At one time it cited teamwork as the antithesis of competition. To me, one of the great values of competitive team sports is learning the need for teamwork. Obviously, competition means different things to different people. What follows will help clarify Brant Lake's philosophy towards competition.

At Brant Lake Camp, we take great pride in taking an appropriate approach to competition. We realize that competitive sports can provide opportunities to teach positive lifelong lessons or it can provide a lifetime of nightmares, fears, and anxieties. Not many people would deny that trying one's hardest; working as a team; playing fairly; treating the opposition with respect; and accepting winning and losing in a gracious manner are positive qualities that may be honed through appropriate sports competition. Therefore, it follows that the APPROPRIATENESS of the competition is paramount in whether a competitive situation is a positive or negative one.

The factors, we feel, that primarily affect appropriateness are the age and emotional maturity of the child and the skills and experience that a child possesses. Other factors that vary the intensity and appropriateness of competition include whether one: keeps score, keeps standings, awards trophies or prizes; is coached by the same person, is coached by a parent, or is coached by someone with much ego involvement. The length of the game, the frequency and whether the rules are modified also greatly affect appropriateness, as does the presence or absence of pep talks, spectators, and pep rallies.

At Brant Lake Camp, we view competition quite differently within each of our mini-camps: our "SOPHJUNIOR" Junior, "INTER" Intermediate, and "SENIOR" Senior Divisions. Our contention is that a camp that has thought out a logical, rational, comprehensive philosophy towards competition is far more likely to provide a program that emphasizes the positive aspects of competition than a camp that feels competition is always good or does not give much thought to competition or a camp that is noncompetitive.

In all Divisions of Brant Lake Camp, good sportsmanship is promoted. We stress that winning and losing has no connection to being a good or bad person nor does being a good athlete or a less gifted one. We individualize our program often and ability group instruction to ensure that athletes of all levels gain confidence. We give no prizes, trophies, or awards for athletic excellence. The only special award at Brant Lake Camp is a Citizenship Award that is given to 5-10% of an age group and is based on helpfulness, compassion, and sportsmanship.