Session 1 - Balance

This morning I led the camp in a balance session on skates.  We were up in the Mt. Mansfield parking lot, with a great surface and a nice slight slope.  We started with Basic Athletic Stance in kicks, soon moving to skates to go through our progression.  Basic Athletic Stance is so important that we would spend days on it if we could... and also if we could keep their attention.  Feet, ankle flexion, rolled hips, tight core, spine angle, and relaxed hands come together to provide the ultimate position for all of sports.

We moved into turns, introducing terms such as parallel position, transition, and initiation, and added a few obstacles to maneuver.

Great weather helped us all have a good session, as ALL of the kids worked hard, focused, and learned something about skiing and about their own limits.  I had a blast.

Off to bike single tracks this afternoon!

Danny Noyes
SDSC Director

First Night Actvities! Swimming and Speedball

This evening we started off our night activity tradition with multiple games of speedball and jumping into Foster Falls. Once everyone became orientated with the games, the different teams competed against each other in fun matches at Top Notch Fields. During the evening, each team got a chance to jump in the cold falls down the road. The thunder storms rolled in just in time as we were leaving the fields and falls. We could use a break from this humidity! Everyone is in their rooms now getting ready for bed.
    Tomorrow, Danny will be running a sweet balance workout session on roller blades in the Stowe parking lot. Stay tuned for tomorrow morning's blog update.

    

END of Week 1... Beginning of Week 2

Yesterday marked the final day of Week 1 at SDSC.  Thank you to all of the campers who participated this week and to all of the parents who support them.  Everyone accomplished a ton, tried new things, and had so much fun.

WEEK 2 began this afternoon with orientation, games, and dinner.  We will look to skirt the forecast of thunderstorms tonight for speedball and a night swim at Foster's Swimming Hole.

Here's to a FUN week!


Danny

Cookout, DJ, and Inflatables!

Tonight we had evening full of fun. All the campers were out on the front lawn racing through the inflatable obstacle course and dancing to great music. It was a great way to wrap up our last full day of camp as everyone danced together, played soccer and taps together, helped each other balance on physio balls, and laughed together. Even Jan and Mauricio from the Round Hearth Staff joined in the fun.

Tomorrow we look forward to completing camp with games in the morning followed by the awards ceremony at 11:00 and departure at 12:00. Parents are welcome to join for the awards at 11:00, but we ask you to wait until 12:00 to start taking things out of your children's rooms. It is important that we keep an organized camp until closing, and we thank you all for your cooperation with this. 

See you all tomorrow!
Eric Barthold

SDSC CAMP VIDEO!!!

As in year's past, we are going to have a camp video available for purchase.  The final edition will be ready for mailing Friday August 17 (one week after the completion of the second week of SDSC).  There will be a few different options available for purchase (one week only, or two weeks), and there will be a sign-up sheet at the awards ceremony tomorrow.  We ask that you pay upon sign-up, and we dont have a credit card machine, so we can only accept cash.  All proceeds go to our videographer Tyler Foulkes (Stratton Mountain School) who is competing on the Eastern junior circuit in Nordic Skiing.  Here is a trailer of a day in the life of a SDSC Camper...


Tyler also set up a smugmug account with ALL of the pictures from the week.  Please view the link below.

Click here for photos

Thanks,
Danny

Afternoon Adventure - Physical Testing/Foster's Swimming Hole

Our last afternoon signaled physical testing for many campers, while others traveled to Foster's swimming hole before returning for Capture the Fox in the field. Danny and I saw some great physical strength during testing, as the campers tested their vertical jump, hip mobility, explosion, core strength, and lactic acid threshold.  However, we were even more impressed with the campers' mental toughness as they pushed themselves past what they originally thought possible. Capture the Fox was exciting and fast-paced, and tonight we celebrate a great week of camp with a cookout, DJ, and inflatables!

Eric Barthold

My Heroes 

Left to Right: Danny, Jeanne, Eric, Becca, Craig, Katy

I just wanted to give special recognition to our counselors.  They are doing an amazing job interacting, teaching, playing, supervising... and I am very proud of the energy and effort they have put in day after day.  Our campers, parents, and myself as Director are all very fortunate that we have them as role models this week.

Danny Noyes