National champions Alli Stumler and Lauren Tharp anxious to give back at upcoming camps

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VAUGHTS VIEWS - National champions Alli Stumler and Lauren Tharp anxious to give back at upcoming camps

With the new name, image, and likeness opportunities, all-American Alli Stumler knew she wanted to find a way to give back to her home community of New Albany, Ind., as well as youngsters in Lexington. That’s why Stumler and teammate/roommate Lauren Tharp are hosting camps in Lexington and New Albany for girls or boys in the 10 to 15 age range of any ability level.

The first camp will be August 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at Alpha Training Center in Lexington. The second camp will be August 7 at Christian Academy of Indiana in New Albany with a session for grades 3-5 from 9-11 a.m. and session for grades 6-8 from 2-4 p.m. Cost is $75.

“There’s no better way to give back than in the community where I grew up,” Stumler said. “Just no better way. After talking with Tharp (who is from Louisville), we knew we had some time before preseason starts so we thought we might as well get some camps in. There’s no better way to build the volleyball community than that. We reached out and figured out where to do them and people started signing up as soon as we released the information.”

Why not sign up?

Stumler was one of the stars of Kentucky’s national championship run and recently ESPN analyst Katie George, a volleyball all-American at Louisville, said Stumler has to be one of the preseason picks for 2021 player of the year. Tharp was a regular rotation player and figures to be an even  bigger contributor this season.

They are limiting attendance to 50 per session (40 are already signed up for the afternoon session in New Albany) so they can each instruct no more than 25 players at a time.

“We are really going to focus on passing, defense, and attacking,” Stumler said. “We want the kids to each get a lot of reps. We know a lot of girls are about to have tryouts and this is a good way to get them reps and also show them how we practice and train. We want to give them pointers but also inspire them.”

Senior Lauren Tharp will share her national championship expertise with campers in Lexington and New Albany, Ind., in August. (UK Athletics Photo)

The two national champions will also sign autographs once the two-hour camp ends.

“We suggest that everybody bring the stuff that they want signed,” Stumler said. “We have not had time to get T-shirts or posters made.”

This will be the first NIL opportunity for the two but Stumler says they both hope it leads to more opportunities.

Stumler said her summer had been “relaxing” after UK’s national championship win in late April.

“I have been trying to give my mind and body a break,” Stumler said. “In two weeks, I will hit it hard, so I want my body to be as healthy as possible. I have focused on strength and conditioning this summer and just getting as strong as I can. I’ve been getting in the gym and doing the things I needed to do.”

Stumler knows UK will have a “giant target on our back” this season as defending national champion but cannot wait for the challenge.

“We won the natty (national championship). We did that,” Stumler said. “That’s really cool but still does not feel real. But what we have to do is turn the page and focus on the 2021 season and not the 2020 season. We just have to flip the script Aug. 9 when practice starts.”

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To register for either camp go here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YRST359.

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