The Ivy Bowl
Wembley Stadium is widely considered one of, if not the most iconic stadiums in the world. It is the largest one in the UK (the second largest in Europe) and hosts many incredible sporting events every year. 90,000 fans will travel from all over the world just to witness a single match! It truly is a top-of-the-line sporting venue. However perfect Wembley is, it simply cannot hold a candle to Camp Chippewa’s very own Ivy Bowl. Perfectly level, meticulously manicured, and adjacent to the pristine blue waters of Minnesota’s eighth largest lake, the Ivy Bowl is the epitome of sport.
After Cap Endres, the founder of Camp Chippewa, noticed this beautiful field of poison ivy on the camp’s property, he recognized the potential! The ivy was cleared, and it became an incredible destination for the entire camp community to gather and participate in various athletic activities.
Soccer
During an average day at camp, campers can sign up for soccer to be one of their five daily activities! It is popularly chosen as the fifth and final period of the day, because of free swim occurring right after – running around during soccer then dipping in Cass Lake is quite possibly the perfect way to end an afternoon at Chippewa. During a soccer period, counselors may lead campers in various drills and small games or decide to run an hour-long match after dividing everyone into two teams. While there are no ranks to achieve at soccer, campers will learn to improve their skills, their teamwork, and their physical fitness!
Arguably, one of the most anticipated special activities of the summer happens at the Ivy Bowl – The Chippewa World Cup. The entire camp is divided into eight even teams coached by two or three counselors. The Ivy Bowl then undergoes a transformation – lines are chalked out, benched are moved, new soccer balls are bought, and refreshments are made. For an entire afternoon, Camp Chippewa competes in a highly competitive soccer tournament that only the Ivy Bowl can do justice.
Other Activities
As said previously, the Ivy Bowl is the perfect field for all types of sports! If you walk down to the Ivy Bowl after dinner, there’s a good chance people will be there running around paying soccer or ultimate frisbee. We even may host a slip n’ slide kickball game there as well, in addition to Take Me Out to the Ballgame, a giant softball game with music, raffles, refreshments, and home runs!
With the summer rapidly approaching, we cannot wait to see everyone running around the Ivy Bowl and maybe, just maybe, your team can win this year’s World Cup….
