Kingswood For Life Issue 5

KINGSWOOD FOR LIFE
KFL
NEWSLETTER
Volume 1, Issue 5
Please consider making a tax deductible contribution to
the Kingswood Scholarship Fund. See page 14
Click here to register as a member of Kingswood for Life

REVEILLE
Welcome to Issue 5 of the Kingswood For Life alumni newsletter. To stir you from your slumber since the last
edition, we offer explanations for some of the page headings to follow. Indeed, we have fun in making up these titles.
FROM THE MAIN LODGE PORCH is pertinent to the batches of photos taken at two major Kingswood gatherings
during February. The administrative team assembles each morning in this favorite haunt where we are entertained
by the Polar Bear swimmers before we settle down to discuss the flow of the day?s camp events. Mr. Wiff has been
known for delivering a gasconade (look it up) or two in these meetings, but beyond that they are essential to the
success of camp. Many persons in those photos have been in attendance at these raucous affairs!
OLD SCHOOL Even though the ?March Madness? of the NCAA college basketball tournament is the sports rage of
the moment, we have elected, in true Kingswoodian randomness, to feature the historic all-camp touch football
tournament in this issue of KFL. We are told that after-dinner touch football games were a staple of the Smith era,
1947-1979, and many of those contests were held on what we still call ?Tramp Field,? named for the mysterious
trampoline that used to grace its presence down by the Junior Building/Guides Lodge/Weight Room/Wipfler
Cottage on the peninsula overlooking Lake Tarelton. Fast forward all those years and touch football remains
incredibly popular at camp. Old School, however, is its provenance.
LISTEN TO THE LOONS is a phrase that often interrupts council fire sessions down by lake?s edge. What a
beautiful sound, and especially on still evenings, our preferred weather for bonfires that will not blow smoke into
everyone?s eyes! That we would tell stories about ?The Camp of Happiness? about the council fire is a certainty.
Enjoy this report and be sure to circle back to it and click on the link that explains ?The Kingswood Promise.?

FROM THE MAIN LODGE PORCH
February was quite the month for Kingswood get-togethers. At top are some photos taken on February 11 when we
celebrated what we called the ?Centennial.? Mr. Wiff had his 70th birthday one day before Sara hit the big 30. Family,
neighbors and Kingswood folk were in attendance both at the dinner/ roast (see Knaus, top right, who performed his
four-year old act on Sara and Wiff, to the delight of the crowd assembled at our local tennis club.) and later on at our
home. We raffled off some old Kingswood caps, sang favorite council fire songs, and stayed up way way too late!
At bottom are three photos taken by James Nunes at the Kingswood reunion in lower Manhattan on February 25. Again,
we had a large crowd of Kingswood loyalists and stayed up way way too late! Hope to see even more of you at next year?s
gigs. Stay tuned to future KFL publications for details.

OLD SCHOOL
The Great Equalizer
The feature story of this issue of Kingswood For Life pertain to the Kingswood football tournament. On the next
page, you will find the current rules for our fabulous all-camp touch football league. Take a bit more than a few
seconds to scan them in your mind. They are brilliant, and the source of many a comment by Rob and me when we
visit prospective families in search of just that ?right camp? for their nine year old son.
That nine year old nearly always loves sports. So, our honest spin goes like this: the tournament goes on for the full
session. The first two finalists, of as many as a dozen teams, plays on Parent Visiting Day for the Super Bowl. The
last two teams play for the Toilet Bowl. (Laughter here.) All games leading up to the ?elimination rounds? are
exhibitions, used to seed the teams for the bracketed games, which take place the last week of the session.
Every team is made up of players from the youngest ages, like yours, to the oldest people on the grounds, including
counselors and sometimes administrators of the camp. (Skeptical look here, especially from the boy?s dad.) Our tale
continues. Ah, but how does the nine year old ever hope to have passes thrown to him, given that the older persons
can be assumed to dominate the game?
At this point, we paraphrase some of the rules you see here. The most obvious is the point differential between
touchdowns scored by older players and younger players. ?You cannot win the Kingswood touch football
tournament without having good juniors on your team,? we acknowledge. (Epiphany here, even by non-sporty
parents) So, what about the rule that permits running out of bounds on the one-yard line? (Bolts of sudden
enlightenment here from everyone who has a sports background of any sort.)
"You cannot win the
Kingswood touch football
tournament without having good
juniors on your team"

OLD SCHOOL
The Kingswood Camp Touch Football Rule Book
1. games played to 28, halftime at 16
2. scoring breakdown:
- juniors- 8 points
- intermediates- 6 points
- seniors- 5 points
- CITs/counselors- 3 points
- second touchdowns and beyond are 4 points for
everyone (CIT?s/counselors = 1)
- safety- 3 points
3. 8 on 8, only 1 counselor on the field at a time
4. two-hand touch. If a player falls while making a
catch,he does not need to be tagged- down by contact
5. kickoff rules:
- must kickoff (no throw-offs)
- kickoff from 20 (may punt)
- out of bounds on a fly, starts at 35
- bounces out, starts where ball crosses sideline
- touchback, starts at 20
- if caught cleanly, run with it
- if dropped, dead ball at that spot
- laterals are allowed, dead ball if dropped
6. punts are allowed, NO fakes
9. 7-Mississippi count (must be loud and 4 syllables),
then can rush QB with one or more defender
10. college rules pertaining to sideline and end zone
plays- only one foot needs to be in bounds (ball ?crossing
the plane? does not apply)
11. defenders may only guard one age group differencefor
example, SRs may guard INTs but not JRs
12. one blitz per set of downs, same rule as #9. You
must yell ?Blitz!? before crossing line of scrimmage. QB
can never cross line of scrimmage, only scramble
13. subs and/or extra coach should stand even with the
line of scrimmage to make sure QB does not cross.
warning for first offense, loss of down for each
subsequent offense.
14. no running plays are allowed
15. running out right before midfield or right before
end zone IS permitted
16. if protecting QB, you must block with your body,
NOT push with your hands. ?Picks? are ok when
blocking rushers but NOT in
the secondary
17. junior vs. junior rocks/paper/scissors determines
opening kickoff, other team gets it after halftime
18. counselors make all calls
7. no fumbles - dropped ball is a dead ball at that spot. No
stripping or grabbing the ball out of a player?s hands
8. only one first down, at midfield
19. sportsmanship must reign supreme
20. consult Commissioner with other questions

OLD SCHOOL
Shupe weighs in
I suggest that the CIT and counselor scoring rule be amended to allow just one point for the second
touchdown. This really places a strong demand on teams to distribute the ball to all age groups. Of course,
we do not have replay cameras on site (hey, what a good idea though!) to verify the ?breaking of the plane,?
on TD?s, so we have to rely on a consensus of onlookers and participants for TD calls.
I actually don't mind the idea of allowing running plays to campers who just want to try to scramble for a
first down - may actually even open up more of a passing game if a couple runs can gain a few yards here and
there.... Scottie? Thoughts?
Running out of bounds at the goal line is fine precisely because the fun is in that "scrum" near the goal line
trying to get it to younger campers, or getting those that haven't scored the ball in the end zone. Though I
don't like the way it "looks" to run out of bounds, it's important for us to understand why it's ok, and make
it clear to the camp.
The problem with the "scrum" is that the older kids can often knock down the little kids because there is not
much room to work with in the end zone with 14 running around like crazy people. But perhaps this just
goes with the nature of the game, and an opportunity to teach older kids to be aware of their bodies and
what's most important about that "scrum"/football game in the first place. Teachable moment??

THE AMBASSADOR'S SPIN
The guy's name is Michael. But, don't ever address him as such. He is
KLAUS, plain and simple. He has been with us for 22 of Kingswood's 32
summers under the Wipfler banner. As Head Counselor, he makes
knowing every boy his prime camp duty. He is everybody's best friend,
UNLESS he has donned his black trench coat, black hat and dark
sunglasses, whereupon he transforms into the mean Mr. Ambassador (from
nowhere to nowhere). His mission is to smash every egg to bits during the
infamous Egg Drop competition. He's got a great way with sarcasm and we
think you will enjoy his biting wit. Take it away Mr. Ambassador.
Thanks KFL authors for making me think about the football tournament early. I avoid this tournament every year, as I prefer to
save my excessive emotion for coaching Kingswood?s Ultimate Frisbee tournament teams. However, reading the 2011 rules made
me moderately horrified, but not nearly as much as comparing them to the actual rules of the NFL. I found a few problems I
wish to discuss since for some reason I get to rant with an audience.
Problem 1: The NFL official rulebook has 18 rules; the Kingswood football tournament has 20. Seriously? The Kingswood
football tournament has more rules than the NFL? Officially, yes.
Problem 2: ?Yards.? The first rule of the NFL, the dimensions of the field, actually makes sense. There are uniform field
lengths and defined end zones and right angles and everything. The Kingswood ?yard? is basically one ?Mike Wipfler pace,?
which is why Mike Wiff is required to be present whenever a field is lined (he also has exceptional technique in using the line
sprayer). The Kingswood rules call for a goal line, a 20, a 35, and a 50-yard line, but these are proportional measurements made
by Kingswood counselors, which nearly automatically make them incorrect. Luckily everyone is always at home.
Problem 3: Capitalization. Even though the rules specifically state ?Commissioner Shupe,? I am going to assume the author of
this document is Scott Neff and blame him for the horrific capitalizations (or lack thereof) of letters at the beginnings of the
rules. For a man who will interrupt ANYONE who makes a ?me? versus ?I? error in a sponsorship pitch to make such a
repeated careless mistake is not acceptable and devalues the tournament.
Problem 4: Comic Sans. What kind of joke font is that? If my student submits a paper in that garbage font for six-year-olds I
would crumple it up and throw it back at him.
Problem 5: Challenges. The Kingswood football tournament needs a replay system. Counselors make the calls and the
?Commish? answers the questions, but what about the reviews? I think an elaborate challenge system that really slows down the
games while counselors watch an iphone video over and over is required to make the football tournament more true to real life.
We can do better in this digital age.
After a review of my own, perhaps the Kingswood football tournament is best left alone? ?
Make it work and be a pro,
Klaus

LISTEN TO THE LOONS
I would imagine that most camps could label themselves as ?The Camp of Happiness.? The reason for this is that children do
indeed adapt to being away from home for a significant spell of time. And, while this notion may not entirely assuage or soften
the apprehension of many of Kingswood?s ? and other camps?? first-time participants, you have our word that we will not fail
for lack of trying. Let?s reframe that sentence in the positive. At Kingswood, we make it our prime objective to see to it that
boys are well taken care of. Here is a link to ?The Kingswood Promise,? which outlines our camp philosophy in this regard.
Perhaps come back to it after you view Sara?s photo evidence that Kingswood truly qualifies as a ?Camp of Happiness.?

PHOTO OPS
Each issue features a bunch of pix, plucked from our enormous fileboxes
of willy-nilly photos stored in a basement closet. Send us your
pictures or make a request from a fond camp memory. Email pictures
or requests to swipfler@gmail.com
3
1
4
2
1. Adam Braverman attended the NYC reunion.
2. So did Terence Einhorn, who gave Wiff that same look when
told his age.
5
3. Leonard "Gus to his friends" Wood engages the campers with
some ancient passages in Farsi
4. Tim Jones has grown much larger than this. He and his
brother, Danny, regaled stories of their very first foray from the
home nest.
5. Garrett Smith, right, was the ping-pong tsar who closed the
facility for an entire day due to one crushed ping-pong ball.

PHOTO OPS
3
1
2
4
5
1. Lucas Haralson is a zoologist these days.
2. Max Muheim offered the most popular counselor dessert in
camp memory.
3. Dan Forester discovers the most comfortable use of the inner
tubes during general swim.
Follow Kingswood Camp on Facebook and Istagram
(@kingswood_camp) for throwback pictures
4. Nate Harris, Mac Wilson and Easley Edmunds enjoy time
together at Whale's Tale.
5. Danny McCabe in blue and Dylan Roman, bottom right,
were also in attendance at the NYC reunion. Everyone cited in
these photo ops has been cited recently. Send us your news,
and we will feature your mug next time!

SMITTY ERA PHOTOS
Thanks to Lynn Dennison, the daughter of Bob Smith, who ran Kingswood from 1947 to 1979,
we have the full brochure of the 1939 camp season, when your beloved camp was called Naidni.
Yes, Naidni, or Indian backwards. Such was one?s sense of humor in those days, we guess.
Anyway, here are a few pictures from that publication. Some of the pages are fascinating and we
will use them from time to time in future editions of Kingswood For Life.

EVENING SPONSORSHIPS
Check out the previous KFL publications!
KFL1 KFL2 KFL3
CLICK TO READ CLICK TO READ CLICK TO READ
CLICK TO READ
KFL4
This link takes you to the Kingswood website/ Kingswood Resources/ Camp
Archives. Scroll to the bottom and you will see that every Monday Blues
Buster from 2002 to 2011 is available for rediscovery. Same with the
Summertime daily Director?s reports. What a great way to reminisce. If you
find anything that strikes you as funny, entertaining, be sure to prompt me
to include it in one of those upcoming alumni reports.
Please tell others in your network about Kingswood's efforts to reunite with
old-time campers and parents. Give them this link to sign up for themselves:
https:/ / kingswoodcamp.campintouch.com/ ui/ forms/ applications/ alumni/ App

CALL TO QUARTERS
When Mr. Wiff was a camper at Camp Norway in the 1950?s, the ?Call to Quarters? bugle was the signal for
him and his buddies to get lost, so they would not have to go brush their teeth before Taps and bedtime.
Following is the list of people who have donated their ?quarters? plus more to the Kingswood Scholarship fund
in the past year. We thank all of them heartily for contributions which go directly to support tuition payment
by those who need assistance. Once you finish ?brushing your teeth? with this segment of the newsletter, scroll
down or across to the final pages, called ?Taps? to learn more about the scholarship program. Of course, it is
our hope that these folks, plus more, will be able to give again to this worthwhile cause.
Alex OLD Alger SCHOOL
Sara Auchincloss
Charlie Grant
Nicholas Hall
Judy Marsh
Richard Marsh
Dylan Roman
Peter Rominger
Scott Banks
Harmon Handorf
Elizabeth Medici
Mike Rosenberg
Deborah Beblo
Lucas Haralson
Louis Melendez
Sue Seeber
Ari Blum
David Heilbron
Josh Michael
Kenneth Settel
Adam Braverman
Drew Herron
Michael Minchin
Thomas Suber
Peter Bruton
Sharon Humphreys
Albert Misak
Brandon Vier
Wendy Buzy
Noel Humphreys
Judy Monaghan
Steven Warner
Julie Cain
Matt Johnson
Jeanne Morency
Jennifer Weiss
Michael Conte
Danny Jones
Scott Neff
Mac Wilson
Phil DeCola
Tim Jones
James Nunes
Rebecca Wipfler
Matt Donahue
Terri Judge
Scott Otteman
Rob Wipfler
Nancy Dove
Vic Kats
Jay Parker
Alice Wipfler
Valerie Doyle
Robin Khadduri
Lisa Peterson
Bob Wipfler
Thomas Dudley
Cathy Livingston
Colin Puth
Mike Zimmerman
Jack Feely
Sidney Lovett
Jackson Richards
Mike Zizzo
Bernard Feinsod
Philip Mabry
Chris Robles

TAPS
At Kingswood, our mission is to create a happy,
close-knit community that treasures kindness, the
natural world, and the joy of play; a place where
boys develop confidence, make independent
choices, value true friendship, and grow into
responsible, caring young men.
We are confident that this statement resonates with the community we have created over our 30+ years at the Kingswood
helm. Yet, there remains one more significant value that cannot show up in any mission statement: Who becomes the beneficiary
of such wholesome goals?
We use the National Association of Independent School?s financial aid evaluation service, which assists us in awarding
director?s scholarships to families who qualify. In calendar year 2016, Kingswood granted $73,270 in scholarship assistance to
otherwise full-paying clients. Through the generosity of camp friends and alums, we received $15,010 in gifts which we applied
directly to several specific camper's tuitions, thus enabling them to attend Kingswood.
We would like to continue to provide scholarships to well-deserving families with boys who are highly recommended to
us. A simple definition of the word ?deserving? to us entails a child who would not only personally profit from a camp experience,
but who would also clearly ?enhance? the quality of our existing camp community by his presence as a camper. To be certain, the
first requisite is the boy?s character!
Our parent accrediting agency, the American Camp Association, has developed a vehicle that allows individuals to make
tax-deductible financial contributions to specific camps of their choosing, for use as scholarship funds. Accordingly, we have
created a Kingswood Scholarship fund through the ACA auspices. Precise guidelines and rules apply to such distributions, to
include grants only to deserving children.
To make a contribution, go here
We appreciate your generosity as we work to make the Kingswood experience a viable option for as many stellar candidates as
possible. In the years that follow closely, Kingswood Camp will grow!

Standards of Eligibility for Kingswood Camp
Scholarship Assistance
Kingswood Camp uses the following guidelines in
determining the applicability of scholarship aid to families
who apply for it. Both the personal characteristics of the
boy and a complete family financial disclosure are factors
weighed by the camp administration in making assistance
offers.
- The boy himself understands the basics of our
program and is eager to participate.
- His age is between 8 and 16 years old.
- His teachers/ coaches/ guidance counselors describe
him to us in areas of his curiosity, integrity,
intelligence, and general demeanor.
- The boy must acknowledge that he enjoys the
out-of-doors. He must realize that even our
wood-framed sleeping bunks have that ?outside feel?
to them.
- Kingswood seeks boys who are respectful of others
and able to follow the guidelines of positive group
dynamics.
- We are assured that he is capable of enduring the
physical demands of our program.
- He expresses interest in grasping a larger
understanding of the physical world, and hopes to
acquire greater self-confidence through his camp
experience.
- He is committed to being a positive contributing
member of the Kingswood community.
- The boy?s family supports this endeavor and is
willing to provide all the information the camp needs
from them.
- The family submits a letter of recommendation from
the boy?s primary advisor or principal.
- The amount given toward the participation of any
scholarship camper shall not exceed the amount of
tuition and airfare minus the amount the family is
able to pay.
To contribute, click here