The Olympic Spirit: Competition and Coming Together at Maine Camps

The Olympics are coming to a close – and as always, the drama and competition has made this sporting event a spectacle to behold. It is always incredible to watch Olympians perform – the pride they have when representing their countries, and their sheer athletic ability and technique are truly impressive. However, the aspect of the Olympics that most impresses me, and one that strongly relates to camp, is the way they create relationships between athletes. Even more impressive is the way that Olympians, win or lose, come together for the conclusion of the ceremony to celebrate this incredible competition. At camp each summer, there will be a variety of opportunities for campers to compete. Some camps have summer-long or week-long “leagues,” with teams competing in a variety of sports and activities to top the standings. The wonderful relationships between Maine Camp Experience camps also allow for a number of intercamp competitions – these might range from day-long events in which campers participate in a number of sports, to single games for specific age groups, and give campers a wonderful opportunity to represent their camp with pride. Events might include traditional sports like soccer or tennis, swim meets & sailing regattas, or even climbing meets and acapella or dance competitions. There may be dress-up competitions and songwriting contests – and at some camps, clean-up even becomes competitive, as the cabin with the highest clean-up score over a given week might be rewarded with an ice cream or pizza party.  And, of course, at many camps the competitive highlight of the summer will be an intense multi-day Color War, including athletics, song competitions, and oftentimes culminating in a high-stakes relay. However, one thing that almost all camp competitions will have in common is the importance placed on comradery and coming together, which is far more emphasized than winning results or goals scored. While individual and team achievements are always celebrated, campers are consistently reminded to play with sportsmanship, and camps do a great deal to ensure that a healthy competition on the field does not spill over into bunks or friendships. At some camps, Color War will be known as Olympics – and it’s no surprise that camps that run a Color War or Olympics event will often have their own traditions for closing ceremony. However, no matter the camp, there will be a consistent theme of formally ending the event and coming together as a singular camp community. At my current camp, all campers will sing together under the stars, to represent this unity – at many camps there will be closing campfires and all-camp banquets after the conclusion of Color War, in order to celebrate together as a whole camp community. Camp is ultimately a place to develop, a place to win and to lose, and to learn what is truly important. And one of the most special parts of every summer is when campers give everything they have, showcasing competitive spirit and incredible sportsmanship, and always coming together again as part of one special camp family. _ Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools  

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.

 You can share your own Maine camps __memories & expressions of gratitude __on our Memories of Camp section of our website.