DENVER — A summer camp created by Denver Public Schools (DPS) brought in the Denver Onyx women's professional rugby team to inspire its elementary school campers.
ELCSports offers sports to elementary students to help them develop skills before they reach middle school and create a pipeline into high school athletics.
“During the school year, we run school-based leagues, but in the summer, it’s our chance to bring kids from different schools together to try sports we offer during the season and new ones like rugby,” said ELCSports supervisor Emily Langston. “Community engagement is a huge part of our mission.”
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A different local pro team visits the camp each week, with this week's featured team being the Denver Onyx women's professional rugby team.
“It was important to highlight a women’s pro team," Langston said. "We’re excited to have the Onyx here doing a clinic with our campers."
Organizers and pro-athletes said they were especially excited to teach the girls about women's professional sports.
“There will be a number of girls at camp, so they can see it, be it," said Denver Onyx athlete Carly Waters. "I brought trading cards for them to take home and hopefully build a pathway."
Many of the campers were new to rugby and got to ask the athletes questions about the sport.
“I know it’s kind of like football, but different," said one camper. "I’ve never really watched it, so it’s new to me."
“It excites us because I haven’t met a pro team in real life before," another camper told Denver7.
ELCSports has grown rapidly since it began two years ago.
“Our leagues during the school year have tripled, and summer camp has doubled," Langston said. "Last year, we were only at South High. Now, we’re expanding to South High and Swigert International."
