First Class Counselors

Camp counselors have the most important job at summer camp. Period. A great camp staff will have kids wanting to come back to camp year after year. First Class Counsellors is here to make great camp staff. Each week, we’ll cover practical and accessible tips that will level up your camp counselor skills. Our two hosts, Oliver Gregan, Summer and Families Camp Director at YMCA Camp Jewell and Matt Honsberger from Go Camp Pro are excited to be able to provide this resource to camp counselors.

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First Class Counselors

Using Stats To Master Counseling- First Class Counselors #81

January 29, 2026 • First Class Counsellors - from Go Camp Pro • Episode 81

0:00 | 1:03:16

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

How You Can Become A Data-Driven Leader

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.

E.G.E.L – Ever Growing, Ever Learning:

Oliver: Sorting Hat-Type Ceremony

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

Sponsors:

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

Host Links:

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

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