Throughout every sporting event scheduled at camp, we applied God’s standards to maintain the proper attitude. Common, worldly “win at all costs” attitudes were not tolerated.

I, like others with an athletic upbringing, have fallen victim to this wrong attitude. Ambassador Youth Camp taught me how to play with high intensity, while remembering God’s standards.

Though AYC primarily focuses on developing future spiritual leaders, athletics and physical activity dominated the schedule. Through lectures, the ministry directed campers to compete in the spirit of Ecclesiastes 9:10, while remembering that sports should be fun! Mr. Armstrong established these standards through the Summer Educational Program, and The Restored Church of God continues them today through Ambassador Youth Camp.

Similar to S.E.P., AYC campers receive recognition for their personal achievements. For example, after a long-fought volleyball tournament, my team, the Otters, made it to the championship game. Because of our winning record, we ended the tournament as champions!

After the tournament, administrators selected five male campers to play in an all-star game against Mr. Lischak and Mr. Rob Pack. I felt privileged to be one of them. But they defeated us! Through the up-and-down emotional ride, I came to appreciate that, as a player, there is always someone better than you, and learning to win and lose with humility is vital to maintain the proper attitude.

Although being part of an all-star team is challenging, sometimes the most intense competition isn’t with others, but against yourself. My experience on the high ropes course taught me that you must focus and control your mind while participating in an individual event.

I was selected to climb the Giant’s Ladder, a series of wooden-beam rungs about four to eight feet apart held together by two ropes, with a teammate. During the course of our climb, I was instructed to continue the usual two-man event alone! With a partner, the event was challenging, but now I had to tackle the event solo! Throughout the second half of the climb, I pushed my body and mind to the limit to reach the top and ring the bell.

After achieving my goal and battling my fears, I came to understand that you can achieve anything through hard work, and a “never say die” attitude. Learning to not give up and to keep climbing was a valuable experience that will remain with me—one which I can apply to the day-to-day Christian “climb.”

As someone with a strong athletic upbringing, I quickly came to realize I was playing with and against individuals with less experience than I have. Because of this, I learned to understand my peers’ limits and strove not to push them beyond their boundaries. Realizing that I had to strike the balance between being a leader and playing hard was a great challenge to overcome at camp. By considering and controlling my attitude, I could encourage others, and allow them to feed off my energy.

Through sports, I was presented the unique opportunity to build character, while enjoying the many activities. Through individual and team achievements, I came to understand that maintaining the correct attitude is vital to success. A negative attitude can drag a team down, while a positive one can energize a team.

Learning to develop a proper attitude is a life-lesson I am forever grateful for, and I look forward to applying it to my everyday life when I return home.