Friday morning at Boys’ and Girls’ Club, the athletes took to the Chautauqua Lake docks to participate in Club’s annual Water Olympics.
After the rain delay on Thursday, Clubbers were ecstatic to get in the water. Athletes were divided between Team Red or Team Blue, while families lined the lakeshore to watch the competitors.
“It brings the generations together,” said Boys’ and Girls’ Club Program Coordinator Anna Coats. “We have parents and grandparents watching their children and grandchildren participating in an event that they might have done in Club, sometimes alongside people they went to Club with themselves.”
Water Olympics included different events for each age group, although the watermelon-based Tug-a-Melon seemed to bring the most rivalry. The goal was to bring a greased watermelon from the middle of the pool to one side of the dock.
The back-and-forth competiion allowed for the athletes to compete to their highest level, although there was one downside — Tug-a-Melon is unfortunately not set as an event for the 2028 Olympics.
Other Friday events included the Hula Hoop Relay, Inner Tube Pull, Kayak Relay, a 25-yard and 50-yard Freestyle, Basketball Shoot and volleyball game.
Team Red won with an astounding 188–122 victory, although the day wasn’t just about the perennial Team Blue and Team Red rivalry.
“This is another Club event that ties generations of Chautauquans together,” said Crafts Coordinator Linda Prechtl. “The activities are fun, the kids get excited, and even though it’s a competition, there is great camaraderie among our Groupers.”
