Summer Camp in Poręba Wielka

“After lunch, we were called to play tennis. Or rather, to attempt to play tennis, because simply hitting the ball with the paddle turned out to be a challenge. Fortunately, most of the group has common sense and human dignity, so they decided that tennis was a stupid sport.” — read the full account by one of the participants.

This year, for the first time, the camp was organized at the Children’s Holiday Home in Poręba Wielka. This center provided us with ideal conditions for training and developing young athletes. The daily schedule was simple: patterns before breakfast, technique and self-defense before lunch, and combat training before dinner. We used the free time between meals and training for other activities such as tennis, baseball, badminton, playing tag and football.

On the first day, after settling into our rooms, we were called to the common room. The coaches familiarized us with the regulations and the camp schedule. Before dinner, we had our first combat training session. We were divided into two groups: the older and more experienced in battle, and the younger ones, just beginning their adventure with light-contact. To make sure we did not get bored, after dinner the coaches took us to the playing field, where we tried to play baseball. We will not make it to the MLB, but we had great fun.

 

According to the daily schedule, we began the second day with formal patterns. After breakfast, we split into two groups. The Catholics went to online Mass, while the rest of the group played badminton. At 11:30, it was time for the first technique and self-defense training session. To avoid unnecessary blisters from kicking and rolling around, we exercised on the grass. After lunch, we were called to play tennis. Or rather, to attempt to play tennis, because simply hitting the ball with the paddle turned out to be a challenge. Fortunately, most of the group has common sense and human dignity, so they decided that tennis was a stupid sport. Before dinner, as usual, we had sparring sessions, and in the evening we watched a film.

 

The third day followed the plan. The oldest camp participants were given a combat task. From that day on, the warm-ups were led not by the coaches, but by potential future coaches. The only break from the routine that day was a trip to the shop.

On the fourth day of camp, the patterns training took place as usual, but the rest of the day’s schedule was disrupted by the trip to Turbacz. Everyone made it to the top, but not everyone came back down. After returning to the center, dinner and a film awaited the lost hikers.

 

The fifth day of camp followed the plan. An additional attraction was a trip to the shop and an evening barbecue. While waiting for the food, the younger ones played baseball and the older ones played tag.

The sixth day of camp was also not marked by any extra attractions. We trained as every day; the only change was the warm-up before technique. It was not led by a compulsory volunteer—we simply played volleyball and gałę.

On the seventh day, our daily schedule changed. At 7:30, instead of going to patterns, we went to breakfast. After eating, we packed into the coach and went to the swimming pool in Limanowa. When we returned, we made up the patterns training. Because of the rain, we could not have technique training on the grass, so we moved to the gym. Unfortunately, the sparring sessions fell off the schedule.

 

After seven days, everyone’s knees were bending the wrong way from exhaustion and overtraining, and their hips were refusing to cooperate. The teaching staff ordered a reset day. We spent the eighth day of camp playing stupid tennis, climbing on a climbing wall and playing tag.

On the ninth day, we returned to our standard training routine. During technique training, we practiced, among other things, nomo yopa and worked on ground fighting. During sparring, meanwhile, we learned Bonus BGC’s favorite technique, the so-called windmill, and battered each other’s legs with low kicks.

 

On the tenth day, some of us decided to take the examination. Those who did not feel up to it, could not or did not want to take it were tortured with tennis. At 12:30, all 14 examinees learned that they had been promoted to the ranks they had dreamed of. After lunch, instead of training, we awaited the results of the cleanliness competition. The largest room at the camp also turned out to be the cleanest, and as a reward, its female occupants were taken out for dessert. After dinner, we packed into the coach and returned to Krakow.