Camp

Every year I would sit at the kitchen table with my family, and talk about possible summer camp options for the fast coming warmer months. I always loved summer camps, however it always bugged me how there was never a summer camp for runners. I have run for most of my life, from road races, to local runners clubs, and now being a part of the track and cross country team.

Every year my teammates and I go to this running camp called Aim High up in the Adirondacks, and we like to say “it's the best week of the whole year,” and I still hold true to that statement. This camp brought together the best community out there, the running community. These people are so positive, friendly, welcoming, uplifting, and just overall good people, and getting to be surrounded by hundreds of them for one week in cramped log cabins, with showers that only produce warm water half the time, and endless bug bites, and laughs (of course) makes for the best week of the year. Aim high however is only open to sixth graders through seniors. So what happens to all of those little kids like me who dreamed of a summer running camp? Well over the 2022 year I came up with an idea to put all my chips in one bag, and just go for it. And that’s when I founded the Stars Track and Field Camp!

The camp was four days long, and each day had something new! The first 2 days of the camp consisted of teaching the kids all the fundamentals of track and field. We had hurdles groups, relays, distance, jumping, throwing, and high jump, which were all led by alumni. After the two days were over, we were onto the third day of the camp. This was the competition day for all of the events! Each group leader got to select a competitive activity that went along with their event, and kids got to pick what events they wanted to participate in. Then at the end of the camp the coaches all got together to pick an MVP from each of the groups. Then the final day was my absolute favorite, the Olympics day! Each of our 7 volunteers were given an equal number of kids to be on their team. These were not any normal Olympic games though. These were crazy Olympic games; there were water balloon relay races, timed obstacle courses, and even games in the sand pit. I have never seen so many kids smile in my life. It was at that moment as we announced the winner of the Olympic games that I have finally accomplished what I have wanted to do for so many years; make my footprint in my community. And I was lucky enough to do it through something that I love with the teammates, and coaches that I love. Glad to say that we will be back next year!