“We like to pass it, pass it; we like to shoot it, shoot it; we like to…kick it!”

The campers of 3G and 4G joined in this cheer—inspired by the movie Madagascar—as they put on their cleats under the large, yellow-and-white striped soccer tent. Three red-shirted soccer staff members—Anthony Chibarirwe, head soccer instructor, and two of his three assistants, Maree Tolis and Rachael Grellet—cheered in response as they lugged heavy water jugs toward the tent to quench the thirst of the campers during their last class of the day.

It was 3G’s first soccer game. As the girls stretched, following the lead of Miss Grellet, Mr. Chibarirwe explained some of the rules of the game—field positions, throw-ins, off-sides, goal kicks, etc.—as a refresher for both dorms. Then they all headed onto the field to practice passing and shooting, preparing their skills for the real game. One of the local preteens and Laura Turgeon, the camp director’s wife, waited in the shade of the tent for the game to start with 3G’s Lauren, who had a mildly sprained ankle.

4G started with the ball, but 3G’s green-clad team quickly stole it and drove it up the field—only to have it stolen from them in turn by 4G’s vigilant defenders. An anxious moment ensued for 3G as the opposing gray team nearly scored a goal in the first minute of the game. But Abby, the goalie for 3G, blocked the ball and sent it up the field.

Possession remained mainly in the hands of 4G for the first third of the game, and they scored the first goal. But 3G successfully prevented the gray team from scoring again. Ansley exhibited some of 3G’s stellar defensive skills as she stopped the ball from entering their goal with a knee block twice in a row. With possession back in 3G’s hands (ahem…feet), Cami dribbled the ball toward the other goal. But Hannah ran out of 4G’s goal and snagged the ball with her giant goalie gloves before it even got close.

I felt as if I were experiencing déjà vu when the same series of events happened several more times. 3G was so close to scoring each time, but the ball always stopped just short of the goal.

”Tweeeeeeet!” Mr. Chibarirwe’s whistle announced the first water break of this intense game. The temperature was still rising into the 90s, so the soccer staff had mercy on the tired girls and split the game into thirds instead of halves.

The trend from the first third kept up for most of the second third of the game, as 4G blocked 3G’s goal attempts again and again. Then Cami stopped a quick pass from Vienna and sent the ball directly into the corner of the goal. Score! Mr. Chibarirwe whistled again, and the campers headed back to the tent for another water break.

Christina, now 3G’s goalie, defeated 4G’s best efforts to score another goal for the gray shirts. 3G was equally unable to break the 1-1 tie.

“One minute!” yelled Mr. Chibarirwe, trying to encourage both teams to break the tie. Cami nearly scored a goal for 3G over a diving save by Hannah—but once again, the ball scooted just outside the goalposts.

In the last seconds of the game, midfielder Vienna passed the ball up the field to Abby S., who passed it to Cami. Cami sprinted with the ball past all of 4G’s defenders and shot it into the goal right at the last possible moment. 3G’s cheers mingled with the piercing blast of the head instructor’s whistle, announcing that the game was over: 3G: 2, 4G: 1.

While the girls created a drum roll by patting their legs, the staff ran around the circle and pushed the two ticket winners into the center: Adrienne from 3G and Isabelle from 4G. Before heading to the tent to take off their cleats, 3G circled up and decided on a cheer for the other team and their soccer instructors: “Thanks for making us sweaty for dinner, 4G and soccer staff!”

Then 3G hustled off to set up for dinner for 144 hungry campers.