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Good bye” chlorine and fluorescent lights!
“Hello” fresh air and sunshine!!
Camp Ak-O-Mak was founded in 1928 as the world’s first swimming camp for girls and remains the premier choice for swimmers seeking a refreshing change from their indoor swim season. Summer is a glorious time in Ontario, so why spend it counting laps in a chlorinated pool? At Ak-O-Mak you will experience the joy of slicing through a glass calm lake during a morning swim, feeling the warm sun on your face as you glance skyward for a breath. Discover open water swimming and the benefits it offers for strength, rhythm and pacing. Where else in the world can you have a work out or practice stroke drills in 50 and 25 meter pools built right into the lake?
Swim Schedule
EARLY BIRD:
Campers awake each morning eager to participate in this first activity of the day, which is mandatory for everyone. Competitive swimmers choose either a 1 or 2 mile open water swim along our beautiful shore to a neighbouring “Rocky Reef”. One milers exit here, lace up their running shoes and jog back to camp on our woodland trail, while the two milers round the buoy and head for home. Each swimmer is accompanied by a canoe both for safety and to keep her on course. Non-competitive swimmers choose from paddling a canoe (to accompany the swimmers) or a run on the trails. Individuals in the “Learn to Swim program” AND girls 12 and under may have the option of a shorter swim in our protected bay. They may also choose paddling, running or some combination.
MORNING CLASSES:
After early bird, everyone enjoys a delicious hot breakfast and then it is time for some cabin clean up. This also gives the girls an opportunity to gather their “stuff” for the 3 morning classes. Each class is approximately 50 minutes long and 1 of the 3 classes is always swimming...either a technical session for the competitive swimmers or an instructional class for those learning the basics. The small class size permits our coaches and their assistants to provide personalized attention to the swimmer and help her address her personal goals for the summer.
AFTERNOON ACTIVITY:
After a hearty lunch and a little “down time” for rest hour, everyone has recharged and is ready for the afternoon activity involving the entire camp. This activity can be anything!....a “team-comp” challenge, a mountain bike ride, field day with Chikopi, or a launching of our fleet of canoes for a paddle across the lake! Anytime our orange and green canoes are crossing the lake you will find several keen Akomakkers taking advantage of the opportunity for a long, open water SWIM! Some are working toward our prestigious mileage award, the Matt Mann Cup. Many use it as an afternoon workout with a friend, but everyone who swims alongside the canoes does it because it is DIFFERENT and FUN! There is nothing more beautiful than seeing our girls in those orange and green canoes, a “singing floatilla” alongside the glistening arms of the swimmers they guard. Now THAT is a swim practice!
You can see, therefore, that girls can swim once, twice and sometimes three times daily...depending on their age, personal goals, ability, choice, the weather, the coach’s plan and the overall camp schedule.
Join the more than 350 All –Americans and 40 Olympians who have trained with us over the years.
At Ak-O-mak, we believe in keeping it FUN, burning up the calories without burning out the swimmer!
International Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees:
- George Breen
- Skippy Browning
- Bob Clotworthy
- Cecil Colwin
- Marilyn Corson
- John Davies
- Buck Dawson
- Dick Degener
- Jeff Farrell
- Howard Firby
- Dick Hanley
- Harry Holiday
- 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
- Micki King
- Laurie Lawrence
- Aileen Riggin
- Deryk Snelling
- Don Talbot
- June Taylor
- Mark Tewksbury
- Carolyn Waldo
- Johnny Weissmuller
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