This summer, athletes from all over the state of Iowa will travel to Ames to participate in various Cyclone sports camps and clinics.

The camps are run all summer and include everything from basketball camps to athletic training and sports medicine camps.

The camps allow campers the opportunity to learn from ISU coaches and trainers while also allowing Iowa State the chance to attract new individuals to the university.

Doug Arrowsmith, camp and clinic coordinator, estimates that approximately 4,000-5,000 athletes will attend the Cyclone camps throughout the summer.

Although it’s still early in the summer, Arrowsmith said that from his estimates, the number of people attending the camps has increased this year.

“It’s increased in the majority of the sports,” he said. “It’s pretty much stayed the same in the others.”

Arrowsmith said that the highest number of campers compete in the boy’s and girl’s basketball camps but that all the camps are a huge success.

The Cyclone camps not only act a way to showcase Iowa State, but also as a way to bring business to Ames.

“It won’t be only the kids coming in,” Arrowsmith said. “Parents will drop them off and pick them up. They’ll have to eat something when they’re here which creates business for the Ames community.”

Business in Ames is not the only thing that is effected by the arrival of so many athletes.

Bill Blunck, student employee supervisor at Lied Recreation Center, said that when camps are taking place in the rec, it affects how patrons can use the center.

“It does take away from some of the drop-ins at the rec,” Blunck said. “The students that attend the camps pay quite a bit of money to come, so we try to inform the patrons that there’s also space at Beyer Hall and State Gym for them to work out.”

Although this is the case, Blunck said that it turns out to be positive in that it creates some exposure to Beyer Hall and State Gym.

“It gives exposure to other parts of campus,” he said. “Beyer and State are still able to provide people with what they want. We really encourage people to use them.”

As far as when people can and can’t use the rec, Blunck said that it’s pretty simple.

“It’s really up to the coaches of the camps to how many people we let in,” Blunck said. “Usually these camps take place outside but if there is an indoor camp or if one is moved indoors, we might ask that people use the other facilities.”

Blunck and Arrowsmith both agree that the camps are a good opportunity for the ISU community and for Ames.

“A lot of the athletes coming here will be attending the university in the future,” Blunck said.

“This gives them an opportunity to see Iowa State, learn a lot and meet new people.”

“Absolutely, we’ve had a lot of good comments.

“The way we view it. All these kids are coming here and…it gives an opportunity to get into some other buildings.”