Summer camp in Poręba Wielka

“After lunch, we were called upon 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 deemed tennis a stupid sport.” – read the full account by one of the participants.

This year, for the first time, the camp was organised at the Children’s Holiday Home in Poręba Wielka. The centre provided us with ideal conditions for training and developing young athletes. The daily schedule was simple: forms before breakfast, technique and self-defence 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 śledź, and football.

On the first day, after settling into our rooms, we were called to the common room. The coaches introduced us to 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. The coaches, making sure we would not get bored, took us to the sports field after dinner, where we tried to play baseball. We will not make it to the MLB, but we had a great time.

 

According to the daily schedule, we began the second day with formal patterns. After breakfast, we split into two groups. The Catholics attended online Mass, while the rest of the group played badminton. At 11:30, it was time for the first technique and self-defence training session. To avoid unnecessary blisters from kicking and rolling around, we trained on the grass. After lunch, we were called upon 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 deemed tennis a stupid sport. Before dinner, as usual, we had sparring sessions, and in the evening we watched a film.

 

The third day proceeded according to plan. The oldest camp participants were given a combat mission. From that day on, 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 normal, but the rest of the daily schedule was disrupted by a trip to Turbacz. Everyone made it to the top, but not everyone came back down. After returning to the centre, a dinner and a film awaited the wayward hikers.

 

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

The sixth day of camp was likewise not marked by any extra attractions. We trained as usual; the only change was the warm-up before technique training. 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 forms, we went to breakfast. After eating, we packed into a 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 were dropped from the schedule.

 

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

On the ninth day, we returned to our standard training routine. During technique training, we practised, among other things, nomo yopa and worked on ground fighting. During sparring, in turn, we learned Bonus BGC’s favourite 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 exam. 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 residents were taken out for dessert. After dinner, we packed into a coach and returned to Krakow.