Gaga Pits have gotten a lot of use all over the United States this summer as kids of all ages headed outdoors to summer camps, parks and community centers to take part in the action. We wanted to highlight a few of these places over the course of the summer to show you how much FUN is going on in these Gaga Pits!
Our first SRG Spotlight is on the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse located in Dewitt, New York. The fast-paced Gaga games at the JCC usually last just minutes, which keeps kids -both in and out of the pit- engaged in the action. JCC Head Counselor Vlady Viknyansky said they sometimes even switch the game up a bit to make things interesting. “If (the play) isn’t working out one way, we might make a variation that will make it a little more enjoyable for everyone,” said Viknyansky.
Director of Children/Teensand Camp Director Lori Innella-Venne said, “This is the new favorite activity at our camp. In fact, each day we start off with our regular sports plans and end up in the gaga pit! It has been a great addition to our program, and we look forward to using it all winter long in our gym too!” Innella-Venne said the JCC will dismantle the new pit and set it up indoors for winter play, and may use it for teen and adult Gaga programs in the near future. “This game is just about fun for all ages,” she said. “It’s not about scoring, not about one team having stronger players than another, it’s just fun, so everybody enjoys it equally.”
The JCC of Syracuse was also mentioned alongside the YMCA’s Camp Iroquois and Sport Resource Group in a recent post in the Post Standard Syracuse bulletin. Check it out for yourself at http://blog.syracuse.com/cny/2012/07/going_ga-ga_for_ga-ga.html.