As a co-captain and a three-year starter for the Rosemont College volleyball squad, Megan Whitman knows a little something about leading her team into the heat of battle.

As a senior counselor at a day camp at Brandywine Battlefield, in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, site of the largest land battle of the Revolutionary War, Whitman spends her summers leading kids in a journey back into 18th century life.

In one of the rare instances when both commanders-in-chief were in charge on the battlefield, Gen. George Washington and British Commander Sir William Howe led an estimated 29,000 British and Continental soldiers into the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. Washington attempted to take a stand on the Brandywine River, but was outflanked by the British and ultimately forced to retreat.

These days, for eight weeks each summer, Whitman helps the national landmark play host to groups of kids, ages 6 to 12, as part of a day camp.

The Rosemont junior became involved with the day camp through a family friend.

"Since I was about eight,

I've been babysitting and for the longest time, I've wanted to be an elementary school teacher," Whitman said. "I figured this would be a great chance to work with that age group and see if that's what I wanted to do."

Whitman has been a part of the camp staff at Brandywine Battlefield for the past four years. By her own admission, she didn't plan on making her tenure an extended one, but she fell in love with the kids and the work.

Groups ranging in size from 10 to 20 spend week-long sessions at the battlefield site. Although each of the camp sessions features some similarities, such as opening each day by saying the Pledge of Allegiance, touring key sites at the national landmark and covering the same basic areas of emphasis -- musket drills, medical support, cooking and artillery -- the sessions are tailored to the gender of each week's group.

"Weeks when we have mostly boys, which is military camp, we do soldier dress. We teach them how if the soldier's head isn't covered with a hat or their ankles or elbows are showing, then they are considered naked," said Whitman. "When we have girls, which is called 'Life on the Brandywine' and deals with Quaker life, we explain to them each part of the woman's outfit and each part of the man's outfit."

Regardless of which gender is present at Brandywine, on Thursdays, Whitman dons period costume complete with a chemise, petticoat, apron, jacket and bonnet, and, with campers' assistance, prepares a soldier's meal of beef, corn on the cob, fruits, bread, homemade butter, gingerbread and homemade ice cream.

During the week, she also instructs campers on how to march and hold a musket, as well as how to load and fire the weapon as quickly as three times in a minute.

In addition, Whitman and the other counselors guide participants through games that, while fun, also help give kids insight into some aspect of the battle. Although campers enjoy period games such as "Steal the Bacon" or rolling wooden hoops with sticks -- and while participants also run relays to simulate ways in which soldiers trained -- the overwhelming favorite for campers is "Capture the Flag."

"We play that every single day," Whitman said. "Friday is the huge game when the parents actually come and take pictures and videotape it. It lasts for about an hour and we play from one headquarters to the other headquarters, which is about a half mile."

In a demonstration that the court and classroom aren't the only places where she puts her quickness to good use, Whitman learned the history and the skills she now passes along to the young campers mostly through observation and hands-on experience. Beating that learning curve, though, isn't the steepest challenge of the job.

"The kids constantly want to play Capture the Flag and we need to teach them different things. So just trying to get their attention and get them to settle down is the hardest part," Whitman said.

But the junior said beyond dressing up and cooking on Thursdays, watching campers play Capture the Flag is the part she enjoys most about working at the camp.

"They get so into it. They even ask us to help them. It's just a lot of fun," she said.

While Whitman still plans to teach eventually, the experience at Brandywine inspired her to pursue a major in history at Rosemont, and she hopes to work as a museum curator or in a national park someday.