I really enjoyed last year’s Step Up Academy’s summer baseball camp in Latkovce. The fun started in the bus taking us from Trnava, to camp, and the mood of the coaches and campers gave us a preview of the fun we were going to have.
We claimed our rooms in the hotel, and ran to explore the area. The whole place was beautiful and huge. Later we had our first meeting, where our coaches explained what the camp is all about. Mostly everybody knew each other from previous events, but there were some baseball and softball newbies.
Next day we all took part in a draft of players. Coaches measured speed and accuracy of throwing, catching and hitting of every player , and the head coaches picked teams based on our performance. In the afternoon we were all split up into 4 teams: Lumberjacks were with head coach Erik, and the assistants Nicholas and Matej, wore red Jerseys and red baseball hats. Cavaliers with head coach was Jozin, and his assistant Lada wore white and light blue jerseys baseball hats of the same colour. Bombers with head coach and the assistants Zofia and Martin Bosy had light blue jerseys and navy blue baseball hats (this was my team). Kings head coach was Johny and his lovely assistant Andrejka wore dark blue jersey with dark blue baseball hats.
Jerseys and hats were our uniforms. but we also received a beautiful light blue Step Up Academy camp tshirts. The first task our team had, was to create a team chant., and someone suggested Bum, Bum, Praask, and it stuck.
We were introduced to the “challenges” of the camp. Those were various games in form of competitions betweens teams, like Triplet Run, Turn of the Tiles, Battleship…oh what fun that was. The worst performing team had to sing a “7 inning stretch song” in between the innings of the next day’s game. That was also fun.
On the third day we continued to play the tournament games, but our parents came to watch as well as our Trnava club coaches. It was super hot, but the weather didn’t make team Bombers any weaker. We lost the first game but we didnt care.
After regular games we played a couple friendly games against our parents. I don’t even know who won, but it was a lot of fun. It was a friendly game so I didnt play at first and I met my new super buddy Mato from Bratislava.
We came back to the camp in the evening, exhausted, we still had a meeting so the coaches could let us know what we were going to do the next day.
On the fourth day, I woke up with a lot of excitement. We had breakfast, and we went straight to the field for games and practices. Practice was held in a soccer field in a nearby village, where we were shuttled by bus. Every day we played games, practicing for the final 2 days of playoffs games. The final would be held on Thursday, second to last day of the camp. Until then, we practiced catching and hitting.
We also went to apple orchard, and checked out the sorting machine, Where we learned about all different apple varieties and ways to take care of the fruit trees.. On the way back there, there was on final challenge between teams in the forest. We threw pine cones on target and crawled through a laser field.
We had a special visit from the Police during one of the siestas. But they didnt come to arrest us, but to talk to us about their work. Every evening meeting was also time to announce best players of the day, who were also rewarded with pretty prizes. I was one of them one day and I have got a nice hoody for it.
And here it was, Thursday. I was wondering how the games are gonna unwind. First game we played against the Kings, we won and that sent us straight to the finals against the Cavaliers. It was going to be our last game of the camp and everybody was anxious. The game was very close and exciting, but we lost, and first place went to Cavaliers.
That was it, we cleaned the field and went back to the camp. After the dinner started all kinds of celebrations, fun with friends, fire, music, laughing, chatting, singing. It was the last night in the camp, so we wanted to live it to the fullest.
And just like that, it was Friday, the day of coming back to reality. We got up, some of us packed, some not. We had breakfast, cleaned our rooms. Since I was already packed, I had time to write and draw in my diary. I am looking forward to the day when I am gonna read it and experience it again.
All the sudden, there was a bus and we were on our way back to Trnava baseball/softball complex, where was U15 European championship tournament. All of us got together one more time so the coaches could give us some final words. We got medals, a trophy cup for the winning team, and got to take some more pictures. Jaro Sittar gave a nice speech and announced the best players of the camp. I was sad it was over. All those fun times, moments with my friends, memories… We have learned a lot, practiced a lot, met new friends and coaches. I have to give special thanks to the coaches.
Im curious, what is in works for the next year. More experiences, more laughter, and joy on the field, all of that you can experience only at the baseball/softball camp of the Step Up Academy.
Mia Alexandra Bíla
