Durham College Sports Management students made meaningful connections with their peers, the land, and most importantly, themselves at a leadership camp in Muskoka this fall.
“Seeing everyone in a different light and seeing that there’s more to them than just school,” is what made the time at Camp Mini-Yo-We so special, according to third-year student Mekhi Gibson.
At the camp, third-year students worked together on the first day to learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
The next day, they were connected with groups of first-year students to do activities designed to get them to work together.
Gibson and his group created a scavenger hunt and encouraged them along the way.
Ashley Comeau, also in the third year, said camp was their “way of generally making the year one and the year three students uncomfortable … but it was the best thing that could have happened.”
Three days of leadership activities in the wilderness encouraged many students to step out of their comfort zone.
“Not all students shine academically, sometimes they shine in many other ways, like leadership,” said Kolleen Brunton, a Sports Management professor at Durham College.
The third–year students went up a day early to bond, play games and discuss the game plan for the following days.
“It was a very awesome day of coming together as year threes and preparing activities for year ones,” Comeau said.
She learned that “it’s OK to step back,” especially when other group members are given the chance to use their skillsets.
While some students learned that they needed to step back, others learned that they needed to step forward.
First-year Emily Cross recognized the value in her own contribution, especially as a woman in a field often dominated by men.
“I can’t let them take over,” she said. “If we need to do this, everyone needs to talk to each other.”
Matt Akler, a Sports Management professor at Durham College, said to grow, “you have to stretch yourself in a variety of ways and get out of that comfort zone.”
He said gaining multiple perspectives is crucial, especially before field placement.
“It’s a great opportunity for the third-years to really demonstrate a leadership role, outside of the classroom,” added Brunton, with each student learning more about their own leadership styles.
Gibson learned he needed to slow down before tackling a challenge to show that he is a “leader outside of the classroom.”
Despite hesitation and nerves, he learned “don’t be closed off to it.”
“It was an amazing experience,” Gibson advised.
Akler said it’s often the non-academic activities that mean the most to students.
In their free time, the students created their own game of touch football, which was one of his highlights. Brunton said seeing friendships form is the best part.
Cross’s favourite memory wasn’t an activity, but the friendships and realizations that formed as a result.
“Being at camp made me realize that so many people are in the same boat,” she said.
The leadership camp is more than 20 years old but this is only the second time freshman have been invited.
In all, 37 third-year students and 67 first-year students took part at this year’s camp.
Akler said this is the “stuff that would not happen if we were in the classroom.”