Thursday, July 31, 2014

Movie Night!!

We had two movies set up and playing on projectors for the campers to choose from...



Skate Instructional with Danny Noyes

Today I led the instructional session in the Stowe parking lot.  We started off in sneakers for our warm up, and after everyone was loose we had a refresher on basic athletic stance.


In ski racing, athletes are only in this position for a split second each turn and spend most of their time on the edge of the skis either initiating turns, creating pressure at the top of the turn, accelerating in the fall line through the apex, or accelerating through the completion of the turn.  Despite this differential, basic athletic stance is so important because it allows skiers to enter each turn in the proper position.  A balanced position in the transition reduces potential mistakes and makes body movements to start each turn more efficient.












On skates we transitioned through a balanced jump progression into GS and SL turns.  I was extremely impressed by the improvement for some of our return campers.  The counselors were also fantastic, working with each camper and showing the special attention and direction we pride ourselves on here at SDSC.

A nutrition speach by Chad Couto, the fitness director at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort, will bring us to movie night and popcorn.  Some tired muscles here in Stowe, a quiet night is exactly what we need right now.

Mountain Biking

The alternate session today is mountain biking in the Cady Hill Forest area of the Stowe Bike Trails. We had dry sunny weather, which was a nice change from the rain we experienced Monday. The trails are in mint condition and the campers got to ride a lot. You can find every type of trail on Cady Hill: gradual smooth uphills, steep rugged uphills, technical root-laden turny trails, technical downhills, and smooth rolling downhills. The campers and counselors were super psyched with the biking.


Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Evening Activity - Skit Night and S'mores!


SDSC wrapped up the today with a slight change of pace. After a great presentation from Swix tuning expert Jerry Murphy...



... our dining hall suddenly transformed into Broadway at the Round Hearth. Each team had 15 minutes to prepare a skit using random props and centered on a topic chosen from a hat. To give you an idea of the skits that we saw, the skits topics included: imitating counselors, going on a ski trip, an SDSC camp 20 year reunion, getting stuck in a video game, and teaching a pirate with a peg leg how to ski. As you can imagine, it was a rather entertaining night!











We celebrated the midpoint of the week in style just after skit night, complete with fireworks from an unknown party up the hill and of course, S'MORES!



Skating at the Johnson Skate Park

Today's alternate session was skating at the Johnson Skate Park. Skating provides a great opportunity to use balance and moves similar to skiing. Moreover, it is super fun! The campers practiced their skills, as shown here by Danielle using quick knees like slalom turns. (Also seen here - some campers had GoPro's to video each other's moves!)

Some showed off their impressive jumps and tricks on the ramps, rails, and pipes.

All campers pushed their limits. Just like skiing, sometimes it's the mental aspect that holds one back more than physical limiters. It was great to see the campers trying moves and skills they hadn't done before. And most of all, it was great to see their smiles after. 

Next up: Skit Night!

Instructional Session, Agility Coordination and Stability

Our guest coach for Wednesday is Tom Barbeau from Waterville Valley BBTS.  Tom has a remarkable history for coaching, having been to three Olympic Games as a coach.  He also is at the Certified Master level of the Burdenko training method of aquatic and land resistance training, therapy, and recovery.  The only other certified master I know is a Jedi named Yoda.  With a database in his brain of over 11,000 different exercises, he ran our groups though several exercises that forced strength and coordination with just body weight.


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Evening Activities - Swimming Hole and Ski Video Analysis

This evening, we split our night activity into two parts.  Half the group hopped on the bus to the Swimming Hole, a local fitness center and pool complete with waterslide, fountains, and pool basketball. We saw massive cannonballs, some speedy runs down the waterslide, and only a few slightly painful bellyflops.


The rest of the camp started at the Round Hearth where our counselors and coaches took them through their own skiing videos as well as those of World Cup skiers like Ted Ligety and Mikaela Shiffrin. It was great to see the campers recognize basic athletic stance and other skiing elements that they practiced in our morning sessions on the screen. After the first hour, the groups switched so that everyone could experience both activities. Thanks to all campers for a great night!

France Counselor Alita taking campers through one of her runs...keep those hands up and driving forward!

Hiking Mt. Mansfield

Today's alternate session was a hike up the Hazelton Trail on Mt. Mansfield. It was my first time on the trail and speaking as an experienced hiker, that was one of the steepest, toughest trails I've hiked! It is rocky and today it was very wet after two days of rain. In places the trail was actually a stream!

Despite the tough conditions the campers did awesome. The older groups made it to the top, while the younger groups made it to the top of the quad. Both very impressive. As I said, it is STEEP.

The views from the upper part of the hike, where you come out onto a ski trail, are pretty awesome. The morning session were in the clouds at the top, but the afternoon crew got to see a view of the valley. We welcomed the sun today after yesterday's soggy one!
Here you can see the low clouds, the steepness of the piste, and Smuggler's Notch in the distance!

I think the campers are pretty tired, but they are all really excited to swim at The Swimming Hole (the pool in town) tonight.

Balance Instructional - Topher Harlow MMSC

Topher Harlow joins us today to lead our instructional sessions on BALANCE.  Topher is a long time friend of mine, and is one of the best coaches in the East.  Hailing from Bartlett, NH, he has found a home here in Stowe and is the Head Women's Coach at Mount Mansfield Ski Club.  This past year, he was honored with VARA (Vermont Alpine Race Association) Coach of the Year. 


With six stations this morning, Topher guided our young ones through several exercises they can use to improve their balance, which will be great for all sports.  Using dyna discs, stability balls, plyo boxes, agility ladders, and lots of other equipment, the campers got a taste for where their ability lies for each exercise and they were encouraged to challenge themselves and move along through each exercise progression.

All of the items we used today are inexpensive to buy or inexpensive to make.  As we move through the week and identify weaknesses or point out areas for improvement, it would be a great idea for our campers and parents to think about what they have or could have back at home to continue the groundwork we lay here at SDSC. 

Thanks, Danny

Monday, July 28, 2014

Evening Activity - Team Building Challenges.

For those less familiar with the day-to-day schedule of SDSC, we conclude each day with evening activities on the Top Notch Fields just down the road from our home at the Round Hearth. Tonight saw all the campers rotating again between different stations of bike and swim, speedball, and (our feature for the evening) Team Building Challenges.

But before heading out to the field, the camp directors surprised campers and counselors with a whipped cream pie eating contest! Cream flew, cheers roared, and smiles spread all throughout the room.



While the clouds threatened outside, we were happy to see that the only thing raining down on the field tonight were the campers' fast footsteps as they raced up and down towards the speedball goals. It's pretty clear that Speedball, a combination of soccer and handball, has already become a camp favorite.



After our ride through the woods this evening, the campers were able to easily speed down the Stowe Rec Path after speedball for a quick jump in the river before returning for team-building stations. Campers walked in unison with team skis, flipped over a bed sheet while standing on top of it, untangled human knots, and crossed rivers full of alligators. It was one eventful night!




Great end to a great first full day, and we are excited to hike tomorrow!

Eric

Basic Athletic Stance & Functional Movement Screening

Today the campers had their first session with a featured coach, Matt Maloney, former Director of Curriculum at SDSC. Matt took the younger groups through Basic Athletic Stance this morning, while the older kids participated this afternoon. Basic Athletic Stance is the foundation to this camp and the foundation to many sports. Here the campers have jumped into position. 
Basic Athletic Stance is our BASE: Balance, Agilities, Speed, Explosion - and you need this strong position for all of these components. The campers will revisit this position and idea throughout the week in the other Featured Coach sessions.
We were thankful to Mount Mansfield Ski Club that we could use their beautiful and spacious club house on this RAINY day - a day that didn't allow us to go through the Basic Athletic Stance on skates as we usually do.


Also due to the pouring rain, we took the opportunity to perform a few Functional Movement Screens in the MMSC club house. Functional Movement Screening tests how well you move in ways that we move in sports - (functionally!). They test your coordination, balance, flexibility, mobility, and identify weaknesses between the right and left sides of your body. We selected a couple to do today: The Hurdle Step which you see below, as well as the Active Straight Leg Raise. 












After they went through the Functional Movement Screens we showed them some stretches and movements they can do to improve. They will learn more of these as the week goes on.


WE ALL SCREAM...


MONDAY Rainy Fun Day!

As anticipated, we found some more rain this morning.  Matt Maloney, our featured coach, is an extremely talented technician with kids this age, and while we hate to lose his talent of introducing Basic Athletic Stance on skates, we were fortunate to be able to move inside and have his instruction transition over to shoes.  Mount Mansfield Ski Club opened their doors to our younger campers this morning to lend us some indoor space to escape the rain.  The four younger teams ran through a progression with Matt and were really able to get repetition on perhaps the most important position in all of sports.

The four older teams braved the rain and embarked on a mountain bike adventure.  Alternate training is a HUGE part of dryland, and technical skills of balance, body control, and connecting motor skills to brain waves were all put to the test.  The single treks were slippery, muddy, and in a lot of places completely under water, but the challenge was met.











In the afternoon, the younger and older groups switch to complete their first full day of instruction and challenge.

I was fortunate to be with the ladies of Germany this morning, and after an impressive bike trip they still had the energy, and core temp, to take a jump in the river.


Thanks for checking in,
Danny

Day 1 - Camper Orientation

Rain, Rain, Rain...  It found us today.
But we're still happy.

The sun came out for a few hours through camp registration and camper drop-off, but as we were sitting down for dinner the clouds started looming again.  We were able to keep to the schedule for the most part, going through our camp intros, rules, and team building activities before dinner.


After dinner we had to adjust our schedule back slightly due to thunder,  but then we were off to the fields.  We like to use our first night to get our campers on their bikes to get used to some of the movements we are going to put into action tomorrow on the trails around Stowe.  Eric Barthold, our Director of Activities, did a great job mixing in a mtn bike obstacle course, an athletic game of speedball, and a ride down the rec path to a small ledge in the river for a swim.  Thunder returned and cut our evening short by fifteen minutes... but we'll be back out there rain or shine tomorrow.

Monday marks our first session with a featured coach.  Matt Maloney, former Director of Curriculum here at SDSC, will lead our introduction into Basic Athletic Stance.  While we prefer this to be on skates, the weather will dictate the surface and it will be just as productive and educational in sneaks. 

Please spread the link for the blog around to other parents.  I was surprised today how many didnt have the link or even know we blogged three times daily about our activities.  EVERYONE should share in the experience.

Here's to sun in our future,
Danny

Counselor Orientation

Hi Everyone, and Welcome to SDSC 2014.  While today marked the first day of camp for all of our SDSC Campers, our staff showed up yesterday afternoon to run through our own set or orientation.  Several classroom hours, several more field session hours, and even a couple to set up brought us right up to camp time.  We're ready to roll. 

Keep tuning in...  Danny