NOAC’s center of activity: The Hub
The Hub at NOAC was a center of activity as members of all ages flocked toward the various activities and display tents. “I really like this Hub area” said returning NOAC attendee Adam from Timmeu lodge. A visitor to The Hub could do anything from rock climbing and playing gaga ball to viewing displays at the legacy tent and at various booths.
A popular spot was gaga ball — a fast paced sport that took places in an octagonal pit. Players jump into the pit and try to avoid getting hit below the knee with a ball while yelling “ga” for the first two ball hits (hence the name of the game). Scouts of all ages were joining every round, and the excitement level was high. A fun sport to participate in, it is also an interesting sport to watch. Another nice part of Gaga ball was its fast pace—if you only had a couple of minutes to spare, you could stop by Gaga Ball and play a round.
Another area of interest was the climbing walls. From easy to a little more difficult, there was a climbing wall for you. Scouts were lined up for the climbing and would get into the back of the line when they were done to have another go at a different wall. If safety was a concern, fear not: the climbing walls had an automated belay system and climbers did not have to worry about falling to the ground.
In addition to climbing vertically, Arrowmen lined up for a bouldering wall and ice climbing challenge where they traversed horizontally. Aaron from Allohak Menewi lodge attempted the ice climbing challenge, where he suited up with a helmet and two ice axes. After climbing up the side board, he hooked an axe through a loop hanging from the ceiling and swung across to the other side to continue on. He managed the swing across once, but on the second swing, lost his footing and dropped to the ground. Undeterred, though, he got back in line to try it again. “It’s challenging!” he said, “They’re a lot farther apart than they look.”
The Hub is exactly what its name means—a center of activity. Whether you wanted to do something active, or you just wanted to browse some displays, The Hub had something for you. First time NOAC attendee Joe from Timmeu lodge had this to say about The Hub, “I’m excited about NOAC, and I can’t wait for the next one!”
