Camp Chikopi is the first swim camp in world, it was Founded in 1920 under the directorship of University of Michigan and US Olympic swim coach Matt Mann II. Its history of alumni swimmers has graced Canadian, American and International Olympic teams. Now, over a century later, Chikopi’s competitive swimming program retains the focus of Matt's traditional camp philosophy, namely the moral and physical development of the individual boy.
Chikopi is internationally known for teaching the fundamentals of swimming to all levels and abilities, from those learning to swim to those with a strong competitive swimming background. On arrival, every camper is swim tested and evaluated according to Life Saving Society and Red Cross standards. Non-competitive swimmers receive daily instruction to improve their swimming skills and develop better water confidence.
At Camp Chikopi, we believe that opportunity and effort are what makes a good swimmer. We appreciate and understand that everyone arrives at Chikopi at a different swimming level. We work closely with each individual camper, to help him strive to improve and discourage any “I can’t do it” mentality. By the end of a summer at Camp Chikopi, you will be able to see a great improvement in your son’s swimming level.
Camp Chikopi’s competitive swimming program focuses on individual development. Emphasis is on fundamentals: drills, starts and turns. Through instruction and conditioning, each camper’s physical and mental conditioning improves helping each swimmer improve in the pool.
Choosing to come to Camp Chikopi will provide your son an incredible experience this summer. We offer benefits not only for the summer of a lifetime but also success for the future.
We have all read the disturbing magazine articles on the harmful health issues associated with indoor swimming pools; the bad air quality, the lack of ventilation, chemical levels that contribute to asthma and skin conditions. At Chikopi our campers train in our one of a kind, built into the lake, 50m swimming pool. Chikopi's shoreline is part of the Magnetawan River, our campers swim in fresh flowing water, no chlorine, no chemicals, outside in the fresh northern air.
As a swimmer at Camp Chikopi, your son has the unique opportunity to find himself - what will make him a better swimmer, friend, and person. He will be immersed in an environment that will help him flourish as an individual as well as build his personal growth and well-being.
Our coaching staff take special interest in all of our campers. Their goal is to see your son and his peers be all they can be as a competitive swimmer and as a person.
Stroke technique, breathing, turns, positioning, grabbing, streamlining, rotating, and pressing.
Understand the tactics of racing: starts, efficient stoke technique, breathing, turns, finish, control and managing your race.
Each camper will gain significant improvement in speed and agility, power, endurance, and aerobic capacity thus reducing the risk of injury.
Camp Chikopi’s recreational swimming program focuses on teaching campers the basics of swimming and swim safety.
As a member of a competitive swim team, boys rarely have time for much else. At Camp Chikopi, your son will interact and meet other athletes as well as swimmers from multiple nationalities who will swim and workout alongside him to encourage, challenge, and motivate him.
We value your son; his development as a swimmer and his strength of character are important to us. As a swimmer at Camp Chikopi, he will experience different training styles from different coaches, this will work towards improving his ability to perform better. Through our training program, we help the campers discipline their bodies and mind, they then take this knowledge home and apply it to other areas of their lives.
In addition to training and developing your son into a competitive swimmer, we also provide a variety of activities such as kayaking, volleyball, sailing, tennis, lacrosse and more. This variety supplements his training regime and helps him avoid burnout.
We know that as a parent, you want your son to get the most out of his summer and be able to unplug from the demands that school has asked of him all year. Camp Chikopi is the World’s First Swim Camp, and is known as one of the top competitive swim camps in Ontario. Your son will gain skills to help him become a better overall swimmer. He will also have the chance to experience nature and all it has to offer, and make friends that will last a lifetime. Call us at (705) 387-3811 or visit https://www.campchikopi.com/page-register to enroll your son at Camp Chikopi for Summer.
The camp’s waterfront is dominated by almost a mile of Ahmic Lake shoreline, one of Ontario’s most unspoiled and picturesque lakes. It is the lake then that becomes the training ground for swimmers. Beyond the centerpiece 50 meter pool, located along the lake shore, lies the extensive reaches of the lake itself, mile after mile of pure water that not only invites but embraces the opportunity for open water swimming, one of the primary focuses of competitive swimming at Camp Chikopi. Beginning with daily “Early Bird” swims at 7:15 in the morning, open water swimming is not only encouraged for competitive swimmers but slowly introduced in various swim sessions for non-competitive swimmers as well during the day. Open water swimming builds confidence, strength and stamina. A highlight is the numerous open water swims, the 12 mile Chikopi to Magnetewan swim, 3 mile Ahmic Harbour Swim as well as the popular Knoepfli Mile Swim. Each contributes in a significant way to a swimmer’s awareness of his growth and development as a swimmer. Every camper has the opportunity to enshrine his name on the dining room wall by completing the Chikopi Mile Swim.
The in-lake pool training sessions focus on technique and the fundamentals of the four competitive strokes. Since speed is the essence of most competitive swimmers, much of our pool practices focus on sprint specific sets, incorporating a wide assortment of drills that apply to technique, starts, turns, and streamlining. Understanding racing strategy: the tactics of pace, stroke control and race management, are also addressed. One of the most popular competitions is the Team Comp Championship Swim Meet organized and participated in by all the campers and cabin counselors.
The Beach is a daily elective. Supervised recreational swimming, is in the late afternoon on First Beach. This quiet sheltered beach is used for multiple water activities. There are kayaks, surf boards, paddle boards, and sunfish sailboats.
All water activities at Camp Chikopi begin with lessons on the importance of water safety. Every water activity is supervised by certified lifeguards. Open water swimmers are accompanied by a canoe or kayak.
