Experts agree: the biggest sufferers of the corona pandemic are the children, whose natural urge to exercise was suppressed for two years by exit restrictions. Studies say that during the first lockdown from March to May 2020, children gained an average of four kilograms in body weight.
Thomas Dechel from Linz tries to counteract this problem. The ex-professional ice hockey goalkeeper has been organizing holiday camps for children for four years to get them into sports. “I think we have a duty to enable children to exercise. The ability to perform not only benefits the body, but also the psyche. Anyone who does sports has fun, endorphins are released, and you also educate yourself on a social level.” , says the 29-year-old, who was recently active as a youth coach for the Linz ice hockey juniors.
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In the first two weeks of the holiday, Dechel is organizing two camps for 80 children each at the Sportunion Leonding facility under the slogan “KidsMeetSports” with 24 other trainers, sports educators and supervisors from a wide variety of sports.
Between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., the children (born 2008 to 2016) try out six to eight sports a day, Monday to Friday. However, it is not about the sports per se, but rather about the training of motor skills.
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“From soccer to tennis, hockey, golf, basketball, dancing to climbing, pretty much everything is included,” says Dechel, who is looking forward to the seven to 14-year-olds. In the past four years, the sports camp has become an affair of the heart for him. “It’s a lot of fun getting the kids excited about sport. And that’s what we live for as a club.” (prince)
A few remaining places are still available. A sports week including all-round care and a daily lunch menu costs 317 euros for members (each additional sibling 277 euros). For more information, visit www.kidsmeetsports.com
Source: Nachrichten
