Down here in Granada Larkin, myself and new intern Anna are still trying to recover from the annual T.EA.M. Camp that was held the second week of January. 20 volunteers from the United States and Guatemala converged upon the city and teamed up with our local staff to make the camp a huge success. We had soccer practice every morning, an activity in the office every afternoon and countless dinners and workshops with the American volunteers.
The theme of the camp was unity (unidad en español) and throughout the week both on and off field activities focused on creating team unity among each of the age groups. During the camp, and as the rest of the year unfolds I will be working with a new age group aged 11-15. Previously in the Soccer Without Borders world we only had two age groups, the grandes and the pequeñas. The week of camp was the first time the new mediana age group was introduced and for that reason was the first time that many of the girls this group had every worked or played together. The beginning of the week was definitely a struggle. Adolescent girls are awkward and made even more awkward when they don't know their teammates well. Luckily, we had a strong turnout throughout the week and after working together consistently, the mediana group began to shed some of their awkwardness and come together as team. Proof of such was that we ended up winning the overall unity contest for the week and were rewarded with a trip to Eskimo, the local ice cream shop.
The week leading up to camp, and all of camp itself was a complete whirlwind. Larkin, Anna and I along with the other SWB staff were kept extremely busy not only planning and executing sessions but also ensuring that all 20 of the volunteers were comfortable, fed and hydrated. To get a better idea of the excitement, chaos and fun that camp brought, check out these video blogs that director Mary made (there are five videos in total, you'll need to scroll down the page to find them all).
The medianas!!
The camp was really fantastic. There was high energy and spirit throughout the week. The girls enjoyed themselves completely and now participants and coaches alike are geared up to start the season!
Thanks to Kristin Gladney, camp volunteer for these photos!
