About
Camp Winadu offers a wide range of activities, including basketball, soccer, lacrosse, golf, ice hockey, football, tennis, outdoor adventure, baseball, arts and hobbies, waterskiing, archery, and various water sports. Campers also take part in waterfront activities, campfire and s'mores, and rocket ship building as part of the program’s offerings.
Winadu was founded in 1927 and has over 90 years of traditional camp history. The camp describes its mission as “Building Character through Sports,” with programs and instruction designed to foster sportsmanship, teamwork, and selflessness. Its values are organized in The Winadu Circle, which includes Spirit, Sportsmanship, Service, Table Manners, Cooperation, and Campership. Campership is defined by the camp as caring for others and is celebrated weekly with live music from the Winadu band, dancing, laughter, and cheers. Under the guidance of Shelley and Arleen Weiner, who acquired Camp Winadu in 1974 and are listed as Directors Emeritus, the camp is described as a premier, traditional boys sports camp in the nation. The program notes that it has been building character, teaching sports, and celebrating summer camp traditions in the Berkshire Mountains since 1927, with a stated goal of providing each camper with a summer to remember in a healthy, safe, and supportive atmosphere.
The leadership team is described as being comprised of husband and wife duos Jill and Jared Shapiro and Alissa and Mike Girling, along with Assistant Director Meg Keighley. Additional listed leaders include Willem “V” Van Zyl (Staffing Coordinator & Group Leader), Isabelle Van Zyl (Staffing Coordinator & Operations), Rachel Friedman (Seasonal Assistant Director), Sarah Portugal (Head Nurse), Lizzy Rosen (Communications Manager), Carlos Velasco (Head of Support Staff), Christian Mangerian (Athletic Coordinator), and group leaders Kevin Mirando, Hallie Grodin, Marquis Standard, and Bernard Palmer. Program-area leaders include Pablo Montana (Tennis Director), Manny Adigun (Basketball Director), Bill Kangas (Ice Hockey Director), Tim Conaway (Golf Director), Kelsey Maska (Outdoor & Aerial Adventure Director), Dalton Maska (Football Director), and Matt Michalski (Baseball Director). Waterfront and aquatics leadership includes Gerry Nacheman (Head of Pool), Jason Colborne (Head of Waterfront), Sarah Houston (Assistant Head of Waterfront), and Wilder Schultz (Head of Waterski). The camp reports 215 staff members hired, a 90% return rate for key staff, and that 12,000+ miles are traveled to find staff, with “416 Summers” of combined leadership experience.
Camp Winadu states that it has 8 medical professionals on-site, including a doctor who lives on camp, plus 6 nurses and a trainer who reside in the health center. The camp notes that it is accredited, though the specific accrediting organization is not stated.
Parent testimonials highlight the camp’s stated philosophy and activity mix. One parent from Maplewood, NJ, notes that “The philosophy at Winadu around teamwork, around sportsmanship, building independence, all really resonated with us.” Another parent from New York, NY, shares that a camper received instruction in sports such as basketball, football, and baseball, while also taking part in rocket ship building, archery, and water sports, describing this as “the perfect blend you need for a great camp.”
Last updated January 26, 2026.
Winadu was founded in 1927 and has over 90 years of traditional camp history. The camp describes its mission as “Building Character through Sports,” with programs and instruction designed to foster sportsmanship, teamwork, and selflessness. Its values are organized in The Winadu Circle, which includes Spirit, Sportsmanship, Service, Table Manners, Cooperation, and Campership. Campership is defined by the camp as caring for others and is celebrated weekly with live music from the Winadu band, dancing, laughter, and cheers. Under the guidance of Shelley and Arleen Weiner, who acquired Camp Winadu in 1974 and are listed as Directors Emeritus, the camp is described as a premier, traditional boys sports camp in the nation. The program notes that it has been building character, teaching sports, and celebrating summer camp traditions in the Berkshire Mountains since 1927, with a stated goal of providing each camper with a summer to remember in a healthy, safe, and supportive atmosphere.
The leadership team is described as being comprised of husband and wife duos Jill and Jared Shapiro and Alissa and Mike Girling, along with Assistant Director Meg Keighley. Additional listed leaders include Willem “V” Van Zyl (Staffing Coordinator & Group Leader), Isabelle Van Zyl (Staffing Coordinator & Operations), Rachel Friedman (Seasonal Assistant Director), Sarah Portugal (Head Nurse), Lizzy Rosen (Communications Manager), Carlos Velasco (Head of Support Staff), Christian Mangerian (Athletic Coordinator), and group leaders Kevin Mirando, Hallie Grodin, Marquis Standard, and Bernard Palmer. Program-area leaders include Pablo Montana (Tennis Director), Manny Adigun (Basketball Director), Bill Kangas (Ice Hockey Director), Tim Conaway (Golf Director), Kelsey Maska (Outdoor & Aerial Adventure Director), Dalton Maska (Football Director), and Matt Michalski (Baseball Director). Waterfront and aquatics leadership includes Gerry Nacheman (Head of Pool), Jason Colborne (Head of Waterfront), Sarah Houston (Assistant Head of Waterfront), and Wilder Schultz (Head of Waterski). The camp reports 215 staff members hired, a 90% return rate for key staff, and that 12,000+ miles are traveled to find staff, with “416 Summers” of combined leadership experience.
Camp Winadu states that it has 8 medical professionals on-site, including a doctor who lives on camp, plus 6 nurses and a trainer who reside in the health center. The camp notes that it is accredited, though the specific accrediting organization is not stated.
Parent testimonials highlight the camp’s stated philosophy and activity mix. One parent from Maplewood, NJ, notes that “The philosophy at Winadu around teamwork, around sportsmanship, building independence, all really resonated with us.” Another parent from New York, NY, shares that a camper received instruction in sports such as basketball, football, and baseball, while also taking part in rocket ship building, archery, and water sports, describing this as “the perfect blend you need for a great camp.”
Last updated January 26, 2026.
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