If you're fortunate enough, you've been to one of these all-encompassing super camps like Muskoka Woods, where you can do and learn whatever you want. How to be a better skater? No problem. Paintball? At 3pm. Be a videographer? Osiris team will be here tomorrow. Get sent 20 ft. in the air off a giant inflatable blob? Meet me at the dock with your trunks on, and hold onto your lunch. Me, I only went to a crappy day camp that I wanted to leave the second I got off the bus (not bitter mom, just telling it like it is), so when I got to Muskoka Woods to meet the visiting Osiris team, my eyes bulged out of my head. Despite being taller than my boss, Matt Houghton, I found myself tugging at his shirt, asking if we could blow off work and overstay our welcome.

Following our arrival, the Osiris entourage rolled into camp with the likes of Shuriken Shannon, Corey Duffel, Caswell Berry, Jimmy Carlin, Everen Stallion, Alex Mizurov, Lee Yankou, Dustin Montie, Gab Lalande from Quebec, Canadian Team Manager Mikey Scott, photographer Rich Odam and a few more in tow. At the end of their eastern tour (only days after Am Getting Paid), it was clear that the team was road weary, but in good spirits and ready to show the kids what could be done with the Muskoka Woods park. Giving it their all, the team put on a demo that any team could be proud of. Like true professionals, they kept inviting kids to come skate with them, eschewing the tradition of keeping the park all to themselves.


The Muskoka Woods "Hangar", lined with campers ready for a lesson in how to destroy a park.

Alex Mizurov.

Jimmy Carlin.

Caswell Berry.

Shuriken joking around with some hover skills.

Once the demo was over and the campers had returned to whatever magical entertainment their nights held (my imagination says hover bikes), the Osiris team couldn't be pulled away from the park. There's some magnetism between pros and foam pits. Once the mosquitoes drove everyone out, everyone retired for the night, resting for another go-round with the campers in the morning. (note: "morning" on a skateboard tour is no earlier than noon.)

Caswell, sack tap deep into the pit.

TM Mikey Scott unleashes his snowboard skills and breaks the rules with a few inverts.

The next day gave a chance for the campers to once again skate with the pros, this time outside of a demo. In an effort to get the campers excited to create something of their own, we came up with the "Get Focused" contest. Working with Osiris, there's a years worth of Osiris gear on the line for the camper who submits the best video on Push.ca. The catch? The skaters have to be kids from the camp, wearing the "Get Focused" t-shirts that were only given out to them. Keep an eye on the community section of videos to see what pops up.

Push.ca's Matt Houghton tells the campers about "Get Focused".

Beat from giving it their all the night before, the team was more than willing to keep things low key and skate with the kids on their own terms. Some chose to chill, some sparked up random skate clinics, with the campers showing off their future potential.

Corey Duffel, no doubt bestowing words of wisdom about tight pants and tattoos.

The campers in their "Get Focused" shirts.

Dustin Montie snuck in a session in Muskoka Woods' outdoor pool.

Caswell, Corey and camper, all sessioning the roundbar.

Campers happy, team exhausted, and the internet calling our names, I was dragged back to the city kicking and screaming like someone took my ice cream away. Hopefully I'll get to go back to camp when they have a week for "never-beens"; I'll be the first to sign up.

Keep checking back for entries in the "Get Focused" contest. Someone is going to walk away with a lot of Osiris gear.

All photos: Matt Forsythe