assistant varsity football coach at Valley Stream South, said a typical day at camp is divided into three parts with 10- or 15-minute breaks in between. “The kids work on certain skills and fundamentals for the first two hours and play a modified game for the last 45 minutes,” he said.

South High boys’ varsity soccer coach Richard Boyd serves as the soccer camp instructor. “The camp focuses on passing and shooting skills, footwork, throw-ins, heading, and some one-on-one skills,” he said. “The main thing is to get the kids to be comfortable with the ball at their feet.”

In addition to Gustafeste, Paolillo and Boyd, others on staff include district boys’ varsity lacrosse coach Dan Achatz, North assistant varsity football coach and varsity wrestling coach Tom Maddock, former South boys’ varsity volleyball coach Scott Stueber, South boys’ varsity basketball coach Matt Johnsen, and Mike Hovanac, a softball coach at West Hempstead.

Remaining day camps, which run from 9 a.m. to noon at Firemen’s Field, are flag football (July 11-15), lacrosse (July 18-22) and baseball/softball (July 25-29), while evening camps, from 5 to 8 p.m., in wrestling (July 11-15), volleyball (July 18-22) and basketball (July 25-29) will be held at Memorial Junior High School.

“We’ve had a lot of kids from our camps go on to compete at the high school varsity level and play for some of these same coaches,” Gustafeste said.

For more information or to register for camps, call the Recreation Department at (516) 825-8570.