With backpacks replacing beach bags and school supplies replacing summer essentials, many Florida families are preparing for the quickly approaching school year. But before students head back to the classroom, many spend the final weeks of summer at local sports camps, where coaches say the lessons extend far beyond the playing surface.
At Ocala Athletix, athletes spend the day practicing tumbling, stunts and teamwork, but improving athletic ability is only part of the experience. Coaches, parents and athletes say organized sports camps help children develop confidence, communication skills and resilience that carry into every aspect of their lives.
“All youth sports in general teach you so many life lessons,” coach Michael Gonzalez said. “Obviously they teach you about the sport and technique and skills for the sport, but also responsibility and respect for others and teamwork.”
Those lessons are especially valuable during the final weeks of summer, when many children have fallen out of the routines they’ll return to once school begins.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 6 to 17 should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Organized sports and summer camps help children meet those recommendations while providing opportunities to structure their day during the summer months.
As the school year approaches, coaches say those routines become increasingly important.
"I think it's important because not only does it keep their bodies moving and keep them healthy, but it also sets a structure for them," coach Emma Wood said. "In the summer, they tend to not have a schedule. Coming to a sport and staying active gets them back into a schedule, getting them ready for school."
Wood said she hopes athletes leave with much more than stronger tumbling skills.
"This sport has a lot of responsibility and accountability, and I hope they take that from the sport and take that into the real world," she said. "I also hope they take confidence. They have to perform in front of big crowds and demonstrate skills with confidence, so I hope they go out into the world confident."
Throughout camp, athletes celebrated each milestone, whether it was landing a new tumbling skill, encouraging a teammate or simply trying something they had been too nervous to attempt before.
Ainsley Grace Galloway, 14, knows that feeling well. She remembers spending months trying to perfect her back walkover and this accomplishment changed more than just what she was able to do on the mat.
"I worked for like six months to get it," Galloway said. "Once I did, I just felt so proud and so relieved that I finally got that one skill."
Everly Vickers, 10, has experienced that same confidence after overcoming one of her own challenges with learning a new skill.
“The hardest skill that I tried to learn was a back walkover when I was younger because that was kind of the first skill I tried,” she said. “I felt super powerful and it felt really good.”
Those personal victories often become celebrations shared by the entire team. Everly Vickers said one of her favorite parts of coming to the gym is celebrating when her teammates master a new skill.
Those moments of growth are exactly what owner Cyndi Gonzalez hopes every athlete experiences.
"We try to celebrate the small accomplishments as well as the big ones," Gonzalez said. “It’s not just winning a competition; it’s you finally threw that pass or that stunt hit.”
She said learning to fail, and recovering from it is one of the most valuable lessons children can learn.
"We also teach them that mistakes are how we learn," Gonzalez said. "Mistakes are not something to be afraid of or ashamed of, that is the only way to learn, you have to welcome them."
Ashley Vickers said setbacks and mistakes have become learning opportunities for her daughter. Instead of being frustrated after a difficult practice, she focuses on improving by putting in extra work at home so she can walk into the gym determined to overcome hardship.
Watching children grow through those moments is one of the biggest rewards for parents.
Vickers said her daughter was extremely shy when she first joined the program, but that has changed dramatically over the last four seasons.
"Her confidence has been huge," Vickers said. "She was very shy, but the gym has given her confidence in her physical abilities and social abilities. It's been really cool to watch her blossom."
She believes youth sports create opportunities for children to experience success, failure and teamwork in a supportive environment.
"Sports is such a little microcosm for real life," Vickers said. "She gets to meet different people from different backgrounds, and they have interpersonal conflicts and it's a safe space to grow and learn how to deal with all of that. I think it’s just expanding her more as a person.”
Jennifer Keeney said sports have given her daughter more than a way to stay active during the summer. She said the experience has helped her develop teamwork, responsibility and the confidence to work through challenges. Skills she hopes will benefit her long after cheerleading.
"She's learning life skills like teamwork, how to get along with different personalities, how to be responsible, how to follow through with things and how to operate under pressure," Keeney said.
Over the years, Gonzalez said she has watched countless athletes grow not only as cheerleaders, but as people. She recalled one athlete who joined the program at 12 years old barely speaking to anyone. Today, that same athlete coaches at the gym, a transformation Gonzalez said reflects the confidence she developed through sports.
Stories like that, she said, remind her why organized youth sports matter.
"The life skills are priceless," Gonzalez said. "It sounds like a cliché, but any organized youth sport is so valuable."