DAVIS—Basketball and volleyball continue to be the most popular recreational activities during the summer youth weeks at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center. But down at the Riverfront Recreation Area, campers also participate in softball, kickball, horseshoes, as well as two new activities—disc golf and slingshot target games.
“The slingshot took the place of extreme cornhole,” said Pete Petree, Falls Creek staff and recreation manager. “We use the same platforms and water balloon launchers, but we shoot tennis balls into the targets. It was a little slow at first, but they are getting the hang of it. More and more are playing. We lose a few tennis balls, but we have plenty.”
The slingshot target game is a one-on-one competition. Each player gets 25 shots from the launching platform, aiming for the round metal targets that have different point values. The player with the highest score wins.
“Campers are enjoying that. It’s a little bit of a challenge, something different. We have few more each week who try it,” Petree said.
Disc golf is a revived activity, Petree said. He credited Andy Harrison, Falls Creek program director, for disc golf returning to Falls Creek.
“Andy got tee markers made with tee boxes, telling how many feet each hole is,” he said. “It’s not very far. It’s not a professional course, but it’s fun.”
The disc golf competition consists of nine holes. Campers compete Tuesday through Friday afternoons each camp week. The 12 individual lowest scores play a championship round on each Friday afternoon.
“The most encouraging thing for me is the staff has been doing a great job of engaging the campers,” Petree said. “They are getting to go hang out at their cabins and play games with them there.
hat leads to conversations about their week and how things are going, what they like. That, in turn, leads to spiritual conversations. Several of the rec staff have had the chance to lead someone to Christ. They just light up when that happens. It’s very encouraging for me. That’s probably the highlight for me.”
Falls Creek continues to be a place of memorable experiences for students. Though the years of competitive softball played throughout the camp grounds no longer exists, campers today turn to volleyball and basketball as the most popular forms of competition. However, the variety of sports are always offered every summer.
But more importantly, as Petree expressed, these activities allow for opportunities of meaningful conversations, which in many cases at Falls Creek, lead to life-changing decisions.
