This past month, you have seen great reports from Coach Valerie, which gave a great overview into what our camps are like. For the next two weeks, you will see a shorter, but more detailed report, with each Junior Coach sharing their favorite moment of the week!
In the Circle of Doom, we noticed an interesting development of strategy in the campers. Generally, the campers stay in the middle of the circle, where they cannot maintain a view of all of the coaches, making it easier to get hit. Eventually, the campers started hanging out by the sides of the circles, realizing that this reduced the area they needed to watch in order to avoid being hit. However, the biggest advantage in the circle of doom was something beyond anyone's control. Suri, age 6, ended up winning the circle of doom prize, with a total of 3 wins over the total 15 games of circle of doom played over the week, beating out all the other campers. Many campers and coaches alike attribute her success to her small size, making it harder to hit her compared to bigger, older campers.
At the start of the week, Eddy showed little interest in playing chess, often reluctant to participate in tournament games. However, as the days progressed, his attitude and skills underwent a dramatic change. Eddy began to uncover hidden strategies and tactics within the games, and his newfound insights led to numerous victories in both the blitz and bughouse tournaments. By the end of the week, Eddy had emerged as one of the strongest players in the downstairs section, showcasing an impressive transformation in such a short time.
Typically, dodgeball is dominated by a select few campers, and this week was no exception. Rayan took the lead in points on Monday and maintained that momentum throughout the week, consistently scoring high amounts of points each day. His exceptional performance made him a top pick in every draft, further highlighting his prowess. Midweek, Rayan even sought to improve his game by learning how to throw curveballs from another camper, which helped him rack up even more points. His dedication and skill ultimately earned him the dodgeball prize.
This week's bughouse tournament downstairs was particularly captivating. Last week, Arjun and Annika were an unbeatable team, securing victory together. However, this week saw them as opponents in a thrilling match. In an exciting showdown, Annika, paired with Sonia, emerged victorious, clinching first place with a decisive win.
The more the merrier! Last year during summer camp, a photo like this was first taken. The campers were trying to see how many kids could fit on the one couch. This summer, this photo was taken again, and it highlights the fun and happiness that the campers have throughout the week.
In soccer this week, four children fiercely competed for the win. Riyan and Noah made incredible saves as goalies, while Jasper and Arjun showcased their skills with amazing dribbles and shots. By Friday, both teams had scored five goals each, leading to a tie. To determine the winner, they turned to rock-paper-scissors, where Arjun ultimately claimed the prize.
In the last game of the GM camp this week we had Lucas vs Thomas. Lucas has won the GM camp tournament for the past 2 weeks, but this week Thomas Holder won. Here is their game, with commentary!
Thank you to everyone who participated in this week of camp, and to those who read this report! I look forward to seeing what stories emerge from the next week of camp.
Unexpected Strategies and a Surprise Champion in the Circle of Doom
Eddy’s Remarkable Transformation in a Week of Chess
Rayan’s Dominance and Determination in Dodgeball
Exciting Turn of Events in This Week's Bughouse Tournament
The More the Merrier: A Summer Camp Tradition
A Thrilling Soccer Showdown Decided by Rock-Paper-Scissors
The GM Camp Decisive Game, Commentated by Ethan Modi
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