Comanche Nation Provides Sports Camp for Area Youth

Comanche Nation held a Student Camp on Monday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 2, near the softball fields at Comanche Nation Tribal Complex.

Martin Flores, who is the cultural advisor for 988, said it’s to bring in native and area youth in the community to participate in a sports camp. The days were centered around core values, including respect, commitment, discipline and hard work.

“We get to those values with sports, with sports activity,” he said. “Now, not just any sports, we got football, we got soccer, we got softball, we got just different types of agility movements that these kids can learn out here. And physical activity brings happiness, it brings endorphins, and it brings mental wellness.”

Flores said it’s beneficial for participants in many ways.

“A healthy body is a happy body. A happy body is a healthy mind,” he said.

Several programs were involved, including the Comanche Nation 988 program, Prevention and Recovery and many others who provided snacks, canopies and medical services. Programs also helped with contacting coaches from universities and high schools across America.

“We brought those coaches in because they understand those core values, those four core values of respect, of discipline, of hard work, and those things like that,” Flores said. “So, they understand those values, and they really love to teach those values. And this is the best of the best to come and teach our Native youth, to teach our youth of the community.”

The two-day camp offered several stations for each focus area, covering various sports.