The rest of Friday after camp is over feels so surreal. It doesn’t seem possible that the boys were here today. The contrast between regular life and camp is so strong, it’s crazy, and this in-the-middle part is the strangest. I miss everyone so much already, and we were all together only hours ago.
Today was the big game, the final red versus blue with starting lineups and real umpires. This year there was a sound system set up so the next batter could be announced and music could play between innings. Watching the boys warm up all over the field this morning while music blasted over them was awesome. It felt really official and exciting.
The campers played some great baseball today. The boys hit the ball hard and far and also made some impressive throws and catches on the field. I’m so proud of how far they’ve come since Monday, especially the newer kids. Watching the fourth-year veterans play is insane, but I think there are some boys who could be even better than them if they come back a few more times.
The last thing that happens at camp is the awards ceremony. Each boy receives a practice baseball, a hardball signed by his coach, and a photo album with pictures of himself and the events that happened throughout the week. When the boys go up to get these things, their coach says something positive and memorable about them. Several coaches explained how their campers improved in their baseball skills throughout the week, but I was really impressed by how many coaches talked about their kids’ character. So many boys were applauded for being helpful and kind and encouraging.
That makes sense when I think about 2018 Run Home Camp as a whole. This is seriously one of the best years of camp we’ve ever had, attitude wise. The mood of camp was just so good. There were no big arguments or problems; everyone was there to learn and have a good time. The games were competitive, but the boys still cheered for every good play, whether it was made by their team or not. As one camper said at the end of the game today, “It doesn’t matter who won as long as we all had fun.” I think they did all have fun this week; I know I did. It was a great year of camp with lots of memories – I can hardly wait for next July.
