My first vocab word I learned in my economics class:
Opportunity cost (The most desirable alternative given up as the result of a decision).
Fall of 2005:
Summer was slowing crawling away and the leaves were beginning to fall. Every day after school I would get pumped up to go make some big hits at practice. 8th grade was a fun year. Our team might not have been the best, but we all loved the game of football and went all out each and every day.
The summer before freshman year:
It was my fifth summer at Camp Horseshoe. I fell in love with the place the first day I got here. My cabin consisted of nine boys from all over the nation. I only knew a few kids from home that went to The Shoe, but after four weeks, I had made hundreds of new friends. The friends in my cabin were different than the other friends at camp; these eight kids were like brothers to me and we spent two months together for five years straight.
8th grade football game:
My heart began to pound as I walked onto the Evanston Wildkit’s football field. The stadium had a certain smell to it, maybe it was the fresh cut grass, I couldn’t tell. It was extremely rare for an 8th grade team to have the opportunity to play on the high school field, but Coach Barfield had the connections and we got to play in the biggest stadium I have ever stepped foot in. The game started and we were receiving. The ball is on the 28-yard line. Its 3rd down and 4 yards to go. A first down was crucial. As our offense was huddled around the quarterback, he said, “I right, 32 read. Ready…” “Break!” the lineman yelled with their deep and intimidating voices. The ball was going to me and I had to run straight up the middle and make sure I get that first down. “Down…Set….Go!” the quarterback yelled and within that second I reached for the ball and began to run. All I could hear was my heavy breathing and all I could see was orange men running right at me. There was nowhere to go! I had no choice but to bounce it outside and sprint down the sideline. Before I knew it, I was in the endzone and being congratulated by my fellow teammates. Touchdown.
Essential items needed at Camp Horseshoe:
-Gym shoes
-Socks
-Shorts
-Headbands
-Baseball glove
-Cleats
-Water bottle
-Jerseys
-Tennis racket
-Passion
-Enthusiasm
-Courage
-Sportsmanship
7:45 AM, Tuesday morning before school, 8th grade:
There I was, warming up at Camp Randall Stadium. As the starting running back for the Wisconsin Badgers, I had high expectations to win the Heisman Trophy and make it to the NFL. Our team was great, we won the Rose Bowl in 2011 and we plan to win the National Championship this year. This week is a huge week for me because I am going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated and ESPN magazine. I’m a little nervous because Michigan is a great team. I doubt they can stop me. I haven’t felt this way since my 8th grade football game against Evanston. “Ring! Ring! Ring!” my alarm clock screamed at me. I hopped in the shower, ate breakfast and went off to school.
Typical day at Camp Horseshoe:
-Wake up at around 815.
-Eat in the mess hall for breakfast.
-Cabin clean up for fifteen minutes.
-Leagues- Teams by age group play other teams.
-Leagues again.
-Open areas for thirty minutes. Do whatever you want around camp. (Skiing, Tubing, Climbing, riflery, sailing, trampball)
-Lunch in mess hall.
-Rest hour. (Sleep, play cards, hang out).
-Leagues again.
-Open areas for 30 minutes.
-Dinner in mess hall.
-Evening Program.
-Sleep.
Typical day at a New Trier football practice:
-Warm up and stretch.
-Individuals. (Go with your position coach)
-Water Break
-Team. (Entire team does drills. Practicing fundamentals)
-O vs. D (Offense vs. Defense).
-Scrimmage.
League game at Camp Horseshoe:
It was the playoffs for leagues at Camp Horseshoe. My team, Chocolate Thunder, was playing the number one seeded team in the second round of the playoffs. The sport was basketball and the intensity was insane. There is fifteen seconds left in the game. We are up by two points and the opposing team has no timeouts left. They run their play and their “lights out shooter” pulls up for a three. The ball is in the air and the crowd is dead silent. Everyone’s eyes and mouths are wide open. The ball fell through the net and my head dropped. We just lost our first basketball game of the year. I fell to my knees in disbelief. Our team played our hearts out and we gave it our all. We wanted that game more than anything.
May of sophomore year:
School was almost over. Camp was less than a month away. Nothing could make me more excited. I can’t sleep. I lay in bed every night dreaming of all of the crazy nights spent with my cabin mates. I remember the time where we had a gold bond fight and the entire cabin was white. I remember the time where we argued over who was the dumbest in the cabin. I remember the time where we stayed up all night laughing at stupid jokes that now as I think of it make absolutely no sense. I remember being honored on the last night of camp last year. Winning the Victory of Passion award. I remember how happy I was and how much this award meant to me. These memories will never be forgotten. This is what makes camp, camp.
September 16th, 2009:
I had to experience one of the toughest decisions of my life at age 16. I had to decide weather to go to camp or to stay home for football over the summer. The opportunity cost for going to camp was I would not be able to start on the New Trier football team because I would miss two months of practice. The opportunity cost for staying home to play football was that I would miss going to my favorite place in the entire world. I love football and I love camp. Football has made me a stronger person and is always fun to play. Football is just a game and Camp Horseshoe is my second home. Camp has taught me life lessons, created life long friendships for me, and created memories that I will never forget. It has taught me to follow by one of its most important messages: “Above all else, know that loyalty knows no excuses, friendship has no betrayal, and the spirit has no limit. I will learn and I will be content.” I follow by this message every day. I know I made the right decision to go back to camp and with my decision; I am as content as I can possibly be.
