As planning begins for the next January rowing camp, I sit back and reminisce on my experiences over the years as camp mom.

It’s a hard slog, early mornings, some late nights, but lots of laughter, fun and friendships formed with other parents that will last a lifetime.

This is the time though that you really get to witness how hard these boys work. Their grit, determination, and most of all their passion for the sport.  Over the years you see boys turn into men.  Men that we can all be proud of, men that never give up, men that support each other, push each other, and work together.  One of the highlights for me, is getting to know the boys as individuals, their quirks, their chirps and realise how each boy is different, diverse, and unique, but united in a sport they love.

I am not a morning person, and the typical camp day starts with a group of boys on early morning session. Real early, too early to be civil really. The early morning boys get an early morning cold breakfast of cereal, muffins, and fruit.  Did I mention how early this was? The muffins are lovingly prepared the previous day, except when every other mom forgets to bring their muffin pan and you have one cookie maker to make a million muffins, 8 at a time, then some of the muffins are not so loving prepared and maybe, just maybe, a million is an exaggeration.

After the early morning boys have carried their boats down to the river, and expertly embark on their 26km km trip to the bridge and beyond,  I grip onto my steaming cup of extra strong coffee, and watch them disappear into the distance.  A sight to behold, the rising sun reflecting on the water produces a picturesque landscape, rivalled only by the setting sun and the golden glow it produces. The morning is vibrant and alive, (and me, I am beginning to show signs of life too).  The next task for the day is prepping the hot breakfast for the boys doing late morning session.  Eggs, bacon, toast on the menu.  Fry, grill, toast.  Fry, grill, toast.  Fry, grill, toast.   Then they go off to train and the boys that came off the water need a cooked breakfast.   Fry, grill, toast.  Fry, grill, toast.  Fry, grill, toast.   Every meal, every boy has a “thank you ma’am” and many times, please may I have extra, please may I have seconds, thank you that was yummy.”    It makes it all worth it!

The day progresses with lunch and dinner prep, and ideas for inventive ways to slip vegetables into the meals, splinter and blister treatment, and for some of the U14’s, some TLC.   In between the prep work, there is the much needed downtime with coffee, chats and giggles and the occasional (only once, ever) an erg challenge for moms.

As the last rowing camp looms, I find a little dark cloud hanging over me, there will be no more early mornings, no more fry, grill toast, no more thank you ma’am,  I will miss all the boys as I feel like they are my own. I will miss their banter, laughter, and jokes.  I will not miss the other camp moms, as the strong friendship bonds that are formed during this time will last forever and we will be seeing each other often.  There is even a slight chance, that I might even miss the early mornings.

2^nd Year Mom 2020/2021