Author: Brian Kooperman

Intercamp took place today and the entire BSC campus was buzzing with excitement. The 13U basketball team lost at home unfortunately but the 13U baseball team dominated at home on Koop field. Over at camp Wildwood our 15U basketball players won unfortunately their victory was followed with a hard fought loss in volleyball. Majors took place in the morning and went very smoothly. Lacrosse worked on offensive shooting with a focus on power and mechanics of their shot. Their practice concluded with a game of ultimate frisbee lacrosse putting an emphasis on footwork. In basketball the boys prepared for their games with passing drills and fastbreak drills. On the ice our hockey majors practiced power skating and played small area games putting a priority on puck control. Out on the pitch the soccer majors played a power and finesse game before ending their practice with three on three games. The baseball majors were also primarily focused on game preparation which clearly paid off with their huge win. The final score of their game was ten to two. Go Bridgton! In the evening we had a very special activity that we put together annually: casino night. During casino night we let the campers play fun card games to win prizes. The best part is all the counselors and campers get dressed up for the part. It is always an equally hilarious and heartwarming experience to see what outfits the kids put together. With the casino closed and the boys winding down it is safe to say it was a very successful day at BSC. More to come.

Intercamp preparation is in full swing and the campers couldn’t be more excited for some competition among different campers. The boys will be competing in 15U volleyball and basketball at camp Wildwood and we will be hosting U13 baseball and basketball. After tryouts and practices the teams are looking sharp and ready for action. We were a smaller group today with our senior age division on a river rafting trip on the moxie river. The river is three hours away from camp but remains one of the favorite trips every year with strong rapids and relaxing straits. On the baseball diamond the boys did relay races and practiced ground balls. At the end of practice there was a game of wiffle ball. In basketball the campers mainly focused on shooting drills and ball handling before carrying both skills over to a series of three on three games. Hockey practiced with an obstacle course relay and competed in small area games. In lacrosse the boys only had three campers but they demonstrated great effort and got to play a game of horse where they spelled out the word ‘lacrosse.’ Tomorrow is intercamp day and we are very excited to see the competition. GO BSC!

It was a very special day for our hockey majors as we were visited by hockey skills and
multimedia company Elev8. A skills training coach visited Bridgton today and taught all three age divisions. The boys worked on their forehand and back hand while practicing tricky maneuvers lead by the coaches from Elev8. As for our other majors Baseball and Basketball had scrimmages to prepare for our inner camp games that will take place at the end of the week. Lacrosse players watched film after their basic stick skills training. In soccer boys worked on combination drills and fundamentals. The rookies who had the cleanest rooms got their ice cream prize today. During choose up one of our head counselors ran a kicking workshop teaching how to punt and kick field goals. It was a gorgeous seventy five degrees and the weather is looking great tomorrow for the senior river rafting trip.

Bridgton was a bit overcast today but we managed to finish all of the major periods and water sports before the rain came in. Soccer focused on creating space off the dribble during various mini scrimmages. Baseball players ran, stretched and threw and ended the practice with a ground ball knockout. Lacrosse is continuing to go live and work up into a full contact game. Basketball worked on passing ball handling drills. In the ice rink the boys did offensive drills and transition defense drills. Down at the lake some campers wakeboarded, tubed and some even got up on the wake surf for their first time. Each day we give room scores for all of the campers to emphasize cleanliness. Once a week we take out the two cleanest rooms from each division to get ice cream downtown Bridgton. Today we took the pro and senior winners out for their ice cream and tomorrow it will be the rookies turn. It is always great at the end of the day to see campers rewarded for their hard work and discipline while enjoying some ice cream. Tomorrow sign ups for our inner-camp games begin and everyone is excited for some camp competition.

Happy Fourth of July Bridgton Sports Camp friends and families! This morning a group of our campers competed in the annual Bridgton Four on the Fourth race. Accompanied by counselors, a group of BSC campers from all age groups gave their best effort on a four mile course bright and early in the morning before most campers had even started their day. Back at camp we had a traditional Monday consisting of majors, snack, lineup, choose up and Bridgton Sports league games in the evening. On the diamond campers practiced infield outfield drills and then competed in a drill called the gauntlet to practice ground balls. In the gym basketball players started with defensive drills then moved into finishing with combination moves and finished with five on fives. On the ice our hockey campers played three on three after working on skating in small groups. The lacrosse players worked on inside finishing and began the first day of light contact play. Our soccer majors worked on ball handling and also ran a scrimmage. As the sun went down the boys continued competing in BSL. After free play it was lights out in Bridgton. We’re looking forward to tomorrow!

The first lazy bones Sunday of the year has arrived. On Sunday we let the boys sleep in an extra couple of hours and provide Dunkin’ Donuts in the cafeteria. Afterwards we put together a special morning BSL game. Following lunch the pros and rookies got their phones back to contact their parents and recap the week. In the afternoon we took one of our favorite trips to Portland to cheer on the Portland Sea Dogs. It was a picturesque night with a Sea Dogs win and a firework show after the game. As I write this the boys are tired out on the bus comparing the autographs they got and talking about the week. After a relaxing weekend with different schedules to switch things up for the campers we are all feeling refreshed. Tomorrow we go back to a regular wake up with majors and minors as usual.

It’s the first BSC weekend and we could not be happier reflecting back on the previous days. After a great first week full of hard work and accomplishment from our campers we decided to mix things up and let the campers get some much needed time to cool off with water activities. In the morning the boys spent two hours with their major coaches going over what they completed and discussing the game plan for the next week. In the afternoon we had three stations that the campers rotated through. Down at the lake campers went tubing and had a free swim. Up on the turf there was a slip n slide set up along with spike ball games. And last but not least a free skate with music playing out on the ice. When our campers work as hard as this group has it is awesome to see them letting loose and having fun on a sunny day. Seniors got their phones back in the evening to call home and catch up while our pro and rookie divisions had a movie night. Tomorrow we will be traveling to watch a Sea dogs game in Portland and watch a firework show. From all of us over here at Bridgton Sports Camp we wish you and your family a happy Fourth of July weekend.

It’s been a fantastic Friday at Bridgton Sports Camp. The sun was out and the boys are all smiles. Our hockey majors continued their edge work while focusing on puck control and carried both skills over to a scrimmage in the afternoon. On the baseball diamond the campers participated in a base race to test speeds and worked on their pitching in the bullpen and then had a scrimmage at the end of practice. Lacrosse majors switched their focus from offense to defense today paying close attention to their stances. In basketball players worked on their footwork and finishing with their off hand. On the pitch the soccer majors completed power shooting drills before having an all out scrimmage. The meal of the day was lunch which consisted of pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese. BSL took place as the sun was setting. The laughs and shouts from the turf could be heard all the way at the bottom of the hill. We have an exciting weekend coming up with two sleep-in days to ensure our campers and counselors alike are getting plenty of rest.

Today was a great day at BSC for a number of reasons. One: laundry came back so they boys are all looking and feeling fresh. Two: for dinner we ate barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli and every camper’s favorite: garlic knots. And three: BSL is as competitive as ever with no teams clearly pulling away yet the competition is setting up to be steep all the way through the playoffs. The baseball boys broke out the radar gun to test their bat speed and throwing speeds. They also played a rousing game of groundball knockout. Lacrosse players transitioned from their skill work to shooting drills as they continue to nail down their essentials. Over on the ice we had a guest coach sharpening the boys’ edgework and developing their power skating skills. It is always a treat to have a new coach working with the boys offering a fresh perspective. On the pitch soccer majors worked on their movement off the ball, short range passing and then transitioned into various scrimmage scenarios. In basketball the boys continued their circle ball handling and practiced boxing out. During choose up we had a box lacrosse clinic in the street hockey rink. We also put up the anticipated weight room leaderboard which prompts campers and counselors to set records in simple calisthenic exercises like push ups, dips, planks, wall sits and pull ups. We are nearing the end of the first week and there is a lot to look forward to coming up, namely the Sea Dogs game. Stay tuned for more BSC news!

Today was a quintessential day for Bridgton Sports Camp. Lacrosse maintained their focus on skill and stick work while basketball went live with some one on one and three on three games. Soccer worked on combination drills and played a counselor versus camper scrimmage. To no surprise the counselor team was dominant however we expect this to change by the end of camp. Baseball worked on passing, fielding and concluded with a scrimmage. There was a scrimmage in hockey today as well that ended in a close score with great competitive effort from both sides. The dinner tonight was tacos which are always a camper favorite. BSL continued with the second day of intense competition. There are no clear teams pulling ahead yet but we will keep you updated on night four. You can’t complete a perfect day at Bridgton Sports Camp without a campfire to bring everyone together. Every year we pass out small pieces of wood and the campers are asked to write a couple goals they have for this summer. These goals are often relating to athletic endeavors but we encourage the campers to also set goals to improve teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, and kindness. At the first camp fire a camper from each age division shares their own definition of each of these traits. On the last night of camp during the closing campfire the campers will throw their piece of wood into the fire if they feel they’ve completed their goal. This tradition has been with us since the beginning of Bridgton Sports Camp and underscores how important we find character development to be in any young person. After the goal setting was explained s’mores were enjoyed by campers and counselors alike. As the fire turned to embers the boys headed down to bed ready for the busy days to come. See you tomorrow!