Today we commence a series of reports on daily life at Kingswood. For old-time campers, this one summons fond memories of the easy life of the Kingswood regimen. You know you get to select those clinics in the morning, and they are fun, snappy and full of good energy — not to mention all the great stuff you learn.
For those of you who are recent first-time registrants, we want to remind you that every morning between 9:30 and 12:30, you participate in three one-hour activities, which we call clinics. Once per week, usually on Saturday or Sunday, you get to fill out a piece of paper (the Kingswood ballot) and circle one or two choices in each of three columns of possible selections. If you have a copy of the Kingswood brochure, go to the inside of the last page to see the samples of morning clinics as they are listed as WATERFRONT CHOICES, TEAMSPORT CHOICES AND OTHER CHOICES. The best thing about Kingswood is that you do not have to make those selections until you are actually at camp, where you can be influenced by lots of things as you think about what you wish to do. Trust us when we tell you that this will become an easy matter for you once you get the hang on how Kingswood works, usually no more than a day or so.
Let’s say that from 9:30 to 10:30, you have your teamsport clinic. You will be with boys your age, and will be given instruction that matches your level of skill. Here is a beginner lacrosse clinic.This boy, on the other hand, has played some tennis, and undoubtedly is receiving a more advanced lesson.And, since just about everyone is new to cricket, this clinic had a different feel to it.Ditto for rugby. Kingswood’s version has special rules to avoid harsh tackling, etc.So, now is is 10:30 and let’s picture the Teamsport campers off to their Choice activity at this time. Riflery and archery are extremely popular target sports.Fitness clinics offer loads of different ways to get into and to stay in shape. Campers of all ages are attracted to well-designed clinics of this ilk.What a fabulous setting we have at camp for nature photography. Boys develop their best shots and take folders home to prove proficiencies!Music, of some sort, goes on all day long at Kingswood. This pic shows a song-writing activity in progress. Note the one-on-one. You see this a lot at Kingswood.Fishing belongs in the Choice column, even though it is on the water. The idea is for boys to become reasonably “independent” anglers, and thus eligible to go on fishing excursions hither and yon. Extremely popular!11:30 has arrived and off to the waterfront go 1/3 of the campers. Here, they are treated to instruction both in and on the glorious waters of Mother Tarleton, as we call our lake.Well, to learn to safely navigate a kayak, one has to first learn how to fall out of one!!Our strong suggestion is that a boy learn the basic concepts of sailing a boat …before he tackles the far more difficult windsurfing.New in summer 2015 was paddleboarding, which provided hours of pleasure to boys who mastered its relatively easy concepts. Clearly, just a handful of morning activities were featured in this report. But, you get the idea — fun and learning is had by all.
