FAQs
The Team Leadership Center & Kayaking Adventures Door County
is Door County’s Adventure Center!
- All the facts you need to understand who we are and what we do -
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Q: What is the Team Leadership Center?
A: Founded in 1995 by Tim Pflieger on his family farm, the center is located ½ mile east of Institute in Door County. Created to provide team building and leadership development programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, the center has become a location for a multitude of adventures including zip lining. The center features a turn-of-the-century dairy barn, a high/low ropes challenge course, an indoor rock climbing gym, a hayloft of several high ropes course elements and several heated meeting spaces for large groups. The Team Leadership Center’s tag line was always “Door County’s Adventure Center. TLC’s name is still around for its physical location and its incorporated brand name that is recognized by schools, corporations, non-profit youth & adult organizations, and other group-oriented clientele that seek training in leadership development. As of 2012, Door County’s Adventure Center is the name we now use for all of our recreational adventures available to the public.
Q: Is the center opened year round?
A: Yes, we provide programming 364 days a year. We suggest you reserve your program date at least 2 months in advance to guarantee your magical day.
Q: What other types of programs does our company provide?
A: The Team Leadership Center, Inc. provides Team Building and Leadership Skill Training for school age groups, sports teams, staff development and corporations. DCAC provides single and multi-day adventures which can include 1500′ of zip lining, rock climbing, high ropes adventures, flat water canoeing, fly fishing, camping (Leave No Trace), snow shoeing and orienteering. Our Adventure Team offers annual Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshops and trips, overnight kayaking trips, wellness classes and a variety of youth camps.
Q. What kind of clothing and shoes should participants wear to the Team Leadership Center?
A. Due to the nature of the program and the rustic setting of the Team Leadership Center, Inc., participants should dress in layers. Wear comfortable clothes; always be prepared for rain and inclement weather. Footwear is important; always wear close-toed shoes, preferably sneakers or hiking boots. Please do not wear heels or sandals of any kind.
Q. What if I am not comfortable participating in an activity?
A. All activities, initiatives and climbs you may participate in are on a “challenge by choice” basis. TLC is in no way affiliated with the military. If something is pushing your personal comfort zone or physical abilities, please speak to your facilitator and they will find another role for you to play.
Q. Can I fall?
A. The Team Leadership Center, Inc. has never had an accident and never had an injury. Safety is the most important consideration when facilitating any group. All TLC facilitators are trained and certified professionals who only do things one way, the safe way. Whenever participants have the opportunity to leave the ground, they will be using climbing/safety equipment (harnesses and helmets) and are always clipped to a climbing rope.
Q. Can the Team Leadership Center’s Team come to us?
A. The TLC Team can facilitate groups at the Team Leadership Center in Door County, WI; St. Norbert Challenge Course in DePere, WI; or are able to travel and provide a program at the site of your choice. Please contact a TLC Team member to discuss specifics.
Q. What does “belay” mean?
A. Belay is a word of French origin which means to secure (a climber for example) at the end of a length of rope.
Q. Is the Team Leadership Center, Inc. open year-round?
A. Yes, the Team Leadership Center, Inc. provides programming 365 days a year. We suggest you reserve your program date at least 2 months in advance to guarantee your magical day.
Q. What other types of programs can the Team Leadership Center, Inc. provide?
A. The Team Leadership Center, Inc. provides Team Building and Leadership Skill Training for school-age groups, sports teams, staff development and corporations. TLC also provides Single and Multi-day Adventures which can include Rock Climbing, High Ropes Adventure, Sea Kayaking, Flat Water Canoeing, Fly Fishing, Mountain Biking, Camping (Leave No Trace), Snow Shoeing and Orienteering. The TLC Team offers annual Sylvania Wilderness Canoe Trips, Camp Confidence, Sib Camp, and Rock Island Rendezvous Sea Kayaking Adventure for Women. The Team Leadership Center also offers keynote/inspirational speaking, strategic planning facilitation and other organizational consulting & training services.
Q. What group sizes can the Team Leadership Center, Inc. work with?
A. 6-20 Ideal, 20-50 Multiple Facilitators, 50-300 Large Group Discounts
Q. Does Tim Pflieger have a book published?
A. There are two books being written at this time:
“What’s Next – Life is an Adventure” and “TLC’s Adventure Based Team Building”
Q : What is your history? I hear Team Leadership Center, Kayaking Adventures and Door County’s Adventure Center. Are you trying to confuse us!?
A: No, we are rebranding! The Team Leadership Center along with Kayaking Adventures of Door County was first created in the summer of 1995 by TLC founder Tim Pflieger. For the past 17 years, TLC and KADC has been providing team building and leadership programs across the state of Wisconsin and up through Canada. Year after year another layer is added to feed into the tourist market that Door County, WI has to offer. Because we now do many things besides team building and leadership training, KADC and TLC have rebranded to be known as Door County’s Adventure Center (DCAC) in order for the public eye to see all that we do. DCAC’s paddle shop is now located at our Paddle Sport Rental Concession on Egg Harbor Public Beach and our zip line tours are run out of TLC at 4497 Ploor Road, 54235. The name of the Team Leadership Center will always be our true identity and physical location for climbing, leadership and team building events but we are now marketing what has been our tag line for the past 17 years, “Door County’s Adventure Center.”
Q: What about safety? Are we safe?
A: Yes, we have been operating as a commercial vendor for kayak tours, lessons, trips and workshops for the past 17 seasons. We have never had a rescue incident, citation, severe injury or loss! Our certified staff and stellar safety record is what sets us apart from the rest of the commercial outfitters in Door County.
Q: What about our guides?
A: They are well trained. The guides employed at DCAC are trained according to national standards set by the American Canoe Association (ACA) and the Association of Challenge Course Technology (ACCT). Successful completion of training leads to certification as a coastal sea kayak instructor. Our kayak guides are urged to achieve ACA Level-2 ranking within their first summer (unless already certified). Many instructor-guides pursue additional levels of certification as well. All kayak staff participate in on-going training in areas of kayak skills, rescues, navigation, group management and open water paddling. Our zip line guides and ropes course facilitators are hired upon initial certifications. All ropes course facilitators participate in on-going training in areas of zip line guiding and rescues, soft facilitation skills, technical belay skills and ropes course management.
Q: DCAC has a Travel Team?
A: The DCAC team travels throughout Door County and will bring a fun and exciting program to you, your family or group upon request. Please contact us for specifics at 920-746-9999 today!
Q: What exactly is a sea kayak?
A: A sea kayak traditionally starts at 15-16′ in length, has two bulkheads sealing off watertight compartments in the front and back of the boat and participants wear a spray deck while paddling. Lake Michigan is COLD! The spray deck serves to keep water out of the cockpit enabling the paddler to stay warmer and drier. Your time on the water will be much more enjoyable! In the unlikely event of a boat capsize, the spray deck releases quickly. We love sea kayaking in its traditional form and use this type of boat for all of our trips, tours and workshops!
Q: So what is a recreational paddling tour?
A: Participants on these half-day tours usually paddle about 2.5 hours. We welcome any ability and experience level but gear the program especially to beginners! Basic boat control and paddle stroke instruction is included before pushing off from shore, the pace is leisurely, cameras are encouraged and the experience memorable!
Q: What then is an outfitted trip?
A: This is an overnight or multi-day kayak trip where we camp in one of the five state parks in Door County while paddling in the area. Everything we need for the entire trip is packed in the kayaks! Typically we send out specific equipment lists prior to the departure date, but participants always need a sleeping bag with compression sack, sleeping pad, tent, wetsuit and waterproof dry bags for clothes and personal items. Don’t have all of that stuff? Not to worry!!! We can help!! We are happy to provide sleeping bags, compression sack, pad, tent, wetsuit and dry bags for our trippers to use at no extra charge.
In addition, DCAC provides meals, camping fees and top notch instruction for every one of our trips. Fun fact: we always bring chocolate to reward success and help brain function!
Q: What happens at a kayak workshop?
A: Learning! Fun! Challenge! Getting wet! Confidence! Accomplishment! Our workshops are for those who want to move beyond the basics, learn paddling skills, boat control, rescues, develop confidence and really explore their paddle skills. Our certified instructors LOVE to teach!