I don’t ever remember being this tired on day two of camp. I know the coaches and other staff would agree with me, and I think a lot of the kids would too. Many of them have been ready for bed since the middle of the afternoon. It just shows how hard we’ve been playing these past two days. Even with the heat and the sun as hot and bright as they are, today was a full day of baseball. The boys practiced hitting in the batting cage and in the outfield, with pitching machines and coach’s pitch. It was amazing to watch their batting stances and hitting skills improve as the day progressed.
Tuesday is team day, when the red and blue rosters are announced and the campers receive their uniforms. Everyone was excited to see how the teams would be divided. When one boy who has been on the red team for the past two years found out he’s on blue, he cheered, “Yes! Finally!” Being split into teams allows the boys to do some new things, like play a simulated game. Even though it was the first real baseball game of the week, the campers already look great. Returners were hitting balls and making plays like they’ve been doing it their whole lives, and even some rookies that have never played before were able to catch on fast and play a great game. I can think of two new campers in particular that had both some great hits and plays in the field today.
Our evening activities were brand new to camp: a scavenger hunt-type walk around the campground called orienteering and a golf-esque game called chicken toss. It’s hard to say if more boys enjoyed throwing rubber chickens at frisbees or looking for clues on the paths in the woods they usually aren’t allowed to go on; both were pretty exciting. The group I was with might have been more hyped for these activities than they were for the baseball part of today, which is saying a lot.
Even though the day was packed full of fun, from pictures in uniforms to hanging boards on the home run fence to learning how to properly run the bases, some kids had a tough time. It might feel like we’ve been at camp forever, but this is only the second day. It’s hard to adjust to something so new and different than their everyday lives. Most of the boys aren’t used to being outside all day or sleeping in a bunkhouse with five or nine other kids. One of the things I hope the boys learn from camp is that just because something is different doesn’t make it bad. These kids already have so much craziness happening in their lives that they cling to anything that they deem normal. Our hope is that the consistency of camp can become a new normal for them this week. Sure, we do different activities each day, but our schedule remains pretty much the same – three meals plus snacks, baseball field from 9 to 3, huddles and showers before bed. We hope to show the boys that there are people who will show up for them and care about them day after day, and there is a place where they can look forward to new things instead of worrying about them.
One of the best things about camp is that each day is a new day. A camper didn’t get evening reward tonight? He can start fresh tomorrow. A camper isn’t sure he wants to stay? He just has to make it to tomorrow. When things seem overwhelming for the boys or the staff, we need to remember to step back and just take it one step at a time. Whether this was someone’s favorite day of camp or least favorite, tomorrow is a new day. We may still be a bit tired in the morning, but I’m sure we’ll be ready to face whatever tomorrow brings us. Whether it’s fun or difficult, it’s just one day. There’s always another new one coming.
