Hello. I'm Tom Akagi, the representative of Campship Academy.
This winter break, we took a total of 130 children to Shiga Kogen in Nagano Prefecture for a ski camp.
The number of participants has more than tripled since last year, and the biggest benefit, in addition to the expansion in scale, was that it reaffirmed the significance of hosting a ski camp .
In this first installment of our commemorative official blog, we would like to summarize why we are putting so much effort into ski camps.
For those of you wondering, "What exactly is ski camping?", let's define it.
What is ski camp?
This is an overnight program where multiple children leave their parents' homes and live together with a supervisor while skiing and playing in the snow on snowy mountains.
To give you a better idea, here is a highlight reel from Campship Academy's ski camp held for 3 nights and 4 days from December 26th to 29th, 2024 at Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama Ski Resort.
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Through the past five ski camps, we have confirmed that skiing is a great way to realize Campship Academy's ideals of `` developing children's independence ,'' `` developing cooperative skills ,'' and `` fostering self-esteem .''
We believe that the reason for this can be explained mainly by the characteristics of the sport of skiing combined with the communal lifestyle that comes with being away from one's parents.
A sport that adults and children can enjoy on an equal footing
Skiing is one of the few sports that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders at the same level. One of the attractions of skiing is that adults and children can enjoy skiing down the same slopes in the same way.
This fits perfectly with Campship Academy's philosophy that everyone is equal and respectful of each other, regardless of age or gender .
For example, some of the leaders who live together with the children have no experience skiing (although the majority have experience). In the ski program, there is always time for them to learn skiing from a professional coach, and leaders who have no experience skiing also learn skiing from the coach together with the children.
This allows the leader to not only simply support the children , but also naturally create an environment where all participants can work toward the same goal through skiing.
We learned that when the students see their student leaders taking the initiative to fall and being afraid of the slope, they think, "I'm not the only one who's scared, and there's nothing to be ashamed of if I fall," and this leads to a sense of psychological safety for the children.
The leaders also ski hard together with the children.
Ski camp helps you develop the habit of doing things for yourself
When you live apart from your parents, you basically have to take care of your own things. This is true not only at ski camps but also in other places.
However, ski camping is a little different from regular camping.
You will need to keep all of your own skiing accessories (hat, goggles, neck warmer, gloves, lift ticket holder, etc.).
In fact, it is common for preschoolers and elementary school children to unknowingly drop their gloves or forget their lift pass holders in their rooms.
At times like these, we ask ourselves, "How can we better manage our belongings?"
You can prevent forgetting things with a little ingenuity, such as checking to see if any small items have been dropped around you when you get up from your seat, or making sure you have everything you need before leaving the room.
Children learn these habits firsthand during ski camp and take a step towards independence .
Basically, participants have to carry their own skis. The leader will not offer to help them from the beginning. We believe that these inconveniences stimulate the participants' thinking and lead to ingenuity.
Here is a quote from a parent of a child in the lower grades of elementary school.
It seemed like it was hard for him to carry his skis from the inn to the slopes. Today, he had a lot of luggage for the opening ceremony of school, but he proudly said, "I've gotten stronger, so it's no problem. I've carried something that heavy before." If his parents had been there, I'm sure they would have carried them for him. But I realized that this inconvenience also helps to train the child.
Children carry their own skis
The ability to care about and pay attention to others
At ski camp, you will never ski alone - you will always ski in a team with a coach or other children at the same level.
At Campship Academy, there are a few rules we follow before our group ski runs.
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Actively help teammates who fall or are in trouble
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Before getting on the lift and after getting off, make sure all your teammates are there
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Discuss with your team and decide how you will skate.
On the first or second day of the program, most kids are so engrossed in their own skating that they don't have time to look around. Most kids don't even notice when their friends fall.
However, something began to change around the afternoon of the second day.
Little by little, children begin to show concern for those around them, waiting for children who have fallen, and encouraging each other.
Children learn and demonstrate for themselves the need for cooperation in skiing as a team, and naturally acquire the behavioral observation skills necessary for teamwork.
The ability to think "forward"
Skiing is a sport that requires careful judgment of the situation. Even on the same slope, the situation can vary depending on the weather and the time of day. Depending on how crowded the slope is, another skier may suddenly appear from the side.
In these situations, thinking ahead is crucial: the ability to think about what's going to happen five seconds from now, which way to turn next, etc.
This is technically known as " executive function ." I believe skiing is an effective way to practice this ability, which develops significantly during childhood.
Regarding children's executive function, I would like to quote a very helpful paper by Professor Moriguchi of Kyoto University.
Higher levels of this ability in children have been shown to be associated with higher academic and social achievement, as well as greater economic success and better health as adults.
Yusuke Moriguchi. The Power of Self-Control: Psychology of Non-cognitive Skills (Kodansha Gendai Shinsho) (p.6)
Experience the feeling of accomplishment and realise growth
Skiing is a sport similar to cycling, where once you learn it, your body moves naturally. Also, while it is relatively easy to improve even if you have no experience, it is also notable in that the ceiling for skill improvement is very high (there is always someone better than you).
Campship Academy encourages students to take a ski proficiency test during their program in order to objectively measure their current skiing level.
Everyone is happy when they achieve the level they are aiming for. This leads to confidence and increases self-esteem .
In today's competitive society, it seems like there are a lot of children with low self-esteem. Perhaps it's because they are often compared to others and feel inferior.
You won't always pass the skiing test. Of course, you'll need to practice a certain amount. But basically, the more you ski, the better you'll improve.
We believe that because skiing has a short improvement cycle, it is easy for children to feel a sense of accomplishment and it can easily become a formative and growth experience for them.
