Tuesday's With Dave

Take the Bat off the Shoulder We always talk about the amazing people that we meet on our journey. After decades, Olympia people can still hear Dave Grace telling the " Bat off the shoulder" story. The batter lets three pitches go by him, all called strikes. He then blames the umpire, says stuff under his breath, then throws his bat against the wall in disgust. The message is that the batter should take control of the situation by swinging at a pitch instead of putting his fate with another. Take the bat off the shoulder and you'll never know what happens. We are all heroes of our own journey and in order to reach where we want to go we need to take control and not let others, or the world, impact our choices or path. It truly is up to us. When thinking of amazing Olympia people and taking the bat off the shoulder I introduce you to Maggie Murray Murch. And Dana Stephenson. This blog may be one of the most heart-wrenching stories of love and friendship overcoming loss tha...

 In my journey of writing A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp I came across many uplifting stories of groups of friends who maybe started as a campers or counsellors years ago and have remained close ever since, and we are talking over 40 years in some cases.  I got to write about a group of friends who got together every March to watch some NCAA basketball as an excuse to have a blast and rekindle their groups identity. This despite the loss of two of their cohort to cancer. I learned of two people meeting in line at Weber's, the iconic hamburger joint that is a stopover for many on their way to Olympia, and because they sparked up conversation while waiting, have been friends ever since. They travelled to Europe together and attended the same university together, all because they wanted to buy a burger and fries.  I learned of two women in their 80's who still travel the world, just because their husbands happened to coach basketball at Olymp...

  The legacy of Olympia Sports Camp is inherent in the lessons that Dave Grace has shared for generations. It is in the deep friendships that are formed through the shared experience of enjoying a week, or a summer, with like-minded people. It is in the sharing of all of this with the next generation in what the Hero’s Journey calls The Return.  It’s in remembering the days as a counsellor and wanting to share what you experienced with others. It’s reconnecting with friends that were like family oh so long ago… and you find out they still are.    Need an example of all of this? I’d like to introduce Kate Wienburg.   Kate was a camper in 1995 and 96 and then got hired and worked as a counsellor from 1997-1999. The Return of this journey is that Kate returned to camp this past summer after 26 years to work as a week 5 coach. And the reasons she loved to get to coach week 5 are Olympian as well. Each phase of this journey carries with it the great friends and ...