Pom Camp '25, feat. Abby and the MHS Varsity Pom Squad

What's up, Pom fans.

I included the itinerary for each day of the Camp for you.

Abby once again wanted to go to Pom Camp this summer, which seems to fall the week after the Fourth of July every year, over at local Northwood University. It's about the closest thing to a 'summer camp' she does, so we grudgingly pulled out the $600 admission cost and basically set it on fire.

Pom is seriously the most expensive sport in school. Soooo glad Abby went with that when she could be playing volleyball or running track.

Anyway.

Unlike last year, her and Ella wouldn't be sharing a dorm room this year since Ella didn't make the Midland's varsity team during tryouts a few months back (though she should have, Ella's up there with the best from their grade - it was complete bullshit, but at least they'll be on the same team again their Junior Year.) With her BFF no longer an option, Abby roomed with another friend of hers (who also made Varsity), Nica, in that DuBois Hall that all the teams from varying schools cram into.

Alayna, Sharon, and I help the girls move into their dorm room on Day 1. 

The camp followed the same schedule as last year: practice and team-building throughout the day, then an evening 'evaluation' where you perform the routine you learned that day (each day at camp you learn a new routine) for a panel of judges and all the family and friends that show up, then you go back to your dorms to go to sleep. They're long, demanding days and the girls definitely wear themselves out - when Abby came home from camp she crashed immediately and slept for almost half a day (not surprisingly.)

Anyway, the captions in this post are gonna be short and sweet 'cause I was only present during the Evening Evaluation performances (that being the only part of the camp that's open to the public) - I have no idea what the rest of the camp entailed, I'm just sharing pics and video I took off Abby's phone and the MHS Varsity Instagram account.

So yeah - here's Pom Camp '25, folks. Enjoy. . .

We had to have Abby at Northwood by like 7:30am in order to get her settled in the dorms before practice started on Day 1. That was loads of fun.

The Cannonball, being a helpful sister. These dorm rooms are tiny and outdated - far crappier than the ones Kris and I had at Western Michigan, that's for damn sure.

Roommates Abby and Nica

Team pic of MHS Varsity Pom on the morning of Day 1.

They have camp staff - older girls who have graduated pom and either were pommers themselves in high school, are pom coaches at other schools, or are currently pommers at a collegiate level - teach the teams a new routine every day that they then have to turn around and perform at the evening evaluation. Pretty intense.

Practicing.

Huddling up for another team chant (team-building is a big component of these camps, too.)

Another team pic in the afternoon or evening (I guess.)

The Varsity sophomores - Nica, Abby, and Brooklyn.

MHS Varsity's performance during Day 1's Evening's Evaluations, which - as stated before - was open to family and friends. 

Day 2 Itinerary

Getting around in the morning of Day 2

Walking from the dorms to the athletic complex.

Abby with Nica and Brooklyn at practice that day (every day has a different 'theme,' and they get different shirts for each day.)

A team pic for Day 2 in their 'Fall in love with Pom' shirts.

Day 2's Evening Evaluation performance

Day 3 Itinerary

They must have had two shirts for Day 3, 'cause in these practice pics - which I'm sure are out of order (they're from Instagram and SnapChat, so there's no time-stamp on 'em) - they're wearing two different styles of shirt. Who knows.

Another bathroom selfie with Nica and Brooklyn.

Day 3 Team Pic

Brooklyn and Abby

More practice.

Kick Line practice.

Performing at the Day 3 Evening Evaluations.

I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the girls next to their decorated dorm room door (based on the movie Tangled) on Day 1, so I made sure to do so when I helped move Abby out of her room on the morning of Day 4 (they had to be completely moved out of their dorm before reporting to the gym for the Final Evaluations.) 

Kick Line on point with this crew.

Day 4's Final Evaluation performance - the last one of this year's Pom Camp.

After all the teams performed their original routine again (from Day 1) they announced this year's All-Star Pom Team. Girls had the opportunity to try out for this elite (and expensive) pom team, comprised of students from all over the state. This All-Star Team marches in the Detroit Thanksgiving Parade, travels to other countries, Disney World, the Capitol, etc. - it's a big deal. Abby decided 'what the hell' and tried out on a whim.

. . . . aaaaaand she made All-Star Pom Team. Kris and I were super proud of her, but also a little apprehensive 'cause this one's gonna be REALLY expensive. Kris is gonna have to start hookin' on the side or something.

MHS Varsity Pom

Per the usual, after performances, awards, and announcing the All-Star Pom Team, girls milled about the gymnasium and took pictures with their friends and families. . . all the while parents patiently stood by, waiting for their kids to wrap up.

Abby and the team's Staff Sister (the staff member who helps the coaches train the team in the various routines throughout the week.) I don't know this chick's name.

Hugs.

And one with this dork.

Posing with one of her coaches (again, don't know her name.)

So there you go, folks - Abby kicked ass at this year's Pom Camp, once again. And she made All-Stars. This kid's a f***ing rock star.

- Brian

The Fall Pom Banquet (sans Dad)

'Sup homies.

So tonight Abby and the rest of her JV Pom Team held the usual end-of-season banquet over at the high school. Yours Truly didn't end up attending this time around, as I had been forced to come home from work earlier in the day because I was super sick, so I slept on the living couch all day. As such, I'm relying solely on the pics that Kris, Abby and Alayna took throughout the hour-long banquet, which included the usual award ceremony, eating, and loads of posed pictures with friends. And I'm obviously just going to spitball as far as captioning goes, folks.

Let's see how it went. . .

Alayna took this black-and-white pic of Abby seated alone at a table and shared it on the family thread. In reality, she was the first one to get through the food line and take her seat at the table while her friends followed shortly behind her. But Alayna thought it was hilarious.

Abby walks forward to receive her award from her coaches during the award presentation.

After the awards were distributed, the team stood around and. . . . did. . . something. . . with these decorated paper plates. . . I guess.

ALL HAIL PAPER PLATES.

(Seriously, I have no idea what's happening here.)

Abby and her JV coaches.

Abby and Nica

And now one with whoever the hell this is.

Abby received the Little Miss Sunshine award from her teammates. Which I assume means she usually has a sunny disposition or something (in public at least.)

And one from her coaches for 'laser focus.' Which sure as hell beats 'most forgetful' or whatever that she got last year.

And of course she had to get one with her partner in crime. . .

Group selfie with some of the kids on her team (Nica, Harper, Emma, and some other chick)

One with Emma.

(I don't know who this is.)

On the way back to the cars, Nica passed on this giant-ass Winnie the Pooh plush that her mom had been trying to get rid of for years.

Abby's always loved Winnie the Pooh so she was pretty excited about it.

After they came home, winding down with some before-bed TV with her new couch homie.

- Brian