Gator Camp

At San Francisco State University, we are all about moving the world forward. While summer may be a time to take a break from school, it doesn't have to be a break from learning. We are proud to continue to offer our two summer camps to create a full day experience. We invite you to explore our Gator Start Summer Camp and our Gator Youth Sports Summer Camp to make summer fun (and educational) for your child.

Children, students and staff from SF State Gator Camp pose for a large group photo on outdoor bleachers.

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Summer 2027

Registration opens March 1st, 2027, at 9 a.m. and remains available until full. Our program fills quickly so please book everything you need as soon as possible.

Cancellation/Refunds: 

  1. There will be a 50% refund fee per transaction up to June 1st. We do not refund the university service charge. 
  2. There will be NO REFUNDS or credits after June 1st.

Explore Our Camps

Gator Start (our morning camp) will focus on teaching children life skills and how to become balanced, well-rounded healthy individuals. Through a variety of engaging games and activities, our campers will learn to develop critical skills that can help them throughout their lives. Our curriculum is designed around science, art and movement to engage campers to explore and enjoy the world around them.  We want everyone to have fun while participating in activities that encourage academic skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving and effective communication, in addition to learning movement skills, such as gymnastics, fitness and nutrition. This program will be a fantastic way to have fun in a positive environment and make new friends, develop self-confidence, perseverance and leadership skills, and strengthen the body and mind. 

Potential topics and activities:

Science: Robots, rockets, outer space, dinosaurs, nature

Art: Drawing, stories, music, painting, sculpture, model building, puzzles

Movement: Gymnastics (floor), fitness and exercise, nutrition, games

Ages: 7-14
Time: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. (12 – 1 p.m. supervised lunch)
Date: June 21, 2027 to July 30, 2027
Price: $1,250 for all 6 weeks or $250 per week
(Week 2:  $200 discounted due to being closed 7/5)

Dr. David Walsh, Professor in the Department of Kinesiology hosts the San Francisco State University Gator Youth Sports Summer Camp, a program with a 30 year history. Boys and girls (ages 7-14) are grouped by age and offered a variety of developmentally appropriate sports and physical activities. The program aims to enhance self-esteem and confidence through physical activity and sports instruction, in addition to promoting fitness and motor skill development.

Daily Activities:
Station 1: Team Sport (Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, OR Flag Football)

Station 2: Tennis

Station 3: Team Sport (Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, OR Flag Football)

Station 4: Martial Arts

Each group will be rotating through each station every hour, every day.

*We No Longer Offer Swimming*

Ages: 7-14
Time: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Date: June 21, 2027 to July 30, 2027
Price: $1,250 for all 6 weeks or $250 per week
(Week 2: $200 discounted due to being closed on 7/5) 

Pick Up and Drop Off

Directions

From Lake Merced Boulevard (coming from Daly City)

  1. Turn right onto North State Dr. (not State Dr.) and proceed to the fork in the road.
  2. Turn left up the short ramp, then a slight right into a narrow road that will circle around Cox Stadium. The drop-off and pick-up point is exactly between Cox Stadium and the Gymnasium.

From Lake Merced Boulevard (coming from Sunset District)

  1. Make a U-turn on State Dr
  2. Make a right on North State Dr. and proceed to the fork in the road.
  3. Turn left up the short ramp, then a slight right into a narrow road that will circle around Cox Stadium. The drop-off and pick-up point is exactly between Cox Stadium and the Gymnasium.

Drop off and Pick Up Times

Gator Start
Drop Off: Please drop off your child between 7:45am to 7:55am at Cox Stadium (refer to the campus map).
Pick Up:  If you are only participating in Gator Start, you may pick up your child any time between 12:00pm to 12:45pm (during supervised lunch hour) at Cox Stadium.

Gator Youth Sports Camp
Drop Off: Please drop your child off between 12:45pm & 12:55pm at Cox Stadium (refer to the campus map).
Pick Up: Please pick up your child between 5:00pm to 5:10pm. You will be charged $3 for every minute late beyond 5:10pm.

If you need assistance with pick up or drop off during camp session, please contact our gator camp hotline number: 415-964-0263 (Note: our hotline number is only active during camp session).

SF State campus map showing the Gator Camp pick-up and drop-off route in red from Lake Merced Boulevard along North State Drive to the Gymnasium area. Photo of North State Drive showing yellow arrows directing drivers to turn left and then slightly right along the campus road.

 

Lunch

For all day campers, supervised lunch is between 12pm - 1pm.

Lunch is not included in the camp so please pack a lunch and snacks for your child. 

Please refrain from packing nuts for your child due to severe nut allergies of other children.

We do not recommend your child to purchase lunch on campus as we do not want your child separated from the Gator Camp group.

 

Cancellations

There will be a 50% refund fee per transaction up to June 1st. We do not refund the university service charge. There will be NO REFUNDS after June 1st.

To request a refund, please send your payment confirmation to kinesiol@sfsu.edu and indicate which week(s) you'd like to cancel.

SFSU tax ID#: 93-1137247

Program Leaders

David Walsh

Gator Camp Director

Dr. David Walsh, Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Kinesiology at SF State, has over 20 years of experience with the development, implementation and research on physical activity-based youth development programs. He annually hosts the San Francisco State University Gator Youth Sports Summer Camp, a program with a 30 year history.

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling person with short gray hair, wearing a dark blazer over a blue collared shirt against a gray background.

Donnell Scobie

Gator Sports Camp Assistant Director

Donnell Scobie has earned his undergraduate degree and master’s degree from the Kinesiology Department at SFSU. He has been working with Gator Camp since 2011 and runs the daily operations of the camp. He is currently a full time teacher at Roosevelt Middle School.

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a person with short dark hair and a goatee, wearing a red polo shirt against a dark background.

Kent Lorenz

Gator Start and Gator Strong Director

Dr. Kent Lorenz is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), as well as a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, and has been coaching and training for over 15 years.  He has been teaching strength and conditioning, physical education, and physical fitness for more than 13 years at three different Universities.

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling person with short dark hair and a beard, wearing a light blue polo shirt outdoors.

Camp Lead Instructors

The Lead Instructors for our camps are a variety of educators, many who have received a Bachelor or Master degree in our Kinesiology Program, and have expertise in specific activities for each camp.

Four Gator Camp staff members wearing SF State camp shirts pose together outdoors on a playing field.

Camp Counselors

Our camp counselors are dedicated undergraduate students in the Department of Kinesiology at SF State University committed to serving SF State and the community. As part of their graduation requirement to earn a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, graduating seniors are require to complete research or community internship in Kinesiology. These students have selected to complete their graduation requirement by serving as camp counselors for Gator Camp.

Gator Camp counselors wearing purple SF State shirts pose for a group photo on outdoor bleachers.