Yom Sport is one of the most special days on camp each session. It’s where camp really showcases how much ruach we have. Even throughout the few years that I have been at here, no two Yom Sports are or feel the same.

Besides the layout of activities and the over arching theme, the captains are what make each Yom Sport unique. Each session the unit heads pick two staff from their units and the Avodah unit heads pick four Avodanikim to be the captains for the event. These people are chosen because they have been seen to be going above and beyond on camp and have shown they have tons of ruach to lead camp in the celebration.

I was lucky enough to be picked my first year, first session on staff in 2016. This was such an important moment during my first summer because it was a way for me to introduce myself to all of camp within the first two weeks of me being here. Since I was new, I didn’t really know how to do everything that GUCI does special for Yom Sport. Things like silent lunch or creating banners for the Tarboot final program were new for me, but I also knew it was an honour to be picked and therefore I enjoyed myself and tried to keep up with the spirit of camp. Being a captain really made me feel welcomed into the GUCI community that year and the feeling of leadership and excitement it gave me is part of the reason why I have kept coming back each summer. It was the final spark that caused the flame of my love for this place.

Watching the captains each year bring camp together for Yom Sport each session shows how this event isn’t just for the campers to have a fun day and learn about healthy competition, but also for staff to feel an even bigger sense of leadership on camp. It also makes them feel that they truly are making an impact and difference in the community and are being celebrated for it as well.

Being a Yom Sport captain was a stepping stone for me to see that even thought I didn’t grow up at GUCI, I still belong here and can take on these roles and make a difference in the camping experience of those around me. In the same way, I’m sure those who did grow up here can see being a captain as a representation of what their new role is at camp, to lead, to excite and to be a role model to the team of young campers watching us.

By: Ari Bacher