WAG Woodward camp question -- Sleep???

[3rd_time_around]

Just a note, as they progress in gymnastics they increase their hours, so they stay up later to do homework, etc. My level 10 never got more than 6 hours of sleep a night regularly.

She also went to Woodward when she was 9. There is A LOT of non-gymnastics time, too much if you ask me. Your dd will surely be able to find some time to get some extra sleep if she needs to (or wants to ). She will have fun. She sounds like a more serious kid, though, so she may be disappointed in the actual hours they do gymnastics. I wanted a gym-centered camp with extra stuff on the side, and I felt WW was a kids camp with gymnastics on the side. But that's just me.

They also had to share the pool with the guys from the skateboarding camp, and that bothered me the most. Teenage boys/young men sharing the pool with little girls up to teens at the same time. Again, that's just me. I'm not wanting to debate the merits or pitfalls of this aspect. It may be different now, that was in 2005.

 

[kayjaybe]

Just a note, as they progress in gymnastics they increase their hours, so they stay up later to do homework, etc. My level 10 never got more than 6 hours of sleep a night regularly.

She also went to Woodward when she was 9. There is A LOT of non-gymnastics time, too much if you ask me. Your dd will surely be able to find some time to get some extra sleep if she needs to (or wants to ). She will have fun. She sounds like a more serious kid, though, so she may be disappointed in the actual hours they do gymnastics. I wanted a gym-centered camp with extra stuff on the side, and I felt WW was a kids camp with gymnastics on the side. But that's just me.

They also had to share the pool with the guys from the skateboarding camp, and that bothered me the most. Teenage boys/young men sharing the pool with little girls up to teens at the same time. Again, that's just me. I'm not wanting to debate the merits or pitfalls of this aspect. It may be different now, that was in 2005.

I think my dd gets TONS of gymnastics time while there:
2.5 hour team practice
2.5 hour Woodward practice
3 hour open gym

That's 8 hours of possible training. Now, if you aren't there with a team AND you skip the optional practices, then yes....there isn't much gymnastics at all.

 

[duyetanh]

I think my dd gets TONS of gymnastics time while there:
2.5 hour team practice
2.5 hour Woodward practice
3 hour open gym

That's 8 hours of possible training. Now, if you aren't there with a team AND you skip the optional practices, then yes....there isn't much gymnastics at all.

Lots of girls go without a team....and then they feel a bit lost at open gym...which leaves them with a 2.5 hour practice. For those girls, a different camp would be the better choice.

 

[gymgal]

I have one child whose needs are more flexible and one child whose needs are less so but are inside what is actually medically recommended for her age let alone athletes. A predictor of injury in high school athletes is sleep under 8 hours, yet camp for athletes only provides 8 hours of lights-out so not facilitating over 8 hours. I'm having flashbacks to friends whose children are all gifted explaining that four AP classes a year, algebra in the 5th grade common core, etc. is fine and dandy because their kids are doing just fine. I'm not saying she won't do just fine if she can carve out naptime. But don't the counselors want the decreased behavioral concerns, etc. seen in teens who get adequate sleep? Seems like the counselors would appreciate light's out at 9.

I think your point is valid for year long programs but for a one week camp, the focus is trying to offer as much activity as possible. I think most campers would be complaining if they needed to be in their cabins at 8 with a 9 or 10pm lights out. If practice started at 5a, sure, but not with a 7a wake-up. Just talk with her about a plan. Does she prefer to skip the 2nd practice or the open gym to go rest in the cabin? or maybe she prefers to skip the evening activity to get to sleep earlier.

 

[azara]

The counselors have to work with systems already established outside of the camp. There are very few teens who go to bed at 9pm. If a teen arrives at camp - a place to have fun and be independent for a week - and is told that you're enforcing what will certainly be seen as a draconian bedtime, there'll be riots and noncompliance. Plus, it's just a week...

As school years increase, teens, especially busy ones with lots of extracurricular activities, find themselves up later than 9pm for a variety of reasons. They'll have projects to finish and exams to study for, maybe there's a party or sleepover, maybe they'll go to an event which is far away and they won't get back until late. I used to debate, and from the age of 15 onwards, our debates started at 8pm and often wouldn't be done until 9:30 or 9:45. If the host school was far away, sometimes I wasn't home until 10:30pm+. I still got up at 6:30am the next day, went to school, and was absolutely fine. Of course, I'm not your child, and my needs were clearly more flexible than hers. I'm just pointing out that probably within a few years, 9pm is not going to be a feasible bedtime anymore. If there is a problem with the bedtime, which multiple posters have said is unlikely, this camp will be a good opportunity for her to learn how to deal with a later bedtime. She will certainly need those skills in the not-too-distant future.

 

[Nikki4]

Just wanted to say I totally get it! My dd did a college camp last summer and I was appalled at the lack of sleep she got! She had just turned 9.

 

[ayyyrial]

Sounds like OP's DD goes to a school with a modified schedule, so she will be able to have more flexibility in her schedule than the typical high school student/gymnast.

I think the concern about finding time for sleeping at summer camp can be a real one. In a one-week camp it's less pressing than a two-week or month-long camp. But still. If you're a kid who goes to camp and is too excited/busy to go to sleep early, it's probably fun and being tired doesn't bother you - but if you're a kid who wants to go to sleep and can't, that's a different situation. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to go to sleep when others won't let you! I'm not familiar with Woodward personally but it sounds like other posters believe there is enough flexibility in the day to allow extra rest time.

 

[emorymom]

So update ... thank you for your insight. As it turned out DD developed some wrist pain that wasn't resolving due to gym (caused by a backstroke drill with a lot of torque, but putting weight on a flexed wrist at gym wasn't working) so she probably has retired. She bowed out of Woodward. DS is there this week doing skateboarding. I understand from reading reviews that the culture of the skate boys is pretty ... laid back with regard to external structure. I started fussing at him not to miss meals before he left. He still managed to spend $30 at canteen in the first 24. I am sure going with your gym team is a very different experience than mine is having (DS) or would have had (DD). I appreciate everyone's feedback.

 

[azara]

I'm sorry to hear about that, emorymom. That wasn't the way I thought this story would end . I hope your daughter has a speedy recovery and enjoys having more free time on her hands, to fill with other activities!

$30 in 24 hours? I guess the observation that teenage boys eat like they're starving really is true! Hopefully he's having a great time on the skateboards.

 

[emorymom]

I think he is. There are different worries about different kids. I'm just hoping he doesn't come home hooked on Red Bull. "But it's a sponsor, mom!" Yeah, stick with Coke buddy.

 

[mndl]

Hah! My son is there right now for parkour and I just finished texting him that he had to cut back on the chai lattes and Red Bull's

 

[emorymom]

Hah! My son is there right now for parkour and I just finished texting him that he had to cut back on the chai lattes and Red Bull's

LOL yes, I just noticed they are selling frappes aka coffee milkshakes at the canteen. They also keep cashing him out one-dollar bills so I don't know what he is doing with that. Gambling?

 

[chalkbowl]

I was appalled at the amount of junk food my gymnasts ate at camp when I attended Woodward with them last year! Most of them easily went through several hundred dollars buying one leotard and LOTS of junk food. If I remember correctly there are several arcade games in the Canteen that cost $$ to play.

 

[LLmom]

LOL yes, I just noticed they are selling frappes aka coffee milkshakes at the canteen. They also keep cashing him out one-dollar bills so I don't know what he is doing with that. Gambling?

Strip club? [emoji12]

 

[emorymom]

Strip club? [emoji12]

I'm sure they'll put that in Camp Woodward Las Vegas 21+. Opening 2021.

 

[notthatmom]

Strip club? [emoji12]

lol that's where my mind went first too

 

[NY Dad]

I was appalled at the amount of junk food my gymnasts ate at camp when I attended Woodward with them last year!

My dd is at IGC Camp. If it makes you feel any better they have a ton of junk food in the canteen there too.

No strip club though unless they're just better tippers. I see money taken out in increments of $5's.