Gurcharan Dhillon wants children to be more active in the summer and learn more about their culture.
Exercise, fun and games are ways to do just that.
The Auburn man and substitute teacher decided to start the Seattle Sports Camp.
Now in its sixth year, the free camp has become a gathering place for about 200 Punjabi men, women and children from around the area. This year the camp unfolds every Saturday and Sunday evenings in Kent at Wilson Playfields, 13028 SE 251 Place, and Meridian Middle School, 23400 120th Ave. SE.
“Different families get together,” Dhillon said. “Their small children become friends.”
Dhillon, 64, spent more than 20 years as a wrestling coach and understands the importance of promoting an active lifestyle for children.
“Most of the students stay in their home, mostly in front of the TV,” he said.
Dhillon said many families would like to send their children to India to get to know more about their culture, but the expense can be a barrier. The camp gives them the chance to connect with the local Punjabi community.
“We encourage the students to be Punjabi,” Dhillon said.
Most of the instruction during the camp is in Punjabi, giving the children the chance to practice the language.
“They don’t have time to learn our language,” he said.
While the camp is geared toward the Punjabi community, Dhillon said anyone interested in the culture can attend.
Navroop Singh, 11, a sixth-grader-to-be at Emerald Park Elementary, attended the camp this summer after he was invited by his father’s friend’s children.
“I like exercising and running,” Singh said.
Singh has made a lot friends through the camp
“We talk and play and try to know each other,” he said.
He also has enjoyed learning more about the Punjabi culture.
“I’ve learned mostly people in India do different stuff than here,” he said.
The activities for the children vary each week, and range from soccer to running.
But children aren’t the only ones partaking in the fun. The men play volleyball or soccer. Even the women have recently taken up soccer.
“We never played before, said Gurdeep Jahlli, of Kent, who attended the camp with family. “We watched our kids.”
Jahlli said in her culture it isn’t common for women to take part in sports.
“Usually in our community we don’t come out much,” she said.
Many of the women started coming to the camp with their families and would watch their children or husbands participate, Jahlli said. This year the women decided to give soccer a try.
It is a good way to stay active, Jahlli said, adding, “We don’t have time to go to the gym.”
The sports camp is a fun activity for families to do together, Jahlli said.
“The kids are so excited and look forward to it,” she said. “The whole family can come outside together.”
The camp wraps up for the year on Aug. 30. A banquet – with awards, food, singing and dancing – will celebrate the end of a successful sports camp season.
Dhillon, who works in the Kent and Auburn school districts, enjoys being able to give back to his community.
“I like to work for my community,” he said. “This is my hobby. This is my interest.”
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
