Where it all started…

After a few years as head of the Detroit Athletic Club’s swim team, Matt Mann established what remains as the world’s very first competitive swimming camp, Camp Chikopi (for boys). Matt went on to coach at the University of Michigan, where he won eight NCAA titles. Matt coached at Harvard, Yale, and Oklahoma University, as well as serving as the United States Swimming Head Coach for the 1952 Melbourne Olympic Games. Matt and Lea (Muller) Mann operated Camp Chikopi until Matt’s death in 1962.

Meet our Camp’s Alumni

Over the course of Camp’s history, we’ve had numerous campers who have gone on to fame, or were children of famous statesman, dignitaries, actors, etc.. While we’d like to note their participation in camp’s programs, we’d rather list those campers whose accomplishments were of significance.

Here’s a short list of a few of our campers who went on to fame after camp:

• Kathy Baker, LPGA Champion
• Pro Boim
• Dick Bower,
• Mike Brown, GM/Owner Cincinatti Bengals
• Jerry Burns, Former NFL Coach (Minnesota Vikings)
• William “Buck” Dawson, Founder, International Swimming Hall of Fame
• Donna DeVarona, ABC Sports
• Bob Duenkel, Director, International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)
• “T-Bone” Strother Martin, Actor
• Dr. Joe McInnis, Underwater Researcher
• Rob McKay, Leading Authority on Teaching Babies To Swim.
• Dale Neuberger, President, United States Swimming
• Diana Nyad, Co-Anchor, Fox Network Sports
• Richard Quick, Head Coach Stanford University

INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME HONOREES:

• Alex Bauman
• George Breen
• Skippy Browning
• Bob Clotworthy
• Cecil Colwin
• Marilyn Corson
• John Davies
• Buck Dawson
• Dick Degener
• Jeff Farrell
• Howard Firby
• Dick Hanley
• Harry Holiday
• Laurie Lawrence
• Matt Mann
• Dick Papenguth
• Roy Saari
• Walt Schlueter
• Elaine Tanner

VISITING CAMP COACHES WHO BECAME ISHOF HONOREES:

• Alex Bauman
• Ray Bussard
• Forbes Carlile
• Dr. James “Doc” Councilman
• Harry Gallagher
• George Gate
• Sandy Goss
• Valerie Gyene
• George Haines
• Gary Hall Sr.
• Micki King
• Laurie Lawrence
• Aileen Riggin
• Deryk Snelling
• Don Talbot
• June Taylor
• Mark Tewksbury
• Carolyn Waldo
• Johnny Weissmuller

ONTARIO SWIMMING HALL OF FAME:

• Michael Nagy – 1990
• Marilyn Corson – 1994
• Matt Mann II – 1998
• Buck Dawson – 1998
• RoseMary Dawson (nee Mann) – 1998

U.S. SKIING HALL OF FAME:

• Betsy Clifford

LACROSSE HALL OF FAME:

• Bill Bilderback
• Ike Hildebrand

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME:

• George “Chief” Armstrong

WRESTLING HALL OF FAME:

• Cliff Keen

COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME:

• Harry Kipke
• Harry Newman

GYMNASTICS HALL OF FAME:

• Newt Loken

BOXING HALL OF FAME:

• Pete Rademacher

University Of Michigan Athletic Hall Of Honor:

• Ray Fisher – Baseball
• Matt Mann II – Swimming
• Fielding Yost – Football

Olympic Medalist:

• Mike Barrowman – Gold – Swimming
• Marilyn Corson – Bronze – Swimming
• Ginny Duenkel – Gold & Bronze – Swimming
• Bruce Kimball – Silver – Diving
• Micki King – Gold – Diving

Commonwealth Games Medalist:

• Peter Michienzi – Wrestling

In the case of high school, prep school and college All-Americans, there are hundreds, and we have not listed them because the errors of omission might exceed the positive recognition. The same can be said of the State champions, particularly 200 or more in swimming, but also in other camp sports.