Posts Tagged ‘camp sports’

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Popular Sports at Camp

Thursday, February 6th, 2014

There is a decided difference between popular school sports and popular camp sports. Most schools throughout the nation focus on key sports like football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, and soccer. At summer camps, campers have much more exposure to non-traditional sports that receive decidedly less promotion through school but prove rather popular at camp, in spite of—or perhaps because of —the fact that they are not widely promoted in school environments.

Tennis is a sport to which most children are exposed for only a few weeks of physical education class each year. At camp, however, it’s one of the most popular and beloved activities. Campers have the opportunity to play several hours of tennis each week on quality courts and even participate in intra and inter camp league play. Furthermore, the instruction is excellent. Many summer camp tennis directors are former tennis pros who have played at the elite level in premiere tennis competitions.

Lacrosse, although popular in New England and other pockets of the Eastern United States, is not widely played in many regions of the country. Yet, it’s one of the most popular camp sports. Many summer camps offer extensive and ever growing (by popular demand) lacrosse programs. Most camp lacrosse specialists play at the college level and many lacrosse heads coach at the college level.  Campers who hail from geographic regions in which lacrosse is still an underdog sport have the opportunity to receive valuable, quality instruction that surpasses anything available where they live. In fact, many of these campers play lacrosse for the first time while at summer camp and discover a new favorite sport.

For children who love water, boating is another popular camp activity to which most campers receive little to no exposure during the school year. Camp waterfronts are a crucial part of camps, and campers spend a lot of time in or on the water at camp. To sweeten the pot, summer camps make various types of boats available so that campers can try their hand at canoeing, kayaking, sailing, and even stand-up paddle boarding. Waterskiing is another popular water sport on which many camps place a particular focus. Campers have the opportunity to waterski throughout the summer, and some of the most enthusiastic camper responses every summer are those of campers who get up on water skis for the first time.

Campers race to suit up for roller hockey. It’s an action packed and fast paced sport that is fun to play and a key activity in many camp programs. Not only do a lot of campers embrace an otherwise unfamiliar sport in roller hockey, they learn how to skate as well!

Archery. Most schools don’t offer archery, even as part of a physical education program. But it’s a regular part of camp, and pretty much every camper who takes aim at the bulls-eye throughout the summer will tell you that it’s a fun one.

Golf. Yep, many camps offer golf instruction as well. Campers love to relax while driving balls and working on their strokes. They also like that golf is a sport in which it is relatively easy to measure one’s level of improvement throughout the summer.

Gaga is practically synonymous with camp. It’s serious business there, and it can get intense. Gaga is  practically unheard of outside of the camp realm. Still, ask virtually any summer camper to list their top five favorite activities at camp, and chances are that gaga will appear somewhere on that list.

Many a camper engages in what will become a favorite sport at camp for the first time. Perhaps it’s because some sports are a rare treat that, if it wasn’t for sleepaway camp, campers know they would never get to experience and, therefore, are eager to embrace. It can also be that campers find the newness of such sports refreshing in respect to the typical repertoire of school sports. Either way, summer camp is an excellent way for campers to receive exposure to and quality instruction in sports that may not be so popular at school but prove very popular at camp.

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Finding the iMporTAncE of “Team”

Tuesday, January 28th, 2014

When we think of camp, things that come to mind are fun, friendship, tradition, laughing, memories, and many more things. One of the best parts about being at camp is being a part of and learning the benefits of a team environment.

Whether it’s sports or some kind of collaborative project, team environments have become a common way of life and an integral part of growing up. The idea of “teams” translates to camp in more ways than one: it could be basketball, swim, dance, or even the cast of the plays… they are all teams. When you break it down even more, campers and their bunkmates are “teams.” Every camper comes to camp with a common goal to have a memorable summer and make everlasting friendships. With that being said, each camper brings their certain characteristics and personality to make a unique bunk. Working as one to keep the bunk clean, choreographing an awesome dance for MTV night, planning a fun bunk night together, and looking after one another are just a few things are make Starlight’s campers great team members.

Campers easily learn how to work well with others while sharing the basketball on the court or helping a friend learn a new dancemove. During competition, campers are taught to keep the mindset on the group as a whole instead of just themselves. Playing in a game and being in-sync on a team is all about the togetherness. Campers learn to be cheerful for their teammates’ successes in addition to being happy for their own because everyone’s success benefits the team.

Being a part of a team at camp can bring out some of the best characteristics in our campers, things like learning to respect themselves, coaches, and other campers; as well as acknowledging the idea of organization and teamwork easily translates to other things outside of camp. Campers following direction from a trained leader can go hand in hand with their progression in school, work, and life as they grow up. Working with others also allows for campers to excel to another level by pushing themselves, getting better, and thriving to develop their skills to ultimately be the best they can be.

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End of Summer

Monday, August 5th, 2013

It’s hard to believe another summer has nearly come and gone at Camp Starlight, but here we are.  In just a few weeks, the camp season of 2013 will be a memory and school buses will once again be a regular sight around many neighborhoods.  There is always a feeling around camp at the end of the summer that someone pushed a fast-forward button.  Right about now, campers and staff begin reflecting on where the time has gone.  But something happens in that reflection; they remember EVERYTHING they did over the summer.

Moments at camp happen so fast.  The days are packed full of adventure.  Whencampers and staff begin to inventory their summer memories, they’re often in awe of the amount of things they achieved in such a short period of time.  In retrospect, the summer seems endless.  There were the big adventures; trips, all camp events, campfires, shows, performances, leagues, Olympics.  There were the daily activities; swimming, playing sports, arts and crafts,circus, eco science, theater, nature, fishing, etc.  Those are the activities that seem to make the summer go on forever.  Then there were the moments and events that stick out as really special; being with friends, creating that special craft project, riding a zipline for the first time, hitting a bullseye in archery, making a foul shot in basketball, getting up on waterskis.  Those are the memories that freeze time.  They’re the ones that make the summer of 2013, “Summer 2013” in hearts and memories.  Those are the moments behind teary goodbyes, repeated camp stories, and the countdown for next year.  Memories are a great dessert after a filling summer, and like every great dessert, everyone wants more.

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Healthy Competition

Tuesday, July 30th, 2013

“Healthy Competition” is a term that is often used at summer camp.  While camps offer a wide selection of niche and hobby activities, traditional summer camps feature sports as well.  The emphasis, however, is more about encouraging campers to be active and improve their skills.  This is not to say that campers do not participate in athletic contests. Many camps not only facilitate game play through intra camp leagues, but intercamp leagues and tournaments as well.  Thus, “healthy competition”, as it is used at camp, is an expression to describe contests with positive encouragement, regardless of the outcome, and not merely a synonym for “no competition.”

Po Bronson, co-author of Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing believes that the camaraderie that results from healthy team competition encourages children to learn at a faster pace.  Another aspect of camp competition that makes it healthy competition is that it’s limited in scope and time.  It takes place only as long as camp lasts and does not extend beyond the camp environment.  This, according to Bronson, is a key element of healthy competition. “In finite games, you compete and then you let it go, and you have rest and recuperation – that’s actually really important for kids,” said Bronson. “It’s the continuous sense of pressure that is unhealthy for them.”

The stress of not making a team or of underperforming is not a pervading force in camp athletics. Says Bronson, “What kids do need to learn is losing is not that big a deal. They need to learn to lose and go ‘Oh, whatever,’ and move on and keep playing…You want to get them to turn up the work ethic in order to win.”  At camp, losing is not a big deal, because every summer is a new summer–new practices, new teams, and new possibilities.  The constant rearrangement of groups also helps campers shrug off losses.  Another day brings another activity and a new group with which to compete.  A loss in one activity does not translate to a closely monitored record that eventually defines a team and, sometimes, individuals.  The teams are constantly changing and so are the competitions.

The break between summers also makes growth measurable for campers.  When children constantly train and participate in a sport, it’s more difficult for them to see themselves improving, even when they are.  The ten month gap from one summer to the next provides campers with the time and distance necessary for improvements to be noticeable.  The distinct parameters of camp that restrict it to a single season also remove the pressure of advancing skills as quickly as possible so as to always be able to perform at peak level.  Every summer is new.  As a result, campers tend to maintain a healthy attitude about camp sports, which makes them naturally receptive to the idea of genuinely healthy competition.  At camp, it’s not so much about winning and losing, as setting goals and measuring one’s progress from summer to summer.

“What kids need more than anything is not to win or lose but a close race, a fair competition where everyone feels like they’ve got a fighting chance,” says Bronson.  “Where everyone feels like they have a fighting chance” is exactly what summer camp is, and why it’s an environment naturally conducive to healthy competition.

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Camp Starlight Basketball

Friday, July 26th, 2013

Camp Starlight Basketball is having a landmark year.  Several of our teams have either won or are playing in championships of the Wayne County Camp League.  So we sat down with Head of Basketball Diego McCoy to talk about the program.

Diego credits the success of the basketball program to his three year plan.  “I work off a three year plan,” he says.  “I spend the first two summers implementing my system and getting to know the campers.  By the third year, I should having winning teams, and this year it’s happening.” Diego’s three year plan was also part of his strategy in implementing more advanced drills for Upper Camp this summer.  “This is my third year at Camp Starlight.  I know the kids now.”

Diego came into his third summer feeling it was important to establish a style of play that would extend beyond camp in helping campers be better players.  Diego says it’s important for players to understand the discipline of the game as well improve their skills.  He also wanted to see players have even more fun.  Diego has worked hard to make the Camp Starlight Basketball program, as a cohesive whole, reflect his motto: “Play hard.  Play together.  Play to get better.” In fact, his teams come together to recite their motto at the beginning and end of each game.  He’s very proud to see campers excited about the coming to basketball to learn and not just mess around without working on their skills.

As proud as he is to finally see his three year plan coming together, he says his proudest moment as a Program Head so far this summer was StarCamp.  Diego ran the Basketball StarCamp this year, and he was very happy see campers really participating in advanced drills and really improving their skills.  For him, seeing campers finally get some of the skills they hadn’t been able to get during regular basketball sessions made all of his and their hard work worthwhile.

The Basketball staff has been wonderful as well, according to Diego, especially considering that this is the 1st summer for all five of the Basketball Specialists.  In particular, Diego says his Girls staff has really stepped up.  “In the beginning, they were nervous that they were in over their heads.  But they’re not afraid to ask questions, and I love that.  They’re also on time, and they push the girls to be better.”  Diego says the summer has been challenging for his Boys Camp Specialists.  Boys Basketball is extremely popular and attracts high numbers of campers.  He says the Specialists weren’t prepared for the immense popularity of Camp Starlight Basketball at the beginning of the summer, but that they’ve adjusted nicely.

Diego himself played basketball at West Virginia State University before playingprofessionally in Argentina, Mozambique, and Australia.  Currently, he calls Washington D.C. home, where he works for 1 on 1 Basketball coordinating after school programs, private parties, and basketball leagues.  He hopes to bring away new and lasting friendships from his Camp Starlight career.  Congratulations, Camp Starlight Basketball, on an amazing summer!

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Camp Starlight Gymnastics

Wednesday, July 24th, 2013

All one has to do to see why campers are quite literally flipping for Camp Starlight gymnastics is walk into the Gymnastics Center at the Carriage House.  What you’ll see is a positive, constructive environment that is fun while still encouraging hard work and perseverance, which all paid off when the Camp Starlight Gymnastics program hit its stride last week with both Upper and Lower Camp team victories as well as 1st place Individual All Around at its meet.  The victories, of course, were right on track for the goals new Head of Gymnastics Kelly Gurney set for the program coming into the summer.  “I really wanted to get our gymnasts to the next level.” Kelly says.

But Kelly isn’t merely preoccupied with improving the skills of campers who are enthusiastic aboutgymnastics.  She set a goal for every camper to master at least one skill by the end of the summer.  She believes the campers not only have the talent and drive, but have been set up for success with a tremendous facility. “Our [Camp Starlight’s] gym is the best I have seen for a non-specialized camp.  It’s even top of the line for a gymnastics camp,” Kelly says.  And Kelly knows gymnastics.

The Auburn University graduate was a three time national bar champion, three time national beam champion, and NCAA All Around champion.  Prior to joining Camp Starlight, coached three gymnasts to the TOPS National Team as well as many other students to multiple regional and national championships.  During the winter, she coaches gymnastics in Southern California.  When she’s not in the gym, she can be found surfing or conducting yoga and natural healing sessions.

The campers and facilities aren’t the only aspects of Camp Starlight that Kelly is pleased about, though.  She also loves her staff and believes they are a big part of the success of the Camp Starlight Gymnastics program “Rachel is highly technical and kind.  Maxine is the dreamer with a big heart.  The kids love both.”  Congratulations to Kelly, her staff, and all of the Starlight campers who’ve made 2013 another successful one for Camp Starlight gymnastics.

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Camp Starlight Soccer

Sunday, July 21st, 2013

For the past several summers, some of Camp Starlight’s most successful Wayne County athletic teams have been a product of our Soccer Program, headed by Matt Whatley.  Part of the reason soccer scores so highly with many of our campers, no doubt, is the fact that “Whatley” as he is affectionately known to campers, has been in charge of Camp Starlight Soccer since 2006 and has become very familiar with campers’ strengths as well as aspects of the game in which their skills could be improved.  With such an in depth knowledge of campers, Whatley is able to guide his staff in developing and applying effective coaching methods.  With nearly eight summers under his belt, Whatley sets high standards for his staff as well as campers.  “My primary goal coming into this summer,” he says, “was to get everyone involved in soccer as much as possible and improve upon our Wayne County record from last year.”

When asked about his proudest moment as a Program Head so far this summer, he mentions the 8th grade boys Wayne County match against Camp Wayne.  “They (Wayne) had a very strong team.  But our guys played excellent.  The game went into penalty kicks, and we lost by one goal during penalty kicks.  It was heartbreaking, but the guys really played a great game and held up against the other team really well.”  Whatley also says that in his eighth summer, he’s enjoying see his staff develop their coaching skills.

Whatley himself play for a nationally ranked college team and coached three more to national rankings.  But he asserts that of all of his career highs, the most significant to him are the 43 Wayne County Championship titles he’s won during his Camp Starlight career.  “The campers here are great!” Whatley says.  “They have a lot of pride in Camp Starlight and play with a lot of heart when they represent the camp.”

Here is to Continuing success for the Camp Starlight Soccer Program for the remainder of the 2013 season.

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Checking in at the Camp Starlight Lacrosse Field

Sunday, July 14th, 2013

Few realize that lacrosse, which is finally hitting its stride among youth sports in America, is actually the oldest sport in America.  In fact, it’s believed to have been invented by Native Americans.  For the past decade, though, lacrosse has been number one on the list of fastest growing high school sports in America, and the lacrosse program at Camp Starlight has very much mirrored that trend.  Just a few short summers ago, lacrosse was a sport enjoyed primarily by Upper Camp boys at Starlight.  Within the past few years, however, it has exploded in popularity and is now very enthusiastically enjoyed by Upper and Lower Camp as well as boys and girls alike.  In fact, some of Camp Starlight’s most powerful teams are Girls Camp teams.  We talked to Starlight’s new Head of Lacrosse, Georgia State University Head Coach Billy McCullough, about the program, and he had some really positive things to say about his staff and the program.

Billy came into the summer hoping to improve the skills of his specialists as young coaches and turn campers onto a great sport.  So far things on right on track.  In fact, if he had to pick just one word to describe how things are going at lacrosse this summer, it’s “great”—as in “great games, great kids, and building some great friendships.”

In particular, Billy is proud of the amount of growth he is seeing in the skills of the younger campers, to which he credits the assistance of his great staff and instructors.  In fact, he can’t help but brag about them.  “Taylor is the best! A great instructor and learner with a positive attitude everyday.  And Jordan has done a wonderful job with the boys.  He’s a great young coach with a bright future.”

Billy himself is a very enthusiastic former football player.  In fact, he played four years of college football at his alma mater, Valdosta State University in Georgia.  After college, he coached youth, high school, and college football and lacrosse before transitioning full time into his current head coaching role at Georgia State.

As for looking ahead, Billy says he hopes to take away great memories from the summer and for each camper to take his or her experiences home and apply the skills they learned here at camp.

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Camp Starlight Tennis

Friday, July 12th, 2013

With Wimbledon just behind us, tennis has been a big focus in the world of sports as of late.  Here at Camp Starlight, tennis is a big deal too.  Everyday, our courts are busy from sun-up to sundown.  Campers can also be spotted trying to improve their game during free time, such as shower hour and, recently, many of our more passionate tennis players got to spend two days focusing on their skills during the Tennis StarCamp.  With so much enthusiasm about tennis here at Camp Starlight, we decided to check in with Starlight Tennis Director Gary Donnelley to talk tennis, and he was eager to brag about the immense popularity that tennis enjoys here at Camp Starlight.

Gary estimates that “at least 20% of campers are putting in a lot of time and effort to improve their tennis game this year.”  Those are some serious numbers for Gary, who says that his goals coming into this summerwere to attract and maintain large numbers of campers to Option and Super 6th.  So far, the numbers are exceeding his expectations.

Gary credits a good deal of the success of the Tennis program this summer to his amazing staff, whom he says is very high energy and vocal, both effective qualities in good tennis coaching.  And Gary knows good coaching.  He’s a former professional player and Wimbledon finalist who has spent the past twenty-two years as a coach.  Back in his home state of Arizona, he owns a tennis camp that he runs during the winter months.

Even though we’re still in the first half of the summer, Gary says his proudest moment as a Program Head so far this summer was seeing the Senior Boys win their first match.  As focused on the details of seeing individual campers and divisions succeed, he’s also very focused on the big picture.  He says that he ultimately hopes to take away many of the same things at the end of this summer that he took away from last summer;  to continue having a great time while building the program and positioning both Boys and Girls Tennis to springboard into next year.

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Eye on the Bullseye

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

As long as there has been summer camp, archery has been a part of it.  Although the amount of available activities at summer camp has grown immensely since the early days of camp, archery still remains popular.  It’s a classic outdoor sport that doesn’t require the stamina or athletic prowess of, say, soccer, but a good eye, good aim, and precision when firing.   There is a certain amount of satisfaction in being able to see yourself move closer to achieving a goal.  It’s not always apparent that your swim stroke has gotten better since the beginning of the summer, or that your baseball pitch has improved over the past couple of weeks.  Although your counselors and friends may compliment you and tell you that you’re better than you used to be, there isn’t really anything tangible for you to immediately be able to tell for yourself.  With archery, however, there is a target with a bull’s-eye on it.  It’s not at all unusual for campers to begin the summer not even being able to hit the target and then, as the summer moves along, hit and then inch closer and closer to the bull’s-eye.  The closer they get to that bull’s-eye, the more arrows campers want to shoot.

It seems like a small goal, and it is really.  However, it’s still an exercise in goal setting.  Hitting the bull’s-eye requires focus, and being focused requires you to survey your surroundings, determine where you need to aim, and then focus on the details as you attempt to hit your target.  Being successful at archery requires this same effort from everyone.  Campers have no advantage if they run faster, jump higher, or throw harder.  Every camper enters the archery range on a level playing field with the same potential for hitting a bull’s-eye.  Some get lucky, some work hard.  Either way, archery promises a path to success for anyone who is willing to set a goal, take aim, and work hard.  Perhaps that is why after decades of being a summer camp staple, archery remains one of the most popular activities.

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