JETS are at it again

Posted on: J A McRae

Shannon LeClair – Times Reporter

Last week was the 16th annual JETS basketball camp, hosted at the Strathmore High School.  There were 26 kids participating in the morning groups, Grade One to Four, and 24 registered for the afternoon Grade Five to Nine. The camp began on Monday July 5 and ran until July 9.  Pat Fule is the coach, and it all began for him when he saw a demonstration from Stars basketball in 1995.

“We liked it so much it and believed in the head person that we got involved and put our kids in it. Then he asked me to take over the town of Strathmore organization and get it running,” said Fule.

The organization then spread across Canada, eventually morphing into another group.

“We took on the name JETS because we wanted to stay with the basics and having fun,” said Fule. JETS stands for Just Enjoy The Sport, which is a philosophy both Pat and his wife Debbie believe in.  Both of the Fule’s are teachers in town, and they also run a weeklong volleyball camp. In the fall there is a basketball program then badminton and in the spring there are volleyball camps.

“We usually have families that will stay with us, and their younger kids will join as well. The town is big enough that we always get new people. Some people will join other sports, or may decide it’s not for them, but we do get a lot of repeat kids,” said Pat.

A lot of the kids who have gone through the camps will often return as coaches when they get to junior and senior high.  The camps are based on stressing the fundamentals, teaching basic skills and showing the kids how fun the sports can be, and some of the kids will move onto competitive sports later on.

“We want them to have fun, and get fit and hopefully learn a little bit about cooperation and sharing and being better people too,” said Pat.

The volleyball camp is in its eighth year, and begins on August 9.