Nurturing Healthy Competition at Summer Camp
This week, we’re building excitement for NCAA March Madness! Recognized as one of the best American sporting events of the year, the basketball tournament is a celebration of outstanding athleticism that energizes competitive spirit in colleges and universities across the nation.
At Camp Huawni, we have our own summer madness called Tribal Competition! Exclusive to our 2-week sessions, Tribal Competition puts the Red Caddo and Blue Tejas teams in a multi-event pursuit for the coveted Golden Pine Cone. From Huawni Derby to Wiffleball World Series to the climatic Tug-O-War, Tribal Competition is jam-packed with fun for all of our campers! Get a glimpse of Tribal Competition here!
Here at Camp Huawni, we see the benefits of healthy competition. We know that competitive activities allow both our boy and girl campers develop essential skills that they will carry with them through adulthood.
In an article by Parents Magazine pediatric neuropsychologist Timothy Gunn describes how “competition helps kids learn that it is not always the best or the brightest who are successful, but rather those that work hard and stick with it.” Competition also allows children to “earn critical social skills through interacting with other children, while also learning the value of hard work and developing self-esteem and self-efficacy.”
According to a report by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, competition helps children:
- Learn about their abilities and limitations
- Set goals
- Handle loss
- Develop skills
- Enhance their popularity
- Develop competence in an area
- Develop problem-solving skills
- Try out different roles
- Learn rules of the game
- Learn to perform before a group
- Learn to work with others
During Tribal Competition, we emphasize the importance of teamwork, selflessness, adaptability, and grit. We encourage our campers through wins and losses. Win or lose, we want our campers to learn that a healthy competitive spirit is about putting others before yourself, not giving up, and knowing your best is enough.
Fifth-year camper Jewels Reuter describes Tribal Competition best during a Virtual Huawni Hangout hosted by her family: “Even if you’re scared, everyone will cheer you on. It’s like, “You’ve got this. You’ve got this.”….The thing about Camp Huawni is everyone there is so patient, so nice.”
That’s what we strive for; patience and kindness, especially in the midst of competition!
This year, we invite all members of the Tribe to join our pool in the NCAA March Madness tournament! Sign up, fill out your bracket, and root for your favorite teams!
