Recreation
“Don’t give up, we’re nearly there,” says one teenager to another while on a strenuous backpacking trail in the Sawtooth Mountains. “Isn’t this brilliant sunset awesome?” Hear the smack of high fives after a successful climb by two teens on the climbing wall.
They have learned to trust one another.
“We did it!” screams a raft full of young people after having gone through four rapids by working as a team.
“This … is really worrying me,” says one of the young people to a counselor during a quiet, relaxed game of pool.
These exchanges reflect progress in their lives.
Recreation at Project PATCH addresses the basic human needs for our active teens at the Ranch. It is integrated into the Treatment Program every day with extra activities over the weekends.
Recreation is designed to address physical, mental and emotional needs, not just to kill time or provide entertainment. The benefits include emotional release, fitness, teamwork, building good relationships, and fun. Emotional release through recreational activities is a healthy and appropriate way to handle frustration, stress, tension, and anger. When anger surfaces during an activity, the appropriate response can be taught. Often a game will be stopped, and group counseling will take place to resolve the problem.
Fitness is an obvious benefit as young people learn sports and wholesome recreational skills.
The low ropes initiative course focuses on team building and problem solving for both residents and staff. The positive energy that occurs during recreation is a great stimulus for building good relationships. The elements of trust, sharing and caring are dependent upon close relationships. Recreation equals fun…a time to laugh, run, jump, exercise the mind, and enjoy life at that moment.
The program includes active, passive, indoor and outdoor components. Teamwork, fitness, emotional release, building good relationships, and good old-fashioned fun make up the recreation program at Project PATCH. Active recreation includes basketball, floor hockey, softball, hiking, swimming and other sporting activities. Passive recreation includes chess, crafts, music, foosball and ping-pong. Each activity has purpose to focus the residents on healthy amusements and activities. Television, movies and other technology based entertainment are kept at a minimum.