The year was 1964. Bob Wuesthoff was manager of the Long Beach State baseball team for a relatively young university. Few programs had roots in the community, and the community was still getting used to the college. Wuesthoff changed all that with one summer camp that remains intact today.
While the university was searching for ways to connect with the city, many of Wuesthoff’s fellow coaches and teachers were struggling to find summer jobs. Long Beach State Athletic Director Fred Miller listened to Wuesthoff’s idea for a summer camp on campus for local youth. That summer, coaches and teachers became counselors, and Long Beach kids became future 49ers.
49er Camp was underway, and it’s grown every year in numbers, activities, and importance.
Three years later in the summer of ’67, Rick Hayes was graduating with a degree in physical education. Having played baseball for Wuesthoff at LBSU, and with his background in working for the recreation and parks department, the creation of 49er Camp was almost perfect for Hayes. He started work at camp as a counselor and met his future wife, Rita, when she became a counselor as well.
Today, more than 40 years after that first summer, 49er Camp sees more than 800 kids in two sessions, June 22-July 17 and July 20-Aug 14. Hayes worked as Wuesthoff’s assistant until he retired at the age of 77, and now he’s entering his 4th year as 49er Camp Director.
“This is the Grandfather of local day camps,” says Hayes. “We just want to do things the kids enjoy.”
49er Camp is split into four different age groups with kids as young as five and as old as 12. Forty counselors supervise their groups as they swim in the Campus pool, play basketball in the Goldmine, and participate in archery in the shadow of the Pyramid.
“We have a lot of activities, and there is an emphasis on sports,” says Hayes. “But, it’s not an emphasis on competition. The youngsters who aren’t as athletic can still come out and have a good time.”
You don’t have to be around the people who make up the 49er staff for very long to see how much of a family it really is. While Hayes runs the camp, his wife Rita runs the morning academic camp that’s also on campus, and two of their daughters are at camp helping all the time.
While still acting director, Wuesthoff could see how much a family environment helped the camp, and he knew the staff needed to spend time together away from camp. Enter the annual Wuesthoff Classic. No, he didn’t name it after himself, but when he retired the counselors and Hayes decided to name it after their fearless leader.
This year was the 20th version of the Classic, and councilors, volunteers, family and friends all gathered at Bixby Village Golf Course to enjoy an afternoon together away from the pool and the gym.
That pool, that gym, and the bowling lanes in the Student Union are all provided by Long Beach State. President Alexander even stops by sometimes to check on how those future ‘Niners are doing. With the backing of the second largest school in California, there are no limits to how successful 49er Camp can be, and everyone involved, both community and university, are better for it.
Marvin Manzanares, Nicole S., Rita Hayes, Rick Hayes, Katie Hayes, Shannon Hayes
