BILLINGS — Lockwood High School is packed with athletes this week.
The annual Lockwood Sports Camp is back for its ninth edition, again giving families an affordable option for the kids, as the camp is free.
“We have other businesses around, like Yellowstone Valley Electric and so forth, that donate to things for the community," Fellowship Baptist Church pastor and Lockwood Sports Camp host Ray Willis said. "So at the beginning of November I write a lot of grants. We have a lot of people that just want to help."
The camp has continued to grow throughout the years and has over 500 in attendance this week from various surrounding counties. Pastor Ray is hoping it can spark an interest for even just one kid.
“It's amazing. I'm getting reports that students are playing junior varsity and varsity ball that wouldn't have gone out if they hadn't come to camp. They came out every year and had a skill set and went out," said Willis.
While most of the week will be blessed with good weather, the Tuesday morning crew had to withstand some chilly wind and rain, but that didn’t slow them down.
“They showed up (Tuesday). It's amazing, because (Monday) was warmer. We just made some adjustments, like with baseball. They couldn't get on a dirt diamond, so they're in an auxiliary gym with tennis balls and whiffle balls. They're having a blast and they're warm and dry," Willis said.
Everything is provided by the camp, too, which offers a total of nine sports, and in all likelihood will be back for year 10 in 2025.
