SPORTS PHILOSOPHY
Here’s Where…Sports and Tradition UniteThe spirit of Arrow Wood comes from the communal love of athletics by campers of all ages. The love of sport is philosophically different than being the most highly skilled or accomplished athlete. It means the sport develops a special meaning for an individual, with the potential to inspire lifelong passion.
Core vs. Explore
Our unique programming provides opportunities for campers to be exposed to a wide range of activities to create intentional discovery. Our sports curriculum includes specific instruction for core high school sports. At Arrow Wood exploratory activities revolve around The Waterfront, Outdoor Adventure, Sports Marketing & Media, Fitness, and The Arts.
We believe that our 90-minute intensive in the morning is what your child needs to improve their skills. After this sport-specific period, the rest of the day allows campers to explore additional sports, return to their core sport and explore new passions. Our carefully selected sports directors create an age-appropriate summer curriculum that balances learning and fun.
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Golf
- Cross Country/Track
- Lacrosse
- Baseball
- Softball
- Tackle/Flag Football
- Field Hockey (2024)
The last period of the day is Game Time! A competitive period with a camp-wide points system (AKA The Hibachi League) – competitions range from tennis matches, to basketball games , to 7-v-7 soccer, to a home run derby and more.
These non-core sports activities – initially assigned by our staff and then selected daily by each camper – provide time for campers to relax a bit and explore many of the other great things Arrow Wood has to offer. During these times, bonds are formed and strengthened, new passions are discovered, and campers have time to relax and recharge physically and mentally.
- The Waterfront – Sitting on 3,000 feet of lake frontage, the waterfront and its activities are a big part of life at Arrow Wood. We offer Swimming, Sailing, Kayaking, SUP, Waterskiing, and more!
- Outdoor Adventure – With 130 acres of land, Arrow Wood has plenty to offer any outdoor enthusiast. We offer Mountain Biking, Climbing Wall, Ropes Course, Fishing, Camping, Hiking, and more!
- Fitness – Maintaining physical condition is important to all athletes. We offer Dynamic Workouts, Spinning, Yoga, Strength Training, Stretching, and more!
- Sports Marketing & Media – There are many ways to be involved in the sports and entertainment world. At Arrow Wood, we have created a program where our campers will be ‘running’ many aspects of the camp, such as Video Production, Assistant Coaching, Analytics, Social Media, Journalism, and designing apparel.
- The Arts – Even the world’s best athletes have other interests. We encourage and foster creativity in the form of Creative Arts, Drama, Music, Dance, and more!
- Non-Core Sports & Fun – Lawn Games, Cornhole, Ping-Pong, Gaga, Tetherball, and Stickball are all part of Life at Arrow Wood!
Daily Schedule
Rise & Shine – Guiding Principle: Start Each Day Right
It’s 8:15 AM, and it’s a beautiful day in the Berkshires! Time for everyone to get up, stretch, and eat a good breakfast to get ready for the day ahead.
1st Period – Guiding Principle: Specialized Sport Improvement
Campers start their day with a 90-minute age-appropriate workout in the core sport (or sports) of their choice. First period begins with an all-camp dynamic workout designed to warm up the body and focus the mind. We do our intensives first thing in the morning because the weather is cooler and we believe in getting our “work” in early while everyone is fresh.
2nd Period – Guiding Principle: Discover New Passions
This non-sports period – initially assigned by our staff and then selected by each camper – provides time for kids to relax a bit and explore many of the other great things camp has to offer. Boating, water skiing, mountain biking, sports marketing and media, outdoor adventure, climbing wall, creative arts, and more come alive during period two.
Lunch & Siesta – Guiding Principle: The Upside of Downtime
Everyone fuels up and rests for the afternoon.
3rd Period – Guiding Principle: Motivate, Don't Mandate
Chosen daily by campers, this period allows the camper three options:
- The camper who is super serious about a particular sport can spend additional time building their skills;
- Campers who want to play a different sport can; and,
- Campers can choose any of our explore activities.
4th Period – Guiding Principle: Competition with Compassion
A 60-minute game period, which has a points system attached to it. Points are accumulated throughout the summer and posted around camp daily – culminating with the winners having a special event at the end of the summer!
Cool Off in Richmond Pond – Guiding Principle: Connect with Nature
Time to jump in the lake and relax the mind and body.
Dinner – Guiding Principle: Fuel for the Night
Time to share the final meal of the day. Healthy, nourishing meals ensure both a healthy mind and body.
Under the Lights – Guiding Principle: Practice and Play
The evening consists of two parts: team practice and evening activities. After dinner, there is a 60-minute practice time for our tournament and camp teams. After practice, anything goes: capture the flag, socials, campfires with s’mores, movie nights, canteen, hiking under the stars, DJ nights, and more. The possibilities are endless!
Arrow Events & Adventures
The spirit of Arrow Wood lives through our special events.
Super Saturdays
On Saturdays, the Arrow Wood campus comes alive with our own version of a college gameday! Wear your favorite school apparel, participate in Arrow traditions, ‘enter the dining room’, corn hole tourneys, soda pong, ‘Arrow Tailgates’ and more….
The Arrow
THE craziest, most ridiculous, insanely fun obstacle/relay race known to camp. The winning team gets to put their mark on to the ‘Coveted Wooden Arrow’ placed in the dining hall.
The Arrow Games
Our version of the Olympics – Arrow Style! Three days of competition, a culmination of the spirit of Arrow Wood in 72 hours. You will laugh, you will cry, you will compete, the bonds of friendship will be cemented, you will remember it forever.
Arrow Adventures
We do camp trips a bit differently. Sometimes, we take spontaneous trips to New York Jets training camp, to a Celtics workout or to Fenway Park. Sometimes it’s a simple trip to a local Berkshires establishment for ice cream or to see a show. Our campers take scheduled trips to Washington DC, Boston, The Cape, Nantucket, and Maine. We do camping and white water rafting trips. Sometimes it’s for the whole division and sometimes it’s just for kids that opt in. Bottom line we keep our options open and like to be flexible, so every camper has the option to explore the best of New England and beyond.