Takajo campers, home and away, thrived today.
Our boys in Canada packed a ton into their last full day before they start their journey home tomorrow. The day started as our boys took to the track at the largest indoor go-kart facility in Canada. A word to those parents of our Okees: Increase your auto liability policy and invest in driver’s ed. Nevertheless, the boys enjoyed a thrilling race around the track. Later in the afternoon, it was off to paintball, where the boys competed on the most advanced and largest paintball field. For their final evening, the boys made their way to Verdun Auditorium for a Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) game where the home team and underdog Montreal Alliance went up against the Vancouver Bandits. It was a dramatic ending as the home team prevailed by one point. The boys then went to a 3D movie downtown.
This afternoon, while walking around the facility, taking in all the activities at Takajo, I wandered over to the Junior basketball court, where a skill period was in session. On the court were six Junior Grey campers (finished sixth grade), most of whom had played in an all-star game on that court the prior night. These boys are excellent basketball players and have worked very hard this summer to improve their skills. While watching their shooting drill, I was noticing that as the shooter was catching the pass he was squaring up on the wrong pivot foot, preventing him from releasing his shot in a fluid motion. I asked the boys if they wouldn’t mind me joining the drill, which gave me the opportunity to teach the boys how to receive the ball while using their inside foot closest to the basket as their pivot foot. We ran some drills together, and I loved having the opportunity to be on the court with the boys and help these committed athletes get better.
After dinner, the big event in camp today was our Junior Big Show, Aladdin. Roughly thirty boys in Junior Camp participated in the show and managed to squeeze in time for their rehearsals around their packed schedules that included intercamp, out-of-camp trips, and in-camp league games. Those of us in the audience were captivated by the beautiful voices on stage at Takajo’s MJG Playhouse.
As Tattoo echoed within the building, we reflected on another day at camp.
