Hey, Football Fans!

American Football is the only sport I know where the offense and the defense collide like on a medieval battlefield. Our nation’s most popular sport, Football is likely to be offered at just about any summer camp where you stay. If you’re fanatical over football, then you likely already know the ins and outs of the way the game is played. But what about the history of the sport? How did it develop into the National Football League that we know and love today?

The earliest traces of Football go all the way back to a popular sport in Ancient Greece called Episkyros (Eh-pisk-ear-roce). This game involved throwing a ball past a scrimmage line and avoiding being tackled. Football was first developed as a hybrid sport that sort of combined Rugby and Soccer. Both of these games have their origin in medieval sports which may explain where Football gets its resemblance to medieval warfare.  

Beyond Ancient history, townsfolk of the Dark Ages started developing a number of archaic forms of football. In general, they involved teams lining up against each other in scrimmage formation and moving the “ball” (which was traditionally an inflated pig bladder) toward a goal.

Old versions of football—typically referred to as the blanket term of Mob Football—would be played between an entire town or village against the folks of the next town over. Games of Mob Football allowed for an unlimited number of players who would clash in the streets and highways with the objective of moving the ball to the markers of each town.

Players were allowed to move the ball by any means necessary short of killing other players. This was a much more brutal game than our modern televised events. Deemed too dangerous for civilization, versions of Mob Football were put to bed with the Highway Act of 1835 which banned football from being played on public highways.  

However, in order not to throw out the baby with the bathwater, protective helmets were brought to the scene and the game was played in designated areas. More protective measures were slowly introduced as this much tamer version of football was established and it soon became an organized sport that drew audiences. Check out a previous Blog post to learn more about the history of the NFL by clicking here. And, as always, thanks for reading!

- 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

Hey, Giddy Golfers!

If Golf is your game, then this Blog post should have your attention! FORE!! A popular enough sport, you won’t have a hard time finding a summer camp that offers Golf as an activity. We all know the name, but where did it come from and where did the sport originate altogether? Let’s dig in and find out on today’s post, highlighting the game of Golf.  

No one can say for sure, but we know of at least a couple possible origins of the name ‘Golf’. Maybe it came from the Scots’ word ‘goulf’ meaning ‘to strike or cuff’. Or maybe it derived from the Dutch word ‘kolf’, which means ‘bat’ or ‘club’. In any case, the name came about around the 15^th Century in Scotland because that’s when the game was invented…or was it?

Historians debatably trace Golf all the way back to an ancient Roman game called ‘Paganica’ where the players would use sticks to hit a stuffed leather ball. But the rules of more-or-less modern Golf weren’t developed until 1457 in which driving a small ball with a club toward a small hole on a large playing field with as fewest strokes as possible. Of course, the specifics of 18 holes and detailed rules evolved over time, but the essence of the game was there.

Meditative
As is the case with many activities you’ll find at summer camp, Golf has a meditative element to it. The ball demands focus and swinging your club with just the right motion means having a clear head. Devoting some time to a challenging, but simple goal of lining up shots and putting a ball in a hole is meditative in itself.

A Feel For the Physics
A good game of golf hinges on an understanding of how much force to use behind your shots and being in tune with what that weight feels like as you swing, chip, or tap.

Great Way to Spend Time Outside
A beautiful landscape, golf courses are well-maintained to stay so gorgeous—it’s a marriage of order from people and the wild growth of nature. Get out to the golf course for a fun but challenging game while you see the sights of some great land!

Golf is a skill that’s great to develop. Check out your camp to see if they offer Golf if you want to try your hand at it at summer camp. Maybe you’ll advance your game in the coming summer! Enjoy your time spent out on the courses and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John