GOOD SPORTS: “We are teaching kids from kindergarten through eighth grade how to compete with good sportsmanship — and at the same time to have fun. We also pride ourselves on safety. We check each kid in and check the child out to see that they are met by a parent or designated adult.” Johnny Rooney is director of Hit ‘n’ Run Sports Academy and Fal-Rooney Olympic Camp.

A co-ed day camp experience is available year-round from Johnny Rooney’s Sports Camp Academies. A safe, structured environment gives children the opportunity to enhance their athletic skill and compete while having fun and making new friends.

Choices include the Fal-Rooney Olympic Camp, weekly XFL camp, and JR’s Hit ‘n’ Run Academy. Fal-Rooney Olympic Camp programs are held at the Otto Kaufman Community Center on Skillman Road in Montgomery Township. The Hit ‘n’ Run Baseball camp will be in action this summer at the Montgomery Baseball Complex in Skillman.

A graduate of Montgomery High School (with a post graduate year at The Hun School) and C.W. Post College with a degree in elementary education, Mr. Rooney has been a teacher and coach for 17 years. He currently teaches physical education to pre-K through second graders (including handicapped students) at Orchard Hill Elementary School in Montgomery Township. He also trains a number of Robbinsville LL softball teams, coaches the Jersey Outlaws, a 14 U travel team, and helps recruit future college softball players for the Mercer County Community College softball program.

Mr. Rooney’s first camp, Hit ‘n’ Run Baseball, began in 1998, and Fal-Rooney, with co-director Mike Falco, was opened in 2006.

Biggest Benefits

“Our camps’ biggest benefits for the kids are building confidence, making friends, and promoting good sportsmanship,” explains Mr. Rooney. “They have a chance to play, learn, compete, make new friends, and have a great time. And each of our Academy coaches consistently emphasizes the importance of teamwork.”

At the Fal-Rooney Olympic Camp, kids participate in many sports and activities, including kickball, basketball, dodge ball, ping pong, soccer, and dance, among others. They compete as members of a team, which includes all ages playing together. As Mr. Rooney explains, “When they first come in, the kids just play, and then we pick the teams. They are thoroughly balanced, with first and second graders and sixth, seventh, and eighth graders all on the same team. They meet new faces and form new friendships, and the younger kids look up to the older ones as leaders.

“Kids are exposed to a lot more today in so many areas,” continues Mr. Rooney. “We like them to be able to participate in the good old games that are fun. Even with all the high tech and the digital society, kids are still kids. This is a chance for them to be active and have fun. We work very hard to stay creative, and it’s great to see how excited the kids are and how they look forward to coming. The day ends with the entire camp dancing together. We also provide water and healthy snacks for them.”

The average number of kids in the program is 60, he adds, with 14 to 20 staff members. “A lot of the coaches, whom we call role models, are my former students and athletes,” he adds.

Playing Fair

Because of the strong emphasis on good sportsmanship, campers learn early that bullying is not tolerated. “The kids come up with great slogans,” points out Mr. Rooney. For example: “If you care, you’re playing fair!” “If you had fun, you won!” and “At Fal-Rooney, we don’t bully, we buddy!”

In addition to the camps, Fal-Rooney has introduced birthday parties, offering a variety of sports and games. Parties are an hour and a half, and have become very popular.

Fal-Rooney Olympic Camp currently meets once a week on Wednesday at the gym in the Otto Kaufman Community Center for an hour and a half. Its program is extended in the summer, with camps during the weeks of June 24, July 7, July 14, and August 11, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pre-camp care starts at 8 a.m., and post-camp care is available until 5 p.m. This program is for boys and girls entering grades first through eighth.

Hit ‘n’ Run Baseball camp will be held at the Montgomery Baseball Complex in Skillman the week of July 28-31. Also co-ed, the camp is for kids entering first grade through ninth grade. Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration for summer camp is available March 1st.

“We are set apart because we have a different dynamic,” notes Mr. Rooney. “We’re not focused on just one thing. We offer a real variety. I always look forward to getting together with the staff for planning, and then seeing the kids come for the first time. There are lots of new faces, but also many repeats. We have lots of siblings, too, and I see  many kids grow up over the years. I love kids. I really enjoy seeing them laugh and have fun.”

For further information, call (908) 672-9398 or consult the website: www.falrooney.com.