Author: Brian Kooperman

It was an amazing day at Bridgton Sports Camp. Despite the staggeringly hot temperatures the majors ran smoothly with a huge step up in both intensity and effort from the campers all across the board. Soccer players prioritized defensive drills which can be difficult for primarily offensive players however all of the boys stayed focused and pushed themselves. In basketball the campers started with ball handling and passing drills before pivoting to offensive drills. On the ice hockey majors began with edgework and continued to compete in a scrimmage in the afternoon. During lacrosse the boys did position drills focusing on timing and creating space. Lastly the baseball majors practiced leading off the base and played a round of ‘The Gauntlet.’ For choose up today several counselors hosted various clinics that had been requested by campers. There was a spikeball tournament, a golf shooting range, a knockout game in basketball and of course a much needed free swim. After dinner the campers continued familiarizing themselves with the BSL games as well as their teams. It is safe to say the boys are adjusted to the regular daily schedule here at camp and we are very excited to keep pushing. Go BSC!

It was a fantastic day at Bridgton Sports Camp! The majors are in full swing and the weather was beautiful. In soccer the campers started by working on their dribbling technique and continued with a one on one defensive drill. Out on the ice the boys competed in a four on four activation game and exhibited great puck control. The baseball majors did a line drive drill and later in the day played in a scrimmage. Lacrosse players are focusing on stick skills as well as one on one ground ball drills. In basketball the campers reviewed film before working on ball handling, passing, and defense. For dinner we had a BSC classic: Taco Tuesday. After dinner the campers played in their first BSL games. The boys are getting to know their teams and it is clear that the competition is going to be exciting. Campers and counselors are equally excited for another beautiful day tomorrow. Go BSC!

Today was the first full day at BSC and the campers are already making themselves at home. Our focus for the first few days of camp is getting everyone informed and comfortable with camp procedures as well as the daily schedule. We pack a lot of information in and so far the boys have been outstanding listeners. In the morning we had the hockey and lacrosse players set up their locker room and go over rules with the coaches. Our basketball, baseball and soccer majors also debriefed with their coaches about what is expected of them over the next three weeks. After today the campers will be familiarized with the equipment, fields, courts, coaches and counselors. Majors will start full speed tomorrow. We had a bit of rain in the afternoon but thankfully we were able to get the campers through their swim test before the bad weather set in. Following the swim tests the campers received their daily schedule and went into greater detail regarding their individual daily schedules. Here at BSC we have a special competition called Bridgton Sports League (BSL) where we organize various games for the campers to participate in. Some of the games the campers compete in are: cricket, handball, ultimate frisbee and kickball. BSL is a great way to introduce the campers to different games while mixing the age groups together resulting in a fun and fierce competition. Today the boys showcased their skills in the BSL combine allowing the commissioner to make fair and balanced teams. We expect BSL to begin tomorrow. In the evening the campers cleaned up and showered before heading to their first movie night. Tomorrow the weather will be sunny so we will run a fully normal schedule. Sunscreen, water and go BSC!

It is day one of session two! The bags are unpacked, the beds are made and the boys are ready for an awesome three weeks. After the buses arrived the campers met at lineup for the first time to go over some procedures before heading to dinner. After dinner each division played different field games such as handball, kickball, dodgeball and soccer. We wrapped up the first day by meeting with each division to go over rules more specifically for each age division. Day one is in the books and we could not be more excited for the following three weeks. Go BSC!

It was a sentimental and sensational last day at BSC. In the morning the BSL championship took place. The Bowdoin Polar Bears came out victorious for our rookie division. In the pro/ senior division the Colorado Buffalos took home the trophy after an intense game of handball that ended in a penalty shootout. After BSL the boys got signed up for the Whacked Up Relay. This lengthy relay race is the last and most important even of color war. With more than twenty stations all of the campers participate in at least one leg of the race. With events ranging from a three point contest to a bed making race the Whacked Up Relay is equal parts humbling and hilarious. After over an hour of competition one team came out with the win. Congratulations to the Avalanche for successful athleticism and sportsmanship. While only one team could win both teams fought hard all the way to the end. After the celebration the campers finished packing and got ready for the final dinner. Dressed to the nines the boys enjoyed chicken parmesan and garlic bread. Session one could not conclude without the final campfire. During this campfire the counselors and campers share special memories and celebrate their success over the last three weeks. The celebration includes a slideshow of the best photos from the session, a raffle of BSC merchandise and a special BSC tradition. As was previously mentioned in the early days of camp the boys write their goals for camp on small pieces of wood. At the closing fire the campers toss their piece of wood into the fire as a moment of conclusion for their time here in Bridgton. The ashes from the last fire are used to ignite the first campfire of the next summer. Session one is in the books and we couldn’t be more grateful for the effort, kindness and dedication all of the campers showed these last three weeks. A huge thank you to the campers, counselors and families. It has been a privilege and we hope to see everyone back at BSC next summer.

Day two of color war is officially in the books. It has been a great competition so far. In our hockey major the rookies competed in a game which the warriors won. The pro/senior divisions also played a game which the Avs won. Both games were full of athleticism and sportsmanship. A player in the pro/senior game had a huge hat trick. In the afternoon we had a cook off, a game of jeopardy and a track and field competition. In the cook off campers are given mandatory ingredients and a variety of optional ingredients to create a delicious dish for our prestigious panel of judges. Today the highlights were: a cheese pizza topped with Slim Jim’s and the cookie colossal. Overall the warriors dominated the cookoff. During the jeopardy games campers answer trivia questions that span from sports trivia to geography facts. Overall the Avs won the competition but we have a special shout-out for a rookie on the Warriors team who answered the majority of the questions for his entire team. In the track and field contest campers participated in various speed and endurance races as well as throwing distance contests. Track and Field was won overall by the Warriors. As it stands right now the Avs are up by a narrow margin of 20 points. It is anyone’s game. In the evening the BSL semi finals took place. Tomorrow both BSL and Color War will conclude. The campers and counselors are getting sentimental about camp ending but we couldn’t be happier with how things are wrapping up.

Today was an outstanding day at BSC. It is day two of color war and the competition is intense. Points are awarded for all athletic events from mini games to majors. Points are also distributed for sportsmanship and kindness which can be demonstrated anywhere on campus. In soccer the boys played a scrimmage which the Warriors won. During basketball there was a three point shootout followed up by ball handling drills which the Avalanche won. In baseball there were relay drills and a round of ‘the gauntlet’ which the Avs also won. Our lacrosse majors did a shootout and played a game of horse where they spelled out the word lacrosse. Out on the ice the hockey majors competed in target shooting and other mini competitions. The scores from hockey and lacrosse are still being determined. In the afternoon all age divisions rotated through cricket, kickball, ultimate, handball, basketball and soccer. After dinner the campers had free play before going up to the dining hall for ice cream sundae night. Once a session we bring the boys up and give them the choice of many kinds of ice cream and toppings. Sundae night is a great way to reward the campers for the hard work and focus that they have displayed for the previous two weeks. Tomorrow is day three of color war and we are stoked to watch the competition continue.

Color war officially kicked off today making it one of the best days of camp yet. In the morning majors took place as they usually do. On the ice the hockey majors worked on their release and
participated in battle drills. In the gym our basketball majors focused on defense at the beginning of practice and then switched over to full court layup drills using both their left and right hands. At the end of the basketball session the boys played a five on five. Over on the pitch the soccer players continued working on a power and finesse drill and then moved into mini game scrimmages. In the lacrosse session the boys began by working on their basics today’s focus was catching and throwing. The priority then shifted over to footwork and stance for our lacrosse majors. Last but not least there was a big scrimmage played out on the diamond with each baseball coach leading a team. In the evening we put together a counselor versus senior camper hockey game. It was an exciting opportunity for our coaches to prove why they’re the ones with the whistle as well as teach the campers a thing or two. At the end of the game we announced color war by having the team captains run out onto the ice with the zamboni. It was so exciting seeing the reactions of the campers and seeing the energy of our captains. This year it will be the Warriors versus the Avalanche. The teams have been announced and the first games took place tonight. The pros played dodgeball while the seniors played broom hockey. Both games were extremely close, the senior game was won by the Avalanche while the pro game was won by the Warriors. Needless to say the next few days are going to be extremely exciting and fast paced. Stay tuned and GO BSC!

`It’s lazy bones Sunday! After the boys got their donuts this morning they met for lineup. The BSL playoffs began promptly after lineup and the teams are all still neck and neck. Following BSL the boys had chicken tenders for lunch and then went to rest hour. In the afternoon the pro and rookie divisions got their phones back to catch up with their family and friends. Not only was today lazy bones Sunday but it was also carnival day! On carnival day our sister camp Kents Hill comes to Bridgton and we put together a series of activities for all of the campers to enjoy. This year’s highlights were the triple water slide, the mechanical bull and the obstacle course. We also had a free skate on the ice rink, soccer games and a street hockey game. For dinner there was a cookout in the back of the cafeteria so the campers could eat under the tent and continue enjoying fresh Once the burgers, hotdogs and watermelon had been devoured the boys said goodbye to Kents Hill and headed down the hill to start getting ready for bed. It was a great day for BSC!

It was sign-up Saturday today at BSC. On Saturdays the boys get to sleep in and in the afternoon we rotate through a few different activities. The majors took place as usual this morning. Basketball did a series of passing and offense drills before spending the second half of the period in the weight room. Lacrosse worked on one v one ground ball drills and dodging drills. Over on the soccer pitch the campers worked on defensive transitions and had a scrimmage. Hockey did a lot of skating at the beginning of the period and later on did three v three games. The overall focus in hockey was keeping your head up today. In the afternoon the campers participated in a counselor catch. In this activity the boys run around campus in teams searching for counselors that are in various hiding spots. The campers loved this activity which was great to see. Following snack the campers participated in one of the three activities: soccer, basketball or tennis. In all three of the activities they competed in tournaments which were all hard fought. In the evening the rookies and pros had a movie night. The rookies watched Finding Nemo while the Pros watched Meet the Parents. Our oldest age division got their phones for the evening and had free time on the fields. Tomorrow is lazy bones Sunday and the boys are looking forward to their donuts in the morning.