Us In The Media
What if There Were No Losers?
Winners Day Camps Editorial
(Nepean This Week & Kanata Kourier Standard)
The experience of losing can be a frustrating assault on self esteem for today’s children. In such a competitive world, why does childhood play involve competition and the concepts of winning and losing?
This is a question that Jennifer Caughill, M.Sc., B.PHE, B.Ed., owner/director of Winners Day Camps, believes should be taken seriously. Children undergo tremendous stress in their daily lives and require a stress-free, positive, nurturing environment to enable them to deal with these influences.
While opportunities for competitive play should be available for those children who are old enough to handle it, Caughill believes summer camp should be a “feel good” place where there are no losers and everybody wins. These possibilities are reality at Winners Day Camps.
At Winners Day Camps, children can simply "be themselves", work together toward common goals and help each other succeed. Caughill believes that to boost children's self esteem, we must help them find and develop talent in themselves. This will lead to developed confidence in their abilities and faith in themselves. Counselors at Winners Day Camps take advantage of ample time with campers to foster these positive traits. By providing children with positive reinforcement, they will feel better about themselves. Further, by helping children look for "highlights" or "positive things in their day", Winners Day Camps can teach them to enjoy and appreciate the good things in life.
At Winners Day Camps, both cooperative and competitive games are geared toward “playing for fun” to create a positive play experience for everyone involved. This exciting program is in its third year of existence and is owned/directed by Jennifer Caughill, B.Ed., M.Sc., B.PHE., former co-owner of the Free To Be Me Day Camp.
What makes Winners Day Camps different from other camps is their quality program implemented primarily by certified teachers, and the choice for campers between cooperative games and sports on a daily basis. Cooperative games allow campers to participate in many exciting activities where everyone wins, everyone works together and nobody sits out. Campers also have the option of participating in water fun, nature activities, arts and crafts, drama, musical experiences and more.
A Winners Day Camp is definitely a life-enhancing experience! Highly qualified staff teach children the fundamental sport psychology skills of positive thinking, visualization and goal setting, for application to sport and life. Winners Day Camps focus on fun!