The Beautiful Idiocy of Tetherball
Maxine “Gunny” Gunsolly, the longtime owner and director of Sherwood Forest Camp on nearby Deer Lake was, by all accounts, a “tough bird”- and I mean that as a compliment! She inspired hundreds of young women to find their strengths, challenged the status quo, and built a following among her staff and campers that is remarkable. By all accounts, she didn’t suffer fools, or foolishness. So, it didn’t necessarily surprise me when I later learned that after sending her nephew to Mishawaka for one season in the 1970s that he moved on to an all male intensive trip program- remarking that all that the boys seemed to do at Mishawaka was play tetherball! I can assure you they did other things, but I can also guarantee that they probably did play a lot of tetherball. Too much, or not, is a matter of personal choice.
To this day, tetherball probably plays an outsized role in how campers fill the free time between activities and before meals. I have often thought about removing the poles- for some of the very same reasons Gunny cited- but have never been quite able to bring myself to do it. Depending on which answer you’d like to accept, one can find a number of origin stories for the game that has two contestants pounding a tethered ball tied to a steel pole around in a circle until one triumphs by wrapping it all the way around. An AI query tells me it most likely originated in Ireland in 1875. That is surprising, given the fact that all of our staff from Great Britain are at a loss to understand it, and marvel at the idiocy of its premise.
Part of my hesitation to remove the poles is surely based on the fact that it was one of the Camp activities where I was able to achieve a certain degree of mastery. I could count on a miscellaneous sports feather each year as the tetherball champion. This was achieved, not out of any superior hand-eye coordination, but rather that I was taller than most and could block the ball. A few seasons ago I challenged the 16-year-old camper champ to the best of 3 match. I lost, and the contest led to me seeking physical therapy for a strained calf. It was a helluva lot of fun, nonetheless.
I think my predecessors stuck the pole in the ground, tied a ball to it, and let kids play, but it was not driven out of any sense that it promoted physical fitness. Today, it can sometimes be the source of an injury- a jammed finger from someone who strikes the ball with an open hand, or the occasional camper who stands too close to the path of the circling ball and takes one upside the head. (My wife, the camp health director, detests the game!) So why do we keep it?
We keep it, I believe, because it is a perfect example of the benefits of low-stakes negotiation and accountability. “Roapie”, “double hit”, “my side”- transgressions that trigger a change of possession are all fouls that the players call on each other. Even in championship matches, there is no need for a referee. It’s free play at its finest. It is also an activity that is physically challenging, but doesn’t necessarily reward the strongest, fastest or most athletic (see above). It teaches conflict resolution, body awareness, emotional regulation, and small though it is, can offer a real sense of accomplishment.
One of Gunny’s nephews who attended went on to secure a prestigious management position, so I don’t think the lack of exposure to tetherball held him back, but for so many campers, it’s been a reliable diversion, and even a bit more. I think we will keep it.
And- as another of Gunny’s nephews reminded me- it’s just good old fashioned fun!