Boys Camp

The Apprenticeship Program is designed for campers who have reached the highest activity levels at Boys Camp. They can continue developing their skills by serving as a co-teacher under the supervision of a more experienced instructor. It is only available to Voyageur campers who have been to Boys Camp before, and who have completed the highest level Pioneer Camp offers in the activity area they wish to apprentice in.

Campers can Apprentice in the following activity areas: kayaking, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, swimming, mountain biking, wilderness skills, archery, construction, and basketball. Note: Due to the increased responsibility that goes with this program, campers wishing to enroll must contact Boys Camp Director Dylan “Duke” Knibbe ([email protected]) to receive more information and an additional application form. High school community service hours may be awarded to campers who are entering their Grade 9 year.

Basketball has been a favourite at Boys Camp for years! In this activity, you’ll be able to hone your skills, practice your shooting, scrimmage, and play different basketball-related games.

Boys Camp has an amazing waterfront with lots of space for games and activities! In this skill, you’ll be able to play volleyball, spikeball, and other beach games that teach coordination, speed, and teamwork.

In this activity, campers will have the opportunity to try various board games and card games, requiring deep thinking, strategizing, and fun! They will learn speed, strategy, and organization as they work on teams or compete against one another.

Spend time in the Craft Shop and let your creativity run wild! There will be a variety of options to choose from including woodworking, clay, and ‘arts’ such as painting.

In “Frisbee”, you’ll learn different techniques to throw, as well as how to play different games involving frisbees (for example, how to play Frisbee Golf on the course around Boys Camp, and how to play Ultimate Frisbee)!

Whether you are learning how to enter and exit a kayak as a beginner, or whether you are learning intermediate theory, bow rolls and pivots, you will have a great time on the water and earn kayaking levels.

• Level 1 – Kayaking basics for beginners: entering and exiting the kayak and basic theory and strokes.
• Level 2 – Intermediate theory and paddling skills, including turns, pivots, draws, intro to hip flicks and bow rolls. Prerequisite: Kayaking Level 1 or equivalent kayaking experience.
• Level 3 – More advanced theory and paddling skills. Bow rolls and advanced rescues. Prerequisite: Kayaking Level 2 or equivalent kayaking experience.
• Level 4 – For very advanced kayakers. Eskimo rolls, hand rolls and more precise paddling. Prerequisite: Kayaking Level 3 or equivalent kayaking experience.

Pioneer Camp has 1200 acres worth of Muskoka property with over 50 km of biking trails. Mountain Biking gets to take advantage of both! Beginners will learn how to ride safely on trails with lots of logs, rocks, roots and mud puddles. More advanced riders will have the opportunity to test their skills at our bike park complete with dirt jumps, skinnies, table jumps, and more.

• Level 1 – Perfect for beginners who have never been mountain biking on off-road trails. Learn the basic skills necessary to ride safely on trails that have lots of logs, rocks, roots and mud puddles. Your time will be spent riding as much as possible.
• Level 2 – Must have some prior experience mountain biking off-road (not paved) trails. Riders will be trained in skills used to ride over any obstacles seen on a typical cross-country trail, such as logs, rocks, roots, through puddles and extreme up-hills.
• Level 3 – Riders who have a strong background in trail riding will use drills used by professional mountain bikers to take their riding to the next level. Maintenance of the bicycle will also be introduced; riders will learn the basic repairs needed to fix problems often encountered on the trail.
• Level 4 – Intense program for Voyageur and Ranger campers who have earned their level 3. Riders will work on skill sets from cross-country, downhill, and/or trials backgrounds, as well as coaching skills including problem detection and correction.
• Westshore Dirt Jump Bike Park – More advanced riders will have the opportunity to test their skills at our bike park complete with dirt jumps, skinnies, table jumps, and more.

Come and experience one of the most unique opportunities you can do while at camp! Spend several days doing archery – learning the parts of a bow and arrow, how to aim and shoot, and more. Then, spend a few days learning how to throw an axe at a target! This is one skill you don’t want to miss!

There’s no better place to be on a hot sunny day than in the water. Recreational swimming is open to campers of all swimming abilities. Campers will have the opportunity to use the 70 ft water slide, The Water Log, The High Towers, play water polo, and of course The Blob!

Beginners can learn how to sail as you learn the parts of the boat, turning, capsizing and knots. Advanced sailors can learn to solo sail, advanced theory, and racing.

• Level 1 – Perfect for beginners who have never sailed. Covers parts of the boat, turning, capsizing, etc. Sail with other campers and an instructor in the boat.
• Level 2 – Must have some prior experience or have completed Level 1. Introduction to solo sailing and more advanced theory.
• Level 3 – Intense program for those who have passed Level 2 or have intermediate/advanced experience. Lots of solo sailing, theory, and sailing a pre-planned course.

Many campers want to spend their days playing sports! In this activity, campers will have the opportunity to play various sports throughout their week at camp such as soccer, baseball, and ball hockey.

Swimming Lessons are in Lifesaving Society Levels. Our qualified instructors teach in small class sizes to help your camper develop new skills and become more comfortable in the water to potentially achieve their next LSS level. There is no additional cost for swimming lessons. (AquaQuest and YMCA equivalents are indicated in italics).

• Swimmer 1 – Designed for the beginner swimmer.  (completed AQ 1 or continuing YMCA L’il Dippers: Floaters/Learn to Swim 1: Otter)
• Swimmer 2 – Camper can jump into water with and without PFD, open eyes and exhale underwater, get objects off bottom, float and move through the water on front and back. (completed AQ 2 or YMCA L’il Dippers: Divers/Learn to Swim 2: Seal)
• Swimmer 3 – Camper can jump into deeper water, fall sideways into water with PFD, support self at surface without an aid, do whip kick, swim 10-15m on front and back. (completed AQ 3/4 or YMCA Learn to Swim 4: Swimmer)
• Swimmer 4 (2 weeks) – Camper does cannonballs, dives and rolls into deep water, swims underwater, swims front and back crawl, and can do endurance swims of 25-30m. (completed AQ 5/6 or YMCA Star 1)
• Swimmer 5 (2 weeks) – Camper can do dives and stride entries, eggbeater kick 1 min, foot-first surface dives, front and back crawl, whip kick,breaststroke arms with breathing, endurance swims of 100-200m. (completed AQ 7 or YMCA Star 2)
• Swimmer 6 (2 weeks) – Camper can do shallow dives, eggbeater kick 2 min, foot-first sculling, surface dives with underwater swim 5m, front and back crawl and breaststroke over 100m, sprint 25m, head up front crawl or breaststroke 25m, endurance swims of 200-300m. (completed AQ 8 or YMCA Star 3)
• Swim Patrol Rookie (2 weeks) – Camper can do compact jumps, eggbeater kick for 1 min, somersault in water, head-up front crawl or breaststroke over 25m, 100m front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke, endurance swims of 200-350m, swim 100m in 3 min. (completed AQ 9 or YMCA Star 4)
• Swim Patrol Ranger (2 weeks) – Camper has completed Swim Patrol – Rookie. (completed AQ 10 or YMCA Star 5)
• Swim Patrol Star (2 weeks) – Camper has successfully completed Swim Patrol – Ranger (completed AQ 11 or YMCA Star 6)
• Bronze Star (2 weeks) – Camper has successfully completed Swim Patrol – Star. (completed AQ 12 or YMCA Master Swimmer)
• Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid/CPR B (double period, 2 weeks) – Swimming and basic rescue skills, spinal roll-overs, CPR, 500m timed swim. Exam at end of session requires a small additional fee. Prerequisite: Bronze Star OR 13 years old
• Bronze Cross (double period, 2 weeks) – Prerequisite for life-guarding certification. Includes swim/rescue skills, spinal roll-overs, rescue breathing, CPR, 600m timed swim. Exam at end of session requires a small additional fee. Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion & Emergency First Aid

In this skill, you’ll have the opportunity to grow in your overall fitness while at Boys Camp! You’ll be able to use the weights, learn about different workouts, and even play some games and sports that will strengthen and challenge your different muscles!

Adventure awaits as you discover skills for the wilderness — fishing, orienteering, building fires for outdoor cooking or how to construct an emergency shelter in the forest! So much fun awaits as we learn about the world God has entrusted to us.

Windsurfing basics for beginners: parts of the sail and board, rigging and introductory windsurfing skills. Sign up for the Advanced class for an opportunity to spend more time on the water practicing basic windsurfing skills such as tacks and jibes. All those in windsurfing classes must be at least 12 years old and have a BLUE lanyard.

• Level 1 – Windsurfing basics for beginners: parts of the sail and board, rigging and introductory windsurfing skills.
• Level 2 – Opportunity to spend more time on the water practicing basic windsurfing skills such as tacks and jibes. Prerequisite: Windsurfing Beginner A.