The wait is finally over!
The premier sports camp that everyone knows and loves, Slapshots, is excited to launch its girls division, Allstars. Amanda Lipschik, a social worker who serves as the director of admissions and recruitment at Yeshivat Noam, has been tapped as director of Allstars, bringing with her tremendous knowledge and experience in both athletics and working with kids. When looking to hire the right person for Allstars, Slapshots Director Rabbi Sariel Malitzky reached out to several people who suggested Lipschik. “She’s organized, responsive, creative and she’s passionate about girls playing sports,” he said. “Combining her role at Yeshivat Noam and the organization that requires, coupled with her extensive background in sports made her the ideal fit for the position.”
“Rabbi Malitzky approached me and I didn’t even need to ask him any questions, said Lipschik. “I just said, ‘Let’s go!’’’
Growing up on Long Island, Lipschik’s life revolved around sports. She attended HANC where she played basketball, hockey, volleyball, softball and soccer. After high school she worked as a camp division head and coached sports teams at various New York and New Jersey high schools.
“Everyone knows about Slapshots and is familiar with it. Our goal is to bring that same opportunity to girls,” she said.
Thrilled to be able to offer this high level of sports in a Torah-filled environment to girls in the community, Allstars will channel the spirit of Slapshots by offering the same level of competition with the same level of enthusiasm, fun and skills.
“It will be the same in the sense that we are going to spare no effort or expense to put together an amazing program,” Rabbi Malitzky explained. With an emphasis on skill building, clinics and workshops, “we will have a very strong staff-to-camper ratio. We are looking to bring in young women to the staff who are not only good at sports but are good with kids and are looking to be strong role models.”
“People are very excited,” Rabbi Malitzky said, and registrations have already started pouring in. “I think that many parents are looking for a strong option for the second month for their girls that’s different from the typical day camp.”
He added, “If you have a daughter that likes to play sports this will be a dream week (or two) for her. To be able to play sports at a high level, while improving her skill set and just being in a happy environment filled with positive role models and a great value system, then this is the place for her.”
The camp will run for the first two weeks in August and feature competitive leagues, competitions, skills and clinics for girls entering fifth through eighth grade. But you better believe there is going to be a fun girls twist thrown into the mix. Taking place at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey in River Edge, the camp will have access to two gyms and great outdoor space. Allstars will feature all the great things parents and campers have come to know, love and expect from Slapshots and, of course, it wouldn’t be Slapshots/Allstars without the inspiring davening, engaging learning and delicious lunches and treats that the camp offers.
Running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a typical day will feature a mixture of different sports through clinics and competition. There will be a lot of skill building, skill enhancing and introduction of new techniques and skills. Allstars will have leagues, tournaments, 3-on-3 basketball, foul-shot competitions, hockey shootouts and everything else, all in a healthy, positive, sportsmanship-like environment.
In addition to the four main sports that the girls will play, including hockey, basketball, soccer and volleyball, Amanda aims to combine athleticism with a healthy, positive attitude through a mixture of fun, diverse activities and a blend of body movement with activities including Zumba and yoga. Her goal is also to expose girls to several other sports, giving them the opportunity to discover if they are good at them and want to continue playing them.
“You can’t expect that all girls love basketball. How do they know if they do or don’t like tennis if they’ve never picked up a tennis racket? How do girls know if they don’t like a particular sport if they’ve never been given the opportunity to play and explore it? A lot of that is also building that framework of exposure, exposing girls to different sports and then taking it to the next level, finding what they are passionate about and what they like and then building on that,” Lipschik said, adding, “A lot of the skills in sports are tied together: coordination, follow-thru, eye on the ball—key words for any sport.”
But the overarching theme at Allstars is that sports are not just for boys. It’s competitive. It’s fun. It’s exciting. And it is now available in a Torah-filled environment.
“Just to know that it is just being offered says so much about who we are in Bergen County, that we are able to offer the same things to girls as you do to boys.”
To register your daughter for an amazing experience or to learn more about Camp Allstars, visit www.campAllstars.org/apply.
By Ronit Mershon
