First Class Counselors

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/ten-top-tips-for-summer-2026

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Join Oliver and Matt for the season finale of First Class Counselors as they count down ten essential tips for the upcoming 2026 summer. This episode provides a quick reference guide for frontline staff focusing on everything from active supervision and safety protocols to the psychology of camper behavior. The hosts discuss how to create a culture of belonging through strength based mindsets and provide actionable tools like facilitation frameworks to ensure every counselor is prepared to lead with confidence and empathy.

Key Takeaways:

• Behavior is Communication. When campers act out it is often an expression of an unmet need such as being hungry or tired. Using the HALT acronym allows counselors to address the root cause of challenging behavior while providing grace and maintaining a strong relationship with the child.
• Master Facilitation Through Structure. Effective leadership during activities requires clear communication and meaningful reflection. By using the philosophy of one goal and three steps followed by the So What and Now What debriefing method counselors can ensure safety while helping campers apply life lessons beyond the cabin.
• Model the Values You Expect. Counselors are professional role models who are always teaching through their actions and energy levels. Maintaining consistent boundaries and following camp rules regarding phone use or physical interactions ensures that campers respect the environment and feel safe within the community.

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Oliver: 3D Printers

Matt: Gratitude Jars

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

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Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/connecting-with-modern-camper-culture

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This episode explores the intersection of modern pop culture and the summer camp experience. The team discusses the transition from traditional play to the watching culture of YouTube and streaming services, emphasizing how counselors can use this knowledge to build genuine connections with campers. The conversation breaks down the differences between digital open world environments and physical skill building while offering practical advice on adapting facilitation styles for shorter attention spans and high sensory needs.

Key Takeaways:

• Modern entertainment often focuses on the finished product rather than the process, leading to a watching culture where kids witness skills instead of practicing them. Counselors should combat this by building anticipation for activities and slowing down the process to ensure campers learn the mechanical steps behind camp traditions like fire building or archery.
• You do not need to be an expert in Roblox or Bluey to connect with kids, but being curious about their interests is vital. Asking campers to teach you about their favorite digital worlds empowers them and creates a social bridge that helps new or hesitant kids feel included in the cabin group.
• Digital play has shifted towards open world exploration and constant comparison, which camps can mirror through creative gamification. By rewarding positive character traits like integrity and grace through systems like ‘Green Giant’ points, directors can ensure that comparison remains a tool for celebration rather than just another form of competition.

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Oliver: Mio Flavoured Water

Matt: Water Skip Ball & Wave / Gate Ball

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Ultracamp
Camp is about changing lives, not chasing paperwork. Ultracamp builds tools that make camp smoother for today's camp counselor and tomorrow's camp leader. Learn more at https://ultracampmanagement.com/firstclass

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/so-you-want-to-be-on-leadership

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This episode explores the transition from being a frontline counselor to joining the seasonal leadership team. This episode dismantles the myth that leadership is about status or power, instead framing it as a vital shift toward serving staff and maintaining the camp mission from behind the scenes. They discuss how to identify if you are ready for the move, how to start preparing this summer for a promotion next year, and why the best leaders are often the ones who work hardest when no one is watching.

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership is Service Not Status. Stepping into a leadership role means moving away from direct camper connections to focus on empowering your fellow staff members. You must be prepared to give up personal glory to ensure that the counselors you lead have everything they need to succeed.
• Take Initiative While Maintaining Integrity. If you want to move into leadership, start by solving problems before they are assigned and demonstrating that you can follow camp policies perfectly. Directors look for staff who walk the walk and can be trusted to uphold safety and culture even during their time off.
• Prepare for the Reality of Tough Conversations. Being a leader often requires delivering difficult news to staff or parents and holding your peers accountable. Developing the emotional maturity to handle these moments while staying present in the daily joy of camp is the hallmark of a counselor moving into a director role.

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Oliver: Using plastic chef containers for organizing craft supplies. 

Matt: The board game: Sequoia

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Ultracamp
Camp is about changing lives, not chasing paperwork. Ultracamp builds tools that make camp smoother for today's camp counselor and tomorrow's camp leader. Learn more at https://ultracampmanagement.com/firstclass

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/be-better-at-giving-consequences

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Join Matt and Dane as they dive into part two of their masterclass on summer camp discipline. This episode shifts the focus from general headspace to the practical application of consequences and the art of camper reintegration. They explore how counselors can move away from punitive winning mindsets and instead use every mistake as a teaching opportunity that builds trust rather than breaking it. From navigating power struggles to deciding which hills are actually worth dying on, this conversation provides frontline staff with the tools they need to maintain a positive cabin environment all summer long.

Key Takeaways:

• Focus on Teaching Rather Than Hurting. Effective consequences are designed to help a camper learn emotional regulation and social skills rather than simply making them feel bad. When a counselor enters a situation with a teaching mindset they are more likely to remain calm and help the child understand how to make better choices in the future.
• Drop the Rope to Avoid Power Struggles. Power struggles occur when both the staff member and the camper are pulling against each other to see who will submit. By practicing self regulation and consciously choosing to drop the rope the counselor remains the adult in the situation and prevents a conflict from escalating into a relationship damaging battle.
• Use the Three Buckets of Behavior to Prioritize Interventions. Not every action requires a heavy consequence. Categorizing behaviors into typical actions, safety concerns, and the “f it” bucket allows staff to conserve their energy for what truly matters while letting go of minor issues like mismatched socks or harmless quirks.

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Dane: Taking FUN Cabin Photos

Matt: DnD Dice

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Ultracamp
Camp is about changing lives, not chasing paperwork. Ultracamp builds tools that make camp smoother for today's camp counselor and tomorrow's camp leader. Learn more at https://ultracampmanagement.com/firstclass

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Dane Savoury, Director of Operations, Camp Amy Molson. Contact Email.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/are-we-disciplining-kids-enough

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Join Matt and Dane as they redefine what it means to lead through discipline in a summer camp setting. Dane shares his twenty-one years of experience working with diverse populations to explain why discipline should be viewed as a teaching tool rather than a punitive measure. The conversation explores how counselors can set themselves up for success by building intentional rela`tionships through play and shared interests before any rules are ever broken. 

Key Takeaways:

• Focus on Connection Before Correction. Establishing a solid relationship through shared interests creates the necessary trust for discipline to be effective later on. If the first meaningful conversation a counselor has with a child is a correction, the opportunity for a positive influence is already lost.
• Frame Rules with Positive Language and the Why. Instead of listing restrictions like don't jump on the bed, counselors should use positive framing such as beds are for sleeping. Explaining the purpose behind a boundary helps campers understand that rules exist for their safety and the respect of the community rather than just to limit their fun.

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Dane: Games that Fit into your Pocket, UNO

Matt: Darn Tough Socks, or Great Sox 

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Ultracamp
Camp is about changing lives, not chasing paperwork. Ultracamp builds tools that make camp smoother for today's camp counselor and tomorrow's camp leader. Learn more at https://ultracampmanagement.com/firstclass

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Dane Savoury, Director of Operations, Camp Amy Molson. Contact Email.

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/using-stats-to-master-counseling

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This episode dives into the numbers behind great counseling, from safety ratios to camper retention. By treating camp as a measurable social business, staff can identify their strengths, improve their safety efficiency, and track their personal growth throughout the summer. They discuss how to turn qualitative experiences into quantitative success to help every staff member become a first class counselor.

Key Takeaways:

• The Behavioral Closing Rate: Professionalism is measured by how effectively a counselor can resolve behavioral issues and communicate them through proper reporting channels.
• Conversions and Friendships: Success can be measured through camper return rates and the intentional fostering of friendships that last beyond the summer.
• Personal Special Powers: Every first class counselor has a unique magic factor, whether it is a specific skill like ceramics or a jack of all trades ability to facilitate any program on the fly.

Oliver: Sorting Hat-Type Ceremony

Matt: G.M.I.C (Great Moments In Camping!) 

Ultracamp
Camp is about changing lives, not chasing paperwork. Ultracamp builds tools that make camp smoother for today's camp counselor and tomorrow's camp leader. Learn more at https://ultracampmanagement.com/firstclass

• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/should-we-send-them-home

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We’ve all been there. It’s week four, the coffee machine is broken, you are trying to get the cabin to the flagpole on time, and that camper is dragging their feet, making fart noises, and holding the broom upside down during cleanup. You don't necessarily want them sent home, but they are absolutely testing your patience. In this "high empathy" episode, Oliver and Matt validate those feelings of frustration while offering a roadmap to get back on track. They discuss the difference between behavior that is annoying versus behavior that requires a director's intervention, and how checking your own ego can de-escalate the situation.

Key Takeaways:

• Identifying Your Triggers: Frustration often stems from specific stressors like lateness, perceived "weaponized incompetence" (like using a push broom incorrectly), or a camper's disinterest in planned activities. Recognizing these triggers is the first step to patience.
• Conformity vs. Leadership: Matt challenges counselors to ask why a behavior is frustrating. Is it disrupting the camp experience, or does it simply make you feel like you are losing control or "looking bad" as a leader?
• Connection Over Correction: You don't have to like every camper, but you do need to find a connection. Oliver shares a story about using Magic: The Gathering cards to bridge the gap with a disconnected camper.

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Oliver: Survival Tag, The Game

Matt: Find a water bottle that you love drinking from. 

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AMSkier is a leading insurance and strategic partner for many of the finest camps in America. AMSkier partners with camps to provide public relations, legal, medical, behavior support and more - Experience the AMSkier difference. Learn more at amskier.com.

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/meaningful-and-masterful-facilitation

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Join Oliver and Matt as they delve into the art and science of facilitation—the core skill needed to run first-class activities, whether it's team building, archery, or a simple transition. This episode breaks down the critical stages of leading a group, from the moment they arrive to the final debrief. Learn how to master first impressions, use language effectively to manage attention, utilize props strategically, and employ powerful debriefing techniques that move beyond simply having fun to ensuring campers find real meaning and application in their experiences.

Key Takeaways:

• Master the First Impression: Your initial interaction sets the tone. Use confidence, learn names (and address people by name), have well-rehearsed safety guidelines (like flight attendants), and offer a commitment to the group for the activity.
• Start with Play to Engage: Use quick, low-explanation, high-energy games (like "Everybody's It") immediately to get participants moving and focused on you as the leader. Use creative instructions to organize groups, such as the "Chicken Wing Circle."
• Debriefing is Transference of Learning: The purpose of debriefing is to help participants understand the significance of their experience and transfer those skills (community, communication, teamwork) to the non-camp world. Use the What, So What, Now What structure.

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Oliver: AI music generator Suno

Matt: Seed Bombs

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AMSkier is a leading insurance and strategic partner for many of the finest camps in America. AMSkier partners with camps to provide public relations, legal, medical, behavior support and more - Experience the AMSkier difference. Learn more at https://amskier.com

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/building-a-culture-of-belonging

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Join Oliver, Matt, and special guest Lisa Drennan as they dive deep into creating truly inclusive camp environments. Lisa emphasizes that belonging is the new inclusion. The discussion moves beyond simple access to practical, real-world strategies counselors can use daily, including adopting Universal Design principles, proactively using visual schedules and positive expectations, and understanding that all behavior is communication. Counselors will learn how to focus on camper strengths, manage transitions (like at the waterfront), and advocate for systemic changes to make camp a welcoming space for everyone—staff and campers alike. 

This episode includes:

• Mindset Shift: Belonging Over Inclusion. The goal isn't just access or inclusion; it's ensuring every camper feels they belong. Start by focusing on a camper's strengths rather than their deficits or diagnoses.
• Proactive Communication & Structure: Utilize visual schedules and positive expectation lists daily (and for specific activities like swim time) to reduce anxiety for all campers, especially the neurodivergent. Frame all rules positively (e.g., "Use kind words" instead of "Don't swear").
• Behavior as Communication: When challenging behavior occurs, the first step is to find the "why." Behavior signals an unmet need (physiological, environmental, or social). Preventative measures like clear visuals and giving control back to the camper (e.g., transition countdowns) are key.

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Oliver: Using flashcards!

Matt: Small Bags of Lego for Fidgetting

Lisa: Movies and Shows that are inclusive around disabilities: Atypical, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Out of My Mind

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AMSkier is a leading insurance and strategic partner for many of the finest camps in America. AMSkier partners with camps to provide public relations, legal, medical, behavior support and more - Experience the AMSkier difference. Learn more at amskier.com.

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona
• Lisa Drennan, Founder of Merge Consulting

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/first-class-counselors-pod/stopping-inappropriate-language

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This episode, Oliver and Matt move give counselors the tactical framework needed to intervene immediately and effectively when campers use inappropriate, insensitive, or hurtful language. From the simple swear word to comments that are sexist, racist, or bullying, you'll learn exactly how to respond—whether you hear the comment directly, think you overheard it, or receive a report second-hand. This episode provides the "must-do" steps to address the behavior without alienating the camper, reinforcing that while the action was wrong, the camper is still a valued part of the community.

• The Essential Pause & Tone Shift: When a camper says something inappropriate, be immediate and direct. Use a strong "counselor voice" and a strategic pause for effect
• The Full Value Contract: A proactive tool to establish cabin culture on Day 1. This group exercise shifts the focus from "what we don't do" to "what we should say and do" 
• Words Float, Hurt Sticks: A powerful guiding principle: while the person who said the hurtful words will likely forget them, the words stick to the person they were directed at. 
• "We" Over "You" Intervention Language: When addressing a camper privately, use inclusive language like, "That's not something we say here." 

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• ‘Centre Cam’ Desktop Camera

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Oliver: ACA Camping Magazine 

Matt: Previous First Class Counsellor: How to Ace Your Next Camp Interview

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AMSkier is a leading insurance and strategic partner for many of the finest camps in America. AMSkier partners with camps to provide public relations, legal, medical, behavior support and more - Experience the AMSkier difference. Learn more at amskier.com.

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• Matt Wilfrid, Executive Producer of Podcasting at Go Camp Pro
• Oliver Gregan, Executive Director at YMCA Camp Winona