Luis: Big Dreams, Real Challenges, and a Deep Love for Camp
Luis has spent most of his life strapped into a snowboard. He started so young he cannot even remember his first run. What he does remember is growing into the sport. The discipline, the training, the adrenaline, and the risk. All of it added up to a spot on the Canadian national NextGen team. It is a path that demands a lot. Early mornings. Long flights. Training blocks across Europe. Hours and hours on the mountain.
But before he led the Boathouse team at Muskoka Woods, he was just a nervous teen walking into CEO for the first time, a moment that helped shape everything that came next.
The Week That Changed Everything
Luis technically came to camp once as a kid, but he was so little that it barely stuck. His real intro to Muskoka Woods came the summer before Grade 11, right after the long isolation of COVID. He arrived for CEO unsure if he even wanted to be there. Fifty teenagers in one space felt like a lot. He nearly backed out.
His dad gently nudged him to go. He saw something Luis could not yet see, that this experience might actually matter.
And it did.
That week cracked something open. Confidence. Connection. A sense of belonging. It helped Luis rediscover himself after a hard year. He was surrounded by other teens who were also rebuilding, learning how to be together again, learning who they were becoming.
It was also the first time he saw his older sister, Alex, fully in her element. She was running the Waterfront, deeply respected by the staff, loved by the guests, and held up by friends who felt more like family. Watching her lead made something click. It even shifted their sibling relationship into a new kind of closeness.
From that summer on, Luis knew he wanted to keep coming back.
Learning What It Means to Lead
As Luis moved from CEO into staff roles, leadership became more than just a title. It became a way of showing up.
He learned how to take initiative. How to lead with values. How to stay calm when things got bumpy. He learned how to encourage younger guests, how to challenge others to stretch themselves, and how to serve without trying to impress.
These were not just camp lessons. They were the same qualities he needed to keep growing as an athlete. His coaches often talk about staying connected to your why, that internal drive that gets you through long training or tough races.
Luis saw the overlap right away. Camp was shaping him for the mountain. The mountain was shaping how he led at camp.
The Value That Sticks: Challenge
Of all the Muskoka Woods values, challenge is the one that sticks with Luis the most. Snowboarding demands it daily, pushing yourself, staying focused, learning to live in tension between huge goals and everyday grind. On top of that, he is also balancing school while competing at the highest level.
And the same spirit of challenge lives at the Boathouse.
Helping guests stretch outside their comfort zones — especially when they are nervous — is one of his favourite parts of the job. Watching someone get up on water skis for the first time or try something they thought they could not do is a reminder that challenge shapes people. It builds confidence. It creates moments they never forget.
How He’s Shaping His World Now
These days, Luis is shaping his world through snowboarding. Training camps, European travel, late-night schoolwork, and a goal list that includes the Olympics. His family is all in. His mom even runs a family group chat to keep everyone posted on results and race-day stories. That kind of support means everything.
He is also shaping his world at Muskoka Woods. Encouraging kids to try something new. Teaching them skills. Helping create a place where they feel safe, supported, and seen.
Why Camp Still Matters to Him
When parents ask why they should send their child to Muskoka Woods, Luis keeps it simple. It is the people.
Camp is full of staff and guests who have chosen to be here. That shared sense of purpose builds a community that is hard to find anywhere else. A place where people look out for each other. A place full of leaders who care deeply about giving kids a week they will always remember.
That kind of community helped shape Luis into who he is. Now he is proud to be part of shaping it for someone else.
