By Niamh Fitzpatrick, Ropes Staff
Here at camp, we take pride in our ropes course – something that is a favorite camp activity for so many of our campers, yet something that takes a lot of bravery the first time.
On the ropes course, we motivate and inspire campers to participate in team-building games and the high ropes elements. When they see they are capable of accomplishing challenges on the ropes course, they feel encouraged that they can do just about anything else they set their mind to. We as facilitators are trained to recognize those who might need an extra boost of courage, using team-building games that involve working together as a cabin to handle a task to reach a desired outcome. Some groups may succeed, while others may not, so it’s our job to pick them back up, find the problem, and help guide them to the solution. We use these activities to bring cabins together so they can help each other accomplish challenging tasks not only on the ropes course, but anywhere at camp.
To apply what the cabins learn in the team building games, we introduce them to the low ropes elements. The “wall” is an excellent example of a challenging low ropes element, bringing many campers out of their comfort zone. It means involving all campers in a game that has an element of risk and responsibility for their cabinmates’ safety. The task is to get everyone over the “wall” by lifting each individual camper up and over, while the other campers spot each other. This obviously can be scary for the campers, so we invest the time into making sure everyone is confident in what they’re doing. This proves to them anything is possible, whether they try it individually or as a team.
As a facilitator on the ropes course, many of us understand what it’s like to be afraid of the high ropes. The staff are not fully immune to the fear. This is what makes us excellent facilitators – we can equally relate and talk to the campers with compassion and empathy. For a worried camper this can be a really hard task, even if it seems easier to others. Our goal on the ropes course is to create an environment that challenges each camper as an individual and as a team.
The best part of being a ropes facilitator is witnessing our campers overcome their fears. Accomplishing a task that makes them uncomfortable pushes them out of their comfort zone in a safe and well-controlled environment.
