Jason Goetz...

Have you wondered what your favorite counselor does for their day job? Or, perhaps you've lost touch with a CDF pal and would love to know what they're up to. Search no more! You can find out here in the alumni spotlight "Where Are They Now?"... Oh, and please remember to email and let us know what you are up to so we can feature YOU too!

1. How many years did you attend camp and what was the last year that you attended?  

I attended the Dudley Camp for 8 years-or so I think, because everyone knows I can't count.  My 'senior summer' was 2005, and I left like a wreck, drowning in my tears.

2. What is your favorite camp memory? 

I have four favorite camp memories. I was there for a long time and was in the center of quite a bit of great action, so bear with me as I relive the glory days! 

1. One was hitting two free throws with no time left to tie the championship game on the little-guy courts; Jordan Schlacter was screaming at the ref (who I think was Coach Rison) because I must've set some sort of record in our weekly 50 FTs, shooting something like 8 for 50.  As with all poor shooters, I banked in the first one.

2. Another was on the first day of camp, three or four years later.  We were having our early 'tryouts,' or whatever those are, and we were separated into forwards/centers and guards.  The forwards/centers were running a three-on-three drill, and big Kyle Herman was guarding me.  Now Kyle was a character, and at this point he was a senior, and he was about 6'5" and 240 or 250.  I got the ball on the elbow and someone started shouting 'HOOK!  HOOK!'  But I thought 'it's too early for this, let me give the ball up.'  Well the ball came back to me in virtually the same spot a few seconds later, and by now everyone is yelling 'HOOK!  HOOK!'  I have no idea, to this day, why they were yelling it, but wouldn't you know I decided I'd humor them, no matter how embarrassing it would be, and throw up a sky hook that takes longer than my grandfather clock to wind up.  And wouldn't you know, the thing hits nothing but net.  The group went nuts.  Kyle just stared at me in disbelief, and for the rest of the week he would not stop challenging me to re-do it.  I still bust it out in pickup games and everyone yells 'KAREEM!' But it started right there.

3. A third memory was my first comedy routine, which was the same year.  Again I have no idea quite why I signed up, other than that I might have wanted to impress some girls or something.  I signed up to do a comedy routine and had not the slightest clue what I would do.  I had been working that week, like a pompous teenager, to find the perfect angle for a shot, and had all these goofy notes and stuff.  I told Chris Gindele I had calculated it and it was 65.2 degrees.  So Kyle was hosting it, and he introduced me.  I got up there and just threw my notes in the air and started rambling, still with no plan.  Apparently it worked, because everyone was in total stitches and Kyle even forgave me for a second enough to offer me a glass of water when I finished.  (A later version of the comedy routine had me pulling down a pair of tight black jeans to reveal my dad's tennis shorts from high school, when he was 180 lbs, claiming I was John Stockton, host of 'Basketball Idol.'  I was at this point 230.)

4. And then my fourth memory is of little Grady Kestler, who was some tiny guy, challenging me to a game of one-on-one on the last day of camp, it might've been the same year but I can't remember now.  All I remember is that we started the game and a few guys sat on the hill to watch us.  Now I have no one-on-one skill whatsoever, equally now as then.  Well the game must've taken half an hour, and slowly but surely a crowd gathered on that hill, and it sure seemed like the whole camp was there.  Wouldn't you know it, Grady starts dribbling the ball through my legs and literally runs circles around me, and beats me.  Sure did remind me of where we all really stand in the world!

3. Did you learn anything at camp to improve your diabetes care? 

I learned a ton about testing frequently and making adjustments for strenuous exercise.  But some of it is less relevant now; in high school I didn't play any sports, my school only had 100 kids and I was a late bloomer anyways, so I'd show up to camp and it'd be the most exercise I'd get all year.  At one point I was even 270 lbs.  Now I'm 190, and play pickup ball twice or three times a week, so the adjustments are less of an issue.  But I still need to make them every now and again, and what I learned at camp was really important.

4. Do you stay in contact with anyone you met while attending camp? 

I text Chris Gindele all the time.  He and I used to have a top-and-bottom bunk every year because of our last names, and I am sure the night counselors objected vociferously every time they saw it set up that way.  I saw him a few years ago in Vegas, and need to make a trip out to Texas to see him in his new digs in Fort Worth.

I actually even saw Chris Dudley himself about a year and a half ago.  I went to a Clippers game and they were playing the Timberwolves, and my mom and I got to our seats about an hour early.  All of a sudden she taps me on my knee and says 'Is that Chris Dudley over there?  Go say hi!'  So I snuck past security and went up and said hi, didn't give him my name.  If you want to know how much Chris is engaged with the camp, he thought for a second and said 'Hey Jason, how's it going?'  Here's a guy who must have shaken 500,000 hands a year and a half before when running for governor, and he remembered me on the spot.  I was a memorable camper!  I was really impressed. 

5. Do you have any advice for present or future campers? 

Cherish your time at the Dudley Camp, because it goes fast, and you will miss it when it's gone.  Hustle, hustle, and hustle more while you are still young.  And make connections, because they can be extremely valuable later on.

6. Tell us about yourself since your camper days...did you attend college and where...are you working...are you married...do you have children...anything else you would like to share.