The pace is picking up as we begin our second week of camp. Our boys hopped out of bed this morning at the sound of Reveille.
Just when the routine was becoming routine, our program went up a notch. Our intercamp schedule for boys of all age levels and ability levels is now in full swing. There are few things more thrilling than putting on a Takajo uniform and competing alongside your friends and bunkmates against another camp.
Our Eagles (finished fourth grade) traveled to a neighboring camp for hockey, while our Intermediates (finished seventh grade) competed in flag football, and our Sub Seniors (finished eighth grade) took to the basketball court.
Our Eagles gave us one of the early highlights of the summer. After falling behind 2–0 to the host team in the finals, our boys battled back and won, 3–2. When they returned to camp, they sprinted off the bus and made a mad rush down to Long Lake for a celebratory dip, uniforms and all.
Back home, our Junior Greys (finished sixth grade) hosted a 12-and-under lacrosse round-robin tournament. There is always something special about competing on your home fields, surrounded by bunkmates and friends. Our boys played incredibly well throughout the day and, when the final whistle blew, Takajo had won the tournament.
When these boys put their heads on their pillows at the end of the day, they’ll reminisce about these games with their bunkmates. They’ll replay their favorite moments: the big save, the great pass, the highlight-reel hockey goal. These are the stories that get told over and over again in the bunk, and the memories that stay with us for a lifetime.
The same Sub Seniors who spent part of the day competing on the basketball court had an entirely different challenge waiting for them this evening. They were told to shower, find their cleanest clothes, and make themselves presentable as we welcomed the girls from Tripp Lake Camp for our first Sub Senior social of the summer.
And for the rest of our boys, what better way to cap off a day filled with sports than to watch the best in the world do it?
At 8:00 this evening, our boys piled into our indoor spaces to watch the World Cup. After spending the day competing alongside their friends, they now had the chance to sit beside those same friends and root for the pros. I imagine there aren’t too many parents telling their boys they have to go to bed tonight with a World Cup game on at 8:00. So, neither are we.
Our boys are learning how to compete together, and how to represent their camp. The schedule gets busier, the experiences become more varied, and the boys continue to grow more comfortable in their summer home.
Week two is underway, and it feels like camp.
