News From Elizaville

Early August afternoon. Sun high in a cloudless blue sky. Walk from the Admin to the HC porch chessboards along the lake path. Stop at the boys waterfront during 5th period optionals—and the momentary calm before the unbridled energy of lower hill general swim....

Four graduating Upper Seniors are in deep focus, two on each end of the shallow swimming area, trying to skim a Spike Ball (think softball-sized rubber ball) past the opposing pair on the opposite side. In a pause in the action, I ask them what they are doing. “We’re playing Crib Ball.” (Of course!) A point is scored if the Spike Ball can bounce past the defenders and hit the “guarded” dock behind them. In the days that follow, I see that this is a fifth-period ritual, different Upper Seniors playing day to day, rules and language evolving, an additional player added to each team (who is stationed on the dock behind the defenders)…. It’s a game they have invented…. And clearly love.

Which got me thinking…. For all of the fun, memories, and learning at “traditional” activities (from basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis; to art, ceramics, cooking, and woodshop; to climbing, fishing, hik ing, and building a campfire) how central to the Scatico experience are all the games we make up, whether carefully crafted and planned or conjured on the fly. Stuff maybe played one time only (still some tinkering to do!) or that become a fixture in the weekly schedule. Where better than at summer camp can we so easily gather to create and, simply, play? Just a tad throwback.

And Scatico certainly has its share of games played in the 12523 and maybe nowhere else in the universe. Safari, Human Stratego, Full-Camp Musical Chairs, Ice Bucket Kickball, Capture the Hill (aka Scatico Ball), Queen of the Castle, Ultimate Ball, Kickball-Strideball, Matt Ball, Slamma Jamma, Backyard Baseball, Greasy Watermelon, Battleships, Slapball (on the B Court, naturally, a home run for hitting it over the tennis court fence and a divisional pizza party for hitting it through the far basket, which maybe happens only once or twice a summer).... Like Crib Ball, Nile Ball was a summer of 2025 invention (shout out to Soph DL and inventor Nile Cather)—a chaotic blending of soccer and Ultimate Frisbee played simultaneously by two teams, on a single field, with no stoppage in the action even after a score (in either sport).

Back to the waterfront. I find myself sucked into the play and even running through different strategies like it was the 4th quarter of a tied Super Bowl game. Are defenders more effective playing closer to the dock they’re defending or by inching nearer to the person skimming the Spike Ball (cutting off the angle)? Is the high (slower) skim better than the low skim (which travels faster)? Can the fake throw be deployed more effectively or is it better to catch and throw back as quickly as possible?

What’s on the horizon for the summer of 2026? I can’t wait to find out.

Maybe unique to the 12523?

Although no photo of Crib Ball exists (at least not in the Scatico files), a few other games perhaps played nowhere else in the universe....

Staying in Touch

Our first “Staying In Touch” column of the 2025-26 off-season and, as always, we’ll start with Random Scatico Sightings (RSSes)— unplanned sightings of members of the com- munity outside of the 12523…. Siblings Eloise and Henry Berlach, on a late-August family vacation in Maine, reported a double RSS—first with counselor Spencer Hellman and later (on the beach) with siblings Elyse and Ryan Hutton…. Thinking of diehard Mets’ fans at Scatico, Jack Gurtman and Charlie Oren certainly come to mind. So maybe a September RSS at Citifield isn’t too surprising?….

At a resort for a fall weekend in the Poconos Mountains—an RSS moment for Maya Vorsanger and sisters Caroline and Sarah Moyal…. Likewise for Ezra Elkin and Silas Henry rep- resenting their Middle Schools (Ardsley and Irvington respectively) at a soccer game….

…And for non-RSS news and non-news…. From Elizaville to Times Square—International counselors Sophie Leonard, Violet Hopkinson, Phoebe Collins, and Jess Turvey shared this photo from their postcamp travels…. Thirteen 2026 Seniors connected for an October reunion…. Same day, different locations, divisionmates of Aaron and Ben Taubenfeld and Ruby Moskowitz helped celebrate B’Nai Mitzvahs in October…. Send news, non-news, and photos for the Winter issue of the Newsletter to info@scatico.com. As a reminder, we will only include reunion photos if the entire division is invited.

The Canteen

Congratulations to Scatico mom (Lainey and Sam) and alumnus Amy Tunick on the launch of The Canteen, a marketing consultancy firm. As the website explains:

“The company name, The Canteen, was inspired by sleepaway camp, which has played an important role in Amy’s life. At camp, the canteen is a cherished central location where campers, counselors, staff, and visitors gather. It is the heart of the community.”

On the Horizon

In the Winter Issue of the Camper Newsletter: Results from the 2025 Camper Survey (last chance to send back your forms) as well as updates on program and capital plans for next season.
For Families: The Camper Portal with paperwork like the packing list and medical forms will go live in January…. Campers (and parents) love visiting Scatico in the off-season. The fall foliage season may have come and gone, but winter looms on the horizon. Sledding on the golf course hills. Taking in the ice fishing on the lake. Walking across the lake from the Clubhouse to the Woodshop. Obligatory stop(s) for pizza at Sal’s and/or ice cream at Holy Cow. Just email in advance so we can provide a weather update (and confirm snow cover or if the lake is frozen).

July 4. Though the survey results are not fully tabulated, it’s always a crowd-pleaser (see photo below) and certain to be among the top vote-getters for “Favorite Special Event.” What do we love most? Dressing up in red, white, and blue with divisionmates? Talent show? BBQ dinner? Fireworks? All of the above?

Green shorts and white t-shirts set aside for the day, the 2025 Juniors (left) and Centers (right) discover tennis and basketball maybe prove a little more fun in red, white and blue.

Home Sweet Home

*Other States: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

**International: Ecuador, France, Hong Kong, Kenya, and Spain.

New on the Scatico Website!

Virtual Map. Curious to see our Scatico from a drone's eye view? Camp photographer Jesi Pedrocca (already signed on for 2026!) was busy capturing Scatico from the skies this post-camp, and has created our first ever virtual map complete with activity photos! Check it out at scatico.com/virtual-tour. More of our campus-- from overnight sites to the sunset trail-- to be added to the map next summer!
Scatico Off-Season Blog. Our first blog post of the 2025-26 off-season is now live at scatico.com/scaticoblog! Hear from 2025 Division Leaders and members of senior staff about how they "bring camp" into their daily home and school lives.