The Backyard Legends Camp recently raised the bar another level for parks and recreation summer camps. The Paulding County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs summer camp, led by Program Coordinator Zac Tubbs, reached a new park record – surpassing last year’s record - for summer camp enrollment with 94 kids participating in July’s camp. Over the past three years, there have been 260 registrations for the camp, and in 2025, almost 70 registrations were made within the first few days of open registration. The camp has even brought home some hardware to Paulding County, as it won the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association District V Outstanding Program award in 2024.
Tubbs had one vision for the leisure camp when he created it back in 2021. “I wanted to create one of the largest summer camps in Georgia. I wanted kids to have such a positive experience that they couldn’t wait to come back the following year, and that goal has undoubtedly been achieved in a quick timeframe.” Backyard Legends campers enjoy a variety of activities throughout the week that include themed days, community food trucks, leisure and recreation activities, team sports games, large group challenges, and segmented special events. This past summer, campers participated in the 100 campers versus 1 gorilla challenge, a play on the recent and popular social media debate. “We aim to implement activities and small-scale events every year that are new or unique, and provide a new level of excitement for the kids,” states Tubbs.
A camp of this magnitude needs a quality staff and Tubbs is quick to underscore the importance of having high-energy camp counselors that interact well with kids. “I selectively assemble this camp’s staff each year. I seek out camp counselors who are committed to uplifting and motivating campers as soon as they enter the building. Positive encouragement and engagement with our campers are important to our staff and they have historically made first- rate efforts to make campers feel seen and welcomed.”
Liz Paul has worked part-time for PCPRCA for 21 years and has never witnessed such enthusiasm for a summer camp. “The level of anticipation and excitement for Backyard Legends has exceeded anything I’ve ever seen in the past for summer camps. It's a camp that children at the park are eager to share with you that they're attending. Zac has an uncanny ability to connect with youth and his staff. He’s why this camp continues to reach new heights.”
The Backyard Legends Camp is open to children ages 6-12 and is hosted at Mount Tabor Park. The 2026 camp will take place July 13 – July 16 next summer. You can be added to the camp email reminder list by reaching out to Zac Tubbs at .