The Camp Takajo Olympics are in full-swing. If you walked across the campus at anytime during the day, you would have seen games taking place on every field for every age level. Down at the waterfront, we had swim meets, water polo matches, a sailing regatta, and canoe races. Spirits were high and sportsmanship was evident on every field and court.
As a matter of fact, the moment that sticks in my mind after witnessing many games today, was the fourth grade basketball game that was decided by just one point. In a hard-fought battle with just one minute left in the game, one team called for substitutions. One of the players that entered the game got confused and when the ball was in-bounded to him, inadvertently shot at the wrong basket. Fortunately, the ball did not go in. However, what was more impressive during that moment was that not one boy on this camper’s team uttered a negative word to the confused camper.
It is natural for ten-year-old boys to get caught up in the moment of competition. I must admit, I expected to have to step in and handle a few unkind remarks, but somehow these boys recognized that the boy who took the shot at the wrong basket was already embarrassed and that what he needed most was a pat on the back. At the end of a long, glorious day filled with memorable moments, this act of kindness and sportsmanship stands out for me.
