The second annual OCCC Junior Lifeguard Games are being held at 7:15 a.m., July 13, at the OCCC Aquatic Center.

Junior lifeguard teams are competing in five rounds of events to claim the top overall prize.

Roxanna Butler, Recreation and Fitness director, organized the event and expects eight to 12 teams this year.

Last year was the first year of the event and seven teams participated.

Butler said the teams come from area pools that have a Junior Lifeguard program. Programs from Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation, Mustang, Yukon, Rose State College, YMCA and El Reno are expected to participate.

The OCCC Aquatic Center will be home to the 2nd annual Junior Lifeguard Games this July.

The competition is open to junior lifeguards between the ages of 11 and 15, and only those who have not yet completed a lifeguard certification course.

The center will offer a junior lifeguard class and camp the week of the competition in order to prepare entrants for the event.

After Spain won the EUFA Euro Soccer Tournament July 1 with a 4-0 win over Italy sports fans have their eyes on soccer.

The tournament takes place every four years in the odd years in between the World Cup and features 16 nations from Europe in a nearly month-long tournament.

Many of the games were shown during the day on ESPN and broadcast online, making the games accessible to an American audience.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder making a deep run into the NBA Finals and overtaking the state with Thunder-mania, many Oklahomans are just now catching on to Euro 2012, with the finals that took place July 1.

It’s not often a college student hears the word “free” and has an opportunity to take advantage of it with no strings attached, but OCCC’s Recreation and Fitness Center is completely free to use for current students.

A lot of students are finding time to workout during the summer session by taking advantage of the center’s amenities.

Student Dillon Bellamy is using the school’s Aquatic Center to train for an upcoming triathlon. He uses the pool for lap swimming during its designated hours throughout the week.

This will be Bellamy’s first triathlon, but he has participated in multiple half-marathons.

Coach Alli Cummnings is not easy to intimidate—even when surrounded by two dozen pre-teen soccer players. She was one of the leaders whenthe OCCC Recreation and Fitness Center recently hosted their soccer camp as one of the many youth sports camps offered this summer.

Students from the ages of 6 to 12 enjoyed the week-long camp held at the soccer fields on campus.

The campers were playing various small-sided games as Alli Cummings, one of the coaches, looked on and gave instruction.

Cummings said there were 22 kids in her 6-to-9 age group, and another 15 in the 10-to-12 age group.

“It’s hard getting them to keep their hands to themselves. Other than that, it’s a good group of kids,” Cummings said about the challenges of coaching 22 children at a time.

Respect and sportsmanship are two important aspects taught at the camp.

Each week throughout the summer, the OCCC Recreation and Fitness Center is hosting youth sports camps. Recently 45 children from ages 6 to 14 attended the boys basketball camp held at the OCCC gym.

Amy Nguyen, an employee of the Recreation and Fitness Center, was working with the players at the boys camp.

Nguyen said she helps lead the campers through drills and various games and activities.

“The kids are very fun, I enjoy coming in everyday to play with them,” she said.

The campers spend a lot of time working on the fundamentals: running, free throws, teamwork and dribbling.

Throughout the summer, the OCCC Recreation and Fitness Center is offering a variety of workout classes including a spinning program.

Spinning is cycling on a stationary bike and is beneficial to all fitness levels.

In a 40-minute spinning class, the average person can burn 400 to 500 calories if they maintain 80 to 110 rpm on their stationary bike.

If the participant were on a moving bike, that would equal out to about 15 to 20 miles.

Jayme Butler, class instructor, said “everyone that cares about their body and their heart should take the class.”

An OCCC faculty member taking the class said that it was a great workout and a lot of fun.

OCCC is hosting the SuperSprint Triathlon, and campus will be affected from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9. Approximately 100 spaces in the east half of parking lot F will be reserved for setup.

According to an email sent by Community Development Vice President Steven Bloomberg, parking will be limited to lots B and C to control vehicle movement on campus, and provide parking for participants and their families on June 9.

The area will be monitored by campus police to facilitate the safety of runners, and the entry and exit of students and patrons of the race.

With the summer session here, the OCCC Recreation and Fitness Center is ready to begin its summer programs.

The center offers several programs such as camps and fitness classes for adults and children alike.

“The main thing we have going on during the summer is our youth camps,” said Eric Watson, Sports and Recreation specialist at the Fitness Center.

Watson said beginning in June and going through July, OCCC will host multiple week-long youth sports camps.

Flag football, soccer and cheerleading are just some of the sports being offered to children ages 6 through 14, he said.

Although school is over for most students, that doesn’t mean the college will turn into a ghost town. OCCC will host academic and fitness programs for both children and adults.

Brannon Dresel, coordinator of community education, said the community outreach and education division will offer College for Kids, a series of “academic enrichment programs” for children.

The program is for first through eighth graders, Dresel said.

The grade level is determined by what grade the child will be entering in the fall.

The classes will begin on June 4 and end July 27, with the week of July 4 off, Dresel said.

Each class is an hour and 45 minutes long, and lasts one week, he said.

A child can take up to four classes in one day.