“On your marks, get set…GO!”

Twelve campers and two counselors burst from the starting line and sprinted around the soccer field. It was the beginning of 4G’s second track practice, and they were running a 400-meter race.

John Rambo, the head track instructor, called out the girls’ times as they crossed the finish line. Alexa and Anna tied for first after an epic back-and-forth battle for the last 100 meters. They both received a time of 1 minute and 30 seconds—one of the fastest girls’ times to date. The rest of the girls—including 4G’s counselor Jordy Rouzer and her assistant counselor Grace Marquez—trickled in after the first pair. When they had finished running, the girls cheered for those who were still heading toward the finish line.

After the race, 4G headed down to the shade of the tower, where Mr. Rambo wrote down each of the girls’ 400-meter times. Then the campers signed up for their track meet events.

Each camper completes three events at the track meet: one track event (the mile run, the 400-meter, the 100-meter, or the 40-yard dash) and one field event (javelin, shot put, discus, or long jump), as well as one more of either category. Campers’ event choices at track practice are “not written in granite,” Mr. Rambo told the girls. They can change their events at any time before the track meet. One of 4G’s campers did just that when she discovered an aptitude for discus that far outshined her chances in the 400-meter run.

After the break, the girls broke up into groups to practice the first field activity they had chosen. While the girls who were competing in long jump headed toward the sand pit to practice with instructor Arianne Olsen, the shot put competitors Leilani and Tori practiced their form with assistant instructor Abraham Blondeau. Leilani hurled the cannonball-like shot put onto the field to a distance of 25 feet—showing herself a definite contender in this event for the track meet.

At the same time, Mr. Rambo taught Zoe and Alexa how to properly throw the javelin. At first, they used lengths of pvc pipe instead of real javelins to practice their throwing technique. Then they took turns using the actual javelin—a long, shiny metal stick that is pointed at each end. I scurried out of the way when they started using the real one.

Jack, Mr. Rambo’s almost two-year-old son, tried his hand at the javelin as well, but he only managed to throw the pvc pipe into the air and hit himself in the head, which did not qualify him for the actual event.

While the javelin competitors practiced their deer-hunting skills, the lone discus competitor, Eva, had some one-on-one instruction from Katelynn Smedley. Then the girls who had signed up for two field events shifted stations to practice their next event, making sure to stop for frequent water breaks as the temperature rose into the high 90s.

To finish off the class, the girls of 4G ran the 100-meter race for time. This race, as well as the 400 meter at the beginning of track practice, gives each dorm the chance to set a camp record. Isabell set a blistering pace, finishing with the record-setting time of 15 seconds.

At the end of class, Mr. Rambo gave Isabell a ticket for her enthusiasm because “she gave 110% the whole time.”

4G formed a circle and created a cheer for the track staff: “Dribble, dribble, shoot, shoot; way to put the javelin in the ground, track staff!”

This led me to wonder if this dorm has some sort of basketball obsession. Wrong sport, 4G.

The track staff circled up as well, returning the cheer with a confused but amused monosyllable: “What?”

Then 4G formed two lines and leisurely made their way to the next activity of the day: archery!