With 2020 underway, we’re proudly celebrating 100 years of summers filled with sports and adventures at Camp Chikopi in Ontario, Canada! Chikopi was Founded in the summer of 1920 by US Olympic Coach Matt Mann II and his wife, Lea. As the World’s First All Sports Camp and the World’s First Swim Camp, we have continued to carry their values for sports and competition through our 100-year evolution. Swimming has always had an integral role in Chikopi’s culture, and Matt believed it to be the only sport that could save your life as well as another’s. Matt was also a strong advocate on interpersonal skill-building through team sports, both on land and in the water.
For 100 years, we’ve provided boys in Canada and from around the world with a summertime home away from home, where they develop valuable physical and interpersonal skills, participate in a wide selection of land and water sports, all while building dynamic friendships that last a lifetime.
Thinking about enrolling your son for a Summer of Sports and Fun at Camp Chikopi in Ontario? Here’s what he’ll have to look forward to:
The Chikopi kitchen provides healthy; hand-prepared hot meals every day. Neil and Sherri Dolman carefully make breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a meticulously nut-free kitchen. Neil was a camper and counselor at Camp Chikopi before becoming our Camp Cook, together with his wife and two sons, the Dolman family have over 70 years invested at Camp Chikopi.
We understand the seriousness of various dietary restrictions, such as gluten and lactose intolerance, allergies, and vegetarian diets, as well as religious restrictions. We take care to provide healthy alternatives for all campers, so you can rest assured that your son is safe and well-nourished, all summer long.
Beginning with Matt Mann II’s Olympic Coaching background, successful sports veterans known for their exceptional ability to guide young athletes, oversee our sports classes. We regularly host world-class athletes and guest-coaches who motivate and inspire our campers, as well as provide them access to one-of-a-kind life stories and lessons to help them refine their skills, and build their character as part of a team.
In today’s technology-driven times, Camp Chikopi understands the need for young boys to unplug from the internet and their electronic device, appreciate nature to help foster strong mental and emotional health. We feel that the mental and emotional well-being of our campers - especially while at overnight sports camp and away from their family - is as important as physical health and safety. Rest hour and elective times are a daily part of our schedule.
Upon arrival at Camp Chikopi, all campers are swim tested, thus ensuring every camper receives swim instruction that best suits their level. The water test also assists Chikopi staff, counselors, and certified lifeguards to identify those campers who require closer attention in and around the water. Hospitals are located nearby, and we have 24/7 access to medical care. The National standard for camper supervision is 10:1, but at Chikopi, we maintain our traditional 3:1 camper to counselor ratio.
Every year a large percentage of Chikopi campers travel from all over the world to spend their summer with us; over 70% return each summer until they become Chikopi counselors and staff. This diversity allows each boy to experience new cultures, improve their communication skills, and build their patience and understanding for those different to themselves. More importantly, even if you were a camper 100 or 50 or 2 years ago, whether you use a pen and paper or the internet, boys who attended Camp Chikopi have built life-changing, long-lasting, priceless friendships.
Is your son ready to become part of the Camp Chikopi family? Visit our website, www.campchikopi.com, for session dates, enrollment forms, and all the information you need to confidently send your son to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Camp Chikopi – a Boys Summer Sports Camp in Ontario!
