Kids have fewer than 70 days of summer vacation each year, and they choose to spend some of those days with us at camp. That is both a privilege and a responsibility. The way we lead, encourage, teach, and connect with campers can shape memories they carry long after camp ends.
The Positive Coach’s Summer Camp Counselor Training is designed to help sports camp counselors create an environment where every camper feels safe, included, supported, and excited to return each day. The training provides a framework for counselors and coaches to work together to give campers the best experience possible.
Recently, I led a camp counselor training for Pacifica Ignite Volleyball Club’s Summer Volleyball Camp. Twenty coaches attended, ranging in age from pre-teens to adults. The training included simulated games, problem-solving scenarios, opportunities to practice coaching communication, and personal reflection. Each coach received a workbook that guided the training and can serve as a resource throughout the summer.
The training focused on several key themes: creating a sense of belonging, providing effective cues and feedback, managing energy, understanding the role of a camp counselor, and responding to conflict and mistakes. To help counselors better understand the camper experience, we recreated the feeling of being new on the first day of camp.
One activity involved a made-up game called “Trash-by,” a combination of rugby and soccer played with balls made of trash. The game challenged coaches to learn unfamiliar skills while receiving instruction and feedback. Throughout the activity, they experienced the confusion, uncertainty, and vulnerability that often come with being a beginner. It was a powerful lesson in empathy and a reminder of what campers may feel when trying something new. By the end of the day, Trash-by was one of the coaches’ favorite activities, reinforcing an important truth: learning through play is often more engaging and memorable than learning through drills alone.
My favorite lesson of the day focused on two concepts I call “Going Big” and “Total Support.”
Camp should be fun, playful, and memorable. Sometimes that means counselors need to be willing to be a little silly. “Going Big” means bringing your full energy and enthusiasm to an activity. Coaches model excitement by exaggerating movements, celebrating effort, and fully participating in the experience. When I coach, I often clap, dance, and use animated body language to raise the energy of the group. Campers tend to mirror the energy of their leaders. If I bring 100% energy and the campers respond with even half of that, the activity is already moving in the right direction.
“Total Support” describes how counselors support one another throughout camp. Every counselor is part of the same team, working toward the shared goal of creating a positive experience for campers. Total Support means actively helping each other succeed. If one counselor is explaining a game, others step in to demonstrate and reinforce instructions. If one counselor starts dancing to energize the group, the others join in rather than standing on the sidelines. No one dances alone at camp. When counselors support one another, campers feel more comfortable joining the fun themselves.
The Pacifica Ignite Volleyball Club coaches were thoughtful, engaged, and enthusiastic throughout the training. Thank you to PIVC for inviting me to be part of your summer preparation. I can’t wait to see these coaches put their skills into action and create an incredible camp experience for their campers this summer.
