For many high school students in the Lawrence area, summer vacation means time to relax, sleep late, and enjoy a break from the grind of school, sports and activities. Several students, however, chose to participate in summer sports programs.

“Playing summer basketball helps me stay in shape during the summer months, gives me an opportunity to improve my skills, and allows me to make new friends,” said Emily Brown, a junior at Baldwin High School who participated in Mid-America Youth Basketball this summer.

Sports programs, from local competitive groups to national-level camps and competitions, were available to athletes wanting to participate in almost any sport.

Sam Hinton, a sophomore at BHS, attended the Junior and Cadet National Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling Tournament in July in Fargo, N.D., where he competed in the cadet level of both Freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions for Team Kansas.

“I chose to go to Fargo (N.D.) because I wanted to become a better wrestler,” Hinton said. “The competition was really tough, but wrestling with the best people in the nation is the best way to improve.”

Competitors attending the tournament were required to practice up to three times a day and participate in either the Freestyle tournament, the Greco-Roman tournament or both competitions.

“It was fun, actually it was really hard,” said BHS sophomore Joe Bonner, who participated in the Cadet level of both Freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments at the national tournament. “I wanted to go to upgrade my wrestling experience.”

An option available to tennis fanatics was U.S. Tennis Assn. tournaments and camps, which took place in the Kansas City area.

“I earned valuable experience by playing in summer tournaments that will pay off later in my high school career,” said BHS junior Jeff Hill, who participated in USTA’s summer programs.

Hill said there were additional benefits to the experience he gained.

“College coaches don’t look for players as much in high school tennis as they do in USTA tournaments,” Hill said.

High school students gave different reasons for their summertime motivation.

“I usually don’t work in the summer, so playing basketball keeps me busy; and I enjoy playing,” Brown said.

Bonner said he was looking to improve his wrestling skills.

“Going to a national level wrestling tournament has opened my eyes to a level of better competition,” Bonner said. “I think it will move me up a few notches in the wrestling world.”

So with a summer of experience under their belts, area athletes plunge back into the grind of high school sports, this time with something extra in store for the competition.