Chornomorska Sitch concludes 29th annual Sports School (09/20/98)

Chornomorska Sitch concludes 29th annual Sports School

by Christine Kozak-Prociuk

GLEN SPEY, N.Y. - Chornomorska Sitch conducted its 29th Sports School here at the Ukrainian Fraternal Association's (UFA) resort, Verkhovyna.

The school traces its beginnings to 1969 when a soccer camp for boys was established. Due to the large number of participants and the demand for a co-ed program, Sitch organized its first Sports School a year later, in 1970.

For 29 years campers from all across the U.S. and recently Ukraine, have participated in Sports School to master sports of their choice while enjoying the beauty of the Catskill Mountain Region and the company of other campers.

In all, 65 campers from various regions of the U.S. and Ukraine took part this year's program. Participants received instruction and guidance from an excellent staff of 16 students and counselors that included the head soccer coach, Roman Balash, a physical education instructor from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Instruction was given in soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball. Soccer instruction was conducted by Coach Balash, who was assisted by Wolodymyr Kovalev, a professional coach and professor of physical education at the Kyiv Institute of Physical Education, A.J. Panas, a soccer player for Seton Hall University, a Sitch A Team member and a Sitch Sports School graduate, and Roman Holowinsky, a Sitch A Team member and a Sitch Sports School graduate.

Swimming was instructed by Mr. Balash. Ivan Rudawsky, a professional volleyball and tennis coach from Ivano-Frankivsk, conducted volleyball lessons. Tennis was taught by Albert Kolb, a professional coach from Uzhhorod, Ukraine, Mr. Rudawskyj and Yurij Kolb, also a professional coach from Uzhhorod.

The girls' counselors were Slava Wasylak and Lida Bokalo; the younger boys' counselor was Alexander Napora, and the older boys' counselor was Walter Wasylak. Sports School directors for the first two weeks and second two weeks, respectively, were Myron Stebelsky and Omelan Twardowsky. The camp secretary and federal food program administrator was Marika Bokalo; the medical director was Christine Kozak-Prociuk.

When the campers were not training in sports, there were various other activities to occupy them, including movies, singing sessions, dances, barbecues and bonfires, swimming races, tennis and volleyball tournaments, and soccer juggling and dribbling contests. The weekly obstacle course, "Journey through Ukraine," in which campers make their way through obstacles bearing the names of Ukrainian cities in geographical order, was enjoyed by all of the campers who participated.

On August 15 the campers participated in the Ukrainian Youth Olympics sponsored by the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada at the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) resort in Ellenville, N.Y. Campers were able to use their newly honed skills from the Sitch Sports School and apply them to the various competitions with victorious results, earning medals, ribbons and team trophies.

The conclusion of the 29th Sitch Sports School marked yet another successful season for this program. Trophies, partially funded by the UFA, were awarded to camp participants as an acknowledgment of their hard work and training.

The 1999 Sitch Sports School is scheduled to be held beginning the last week of July through the end of the third week in August. Next year the Sports School will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. All Sports School alumni are being invited to contact Chornomorska Sitch as well as participate in the celebration next year, reminiscing about fun times and friendship, and sharing memories of being campers and staffers at the Sitch Sports School.

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