Hey, Hockey Fans!

If you were made for the ice, don’t think twice—find yourself an ice hockey camp where you can really develop your skills on the rinks. This sport has no official beginnings as it was simply the winterized version of a field game called Hurley. They simply called it ‘Hurley on the Ice’. But what started small in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, became Ice Hockey and spread all across the country and gained much in popularity by the very beginning of the 19^th Century.

If fortunate enough to find an Ice Hockey Camp for yourself, here are some of the skills you can expect to learn:

Skating
Skating is the most fundamental part of Ice Hockey. You need to be a strong skater. Develop your skating and the rest of will follow. Mastering your forward skating, backward skating, and your over-speed abilities are essential for any good hockey player.

Dribbling
Much like Basketball, you need to be in constant control over the puck when moving it. This means shuffling he puck, maintaining its forward motion and position several feet in front of you. Dribbling is crucial to moving anywhere on the rink with the puck.

Passing and Shooting
Finally, you’ll learn to get rid of the puck with control, directing it to either a fellow teammate or at the goal. You’ll pick up on the different styles of shot you can take and ‘leading’ your passes—not aiming for your teammate, but where your teammate is going to be by the time the puck would reach them.

With just these three or four dynamics to the game, you can really make some big strides in your level of performance. Find the right Ice Hockey camp to suit you such as Liberty Hockey Summer Camp. Watch their promotional video below and check them out when you click here. As always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Hunters!

While you may find this activity among the options for your summer camp itinerary, right now is the perfect time of year to go over some tips and advice on Hunter Safety. While hunting seasons may vary among all the different game and regions, now is a very popular time that marks the beginning of hunting in our area here in the north woods of Wisconsin.

In preparation for this popular season, let’s hit on some very important points concerning your safety when you head out for hunting.

Wear to Blare
Sure camouflage plays a strategic role in the sport of hunting. But wearing colors that blend into your surroundings can also be very dangerous. Instead, dress with the strategy to stay safe. Wear blaze orange so other hunters know you’re you.

Law of the Loaded
It’s a good idea to act as though all firearms are loaded. Accidents are less likely to happen when you use this kind of caution.

Muzzle Management
Simply put: Don’t point a gun at anything you don’t want to shoot. Always keep your muzzle pointing in a safe direction.

Undeniable Identification
Until you’re able to identify your target without question, it’s a good idea to keep your finger off the trigger. Do not shoot at movement. Do not shoot at assumptions. Only shoot when you know for sure what you’re shooting at.

Where Ya Goin’?
Before leaving home to go hunting, always tell somebody where you’re going, what you’re doing, and when you expect to be back—no matter how experienced you may be.

Stock and Load
Be sure to bring safety supplies that you may need in survival situations such as food rations, fire-starting kit, cell phone, rope, flare gun, space blanket, axe, and whistle are some good suggestions. Maybe you have more.

Use these points of caution and preparedness to avoid accidents and stay safe when you go out on your hunting adventures. Enjoy your time in the wilderness and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans! Bullseye!

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

Closely resembling swordfighting, Fencing is an awesome, adventuresome activity that your camper could have the opportunity to engage in possibly during their summer camp stay or private courses. Fencing participants are dressed in padded gear which is loaded with sensors which are marking points scored by your opponent.

Despite the similarities to swordfighting, Fencing has an incredibly low injury rate when compared to other sports such as soccer or gymnastics. Participants are protected by a ton of padding and a full facemask. Also, the blades are not sharp and come to a blunt end. With no risk to injury of the eyes or face, the rare Fencing injuries are ones you would expect in any other sport.

A Thinker’s Sport
You’ll hear Fencing referred to as a physical game of Chess from time to time because of how much thought is involved in this active activity. Fencing will teach you to read subtle clues and react quickly to them. Benefiting both the brain and the body, Fencing is one sport where you need to perform mentally just as much as you do physically!

Sweatin’ to the Swordplay
Fencing gets the heart pumping! There’s a lot of back and forth involved along with lunges and quick recoveries. It builds lung capacity and gives you endurance. It’s also and exercise in strength training because holding the correct form, while holding your sword, and lunging, and striking, or avoiding a hit builds muscle and core strength.

Feels Good to Fence
Whether you win or lose, Fencing is fun! You can always look back at your performance and feel satisfied for doing the best you could! It’s easy to learn from your mistakes when you examine your game! And, like a team sport, kids are constantly practicing against and alongside each other, building friendships and bonding through a shared experience.

Look into your camp and see if they offer Fencing for your next season of summer camp! And look into taking a class if your interests are that high! Have fun with Fencing and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Soccer Players!

Wherever you end up attending summer camp, you’re likely to find Soccer as an offered activity. Not quite as popular here in the U.S. as it is elsewhere, Soccer is actually the world’s most popular sport. And, originally, it didn’t go by ‘soccer’ either; it was called Football. How was the sport invented? How did it arrive at the name Soccer? And what do kids get out of this hands-off sport?

A slew of other sports involve throwing, catching, swinging, swatting, and all sorts of other actions that require your hands. Soccer is the one sport where the use of hands is not permitted—that’s why they called it Football. By historic record, its origin spans over 2000 years back, coming out of ancient China. There are, however, other areas that claim the sport’s invention: Greece, Rome, and Central America.

But it wasn’t until the late 1700’s that the sport arrived in England where the rules of the game were polished and refined. The British are credited with turning the game into the sport we see today with such rules as ‘No Use of Hands’ and ‘No Tripping Opponents’.

While everyone called it Football, the British found the name Soccer, or ‘Socker’, was useful to distinguish the sport from Rugby Football in an official capacity. But it wasn’t until American Football that the name Soccer really started sticking across the world by mouth (though it’s still commonly referred to as ‘Football’ outside the USA).

But a sport by any other name would still be just as sweet! And it’s a great workout too! Check out some of the awesome benefits you can earn from participating:

Cycling through a walk, a run, and a sprint, Soccer is great exercise for cardiovascular health and improves flexibility. It also develops strength and coordination. Being a part of a team and playing a sport like Soccer builds confidence too and nourishes self-esteem.

Have a great time playing Soccer this summer and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Folks!

- John

Hey, Boys and Girls!

Today isn’t Kayak day.... Actually, it’s National Canoe Day. But since I spent this day last year presenting the preference of a canoe trip over kayaking and, since there is no National Kayaking Day, I thought I’d take today’s Blog post to go over all the ways kayaks have one over on canoes. If you’re true to the canoe, you can check out last year’s post too and read some ways that a canoe trip may be preferable. But for now, let’s get into kayaks.

The Kayak Don’t Lack
While canoes are made more for a strolling sort of journey on the water, kayaks are more about the exercise of the expedition. Build up your paddling power and rowing muscles in a kayak and immerse yourself in the adventure when you head out in a kayak.

Kayak Crossing
As noted in last year’s post, canoes can be preferable for long portage trips since you can load your gear in the canoe. Kayaks, on the other hand, while they won’t hold much gear, will be much lighter to carry and you can tote it all on your own.

Navigate the Rapids
A kayak is able to traverse fast running water that you can’t do so much in a canoe. Kayaks are typically narrower with a slight upward curve at the bow and stern that keeps less of the hull in the water to give you more speed and maneuverability. This benefit kayaks have over canoes is what really brings the adventure closer to home.

Kayaks and canoes certainly have their differences, but no matter how you choose to spend your time in the water, you’re sure to have a wonderful time! Get out and enjoy your own adventure and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John