Competitive Swimming

Boys Competitive Swim Camp in Ontario, Canada

Swimming has been central to Camp Chikopi since its founding in 1920 by University of Michigan and U.S. Olympic swim coach Matt Mann II. From the beginning, the program developed swimmers who progressed to national and international competition.

Today, Camp Chikopi operates a competitive swim program within a traditional overnight boys summer camp in Ontario, Canada.

A Balanced Competitive Swim Model

Competitive swimming at Chikopi is designed to support club swimmers while avoiding the strain of year-round single-sport intensity.

Swimmers benefit from:

Technical stroke refinement
Structured conditioning
Cross-training through multiple sports
Reduced overuse risk
Maintained motivation

All swimmers complete an arrival swim assessment and are grouped according to ability and experience.

swimming summer camp toronto

Training Focus

Daily sessions emphasize:

Stroke efficiency
Starts and turns
Sprint development
Pacing strategy
Race preparation

Training takes place in a 50-metre outdoor pool built into Ahmic Lake. The pool uses fresh, flowing lake water in a natural outdoor setting.

Open Water & Distance Training

Open water swimming is introduced progressively and includes supervised distance swims such as:

The Knoepfli Mile Swim
The Ahmic Lake Swim
The Magnetawan Swim
The Diamond
The Tringle
Rocky Reef
The Mag

All open-water sessions are supervised by certified lifeguards and safety staff.

Coaching Environment

Swim staff combine competitive experience with camp leadership. Instruction focuses on technique, consistency, and long-term development.

Competitive swimmers also participate in other camp activities, including:

Canoeing
Sailing
Soccer
Basketball
Tennis
Mountain Bike

This multi-sport structure supports overall athletic development.