As Patrick Dinges made his way through the Student Recreation Center (SRC) during the first week of Cougar Kids Camp in late June, campers ran up to him, yelled out his name, and gave him high-fives. Dinges, a 2023 graduate of Washington State University Pullman, is a very familiar face to many of them, since he worked for University Recreation as a camp counselor for several years.
What most of the kids don’t know about Dinges, who now serves as a camp coordinator, is that his history with Cougar Kids Camp — a UREC summer camp that promotes physical activity, healthy lifestyles, skill development, and fun — dates back over a decade, to when he attended the camp as a child.
He has great memories of playing in the pool, participating in fun games, and learning how to navigate the climbing wall — things that remain favorite activities for many of today’s campers. He said the large spaces and variety of equipment in the SRC, combined with the well-trained staff, provide an ideal environment for kids to learn, bond, and have fun.
“It is a familiar place, and it’s great to have memories of my time at the camp to look back on,” Dinges said. “But now I’m having new experiences as a camp coordinator that I look forward to.”
A perfect fit
Working for Cougar Kids Camp was not on Dinges’ radar when he decided to attend WSU. As he grew older and picked up new interests, memories of his fun camp days gradually faded — until a search for a college job suddenly brought them back to life. Toward the end of his senior year in high school, he attended a job fair on the Pullman campus where he learned about the possibility of becoming a Cougar Kids Camp counselor.
Dinges said his mom encouraged him to apply, noting that his previous experience with the camp would be an asset in the position. Not only has that turned out to be true, but Dinges has also gained valuable experience to support his future career as a teacher. The job, he said, turned out to be a perfect fit.
“I’ve done other kinds of work, but this is a role that I keep coming back to,” Dinges said. “It’s easy to wake up for in the morning and I have a lot of fun with it.”
A win-win situation
Many campers start attending at age 5 and continue every summer until they age out of the program in the seventh grade. Being able to watch them grow and develop over that span of time is a big reason Dinges has returned to Cougar Kids Camp every summer.
“My favorite thing about this job is the ability to impact our youth and grow relationships with them,” Dinges said. “You always learn something from them, just as much as you’re teaching them.”
He remembers the pride he felt as a kid climbing the wall a bit higher every day or scoring a few more points in a basketball game. Now, that pride comes from helping today’s campers reach their potential. Whether he’s encouraging hesitant campers to get more involved in a skit or asking an already confident camper to lead a game, Dinges said seeing them take the next step in their development is a win for them and him.
“There are always going to be wins every day and there will be struggles every day, but that gives you tomorrow to correct those and improve your situation,” he said. “Every day is different, and that’s something I look forward to.”
