Emma Joy

Summer 2023 has been a busy, exciting time for Run Home Camps original location in Pennsylvania.  For the first time ever, three separate week-long camps were held so that even more boys could experience all that RHC has to offer.  With so many new campers and volunteers between the June, July, and August camps, it has been a summer that many will never forget.

In some ways, all weeks of Run Home Camp are the same.  Every Monday starts with the boys showing up to the drop-off location, some excited and others nervous.  As soon as we arrive at the field, though, the cheering volunteers with banners for each camper show the boys that this is going to be a week unlike anything they’ve experienced before.  Tuesday brings team day, the official announcement of who’s on red and who’s on blue.  The newly-uniformed kids get their official photos taken that day and add their handprint and name to the home run fence hall of fame.  Later in the week, trips to a minor league baseball game and a birthday party for everyone are always highlights for rookies and returning campers alike.  It all culminates in the big game on Friday morning where the red and blue teams get to showcase the baseball skills they’ve been practicing all week.

For those of us who have volunteered at camp before, and especially the ones who did all three weeks this summer, this routine is easy to fall back into.  I know I look forward to RHC more than anything else in the summer, and I wouldn’t doubt that it’s the same for many campers and other staff.  One thing that makes it exciting, though, is that you never really know how each week is going to play out.  Even having three camps in the same location in the same summer, each one had its own special moments due to the different combinations of volunteers and kids attending that week.

June camp wasn’t all that long after school let out for the summer, and our week one boys came ready to learn.  There were a handful of returning campers as well as many new to RHC, and most of them were all about baseball, all the time.  We did more drills and practice than I’ve even seen a group get through on a Monday.  By Tuesday, these all-stars were ready to start playing scrimmage games.  Even with Thursday’s temperature barely reaching the mid 50s, the coldest day in Run Home Camps history, the boys were out there running and throwing and hitting and catching in their sweatpants and hoodies.  Friday’s game was amazing to watch.  Despite some of the kids never playing baseball before this week and others only practicing the one week of summer they’re at camp, both teams looked Little League ready.  They raced through the official six innings and wanted to play more despite each team scoring at least 15 runs.  

One of my favorite stories of the summer comes from this first week.  While at the minor league game, the boys get to run out on the field with the players, stand with them for the anthem, and get a baseball signed.  June’s gameday was a doubleheader, perfect for these baseball-obsessed campers.  It also gave them a chance to see the players in action before meeting them, since the kids were introduced with the starting lineup for the second game.  A returning camper became fixated on the shortstop and was delighted to find out he was the very player he was meeting on the field.  When we all got back to our seats, the boy told his coach, “#10 said he’d hit a home run for me.”  The shortstop was the first batter for his team, and he cranked one over the left-field wall.  It was the only run the team scored in that second game.  Talk about an unforgettable moment for that camper.

July camp was the official “returners camp,” as it fell during the week RHC has traditionally happened in PA.  The group was mostly veteran campers with a handful of new kids as well.  While not every boy was as baseball-focused as in the first week of the summer, this group of campers loved to play and have fun.  From morning until night they would hang out together on the swingset and challenge coaches to card and board games.  The sense of camaraderie was awesome.  Despite having a few boys that weren’t all that interested in playing ball during the week, everyone showed up ready for the final game.  All of the campers had at least one base hit, showing a huge improvement not only in skill level but also in focus and diligence.  More than just the kids were impacted; a group that attended as volunteers wants to start another Run Home Camps site in their town sometime in the near future.

August camp came around just two weeks later, our last RHC of the summer and smallest group of campers.  All of the boys who attended this camp were new, which was so refreshing for both first-time and veteran volunteers to experience.  With no returning campers, everything is a surprise, making always exciting events that much more special.  This group of kids was one of the sweetest, most generous, and most grateful crews of campers we’ve ever had at RHC.  It was so fun watching their reactions to all that camp has to offer.  Many boys at this camp also connected with each other, forming friendships they may struggle to make at school or other places due to their circumstances.  My personal favorite moment might have been one boy organizing all of his fellow campers to sign a baseball to give to the camp manager on the last day.  Overall, it was a great way to close out the season in PA.

During training and other preparatory times with volunteers, those of us who have worked at Run Home Camps before often remark how difficult it is to explain what it’s like.  As much as we have stories that are funny or crazy or heartbreaking, camp is the ultimate “you had to be there” (I stand by this even as I try to provide this brief summary for all of you who weren’t there).  It’s one thing to hear “it doesn’t rain at Run Home Camps,” and it’s another to watch a storm split and go around the stadium as we watch the minor league game.  It has been so amazing seeing so many new volunteers experience the magic that is camp this summer.  Not only are the kids lives impacted forever, but many who come to help with Run Home Camps find themselves as touched as the campers.  I can’t wait to see what new boys we’ll get to meet next summer and who will be there to encourage, teach, and learn from them.  Until then, we’ll have to attempt to live vicariously through the unforgettable stories that every person who interacts with RHC brings out of each camp week, not only here in PA, but in Arizona, Oklahoma, and beyond. 

Run Home Camp PA 2022 is in the books.  It was another great week of baseball with seventeen chaotic, lovable boys.  Even though the vast majority of the campers were new this year, it didn’t feel like we had just met them.  After less than a day together, the kids’ unique personalities made each one of them stand out in their own way.

There were many firsts at Run Home Camp this year, and that started Monday morning.  Along with the usual breakfast and Uno and new camp shirts to meet the boys upon arrival at the drop-off location, a therapy dog was waiting to welcome the kids.  The boys loved snuggling with and petting the animal.  It really helped one boy in particular that was worried about being away from home for a week.  So many of the campers like to act big and tough, so sometimes I forget how little they really are and how big of an adjustment it is being alone in a new place.  It was great having a soft dog along with many volunteers’ kind words to make the transition easier.

It wasn’t long before we were all on our way to the field.  The boys were greeted by all of the coaches and other staff cheering and waving banners with their names on them.  Once all the kids found the coach they were paired up with, I was surprised to hear a few expressing disappointment that they weren’t with another coach.  What had happened was that one boy who came to camp last year hyped up his coach so much on the ride over that everyone who heard wanted to be with that guy.  Thankfully, one of the most vocal boys declared that “my coach redeemed himself” after playing catch for maybe five minutes, and we didn’t hear anything about wanting to be with other coaches after that.

The boys had a full introduction to the game of baseball, throwing, catching, hitting, and running all on day one.  That didn’t seem to use up much of their energy, though.  More boys enthusiastically sang a RHC classic song than I have ever heard at team meeting, and they jumped right into camp games in the evening.  In addition to football, soccer, and cornhole, this year there was a basketball hoop down at camp, which quickly became a favorite for many.  Some boys busied themselves not with more sports but with turning over every rock on the property until they found several tiny snakes and lizards that were eagerly passed around.  You’d think that after that they’d be tired out, but the campers could be heard chattering in the bunks long after lights out.

Tuesday is always team day, which means uniforms.  I love seeing the campers look official in their jerseys, hats, baseball pants, and socks.  That morning the rotations included getting photos taken with their coach and adding their handprint to a board for the home run fence.  With teams in place, there can be red versus blue drills and practice games, which the boys jumped right into.  One kid on the red team fell naturally into a leadership role.  Even though it was his first year at camp, his encouraging words led his teammates to be united and calm even at times that the blue team was not.  Many of us exclaimed how sad we were that this kid only had one year at camp since he’s twelve, but having him there this year was awesome for him and for everyone else.

After the RHC favorite Taco Tuesday dinner, the campers enjoyed a new evening activity.  A local rapper came to perform some of his songs for the boys, and they loved it.  Many got up and danced, while others bopped along from their seats.  Some kids even managed to drag one of the coaches up front to dance with them.  The music continued even after the mini-concert as camp songs could be heard loud and clear coming from the big bunk around bedtime.

Wednesday brought our yearly trip to a minor league baseball game.  It’s been a few years since we’ve had so many new campers, and it was great seeing many of them experience a “real” game for the first time.  The boys got the all-star treatment, complete with an all-you-can-eat buffet that lasted a few innings into game time, seats right next to the left field line and opposing team’s bullpen, and introductions on the field.  Each boy was asked their name and their favorite part of camp, which was broadcast live on the big screen.  Many said “baseball” or “hitting the ball,” but my personal favorites were “spending time with my friends” and just a coach’s name as the best part of RHC.

I don’t know if we’ve ever brought as much stuff home from the game as we did this year.  There was a free giveaway of frisbees for all kids entering the park, one of the tables in the concourse had prizes you could win by spinning a big wheel and doing an exercise (which of course many campers did three or four or five times to get every type of prize), and, as always, we got tons of foul balls.  Because we were sitting so close, many boys got baseballs from the opposing team’s bullpen.  Others had balls tossed to them after outfield warmups.  It always warms my heart to see campers who catch multiple baseballs share with those who didn’t get one yet.

Since it was a noon game, the charter bus took us directly to the field afterward for dinner and some evening baseball drills.  RHC PA has never done that so late in the day, but I think this year with these energetic campers was the perfect time for it.  Even after a long day in the sun at the minor league game, the boys still ran out on the field ready to start while most coaches were still eating supper.

Thursday was, as usual, all about getting ready for the final game.  The blue versus red practice games started having outs, and the coaches tried to get campers to play their positions.  A few still wanted to just run wherever the ball was hit, though.  After most of the morning and part of the afternoon scrimmaging, everyone sensed the need for a new activity, so base race was brought back for another year.  This RHC favorite is pretty simple.  One person starts on home plate, another starts on second base, and both round the bases as fast as they can.  The first to get back to their original position is the winner.  Of course the boys raced each other, but quite a few managed to convince their coaches to run against them.

The big event of camp was that evening – the birthday party.  It was a combination of water day and celebration with a huge inflatable water slide and a dunk tank that tons of coaches and campers participated in.  Temporary tattoos were also new and a big hit.  Almost every boy thought it was hilarious to get one either in the middle of their forehead or on their biceps (or sometimes both).  Everyone was excited about their presents – baseball gloves for the rookies and warm-up jackets for the returners.  Since they also all got cool sunglasses, many boys walked around camp that evening in their zip-ups and shades pretending to be security guards for their friends.

The last night at camp became extra eventful when a bat somehow got into the cafeteria while the twelve-year-olds were having their senior privilege of staying up later than the others.  They then got the extra benefit of getting to go in the staff room that kids aren’t usually allowed in while at least five coaches tried (and eventually succeeded) to catch the bat and release it outside.  That’s definitely a camp story they won’t soon forget.

All too soon it was Friday morning.  The campers quickly and eagerly changed into their uniforms and packed up their things, ready to head up to the field for the big game.  This was really a singing year; while they waited for the bus, one camper stood up on a big rock and led the others in the songs we’d been singing all week.  The final game is as official as possible, and the boys felt the difference as soon as they got to the field.  Speakers were set up to play music during warmups and between innings, starting lineups were announced, the national anthem was sung, and umpires called balls and strikes.  Gone was the kindergarten-soccer vibe of everyone running towards the ball in a clump.  The boys (mostly) stayed in their assigned positions and made some great plays in the field.  It was a close, competitive game with many runs scored by both teams.  Although we don’t officially keep score, it really felt like a tie.

After lunch, it was time for awards.  This year each camper had the opportunity to earn three baseball cards every day by following the three camp rules.  On Thursday night, they tallied up how many strikeouts and home runs their major leaguers had.  The two winners were awarded plastic bats filled with bubble gum to kick off the awards ceremony.  Both seemed excited and surprised that they had won.  An additional prize was given to one camper who instead of trading cards to get better numbers like many of the boys were doing, gave all of his away to his friends.  This generosity was just one of the many character traits admired by coaches as they talked a bit about their campers before signing a baseball for them.  The boys also got photo albums filled with memories from the week and a baseball necklace with their names and the camp theme on it.

As always, the five days of camp simultaneously felt long and flew by.  The hour or so from after awards to all of the boys being gone is consistently the fastest part of camp.  It’s startling to go so quickly from cheering and singing and laughing to quiet.  Some coaches came back to camp for dinner Friday night, and the difference in volume level felt strange after five days with our loud, fun campers.  Many stories were shared about funny things the boys say or did along with times they encouraged others or faced challenges.

This was the tenth year of Run Home Camp PA.  Some things have changed in the past decade, yet a lot has stayed the same.  Every year during training we’re told as volunteers that one of the most important things is to be flexible.  We’ve learned that often the best way to help the campers have a great week is to go with their flow.  If we’re doing a drill or activity that isn’t working, we adjust.  All of the changes made are to better the experience for the kids.  Anything that can be done to help them is figured out as soon as possible, like finding shoes that fit correctly when the ones they wore from home aren’t exactly base-running material.  If you can expect anything from camp week, it’s that things won’t go as planned.  We have to be ready to sing a few more camp songs when the bus breaks down on its way to pick us up or play a quick game under the pavilion when there’s a rain delay.  Things go wrong, we adapt.

The boys grow and change over the week of camp, and much of that is in small adjustments.  They quickly become used to the new normal of camp, falling into the routine of baseball drills and meals and activities.  After that initial big adjustment to a new place, they don’t have to worry about things drastically changing any second like they might at home.  Instead, they’re free to grow in the direction of the role models they’re seeing in their coaches – to be more encouraging, to be patient, to be generous.  Over time, these small changes can have a big impact.  If the boys are able to bring even one thing that they learned from camp home with them, that can help them in their daily lives.  I hope that as they readjusted to their regular lives this weekend, the campers were able to hold on to the hope or love or positive attitude they saw at camp.  These are the kinds of small alterations that help the kids achieve more even when they’re not at Run Home Camp.

The last day of camp is always a whirlwind.  The boys leave around 1 pm, and those morning hours seem to go by in the blink of an eye.  I was impressed by how quickly everyone got up this morning and how fast they packed all their things up.  They were eager to get to the field for the big game.

The Friday morning baseball game is what the whole week is building to.  Everything is official, from starting lineups to the anthem being sung to real umpires calling balls and strikes.  There’s no more rotating positions every inning or hitting through the whole team before switching.  This is the real deal.  It’s exciting for the boys, especially those that aren’t able to play on any sports teams outside of camp.

Even though the game only lasted around an hour, the campers played six full innings.  They packed a lot of great baseball into a short amount of time.  There were lots of good plays in the field and hits as well.  It’s always great to see the teams come together and show off the baseball skills they gained over the past five days.

Before we knew it, lunch was over and it was almost time to go.  The last thing we do each year at Run Home Camp is have a little awards ceremony for the boys.  They’re each highlighted by their coach who says something kind about them.  Each kid gets one of the soft toss baseballs we’ve been using throughout the week, a souvenir ball signed by his coach, and a photo album filled with pictures of the week.  I was excited to see photos of some activities we did like archery and the Curve game along with the official uniform photos and baseball action shots.

Once that’s over, the unofficial tradition of everyone signing everyone else’s stuff starts.  The campers rush around trying to get every staff member to sign their hats and baseballs while the coaches collect signatures from the kids.  It’s the last little thing to remember each other by before the boys get in the van to head out.

The ride back was loud as the campers absorbed their last few minutes together.  Most of the parents and guardians were already at the pickup location when we arrived, so it wasn’t long before the boys were gone.

Stepping out of camp is weird.  It seems like ages since I’ve been in the outside world thinking about anything but these kids.  At the same time it’s crazy that a whole week has gone by so quickly.  Even though these five days seem short in hindsight, today especially, it’s still something that the boys hold onto all year.  It doesn’t take long to make great memories and form new friendships.  Every year after camp I talk for hours with other people who were there and outside family members about stories from the week.  I’m sure the kids are doing the same to anyone who will listen.

Many of our campers are eligible to return next year, and some twelve-year-olds were calculating how old different volunteers will be in six years when they’ll be 18 and can come back to coach.  Boys who were in their first year, who have only been here for five short days, were talking about returning just as much as veteran campers.  Time spent here is treasured and remembered no matter how long it was.  It’s sad to see everyone go, but we’re already looking forward to seeing them all again.  Until then, we have Run Home Camp 2021 to remember.

It’s the last night of Run Home Camp 2021.  The week has gone by fast but also slowly, just like it always does.  It’s crazy to think that we’ve only known some of these boys for four days.  Tomorrow is going to be a hard goodbye for all, especially the kids we’ve known for four years.

Thursday is always the longest day up on the field, and the campers felt it.  They’ll be sleeping well tonight I’m sure.  Two simulation games were played, the second with actual strikes as a final practice for the big game tomorrow morning.  If the hits and catches from today are any indication, it’s going to be close between red and blue.

Today was also the birthday party for everyone.  The rookie campers were especially excited when they saw the huge bounce houses, cupcakes, and presents.  They all got new gloves, and the veterans got three-quarter zip-ups that had them looking like professionals.  I don’t really understand how some of the boys had enough energy to go through the inflatable maze as many times as they did.  It seemed like all the hustle was left out on the baseball diamond, but they found more this evening.  For their final evening reward, the campers got to watch a show outside on a 20-foot inflatable screen.  The twelve-year-olds then continued the tradition of staying up later than the other kids to hang out with the staff a bit more and pack snacks for all to take home tomorrow.

So far this is sounding like a great day, and it was, but that doesn’t mean that every boy saw it that way at every moment.  It can be easy to get caught up in one small thing like a missed catch or a strikeout.  One kid especially was struggling to give himself grace and follow the camp rule of cheering for everyone.

Each year at camp we have a theme, and every four years that’s based around the summer Olympics.  We have a color of the day from one of the Olympic rings that denotes what the huddles, pep talk, and skit at team meeting will be about.  Today’s color was green.  Lots of things in nature are green, so it makes us think of growth.  We talked about not being discouraged but instead encouraging each other and helping each other grow as baseball players and as people.

This is easy to discuss, but much harder to put into practice.  It’s one thing to say encouragements for the other campers during group huddle in the morning and another to not be discouraged if you feel that your team isn’t doing well.  What I love about camp is that even if one of the kids gets really down on himself, the staff doesn’t stop encouraging them.  The amount of cheers is so overwhelming, it can’t be drowned out by one or two people’s negativity.  The hope is that we can help the boys see the positive improvement they are making and help them realize they’re awesome whether or not they make the play at shortstop.

Tonight is the last night ever at Run Home Camp for our four senior campers.  That can be discouraging to think about.  It’s sad to know we won’t see these familiar faces next summer.  I don’t want the boys to have that mindset, though, so I’m trying not to have it either.  Instead, I want to focus on all the fun we’ve had with these kids for the two, three, or four years they attended RHC.  It’s amazing to look back at their first year and witness how they’ve grown and matured as athletes and people.  All of our boys have grown this week, and I believe they’re better off because of it.  We still have one day left to encourage them to be the best they can be both on and off the field.

The week may feel long at times, but today flew by.  It seems like not long ago I was crashing after a fun, tiring Tuesday.  Now we have a whole other day finished, and it was packed full.

The boys weren’t quite as quick to get up today, but they were ready to go after breakfast.  It started off cloudy and cool, which was perfect for running around.  The morning was full of field time.  Each team practiced hitting from the plate and in the batting cage.  After instruction on pitching form, the kids were excited to try and throw strikes.  Some of them even got to practice from the mound, a rare sight since all the games are coach-pitch.

Lunch and a pre-game pep talk were followed by another simulation game.  Today the campers graduated to playing with three outs instead of just hitting through the lineup every inning.  They’re getting ready for the big game on Friday with outs and strikes.  Both red and blue had some awesome hits and defensive plays.

Field time wrapped up earlier than normal today so everyone could head back to camp for some sliding instruction.  Rather than practice this on the field, it’s camp tradition to break out the slip-and-slide.  The boys enjoyed seeing how fast and far they could slide on the wet, soapy tarp.  Racing each other and the staff is always a big hit.

It seemed like we hadn’t been sliding that long when it was time to get ready for our outing.  Every year that we can, Run Home Camp goes to a local minor league baseball game.  It’s extra fun with lots of rookie campers like we have this year.  They’re thrilled by everything from the charter bus with TV screens we take on the drive to the stadium itself.  I saw one boy’s eyes literally widen in shock and excitement when he saw the field the Altoona Curve play on.

There’s an all-you-can-eat buffet before the baseball game, and the boys certainly put it to good use.  Most of them went back for seconds and more.  I saw one kid eat three hamburgers with buns.  We’ve had burgers and hotdogs in the past, but this year’s meal also included chicken and ribs to the delight of both campers and many coaches.  Another thing that’s camp tradition is getting to go out on the field and be introduced in some way.  This year the boys got to be part of the pregame show.  An announcer went down the line, asking each kid his name and age.  It was great to see the campers both on the field and on the big screen in the stadium.

We sat in the picnic area by the third base line, which we heard is a great place to catch foul balls.  While those only came close a couple of times, the majority of the campers went home with baseballs tossed their way by the players warming up just a few feet away.  It was awesome to be so close to the field.  I wasn’t surprised to see lots of focus on the game from the kids.  The home team even won with several home runs.  Not bad for some of the boys’ first time at a baseball game.

Today went by quickly as we moved from one fun activity to the next.  I hope the boys are able to hold on to the memories they’re making this week at camp.  So much happens that sometimes it’s hard to keep track.  Any time I worry for a second that they’re getting too much to even process, a kid will pull all the things he’s learned together to make a great play.  Like one boy said today after a ridiculous catch, especially considering this was the third day he’s played baseball in his life: “I told you I’m a fast learner.”

Every evening, each camper is partnered up one-on-one with a coach for huddles.  Part of this time involves remembering what happened that day.  I’m usually not part of huddles, but since they did them on the bus on the way to the Curve game, several boys asked me to remind them what the skit was about today or what activity we did in the morning.  It was great hearing them all chat about what they learned and what they want to write down.  The hope is they’ll either remember it all better or even go back and read what they said.  I’d imagine it’s helpful to have these papers when you’re trying to figure out everything that happened in the week afterward.  Sometimes I forget things that happened in a single fast day.  New experiences come one after another during RHC.  Camp may be zooming by, but the bonds formed here and the stories about this week will last long into the future.

It’s only Tuesday night, but it feels like the boys have been here forever.  I met some of these kids only yesterday, but it seems like much longer.  We already know so much more about them, from favorite foods to baseball skills to hidden talents.  It’s been two days, but already a coach will start telling a story about something funny that happened with a boy that day and we say, “That sounds like something he’d do.”  In 36 hours we’ve gone from strangers to family.

Tuesday is team day here at Run Home Camp.  The coaches use what they observed on Monday to split the group in two as evenly as possible so the red versus blue games are fun and close.  All of the campers found out their team assignments this morning and got their baseball uniforms to wear.  Their hats and socks show whether they’re red or blue, but the jerseys are all the same since we’re really all on the same team.  We’re still going to cheer for everyone who makes a great play and encourage whoever is up to bat.

Decked out in full uniform, the boys headed to the field for a morning of various rotations.  While some hit in the batting cage and off the tee, others got their pictures taken and printed their hands on new boards for the home run fence.  At the end of the week, each camper will get to take home these professional-quality photos of themselves and their coach.  Their fence boards remind staff and future campers who has come before.  The kids love looking back at the fence for handprints and names of friends and siblings and even their own boards from years prior.

Baseball instruction was about base running today, and good thing, too, because the boys were getting hits left and right in the simulation game this afternoon.  It was the first time some of them really played baseball, and many plays were followed up with an explanation of why that would be an out or where the ball should be thrown in that circumstance.  I’m glad the coaches remember to explain all the details of the game to the kids because they get so good so fast I forget that they don’t already know everything.

It may be strange to say that day two seemed like just a regular day at camp, but it’s true.  Campers and staff alike adjust so quickly to the routine that doing it even for the second time is perfectly natural.  We stay at the field until mid-afternoon and then gather for team meeting.  There’s downtime for corn hole and games of catch before and after dinner.  The boys jump up to run to their bunk when it’s time, excited to see if they get to come back out for evening reward.

A regular day with this group means kids that are ready.  All of the boys were up earlier than they had to be, waiting for breakfast well before it was planned to start.  They paid close attention and answered questions amazingly during the pre-game pep talk after lunch.  That’s just typical for this group.  Even something new to Run Home Camp fit in naturally.  For an after supper activity today, the boys got to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow and practice their newfound archery skills by popping balloons.  It was a lot of fun and exciting to see the kids trying something new.

A regular day at camp doesn’t mean everything is perfect, of course.  There are going to be times when a boy gets upset about not catching a fly ball.  First-year campers sometimes feel homesick.  Kids get a little too comfortable and start pressing the boundaries with their coaches.  This is normal, too, and we expect it.  The fact that the typical staff response to any type of outburst by a camper is patience and kind words is something I love about the RHC environment.

When I started to think back on the day to write this, I could hardly think of anything at first even though so much went on that morning seems like ages ago.  “It was just a regular day,” I said to myself.  There were lots of baseball drills, it was Taco Tuesday, and I saw one boy do a really neat card trick.  The more that I thought about it, I realized that regular is not a bad thing.  It’s amazing that this is our idea of typical this week – a day spent out in the sun, filled with fun and laughter and encouragement.  My hope for these boys is for lots more regular days like this in the future.

After what feels like a long hiatus, Run Home Camps is finally back.  We had a one-day camp last summer only for returners, but there hasn’t been a full week-long camp since 2019.  A lot of the staff has been saying how long ago that feels.  The world has changed so drastically since then, it might as well be a different era instead of two years ago.  Everyone was excited to get back into the world of camp.

All of the boys arrived bright and early this morning, ready to go.  The seniors, our twelve-year-olds, set the tone each year, and 2021’s group of four is keeping things calm.  They’re excited but chill, creating a low-key first day that none of us expected but all welcomed.

Even after one day, I can tell we’re going to have a great game of baseball on Friday.  The boys got into catching and throwing as soon as they met their coaches and were itching to hit soon after.  They got some batting instruction after lunch that helped some kids crank line drives into the outfield within their first five hours at camp.  Their improvement is obvious already.  The handful of nine-years-olds we have this year, some of whom have never put on a glove or picked up a bat before, are learning and growing at a rapid pace.  With a little teaching and a lot of encouragement, it’s crazy how fast these kids turn into athletes.

Last night near the end of our staff training and final prep day, we talked about how we want to direct all of our focus towards the kids this week.  Work, school, and anyone outside of camp basically stop existing for these five days.  That’s easier said than done, of course.  It takes effort to stay focused on what’s happening here when it’s so easy to let our minds wander.  At the same time, it’s sometimes weird to think that other things besides Run Home Camp happen this week.

The boys seem to have this concept of focus down better than some of us adults.  In my six years at camp, I’ve never seen a group this attentive.  It’s a rare sight in nine- to twelve-year-old boys in general.  Many different volunteers have commented on it throughout the day.  Every activity had the kids’ total attention, from our first Olympic-themed lesson from Ms. Patti this morning to the baseball drills throughout the day to the songs and skit during team meeting.  Evening reward was no exception.  It’s become a tradition to watch part of the MLB Home Run Derby since camp falls during the all-star break.  The boys have enjoyed it in the past, but the level of focus on the competition tonight was unmatched.  The cafeteria was near-silent as the professionals on screen hit HR after HR – except for the occasional question about the contest and guess about how many the guy would hit, of course.  Even bedtime was smooth after a tiring day in the sun.

One of Run Home Camps’ values is kids first.  It’s all about the kids, all the time.  The focus stays on their needs and making the week the best it can possibly be for them.  That being said, a lot of times these boys end up blessing the volunteers just as much or even more than we care for them.  These kids are determined and funny and sweet.  You can’t help but learn things from them.  They’re already showing us how to stay in the moment and focus on what’s happening here and now.  I can’t wait to see what they teach us tomorrow.

Did camp really start just this morning?  It doesn’t seem possible that all the activities we did happened in around 12 hours.  As one camper said on the bus ride home, “It’s like we were here for a week.  We just didn’t sleep.”  I’m sure they’ll be sleeping hard tonight.

The day was jam-packed with normal Run Home Camp things.  The boys arrived to cheering coaches and staff waving signs with their names on them.  One benefit of only having a one-day camp this year was that a lot of people were able to help that normally wouldn’t be able to.  We had relief coaches that normally come in the evenings experience a day for the first time, and a handful of new volunteers as well.  Because of this, each camper got to have their own coach.  It was awesome to be able to give the kids individual attention and encouragement.

It was a hot day, and we all felt it.  After a great morning of baseball drills, the boys were wiped out.  We had “relaxing rotations” after lunch, something I think the campers would normally be too hyped to care much about.  They enjoyed playing card games, coloring, corn hole, and just spending some time in the shade.  One kid said it was his favorite part of the day: “Coloring was what I needed.”  Between the downtime and Taco Tuesday (on a Saturday), they were pumped and ready to go for the evening activities.

Even in just a day, we managed to pull a birthday celebration together.  The boys got to break baseball pinatas and eat cupcakes and get presents.  Because it was such a unique year, we had different gifts than normal.  Instead of the typical birthday presents based on how many years they’ve been at camp, every boy got a Run Home Camp backpack.  They also got their jerseys so they were all ready for the big red versus blue game.

Despite already going hard all day, the boys had a great game.  There were really some sluggers at camp this year, with lots of great hits into the outfield.  The last thing we do at camp is awards.  Each coach says something about their camper and gives him a signed baseball.  The boys also all go home with photos to remember the day by.  Even this year, each camper got a framed photo of them and their coach as well as an action shot of them playing ball.

Most of the campers this year are graduating.  It was hard to say goodbye to boys we’ve known for two, three, and four years.  That was the only part of the day that seemed to go by too quickly – when everyone was trying to squeeze in last goodbyes, the campers having staff sign their hats and shirts.  Many coaches spoke to how much they have seen their kids grow over the years, as baseball players and as people.  Some kids and coaches have been paired up all four years, which makes it all the more special.  It’s amazing to think about how far these boys have come and imagine how much further they’ll go in the next six years – because, of course, they all say they’re coming back to be coaches when they turn 18.

Even though camp was only a day this year, it felt like a week.  I’m as tired as I am after a week, and have at least five days’ worth of funny stories and quotes from the boys.  In a world that’s so unpredictable right now, I’m glad that we got to do anything this year.  I think most of the campers and coaches feel the same way.  Despite everything, camp happened this year, and it was amazing.  That alone is something to be thankful about.

It is crazy how quickly things that seem strange become normal.  Don’t believe me?  Think back to February or early March of this year.  Back then, seeing people wear masks in a store or schools moving online for months seemed completely impossible.  Now, these “weird” things have become our new reality, at least for the time being.  I naturally wash my hands as soon as I get home from the grocery store.  I give strangers a wide gap when passing them in an aisle or on a sidewalk.  Social distancing has become normal to us.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, camp is going to look different this year.  Instead of the typical Monday through Friday format, all of our activities are going to be packed into a single day.  The fifteen boys, all of them returning campers, will arrive early next Saturday morning and stay until dusk.  It’s going to be a fun-filled, amazing day.

As we prepare for camp, I’ve been struck by how similar everything is.  Sure, we aren’t prepping to host the boys overnight.  There’s only a few meals to be served, and no one will have to do laundry.  Still, we need coaches, birthday gifts, and massive quantities of Gatorade.  All the pieces are there, modified into a one-day schedule.  Camp is shifting to accommodate the current situation, but there are some parts of Run Home that are so fundamental to who we are that they will never change.

The idea of a new normal is something Run Home Camps tries to instill in our campers every year.  Every kid’s life seems normal to him, no matter how others that grew up differently may see it.  It may be normal for him to never stay in one school long enough to join the baseball team or act as a parent to younger siblings.  When they come to camp, we are able to show the boys a new kind of normal that they may not be as familiar with.  At camp, encouraging each other is normal.  Three healthy meals a day (plus snacks!) are normal.  Parties and celebrations and fun activities are normal.  Every camper being treated like they’re the most important kid in the world is normal.

If you don’t think that a week, let alone a single day, of this new normal can really make a difference, think back to how the strange becomes typical for you.  My guess is that there have been things in your life that you thought impossible until you experienced them for yourself.  That’s the idea of camp.  We’re showing the boys that kindness is possible, that a loving family environment is possible.  The normal they’ve grown up with isn’t the only kind of normal there is.

Nine of our campers this year are twelve year olds.  This one-day extravaganza will be their last Run Home Camp.  Our wish for them is that they take what they like about camp into the world with them as they get older, that it gives them hope.  Now that they know what’s possible, there’s a good chance their definition of normal has begun to shift.

I already miss the camp boys so much.  It’s so quiet once they leave.  I keep expecting someone to start singing or ask me for sunflower seeds.  Once the week is over, it almost feels like it didn’t even happen.  Everything goes back to normal so quickly.

The campers were so ready for the official red versus blue game this morning.  They packed up their stuff in record time.  No one argued when we put sunscreen on them; they even formed a line instead of running all around like they usually do.  They were raring to go.

The final game on Friday is one of the only games of baseball with all of the rules intact that the boys play all week, and it’s official.  Starting lineups are announced, the anthem is sung, umpires call balls and strikes, and the kids stay at the same position for the whole game.  There are always a few hiccups as we begin – a new camper not knowing that foul balls can be strikes, for example.  The campers got into the swing of things pretty quickly.  Both teams scored in the first inning.

They played five innings in total, full of great hits and plays on the field.  A home run fence was set up about halfway out into left field this year, and there were a handful of boys that were determined to get one.  They got really close; there were multiple doubles where the ball bounced over the fence.  It looked like the game was going to end in a tie or blue was going to win when one camper hit a line drive into left field, but another boy made a fantastic play at second to end the game, breaking the camp conspiracy that the blue team always wins.

I was so impressed by how quickly most of the boys moved on from the results of the game.  Blue team was disappointed for a second, red team cheered “we won” once, and that was basically it.  The camper with the last hit of the game was upset that he didn’t score for his team, and I saw many other kids from both teams go over to him and remind him that it was about having fun and playing their best, both of which he did.

Unlike a little league game, Run Home Camp really isn’t about winning.  It’s about growing.  At the awards ceremony after lunch, almost every coach talked about how their campers have improved their baseball skills over the past week or over their years at camp.  Each boy received a photo album of pictures of themselves and staff throughout the week, a hardball signed by their coach, and a soft-toss baseball like the ones we use during camp so they can keep practicing at home.

What I always love about awards is when the coaches talk about how their kids act off the field.  They share that the boys are kind and generous and think about the needs of others.  It’s amazing to think about how far the kids have come in this aspect throughout their week of camp as well.  They’ve made new friends, learned about things like honesty and integrity, and grown as people.  One boy’s note to his coach sums it up: “Thanks for helping me be a better baseball player and a better kid.”  With fifteen of the campers eligible to return next year, I can’t wait to see how much they’ve grown – in height, as athletes, and as people.