A DAILY DOSE OF DOUG
Coach Doug-
Ropes courses bring out the best in athletes. Extreme pressure and a focus tends to raise the game for the campers. So many not only reached their goals on each element, but because they bought into our motto of Jumping out of their Comfort Zones, they surprised themselves by how far they were actually able to go. It’s a great feeling for the coaches to walk out of the woods to stories of how great that experience just was!
A new activity at ELITEAM this year is Distraction Training. We talk about the different distractions that athletes experience at a race or game, whether it is parents yelling or snow falling or bad calls. We then try to bring that into their training here at camp, so you may see some crazy photos of coaches throwing balls at the kids while they were running the Slalom… for the sake of learning and FUN! Another distraction we simulated was running the course with a pair of goggles that were hard to see out of (specifically, 5 layers of saran wrap) … all in the name of faster times and better focus!
COACHES CORNER
Coach Dan-
This morning I got the chance to watch the eliteamers push their limits on the agility course and during the leg routine. We felt the burn as campers, tucked, jumped, and burpee-d up the hill. During the agility course everyone put their coordination to the test as the athletes conquered slalom courses, running on swiss balls, and jumping over hurdles with legs full of lactic acid. My favorite quote of the day was when I heard Jabes say “my version of jumping out of my comfort zone is to keep going after I make a mistake”
Coach Jessica-
Today was an awesome day of campers jumping out of their comfort zones! Eliteamer Shen told me “I normally don’t like dirt, but I army crawled through the tunnel of doom.” It was so inspiring to see all of the campers run through the obstacle course and identify what they were doing well and what they could improve on. We ended the night with groups singing in front of the whole camp, and Parker told me that she jumped out of her comfort zone because she “likes singing alone, but it scares her to sing in front of people.”
ELITEAM/Positive Tracks 100,000 Burpee Challenge-
Day 2 Tally: 11,250
What did you do to Jump out of your Comfort Zone today? How did it feel?
Jackson- I went high in the ropes course and had to sing in front of camp.
Wilbur- I climbed a rock wall higher than I wanted to.
Mac- When I did the Vertical Playpen.
Rex- I climbed higher than I normally would and it felt good but very scary.
Shamus- I went up high. I felt scared.
Russell- I pushed myself on the Bergundtal and as a result, I went faster.
Jabes- Rock climbing. I am not too scared of heights, but coming down after a climb and just trusting your belayer is a good bit outside of my comfort zone.
If you did Ropes today, what is the key to staying calm and positive in the Ropes Courses?
Jackson- I started to think of things that don’t move like a wall.
Mac- I don’t look down and take deep breaths.
If you did the leg routine, how much did your legs hurt? How did you push through the pain?
Wilbur- The hardest part was halfway through when your legs were burning and you just want it to end.
Rex- It was very painful and I thought that if I pushed through then I would get more fit.
Russell- My legs really hurt during the routine but to embrace the pain, you have to step outside your comfort zone.
Jabes- On a scale of 1-10, my legs hurt a good 7. My method for pushing through the pain is just taking deep breaths and powering through.
Name one thing that you learned today.
Jackson- I learned the harder you work the faster you get better.
Wilbur- You have to leave your comfort zone in order to succeed.
Mac- I learned I’m actually good at Dodgeball.
Rex- That I have bigger limits than I thought.
Shamus- I learned about fat, carbs, protein.
Russell- Today I learned that zucchini’s are good for you.
Jabes- This is going to sound cheesy, but I learned that I am capable of so much more than I think!
If you could tell your Dad one thing right now, what would it be?
Jackson- I squeezed the chicken on the vertical playpen.
Wilbur- I am having fun, but this is also really, really challenging, which I both love and hate. I know that I am able to do more than I expected.
Mac- That I went on a ropes course.
Rex- This is the best camp ever.
Shamus- I am having a great day.
Russell- I am having a blast and I wish I could stay longer!
Jabes- I would tell my parents that I got a great time on the slalom, which shocked me because I thought I was not going to do good!
