Staff Reflections - Steve Sarver
Staff Years: 1985-1986, 1989
Counselor-in-Training, Shooting Sports Instructor
|
I loved the time that I spent on camp staff, especially the inside activities and
events that are involved in running the camp. Staff members have to be open and diverse
enough to lead a song, perform a skit, to instruct, advise, listen, counsel, and lead
others in the ways of the Scouting program. And at the end of the day, have enough
energy to take out the garbage, help with the dishes, and hopefully get a few
hours of sleep before getting up to do it all over again. When thinking about my time on camp staff, several things stick out in my mind. The first is when I was assigned to work at the archery range for a week. I knew absolutely nothing about archery, including how to hold the bow and arrow! I paid attention during the merit badge classes and received some additional instruction during the shooting times and after the range had closed. I enjoyed it enough that I practiced hard during the fall and spring and came back for two additional summers as a Shooting Sports Instructor. One week there were two younger Scouts who were very small and they could barely pull back the string. I showed them the proper stance and shooting form, which is 90% of becoming a good archer. They stuck it out long enough and practiced a lot and by the end of the week they had both earned the Archery merit badge. Three years later when their troop came to camp they took time to tell me that they remembered me--that meant a lot. My favorite archery moment was the time that I was giving an orientation to the camp. I lined up, pulled back, and shot the arrow, but it missed the target completely! I made up some line that I was demonstrating how improper stance and position can affect your shot, then told them that "now" I would get into proper position. I took another shot and it hit about three inches from the center of the target. The Scouts were amazed, and I just reacted normally, like I could hit that kind of a shot anytime I wanted to. I didn't let on that I had never hit that close before (or since)! If you ask any staff member which troop they always remember, many will say that it is Troop 6 from Rockford. This troop is chartered by Rocvale Children’s Home, and is made up of kids and adults with disabilities. They do not care if they win a race, earn a merit badge, or even hit a target. What they are there to do is to try, and if that is done, then they feel that they are winners. Practice for the mile swim is held every morning at 6:00 a.m., with the mile being attempted on Friday morning. One year a Scout from Troop 6 attempted the mile swim. Most people can swim the mile in about sixty to seventy-five minutes, leaving enough time for a shower and change of clothes before the 8:00 morning flag ceremony. We had raised the colors and were waiting in line for breakfast down at the dining hall (which is adjacent to the pool), and this Scout (whose name I no longer remember) was still swimming. Everybody began cheering him on. He swam for two and a half hours, but swam the mile successfully. When he arrived for breakfast we all clapped and cheered. More than one staff member has used this as an example of always trying. Steve Sarver |