“Bend your knees slightly and make sure that they aren’t too close to one another. Lay your dominant hand on the front of the ball, the other hand on the side and when you’re ready, push up to shoot in your squatting position.” These are the instructions my dad gave me when he was trying to teach me how to play basketball; he loved the sport when he was a kid. Every day, my dad would go outside and dribble, pass, shoot. Well, neither me nor my siblings liked basketball. I was never interested when my dad put on the NBA. I didn’t understand the game. And I also didn’t understand soccer when my sister, soon after the New York Knicks won, put on the FIFA World Cup game on June 11–Mexico vs South Africa.
But now, after so many games, plays, and matches in the year 2026, I finally understand —and enjoy—watching basketball and soccer.
Here at WriCampia, many campers have been fans for a long time and have a lot to say about the Knicks’s win in June. During track I was able to speak to some upper campers from the sports track: “It felt great because they won after 53 years; everybody was celebrating outside. A memorable moment in New York,” said Dyland V. of Upper Camp.
Sheq R., also from Upper Camp, said, “All my friends were out, they were all screaming and celebrating.” For him, it was a joyful experience.
At WriCampia, we have a Sports Track for campers who are interested in sports. There are a variety of options: basketball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and water sports like paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, and waterskiing. Some of the campers in this track were inspired by what happened in sports in the summer of 2026; they wanted to be more like NBA and soccer players.
“Being in this sports track has taught me more about sportsmanship and teamwork,” said Dyland. Additionally, on the second-to-last day of WriCampia, Thursday, August 20, the sports track took part in a competition called “triple threat”: three sports in one competition. There were about 20 campers in the Sports Track, and everyone competed in all three components: basketball, soccer, and handball. There were two teams with different colors representing them. The reason WriCampia has this competition is because, “especially after such an exciting summer of national and international sports tournaments, we wanted to give our athletes a turn in the spotlight,” Rebecca W-S shared.
This summer has been a great chapter for athletes and people who enjoy sports in America and around the world. WriCampians are always out to create and celebrate inspiring moments, and sports are an important part of that.
The truth is, I don’t like basketball or soccer. I don’t play them. But now that I understand it, I am excited to watch, especially when it comes to the finals or the World Cup.
These days, when my dad turns on the NBA or any soccer match, I don’t have to sit on the couch in my living room, clueless about what’s happening on the T.V.
