Hey, Camp Folks!

Similar to Archery, Trapshooting requires focus, patience, and a keen eye. Shooting a shotgun at a clay targets that are launched from a machine away from the shooter is sort of an accidental sport as it got its start as a method of practice for bird hunters. Live pigeons were replaced with targets (which is why they are now referred to as clay pigeons).  

This sport’s been around since the late 18th century—back when real birds were used. It’s recorded that by the year 1793, Trapshooting was "well established" in England. The passenger pigeon was abundant and the typical bird used before the transition to artificial targets was made. Glass balls were the original step away from live birds which would sometimes be filled with colored powder to add a visual effect that would easily indicate a hit.

Famous Trapshooters of the day such as Captain Bogardus, the wing shot champion of the world and Doc Carver who outmatched the trapshooter he idolized: Captain Bogardus. But by 1880, clay targets were introduced by a man named Fred Kimble though another man named George Ligowsky took credit for the invention. The new targets were dubbed Ligowsky targets and were welcomed as a replacement for the glass balls.

Trapshooters must develop their skills in patience, watchfulness, readiness, focus, leading accuracy, and more in order to advance their abilities. One way to differentiate skill levels is whether a shooter is capable of double target presentations or just single—in other words, are their two targets launched at once or just one.

Along with Riflery, Trapshooting can be found as an available program at many summer camps across the country. Look into the activities your camp offers or get out to a Trapshooting facility near you and test out your skills to see how much you enjoy it. Have fun out there and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Volleyball Fans!

Volleyball is a game of great coordination and skill. From volleying, to setting, to spiking, and serving, players have been perfecting their performance since the game saw its beginning more than a century ago in 1895. The game was invented soon after basketball and was made to be a combination sport, drawing from basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball.

The game was originally called “Mintonette,” invented by a man named William G. Morgan, a graduate of the Springfield College of the YMCA. The net was one of the original elements of the game—derived from tennis but raised higher. Next up was finding the right size and weight for the ball. Basketballs were too heavy and a soccer ball was too hard. Lastly, Morgan and two buddies wrote up ten rules to explain the concept of the sport.

Once their game design was complete, William G. Morgan took his new sport idea to a conference in 1896 where he demonstrated his idea with the use of two teams that showed the objective of Mintonette was to keep the ball in motion back and forth over the net. Professor Alfred T. Halstead was one among the spectators at this conference and, after watching the demonstration, proposed the name be changed to “Volley Ball”. It became a single word a little bit later.

In the next year, Morgan kept at it, ironing out the rules to Volleyball and 1897 marked the year of the first official North American YMCA Athletic League handbook. Decades passed and Volleyball had remained just a recreational game until the 1930s when it started getting recognition as a legitimate competitive sport with referees and championship games.

So find a net, pick up a ball, ask a couple of people, and give Volleyball a try if you’re not already an avid player. Enjoy volleying and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Sports Fans!

Queue the symphonic masterpiece of the Olympic Musical Theme. The extra-long awaited 2020 Summer Olympics officially begin today and spans the next couple weeks, out to August 8. Some events like the softball and the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments have already begun a couple days back, but the official beginning of the Games is today.

The Olympic Games are performed every four years and were set to fall last summer. Due to the coronavirus, however, the Games were postponed a year out and we’re now treated to them this year, hosted in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.

While summer camp is about so much more than athletics—fun, friends, nature, self-identity—improving your athletic ability is a really big part of camp. And nearly everything they do in the Summer Olympics is a sport or activity (or at least something in a similar field) that you can participate in during your summer camp stay. From team sports to sports for individual performance on land and in the water, the Olympics is like the worldwide exhibition of the sports of summer camp!

They’ve got Archery. They’ve got Gymnastics. They’ve got Swimming. They’ve got Badminton. There’s Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Volleyball, BMX Freestyle, BMX Racing, Boxing, Canoeing, Kayaking, Diving, Equestrian Riding, Fencing, Football, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Karate, Mountain Biking, Road Cycling, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Shooting, Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, Surfing, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Trampoline, Water Polo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, and more.

While the Summer Games are taking place in Tokyo this year, they were meant to be played last year. It’s been agreed upon that the Games this summer will still be referred to as the 2020 Olympics. Whatever they call it, enjoy tuning into this year’s summer installment of the Olympic Games to make up for last year. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Runners!

Do you live for the thrill of the wind rushing past your face as your legs propel you forward with every stride? Running is involved in plenty of sports, but none put such a focus on running as the sport of Track & Field (also referred to as Cross Country). In fact, running is about all there really is to Track. Just a couple months back, I wrote about the invention and the guy who helped popularize Track. Check that post out by clicking here.

An incredibly inclusive sport, here are a few good reasons why Track & Field is a great sport for anybody and everybody to enjoy!

Everyone Can Do It!
Literally everyone is able to do it! It doesn’t matter how good or bad you. Meets are short—WAY shorter than any football or soccer meet. You may have to deal with some long bus rides, but generally Track is easy on your schedule. Also, it’s super cheap! All you really need are a good pair of running shoes and the proper apparel (things you may already own).

An Individual Sport with Teammates
While Track is a very individual sport that is based on your effort that you put into your training and races, it technically is a team sport. Your teammates are always there to cheer you on at all your workouts, races, and long-distance runs. Often times, your Track teammates become really good friends or at least a friendly face you know.

Feeling Good
It feels really great on a few different levels when you finish a race. Of course you’ll be exhausted, thirsty, and out of breath, you’ll feel on top of the world. People who sign up for Track aren’t necessarily in the greatest physical shape, but everyone sees some kind of progress. It’s a very rewarding activity!

All that being said, Track is anything but easy! You need strong determination to see a race through to the end—especially when you have to run in rain, snow, sleet, or extreme temperatures! Maybe Track will be an immensely positive part of your life this summer or in the next fall with your school. Enjoy every step and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Summertime Explorers!

We love discussing all the amazing activities that may be available to you for your summer camp stay. If you’re passionate about Caving (also known as ‘spelunking’), maybe you were fortunate enough to attend a camp that offers it as one of their activities! Cave exploration is a thrilling experience. Today we're talking about some of the ways for you to get the most out of this awesome opportunity!

The advice to “travel light” has never been more appropriate than with Caving. Be safe with the proper equipment. Bring enough, but only what you need and the lighter-weight your gear is, the better! A few essentials to have along are:     

• Food and Water—Have enough with you to last at least a day or even two.
• First Aid Kit—When accidents happen you need to be prepared under the ground.
• Extra Clothes—Caves are notorious for wet and muddy conditions; have an extra set of clothes to change into when your adventure is over.

Don’t Take it to the Limit
If you’re starting to feel kind of weird, be sure to let others know it. If you start feeling tired, uncomfortable, claustrophobic, or just not quite right, make sure that you take a break and rest before continuing on.

Stick Together
Caving trips should always be done in groups. The only reason to ever split from the group would be a serious injury or emergency.

Have a Plan
Confirm that every in your group knows what the emergency plan is. Appoint someone as the trip leader to make decisions during the crisis. You should only ever take action without consulting your trip leader if you’re life’s endangered.

Rule of Three
Similar to climbers, cave explorers should maintain three points of contact to prevent you from slipping and falling.  When moving on rough terrain, always keep three points of contact.

Protect the Cave
It’s simple: Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints. Caves are fragile ecosystems. It’s the natural habitat of the bat. Bats live and breed in caves. You should never damage or alter the cave and definitely never leave any trash behind. Also, do not disturb the bats!

Check out a previous Blog post about the boys who discovered the Crystal Cave here in our home state of Wisconsin. Click here to read it and enjoy spelunking if you get the opportunity to this summer! Have fun and experience a whole new world that’s totally peaceful, pitch-black, and quiet. As always, thanks for reading!

- John