Our pricing reflects the value of early planning. Current rates and availability are listed on each program page. Optional cancel-for-any-reason insurance allows cancellation up to two days before camp.
Required: Sub-8:00/7:00 (W/M)
Applicants should be at or near this benchmark to get the most from the program's training structure.
The Southern Winter
One alum of this program put it this way: "It is not so much a camp, but a program that has taught me who I am as a rowing athlete and in some ways, a person." We have run New Zealand for over a decade, and no one has described the work better.
Winter mornings in Dunedin start dark. Some days the harbor is flat and silver, and some days it is sleet, but the University of Otago squad rows either way because it is their season. The program puts you inside that season for 24 days on New Zealand's South Island.The seasons only line up this way here: July is midwinter in Dunedin, and Otago is in the middle of its season. A summer in the northern hemisphere can take you to a racecourse or a camp, but only here does it put you inside a university team's year, in their weather, at their pace. The challenges are concrete. You will train through a winter that can turn in an afternoon, under real volume, weeks from home, and you will row with a squad that is faster and older than you and races internationally every year. Meeting those challenges well is the work.
Success at Sparks is knowing how to meet a challenge in the way that serves your performance best. New Zealand is where we teach that at full depth. At 24 days the program runs twice the length of our Challenge camps, and door to door, across the International Date Line, the trip comes close to a month. Self-coaching needs that much time to become a practice instead of an idea. Most of the training is your own: a cohort of about 12 at a 1:3 staff ratio, setting goals, training under real volume, reflecting with your coaches, and adjusting as you go. Saturday daylight rows with Otago are occasions inside that rhythm, and athletes are later offered pre-dawn weekday rows with the squad once they are judged proficient.
We chose winter deliberately. The conditions demand self-regulation session by session, and the place is serious enough to meet the seriousness you bring. The erg work is part of the same practice - a quiet and repeatable discipline at the center of the program.
The program follows a set arc, and we tell you the shape in advance because knowing it helps you row through it. It opens with Connection - an overnight hike in Fiordland before any rowing, then the move to Dunedin and your first sessions as a cohort. Adaptation follows as the training load settles in: the first row with the Otago squad, performance psychology work, and time at the Sport NZ High Performance Centre. Process builds from there - with higher volume, deeper small boat work, and the cohort taking a larger hand in running its own sessions. It rises to the high point of the program: a training block late in the schedule on the international course at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel at the foot of Mount Cook, stark and quiet in winter.
Integration closes the arc with the question of what peak performance means for you, worked out with a cohort that has shared all of it, and the last night is spent at a retreat in Fiordland.
The program ends there on purpose. The return home is yours - and the practice you built goes back into your own season, your own team, your own selection. More Sparks camp leaders were athletes in this program than in any other camp we run.
Admissions is interview-based, and the program suits athletes ready for independence. Rising seniors and incoming college freshmen form the largest group, with rising juniors considered case by case.
The program has been the subject of articles in the Otago Daily Times (#1 and #2) and Rowing New Zealand's blog.
What Twenty-Four Days Makes Possible
Twenty-four consecutive days is close to what a college training block feels like, and most juniors never find out how they handle one. The program moves through connection, adaptation, process, and integration at a 1:3 ratio. You have time to try something, have it not work, and try again. Coaches are recruiting four years of development, so how you absorb a load like this matters more than any single result.
At A Glance
Staff Ratios of 1:3 to 1:5
Admissions-Based Cohorts
High Standards of Behavior
Reading & Reflection
Healthy Hospitality
Action → Reflection → Intention
Camp Focuses
Teamwork
Nutrition
Small Boats
Sculling
Sweeping
Large Boats
Exercise Science
Leadership
Ergometer Skills
Cross Training
New Zealand is the most special experience we offer; we have run this program for over a decade.
This program is selective in that experience and fitness are necessary to push the boundaries of performance. Regardless: if this program intrigues you on a deeper level, we encourage you to apply - it a unique program and attracts a unique type of athlete.
First: this program requires emotional maturity - we build confidence by taking care of ourselves and each other through sincere challenge.
Second: participating in the university practices safely demands rowing fitness and skill.
Finally: you need the thoughtfulness to reflect on your performance, reconcile reality, then pursue improvement from that place.
Athletes accepted to the New Zealand cohort tend to be older - with rising seniors/grade 12/upper sixth in the largest group, followed by rising collegiate athletes. The program will consider rising juniors/grade 11/lower sixth on a case by case basis.
Step 1: Initial Application
Submit your registration and pay the $995 deposit; we will accept the deposit to process your application and hold your place. If you are not offered a place, the full deposit is refundable.
Step 2: Video Essay Prompts
Sparks uses video essay prompts to get a genuine sense of who you are as an athlete. Keep your response natural and conversational. We're excited to hear your authentic voice and learn what drives you in your sport.
This program informs athletes' approach to performance by enabling self awareness and confidence to guide development. Athletes should be able to demonstrate a prior relationship with rowing performance, kindness, empathy, self-awareness, and an understanding of resilience.
The New Zealand application prompts are comprised of the following:
- Read this wiki on the Shackleton Antarctic Expedition and utilizing a few examples from the wiki, define resilience.
- How would you like to grow as an athlete and why?
- Explain one thing you enjoy about colder weather.
- Tell us a story about a team (yours or another) that stands out to you and why it means something to you.
- Tell us about a time when you had to choose between what was right for you personally and what was right for your team. What did you do?
- Please provide a brief summary of your rowing experience including a recent 2,000m ergometer score.
- Please provide a short (~1 minute) video of yourself on the ergometer or water.
(Please do not worry about editing or perfect quality - 10-20 strokes from the side will do.)
The prompts will be submitted on your Sparks user dashboard and are due within 14 days of initial application.
Step 3: Zoom Interview
You will schedule your interview from your Sparks user dashboard after you submit your written application. During the interview we will talk about the program, your written application, and how the opportunity aligns with your experience, values, and goals.
Step 4: Decision
Upon acceptance full payment is due by March 1. Full payment is due within 14 days for applications received after March 1.
Admissions occurs on a rolling basis. Timeline for decisions is within a week of the interview; if your timeline is shorter, we can work with you. Written applications must be submitted within 14 days of initial application, and interviews must be scheduled within 30 days of initial application.
Included in Camp Fee
- Lodging and Meals
- Camp Gear
- Coaching & Equipment
- 1:3 Staff to Athlete Ratio
- Hiking Trips & Transport around the country
- Pre-Camp Training Program
Not Included in Camp Fee
- Personal Gear
- Airfare to and from camp
- Trip Protection (strongly recommended) - Learn More
What goes into a Sparks Camp?
You get more out of a Sparks camp because we put more into a Sparks camp*
*These numbers are an approximation across all of our camps.
†Housing includes meeting and activity space for the camp during the day as well.
FAQ
Are there any additional costs beyond the camp fee?
The camp fee covers programming, coaching, accommodations, meals, ground transportation (where necessary) within designated windows, and all scheduled activities. See the itinerary for the complete list of what's included.
Parents are responsible for costs outside the standard program—medical services if your athlete gets sick or injured, travel booked outside our arrival/departure windows, or optional activities we haven't scheduled. If something comes up that requires additional expense, we'll contact you to discuss it before moving forward.
What is the cancellation/refund policy
Camp purchases are fully refundable minus transaction fees until March 1 for summer camps.
- We strongly recommend you purchase travel protection with cancel for any reason coverage.
- We offer these plans from Travel Insured International during the check-out process for our four and five day camps and during final balance payment for deposit-based multi-week camps.
- Learn more about travel protection here
- If you withdraw after the above dates, there are no refunds for any reason whatsoever (including, but not limited to: voluntary withdraw, illness or injury, summer school, security concerns or other reasons).
- If your camper leaves camp after it starts, there are no refunds for any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to: voluntary withdrawal, illness or injury, dismissal by Sparks (due to discipline, behavior, lack of fitness or motivation, etc.) security concerns, or any other reason. Any costs incurred by Sparks as a result of an early departure are the sole responsibility of the parents.
- In the unlikely case a camp does not proceed, we'll work to notify you by March 1. You'll be offered a different program or a refund. In some cases, we may extend the 'go, no-go' date. We recommend buying your flight after March 1 or later, if we advise.
Do you offer scholarships or discounts?
Our prices increase as spots fill. The earlier you register, the better the price you’ll get. We also offer travel insurance that provides "cancel for any reason" coverage until 2 days prior to camp.
Regarding Scholarships:
Please see this link to our NCAA Compliance webpage.
What level of experience is necessary for this program?
Maturity, thoughtfulness, and a prior connection with the sport are precursors to success in New Zealand. Experience levels vary, but average around 2.5 years. Erg score and rowing experience matters as pertains to safely participating in university practices and enabling the cohort to train together - however, we look at the whole person on a case by case basis in our admissions process.
We believe you can go fast, obtain great race results, and get recruited without growing much as a person. The program has produced results in the classic sense, including one Harvard coach and a huge number of Division I recruits. However: there are far less demanding ways to put a blue chip on your recruiting resume.
The goal of this camp is for you to utilize your relationship with the sport to grow. As a result: we seek thoughtful, courageous individuals who desire challenge in their relationship with rowing performance in order to grow as athletes and people.
Tell me more about admissions for this program - how selective is it?
Sparks maintains the most in depth camp admissions process in rowing. We thoughtfully consider each athlete on a case by case basis.
We are selective in our admissions process for this program - for the good of each athlete, the cohort, and the university team we partner with to provide this experience. The official 2K guideline is sub-7 for males and sub-8 for females.
That said: we encourage you to apply if everything above calls to you. First and foremost, New Zealand requires the desire to grow in your relationship with performance as a rowing athlete. If the program doesn't seem to be a good fit as we go through the application process, we will suggest alternatives in our camp network or refund your deposit.
Admissions occurs on a rolling basis, and it generally takes 2-3 weeks for a decision after deposit is made if you submit your essay and schedule your video conference promptly.
We welcome your questions either via phone or in the chat box in the right hand corner.
What differentiates Sparks camps and this program specifically?
We are the only camp in rowing with a full-time staff that has academic and professional backgrounds in experiential education. We also have a summer operations staff (many are returners that teach during the school year) who buy into the idea of personal growth at camp not just for campers - but for themselves as well.
The result is a culture sincerely committed to the power of rowing as a personally transformative experience built on vulnerability, thoughtfulness, responsibility, and initiative. These qualities along with our values of growth, kaizen, and plus one stroke dictate the culture our camp community forms around. Our focus is on utilizing rowing to create the self-awareness necessary to master one's relationship with performance.
New Zealand is a unique camp in that intense growth occurs as a byproduct of a one of a kind experience in arguably the top rowing culture in the world. It is one of our capstone camps, and alumni have returned to staff Sparks camps all over the world.
What can you tell me about college recruiting and this program?
First, we can tell there are easier ways to become a blue chip collegiate recruit. Ones that don't require as much growth - so much as just pure, raw speed on the ergometer. You can even do it in your garage!
More seriously: the program has produced a huge number of Division I - III recruits, including athletes at the most selective programs in the United States. Alumni include a Harvard coach. Athletes have even been sent to New Zealand after their initial year in college by coaching staff given the training load and trust in the kiwis to do athlete development right. Collegiate recruiters like New Zealand given the independence, rowing IQ, commitment, and maturity it indicates to come halfway around the world to train at Otago.
However: we see collegiate recruiting as a byproduct of a larger process of growth on the part of each athlete in New Zealand - not a means to an end.
What can you tell me about housing and supervision at camp?
For the majority of the program, Campers lodge in a 19th century Victorian house, located on the main shopping street of Dunedin. They take meals at one the University of Otago's dining halls, University College, and are easily able to make the 2K (there's a little irony ;) )walk to Otago University Rowing Club. They also sleep in rustic lodges the second and last night of the program and utilize a backpackers' in Twizel during the third weekend.
At Sparks camps, we have two staffs: a coaching staff and an operations staff. Our operations staff is responsible for the experiential education and pastoral care at camp. The staff lives amongst the student athletes, and has oversight 24 hours a day. Unhealthy substances and/or behaviors are strictly prohibited. Our ratio is 1:6 for operations staff and 1:6 for coaching staff, making the overall ratio 1:3.
How big is the program?
Sparks Leadership programs are smaller with excellent staffing ratios to focus on community and growth. The New Zealand cohort is 12 students.
Beyond core operations and coaching staff (1:3 staff:athlete ratio), the group is also supported by a Dunedin based performance psychologist, nutritionist, physical therapist, and weight trainer who also tend to work with elite athletes at the high performance sport centre based in Dunedin.
Who are the camp coaches and staff?
This program seeks to maintain a 1:6 operations staff to athlete ratio and a 1:6 coach to athlete ratio. Overall, this makes our staff to athlete ratio 1:3. Coaches for this program generally possess New Zealand national and Olympic rowing and coaching experience.
How do you handle travel to/from the camp?
Travel to and from New Zealand is a not a small affair. Sparks provides roundtrip routings to Queenstown from major US hubs for campers who would like to undertake the journey together.
The classic route is direct to Auckland via LAX on Air New Zealand - though Air New Zealand now also flies direct to Auckland from a number of cities in the middle of the US. In Auckland, students clear Kiwi customs then catch a direct domestic flight to Queenstown. The Auckland airport is easily navigable and small compared to many major US hubs.
The journey itself is part of the camp experience. This camp invites athletes to take a personal journey with the sport at its center. The time and maturity required in getting to and from New Zealand enforces a sense of distance and accomplishment in itself. Our Program Director (already on the ground in New Zealand as students depart) tracks student travel into Queenstown, where they are picked up from the airport.
Needless to say: you will fill out a travel form after registration that enables our staff to make sure your camper arrives and departs safely. If you have questions, we're happy to answer them in the box in the lower right side, or you can schedule a call with us.
Tell me about safety at Sparks
We employ safety and risk management practices from the adventure education industry, where some risk is inherent but must be quantified insofar as educational value. These practices are initially employed in program design and we work hard to train operations staff to seek to maintain an awareness of specific risks at all times. No outdoors programming can guarantee safety, however professional management of risk is key to the art of providing consistently excellent experiential education programming.
Please also see our essential eligibility criteria
I have questions before I apply. Is it possible to speak with someone?
Certainly - we completely understand your need to connect about this commitment!
We just ask you schedule a call with us (click here) given we're a very small office.
Where are camp forms found?
Camp forms are issued at least six weeks prior to camp on our site via your dashboard.
