By David Collins

Central Washington University hosts a multitude of athletics camps during the summer. CWU offers boys & girls basketball, fastpitch softball, football, co-ed rugby, soccer and volleyball camps throughout the summer.

The university generates upwards of $700,000 a summer from these camps, with football camps producing a large portion of the revenue, according to CWU Director of Athletics Dennis Francois.

Each camper pays a $10 athletic fee to participate in a camp, with the money going to fund the university’s respective sports program, Francois said.

Francois estimates that CWU athletics camps serve over 100 high schools, most being from the state of Washington.

The money made from other camp fees is divvied up between the services the campers use. According to Francois, a large portion of athletics camps span multiple days, utilizing the university’s residence halls.

“X-amount of money goes to conference services, some goes to residence halls and some goes to dining services,” Francois said.

CWU coaches participate as camp instructors on a voluntary basis.

“Some coaches earn no salary from summer camps,” Francois said, “but for other coaches it makes up a large portion of their salary.”

CWU athletics summer camps serve to benefit both the attendees and the university’s athletics programs and employees.