Spotlight . . . You're Out!

Glenn Breazeale | Jun. 06, 2015

Tonight I’m sitting on my screened porch directly across from the Team Sports Field, listening to the sounds of Night Program.  Boys are cheering and screaming and generally having a blast playing whatever game was designated their age group.  The most recent chant I hear is “I believe that we will win” chanted over and over on the field by a hopeful Capture the flag team.  It’s a chant from a World Cup commercial last summer, I believe, that has lived on at camp.

As I walked down the road tonight after leaving the office, the Hunters were gathering outside their cabins, clad in camo.  Strategy was being discussed intensely.  Some “war paint” may have been applied to cheeks.  For their night program as soon as dark arrived would be Spotlight.  Long awaited spotlight!  Is there anything better on a summer night than getting to play spotlight with a group of friends after dark, and then go to bed with the sounds of crickets and the river in the background of the screened in porches.

For those unfamiliar, the goal of spotlight is to move stealthily from what point to an end location without being detected by the “bad guys”.  In this case, counselors with flashlights serve as bad guys.  When you are spotted a return to base is necessary before mounting another campaign.  My favorite spotlight story involves a camper dressed in head to toe in camouflage, eager and determined to win the battle.  He was so earnest in his efforts.  There was only one problem.  When he took off for the first campaign, little red lights flashed at his feet with every step.  He had forgotten to take off his LA Gear light up sneakers.

By the way, Hunters are boys who have just finished 1st - 3rd grades.  Trappers have completed 4th grade.  Scouts 5th, Warriors 6th, Braves 7th, and Chiefs 8th and 9th.

Activities were off and racing today.  Boys thrive on structure so we get them in a routine quickly.  This year we added stand up paddle boards to our fleet on the river.  Campers paddled them upriver today for the first time, enjoying the scenery along the river.

Thanks for reading and good night for now,

Glenn

Glenn Breazeale
Glenn Breazeale

Like his own father, Glenn grew up as a camper at Alpine for six summers, coming from Jackson, MS each summer. He has served on staff at Alpine since 1997, working full time as Assistant Director from 2003 to 2005 and Director since 2006. Prior to that he gained experience serving in various capacities including cabin counselor, Head Counselor, Head of Project Adventure (Ropes course), Horseback instructor, and Program Director. Glenn’s love of camping and his desire to preserve the traditions of Alpine drew him back to camp to offer young boys the same opportunities he experienced. He met and fell in love with Carter during a Square Dance with Camp DeSoto.