Saturday, June 7, 2014

The weather for this year's Father-Son Weekend could not have been any more perfect. Upon arrival, the 112 fathers and their sons, came to the Dick Gym for registration. Each boy and dad got a Woodberry Forest School t-shirt, and this year, boys were able to pick up orange and black titanium necklaces and bracelets. These necklaces were a huge hit, and it was so fun seeing them on so many campers!






After registering, fathers and sons had time to move into their rooms, and explore campus. Many of the guys chose to shoot hoops in the gym, while others enjoyed a game of corn hole on the lawn, or a swim at the outdoor pool. The first night, dads and their sons signed up for clinics to participate in the next day. The were able to choose between lacrosse, golf, soccer, tennis, football, basketball, baseball, canoeing, climbing the alpine tower, and science. This year, the guys also had a chance to participate in two brand new clinics - theater and art.






 The sports fields were abuzz with activity throughout the entire day as fathers and sons participated in the clinics they had chosen the day before. Lester Coleman, a recent Woodberry Alum, led exercises on the tennis courts. 

The guys had access to the driving range and putting green for the golf clinic which was led by Woodberry's Varisty golf coach, Marc Hogan. Coach Hogan's wife, Linda, who is an event photographer for WFS, posted images she took of the boys and their dads over on the WFS golf blog!




Down on the lacrosse field, coaches Brian Hemming and Greg Conklin taught the fundamentals of the game, and boys learned to cradle, shoot, and pick up ground balls. 




Coach Len Mills, and Woodberry alum, Alec Kendall, led a series of games on the soccer field, and it seemed that the dads enjoyed them as much, if not more, than the little guys did!


Several of Woodberry's football coaches led drills at Johnson Stadium and it was clear that there was some serious talent at camp this year!



In the Barbee Center, Varsity Coach Craig Dawson, and alum, Zach Roderick took the dads and sons through some warm-ups and fundamentals, and allowed for plenty of time to shoot around. 





Coach Chris Holmes gave individual instruction to many of the campers on the varsity baseball field, while dads led a small game of wiffle ball. 





In Woodberry's science building, instructors Jim Reid and Paul Vickers had dads and sons looking at microorganisms under the microscopes as well as mixing chemicals to make goo.




Art instructor Kelly Lonergan and his daughter Ava, a Woodberry alum, had the guys creating mosaic like art in the fine arts building.


WFS drama teacher, Ray Smith, led improvisational exercises on the stage in the auditorium. Boys made up stories about cartoons and historical figures which made for a lot of laughter. Those who chose to participate in the theater clinic also had a tour of backstage as well as Woodberry's Black Box Theater. 

After some rest time and lunch, it was back down the hill for more clinic, canoe, and climbing time.






















After clinics were over, everyone had the opportunity to go to do what they pleased, and the pool was a particularly popular spot.









What a fantastic day, and what a fantastic way to end the afternoon!