They play ultimate football and ultimate handball. And then there's Dodgeball Day.

Spartanburg Regional's Sports Medicine Institute offers an annual Spring Break camp designed to keep kids off the couch. The camp is in its fourth year.

The camp relies on “games” designed specifically to get heart rates up and improve agility, flexibility and stability, according to sports performance supervisor Gary Hazelwood.

“The kids love it because it is fun, but few realize the benefits of these games,” Hazelwood said. “The kids just enjoy it because it's fun.”

The camp has between 40 to 50 participants each year. It's a lot like a normal training class, but designed specifically to keep children working and active.

“We incorporate all of the correct methodologies of fitness training into the camp, and combine that with games that we know the kids will enjoy,” Hazelwood said.

While at camp, students play:

·        Ultimate football, which allows them to test “burst” skills by catching a ball, stopping, and then running.

·        Ultimate handball, a combination of soccer and ultimate Frisbee, where the goal is to catch the ball and then score a goal.

·        Dodgeball, a classic game that focuses on core strength and mechanics.

“The activities are competitive and that's what drives the kids, plus they also remain active,” Hazelwood said. “Many parents want their children to stay focused, be active, have fun and learn. And this helps them do that.”

This year's camp is from April 2-6 during Spring Break for students in grades 3-8.

“We want to focus on the younger kids because they are the ones who need to be more active,” Hazelwood said. “Some of the older kids may have bigger priorities for their break, but we want to encourage the younger kids to become more involved.”