Water Fun!

The gang had a great time at Water Country yesterday. Water Country USA is part of the Busch Gardens chain down in Williamsburg, VA. It is Virginia's largest water park which includes more than 30 rides.

Some of the favorites include the 23,000 sq. ft. wave pool and  the Hubba Bubba highway (kick back and enjoy the winding river like water way). Big Daddy Falls simulates white water rafting and is a fun group experience. The most daring riders take on The Aquazoid, Meltdown, Wild Thang and Jet Stream. The names speak for themselves.

The park is filled with tasty restaurants and outdoor pavilions. Apparently there weren't any Teen USA contestants to be found... Ahhhhh... poor guys, I hope they weren't too let down. Just goes to show, you can't believe every rumor you hear!

The last stop on the water park tour? The famous CANDY STORE! This tradition has gotten so popular Coach Alexander had to set up a schedule. Each year the teams would pile into the candy store so that the campers could spend the last of their cash on bulk candy. The buses would end up leaving the park late due to the back up at the store. Yesterday, each team had a designated time they were to visit the store. If they missed their time, they missed their candy. It made for a much smoother departure from the park. GENIUS!!!

As I watched the guys arrive back on campus and head to dorm I noticed they were exhausted. My guess is they were pretty wound up on the bus ride home due to the sugar rush so by the time they reached Orange, they were ready to crash. I bet they all slept well last night.

Hopefully that's true, because we're back at it today with morning games beginning at 9am. All is well here at the Forest. Enjoy your day.

Ivy League Intellectuals

The Brown University Bears have become one of the more successful teams at sports camp this year.  Whether they're on a court, ball diamond or a turf  field, they're a good solid team. If you ask them what makes their team successful they'll tell you that they're not the most talented team, but they have a secret weapon. Their minds... I've heard rumors that during rest period they're known for kicking back and reading classic literature. If they're not doing that, they're engaged in thoughtful conversation in Ade's room. Hmmmmm, very interesting...We'll see how this strategy holds up through the rest of camp.

We started Sunday morning fresh and ready to go. Everything was pushed back by one hour. You could see the difference in the faces as we gathered at the Dick Gym steps after breakfast. The group was awake and lively.

Coach Alexander said a few words to start the morning, then he turned it over to Frazier Stowers. Each Sunday Frazier speaks about a topic and then asks the group to reflect about the thoughts he shared. Yesterdays topic was about guidance and help. He shared a story of a man at Middlebury that through the years offered guidance and support to those around him. He talked about the man's modesty and how he was  humble. Frazier went on to talk about how Coach Alexander often refers to Coach Red Caughron and Dick Glover when preparing a new group of counselors for sports camp each year. And how who they are and what they stand for is the foundation of this camp. They are men of character and that they too were modest and humble. They were consistent in the way they guided young men to have character, humility and compassion. They each had compassion for those around them. These are the qualities that every man should strive for throughout their  life. Frazier went on to tell the boys that they are not going to develop these qualities in 3 weeks... They won't develop them by the time they reach high school, but these are things that will over time help them become good men, good fathers and husbands. It was an inspiring talk and what amazed me the most is the way the group really watched Frazier and listened. We really do have a wonderful group of young men this year. We are truly blessed to have each one of these precious boys here at the forest this summer.

By 10am the group was down  the hill and ready to begin another day of athletics and competition. We went right into the first round of games. We didn't have any overtime games or major upsets. One of game of note though, Notre Dame scored 61 in their basketball game against Miami - Miami scored 47 which is typically considered high. WOW... Go Irish!

We had one session of individual instruction and then we were off to lunch and then rest period. After that the southern conference enjoyed the outdoor pool while the rest of camp took part in sign up clinics. I noticed Coach Alexander working with Texas AM on the football field. It seems they're struggling a bit in that sport so coach worked up some plays to suit them. Word is, they still haven't scored, but they came real close last night, so with a few more "private" practices, maybe they'll get it together. They certainly have it together on the Lax field.. They beat Wake in the morning session 5-4!

There were two tight games last night. UNC and Ohio State matched up real well at football. UNC pulled it out in the end 47-42. Wow there were a lot of touchdowns in that game. Ohio State has a small secret weapon.. Check this guy out! He is amazingly sneaky and fast....

The Brown/Penn State game ended with PK's. They played two five-minute Overtime periods and finished with the PK's. Each team puts up 7 players to kick. The team with the most successful shots wins. Penn State came up with the win. 5 PK's to 4... It was pretty amazing. Beating Brown at soccer is really something to be proud of. Both of these teams have amazing soccer players. I'm thinking we'll see them face up again at some point in the tournament.

Two teams camped out again last night and the rest went to the Fir Tree. Like coach said, "there's nothing like a good old Gus Burger and a milk shake after a loss (or a win)".

There was a lot of anticipation and excitement about todays trip to Water country. Even if they didn't sleep well last night, they'll have 2.5 hours each way on bus to catch up. Someone started a rumor that the Miss Teen USA pageant is supposed to be down at Water Country today...hmmm.... for the girls sake, I hope it's just a rumor.. OH BOY!!!!!

Don't forget to check out the latest team cheer.. The Nittany Lions put one together before their Lacrosse game yesterday... WE  ARE   PENN   STATE!!!!

Enjoy your day. I've sent a camera so hopefully we'll get some good shots of the guys at the park!

Sleep In Day!

Sunday is sleep in day around here. It's much needed. Coach was asked more than once at dinner last night by some little guys, "is tomorrow the day we get to sleep in?" Sure is... Breakfast begins at 9 followed by group worship on the Dick Gym steps. Then we're down the hill to begin our second week of Sports Camp.

Yesterday was another great day. Mother nature is certainly cooperating this year. Sunshine, low humidity and no rain in sight. It's been fabulous.

At the post dinner meeting Coach Alexander talked about the importance of choosing the right afternoon clinic and taking the individuals seriously. He asked the campers to consider their strengths and weakness and how it effects their team. After a self evaluation, they should make sure they attend a clinic that would assist them in improving their skills. We're at the point in camp where the teams know where they stand. They realize what sports they might be great at and which ones need improvement. We've got some great instructors. They really know their stuff....

Once again we had some exciting games all day long. The morning football game went into double overtime. In the second overtime, the Buckeyes got a big stop giving them the ball  and then went on to score on 4th down. What a great matchup between two Big Ten teams, Penn State and Ohio State. Both teams have a couple of great coaches... It was like watching Jo Pa and Woody again!

Have a blessed Sunday. We're headed to Water Country tomorrow. It's an all day event. There won't be any games.