2024 Camp Registration is Open!
CAMP OVERVIEW
Choose from in-person & virtual camps!
Adult Type 1 Camps
DTC’s premiere camp, offered in multiple locations throughout the year. Programming designed specifically for those with Type 1 diabetes.
Adult Type 2 Camp
All of the fun and learning of Adult Type 1 Camps tailored for campers with Type 2 diabetes.
Teen Boot Camp
Teen Boot Camp welcomes teens with Type 1 diabetes to experience DTC with their parents and other teenagers. Held annually at Spooky Nook Sports, the largest indoor sports complex in North America.
V Camp
All of the magic with none of the commute. Started during Covid, V Camp continues with periodic one day “virtual camps” full of learning and fun for everyone with diabetes. Featuring guest speakers and athletes with Type 1 diabetes.
CORE COMPONENTS OF THE DTC EXPERIENCE
Our ADULT Diabetes Training Camp is a weeklong camp devoted to multisport training and general fitness. It is uniquely designed for all ages (18-80), all levels, all-comers. We will meet you where you are and help you get to where you want to go -- whether you want to start a general fitness program, run a marathon, finish a triathlon or anything in between. We are very fortunate to have the best of the best in coaching and education who are eager to meet you and work with you no matter what your goals are.
YOU WILL EXPERIENCE
Professional Technique Coaching
for All Levels
- Cycle coaching and drills to enable the beginner to feel very comfortable on a bike as well as to challenge the advanced cyclist to master new bike handling skills
- Run and walk coaching and drills to help you get moving and keep moving
- Improved swimming techniques to get you moving faster and smoother in the water
- Triathlon specialists and transition coaching/tips: Our staff of triathlon specialists can help you build the skills needed for a smooth race from technique to transition to blood sugar management. They are available to answer questions and provide tips based on years of coaching and participating in triathlons.
Fitness Assessment and Coaching:
- Individualized programs for participants who want to focus on diabetes and fitness
- Fitness sessions that complement other training sessions throughout the day
- Individual Fitness: We offer individual Maximal Exercise Testing (VO2 Max) to help you understand your own physiology better. (This individual fitness testing is not available at all camps. Please ask us if it will be offered at your camp.)
- Establish your fitness level and determine your training zones
- Identify your carbohydrate and fat utilization in different zones
- Monitor your training’s effectiveness
Workshops and Seminars Featuring:
- Diabetes management strategies for exercise and sports including insulin dosing and nutrition
- Mental skills coaching regarding the psychology of sport and exercise for those with diabetes
- Base training techniques
- Small group sessions
Tremendous Friendships and Bonding with Others Like You!
- You will be surrounded by other incredible people, like yourself, taking on the challenge of living healthfully with diabetes.
- You will find that many other campers have similar challenges, experiences and goals. It’s a great opportunity to share, connect, bond and grow.
- Make friendships that will last a lifetime!
Carrie Jackson, M.A., CMPC
Carrie Jackson lives in Northern California and is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and expert in strategies for optimal performance and resilience. Carrie is one of the foremost experts specializing in Mental Skills Training for athletes and exercisers with diabetes. She is the author of the book On Top of Your Game: Mental Skills to Maximize Your Athletic Performance and co-author of Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, as well as the co-host of the podcast The Injured Athletes Club. Carrie has worked with athletes and performers of all ages and at every level, from recreational athletes to elite and professional athletes competing at national and international levels.
Carrie has been interviewed as an expert resource for articles that have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Huffington Post, US News and World Report, Outside Magazine, Shape Magazine, Men’s Fitness, Women’s Health, Runner’s World and Women’s Running Magazine. In addition to her consulting practice, she has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in sport psychology and is currently an affiliate faculty member at Holy Names University in Oakland, California.
Carrie is energetic, fun, has a great sense of humor, and employs a real-life approach to working on the mental aspects of sport and performance with the people with whom she works. Carrie has her own personal commitment to life-long fitness, and when she isn’t working, you might find her running a trail or hitting the slopes on her snowboard.
At Diabetes Training camp we will give you the tools you need to live successfully with diabetes AND ALSO the tools you need to live OPTIMALLY with diabetes! In order to live optimally with diabetes, you need to address your physical needs as well as your emotional, social and psychological needs. Here are examples of workshops you will have the opportunity to attend at camp that address the impact of stress and introduce coping skills necessary for living optimally with diabetes:
Dealing with Stress: The Mind
There is no life without stress; it is part of the human condition. In this workshop you will explore how stress can impact your blood sugar and your diabetes management. You are what you think! Here we focus on cognitive coping skills for managing stress and becoming aware of the thoughts you feed yourself and how they can hold you back from reaching your potential.
Dealing with Stress: The Body
First take a big, deep breath… and then exhale and read the next sentence: In this workshop you will learn relaxation techniques to help manage the physiological symptoms of stress and anxiety. You can’t perform optimally if you are tense! Here you will learn how to relax your body as well as relax your expectations of maintaining “perfect” control of your diabetes.
Building a Team: Your Support System
Let’s go Defense! Part of performing to your potential is having a good support system in place. In this workshop you will take steps toward building up your “home team.” Building this team also includes learning how to communicate with the key players on your team including medical staff, family and friends.
Going Home: The Diabetes Rollercoaster
If only we could put camp in a bottle and send it home with you… Now is the time to reflect on what you’ve learned and get prepared for putting it into action when you return home. You will explore how to define success as well as how to prepare for and deal with setbacks you will face along the road to living optimally with diabetes.
General Fitness Training
Living with diabetes is all about balance. Balancing blood glucose levels, maintaining a balanced diet, balancing your non-diabetes life with your diabetes-life and creating a well-balanced fitness routine. At DTC we are committed to helping you determine your fitness strengths and weaknesses, as well as providing you with the tools to develop and build upon limitations and optimize your strengths. Whether you are starting an exercise program for the first time or are a seasoned athlete looking to tweak your performance, we will help you determine the best program to achieve your personal best.
Our team of fitness professionals range from exercise physiologists and certified personal trainers to yoga and group exercise instructors. Our focus is introducing you to the core elements of fitness (strength, endurance, balance and flexibility) and tweaking your current exercise regimen to meet your personal goals.
Going Home: The Diabetes Rollercoaster
Your in-person camp experience is about YOU. Therefore, you will be given the opportunity to try a variety of fitness classes such as yoga, strength training, aquatic exercise and more. In order to present you with the tools needed to achieve a well-rounded approach when you return home, our experts offer one-on-one consultations to create a customized program for you.
Discover and learn strategies to develop the following:
- Utilize free weights, resistance bands, body weight exercises and physio balls while gaining knowledge on proper form and workout structure. A variety of strength training strategies will be incorporated.
- Create stronger joint stability and enhance the neuromuscular system with the use of physio balls, yoga and Pilates classes.
- Reduce your risk for injury and improve your athletic performance while learning stretches for major muscle groups and those specific to your particular sport.
- Build upon your foundation and support your entire musculoskeletal system with a strong and defined core.
- Learn how to utilize cardiovascular exercise and cross training to your fat-burning and metabolic advantage. Various cardio machines and outdoor exercises will be utilized in circuit and interval style workouts.
We also believe that education is empowerment when it comes to managing your diabetes fitness program. During your time at camp, you will learn about the many benefits of exercise and will put them into practical application:
Benefits of Fitness:
- Increased Strength
- Bone Density Improvements
- Reduced Overall Weight
- Balanced Body Composition
- Reduced Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Overall Cardiovascular Disease Risk
- Improved Balance and Stability
- Increased Flexibility
- Heightened Metabolism
- Controlled Symptoms of Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Diabetes and Fitness Benefits:
- Reduced A1C
- Blood Glucose Management
- Decreased Amount of Diabetes Medications
- Improved Cardiovascular Profile
- Decreased Insulin Resistance
- Increased Insulin Sensitivity
- Improved Circulation
Get ready for an amazing variety of training and fitness options to meet YOUR NEEDS!
Learn
At Diabetes Training Camp, campers are surrounded by a unique team of experts, including leaders in endocrinology, diabetes education, nutrition, coaching, exercise physiology, fitness and mental skills training. Our campers are surrounded by support and guidance, and equipped with the knowledge and motivation needed to reach their fitness goals and athletic dreams while effectively managing diabetes. The DTC team teaches campers how to take control of their diabetes by providing a practical and inspirational approach to diabetes management during fitness, exercise and sport.
Train
Campers learn to unlock the athlete inside while managing their diabetes effectively and healthfully. Diabetes Training Camp is a unique clinical resource entirely devoted to diabetes, fitness, exercise and sports education. If you have diabetes and want to learn more about general fitness, lifestyle management oreven taking your current training to the next level, camp is for you. DTC is designed to impact exercisers and athletes at all levels; from learning how to effectively walk a mile, train for a marathon, or attain a PR in their next triathlon.
Connect
At Diabetes Training Camp you’ll join a community of like-minded adults and teens who share similar experiences and challenges. You’ll develop life-changing and lifelong friendships with campers, coaches and staff. The DTC team is excited to have you join us at camp, and we invite you to learn more. Reach out and ask us anything, anytime.
Play Video
Diabetes Training Camp Foundation is a 501(c)3 not for profit. Our mission is to inspire, motivate and educate by delivering unique and customized programs and coaching that empower the community of people with diabetes to thrive.
Matthew Corcoran, MD
Diabetes Training Camp Founder & President
Dr. Matthew Corcoran is the Founder and President of Diabetes Training Camp Foundation, a unique clinical resource entirely devoted to providing general fitness and multisport camps and services for teens and adults with diabetes. Dr. Matt is the nation’s premiere expert when it comes to diabetes management and exercise, and Diabetes Training Camp is the only program for adults and teens seeking education and strategies for living an active life with diabetes.
