Author: Brian Kooperman

Today was the final day of color war and that can only mean one thing: the famous Whacked Up Relay. The relay took place in the morning and consisted of dozens of events. Eating surprise, soccer shot, around the world basketball, marshmallow toss and a pie eating contest are just some of the events. After several hours when the relay was complete there could only be one winning team. Without further adieu a huge congratulations to the Golden State Warriors. The battle was hard fought and both teams left it all on the field. So another congratulations to the Colorado Avalanche. After the relay the boys had lunch and then began to pack and prepare for their departure. Following the packing period was dinner. It wouldn’t be BSC if we didn’t fit in one last Pizza Friday. The closing campfire took place after dinner at the lineup area. The counselors shared some words of encouragement and advice for the campers. During the first week the boys wrote their goals for camp on a piece of wood. Tonight at the end of the fire the campers each got the opportunity to toss their piece of wood into the fire to commemorate their time here and all that they achieved. As the fire died down the group watched a slideshow of photos from the session. It was a beautiful celebration and the perfect way to end the session as well as the summer. It comes with a heavy heart to say that this is the last BSC blog post of the summer. It has been a pleasure watching the campers and counselors develop over the last few weeks and we hope to see everyone back at Bridgton Sports Camp next summer. Thank you to all the BSC families and friends, For one final time: GO BSC!!!!

Today was a very special day at Bridgton Sports Camp. Color war has commenced! The camp has been divided in half and assigned to two teams: Warriors and Avalanche. Color war is a long held camp tradition and an insanely fun way to end camp. It is equal parts teamwork and sportsmanship. From here on out everything from room cleanliness to basketball is for points. This morning we had our last majors and they finished with a bang. Soccer majors competed in passing and shooting drills before playing a scrimmage. At the end the Warriors came out victorious in soccer. In basketball the boys played knockout, had a three point contest and played a scrimmage. The Warriors emerged victorious in basketball. The baseball majors had a base relay before participating in a scrimmage. The Avs ended up the winners during baseball. Lacrosse had a passing, accuracy and speed shot competition that the Warriors dominated. Hockey also had a skills competition with the same categories as hockey and this period was won by the Avs. In the afternoon the campers rotated through free swim, soccer and basketball games. As it stands now the Warriors are winning. Tomorrow is sure to be another day filled with intense color war competition. Go BSC!

It was a great Monday here at Bridgton Sports Camp. Majors were well executed in the morning. Hockey majors practiced their stick handling and footwork before translating these skills into shooting drills and mini scrimmages. Lacrosse players are perfecting their advanced stick and footwork. At the end of their practice they split into offense and defense to work on position specific skills. Basketball boys began with ball handling and pivoting to start their session. Later on the basketball players ran through a flow drill and a series of two on two games. During Baseball the boys worked on their timing while using a reaction ball. At the end of practice the catchers separated to work one on one with the head baseball coach. Soccer players prepared for a big intercamp game by working on three on three games.

We had another phenomenal Sunday here at BSC. It comes with a heavy heart saying it was out last Sunday here in Bridgton. The boys got to sleep in until ten this morning and once they were up Dunkin’ Donuts was available for breakfast. After breakfast the campers competed in a special edition of BSL. Each team was partnered with another team to play extra big games with more intensity than ever. After lunch the campers participated in a scavenger hunt that was equal parts challenging and hilarious. Some of the challenges included: return an item from the lost and found to its owner, find someone who is left handed and make a special handshake with your team. It was a fun afternoon activity and it was exciting to see the boys get into it. In the evening there was a cookie decorating contest with sugar cookies, frosting and sprinkles. We saw some very creative cookies and afterwards the boys got to eat their creations. Tomorrow is back to an early wake up and a regular schedule. Go BSC!

We had a fantastic day at camp! Morning majors were well executed with tremendous camper effort. The baseball majors participated in a home run derby and later in their practice engaged in a heated scrimmage. Hockey players competed in what we call “Small Game Saturday.” This includes activation drills, battle drills and three on three games. The basketball boys ran through all of their basics from ball handling to boxing out and then finished their session by practicing free throws under pressure. Lacrosse boys started with stick work and then moved into two on two ground ball drills. Soccer major was focused mainly on technique today. The boys paid close attention to their positioning as they worked on trying to move the ball faster. In the afternoon we had intercamp games with Camp Wildwood that were very exciting. The boys from Wildwood came to Bridgton to compete in 13U flag football and basketball. Although we suffered a close defeat in flag football the boys pulled together an incredible win in basketball. Later in the evening the campers had a movie night. The rookies watched “The Goonies” while the Pros watched “Meet the Parents.” There was plenty of laughter heard going down the hill as the boys went back to the dorms to go to bed. Tomorrow is Lazy Bones Sunday and everyone is excited to sleep in. Go BSC!

It was another beautiful day at Bridgton Sports Camp. Lacrosse majors are beginning to implement more contact into their practices as they get into prime scrimmaging shape. Baseball played a round of ‘the gauntlet’ and had a scrimmage. Basketball was fully focused on communication running through three on three games and finishing with a full speed five on five. During soccer the boys worked on power and finesse drills. Out on the ice the campers did edgework and battle drills. Down at the waterfront three campers got up on the wake surf for the first time which was exhilarating for everyone. During choose up a veteran baseball counselor led a hitting clinic to help the boys work on their swing. The most exciting event of the day was the senior rafting trip. The boys got up bright and early and took a charter bus up to Kennebec River in northern Maine. In the morning the seniors rafted through intense rapids and later in the afternoon the boys ate a lunch of grilled chicken, baked beans and pasta salad. It was a great day for all three divisions and we can’t wait for what the weekend has in store.

It was a great day today at Bridgton Sports Camp. Basketball majors worked on defense in three on three mini games. The hockey boys have been competing in a new league called Bridgton Hockey League (BHL). During this competition the players face off against other teams in their age division. In lacrosse the guys practiced passing and shooting on the move. The baseball boys did their usual running and throwing drills before competing in a scrimmage. Soccer players focused on defense and making moves on the ball. For dinner the campers enjoyed steak, mashed potatoes and peas. In the evening the pro campers had a social with our sister camp Kents Hill. The group of campers danced in the gym and had snacks. It was awesome seeing the whole group have fun. Tomorrow is the senior rafting trip with Kents Hill and we are expecting it to be another exciting day. Go BSC!

Another phenomenal day at Bridgton Sports Camp. The morning majors went well. In lacrosse the boys split into offense and defense groups working on positioning and scoring. Out on the ice the boys did battle drills all day working on body contact and later in the day they did reaction drills. In basketball the majors ran through three on three games focusing on intensity. During baseball the boys played a scrimmage. Soccer majors continued small area competitions. In the evening we had our first campfire which is always highly anticipated. The boys are each given a piece of wood where they are asked to write a couple goals. If they achieve their goals at the closing campfire they will throw their piece of wood into the fire. During this campfire we had counselors and campers read their own definitions of the BSC values: friendship, loyalty, teamwork, kindness and sportsmanship. Discussing these values with the campers is a helpful way to frame their goal setting. As the fire burnt out the campers talked amongst themselves and enjoyed s’mores. It was a great ending to the day. Go BSC!

The weather was gorgeous today at Bridgton Sports Camp! For breakfast the boys enjoyed scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes. Following the meal we had majors. Baseball players started with dynamic stretching before covering all of the basics from throwing to hitting. On the ice our hockey majors played mini games before participating in shooting stations. Lacrosse players continued locking in their stick skills and then played box lacrosse. Basketball majors began with ball handling and later transitioned their basics into a full scrimmage. The soccer boys ran through combination drills and then worked on making plays with minimal area. All across the board our staff has been very impressed with the effort and athleticism that our campers demonstrate each day. In the evening campers continued competing in BSL. Each week we rank the cleanliness of the camper’s rooms on a ten point scale. The winners each week get to go into Bridgton for ice cream. Today we took the winner for each age division and it was a blast. It is very fun to reward the boys for prioritizing maintaining a clean living space and we hope this behavior follows them all home. After a very active day the guys are all tired and excited for tomorrow. Go BSC!

It was a fantastic day at Bridgton Sports Camp. The majors took place in the morning and went swimmingly. Hockey players worked on puck control, edge work and making moves against defenders. Soccer majors focused on defensive positioning as well as passing. In basketball the campers prioritized communication while they ran through some basic drills such as ball handling and lay ups. Baseball players engaged in the “gauntlet” before doing some conditioning. In lacrosse the boys continued their ground ball work and also completed several passing drills. During choose up today we had a second workshop focused solely on increasing vertical jump height lead by a counselor who is a collegiate football player. There was also a ball handling clinic put on by a collegiate basketball counselor. It is awesome to see the campers staying focused on their athletics late in the day. The boys know that when they take that extra time and dig deep to find some motivation that they improve in their sport marginally. In the evening we had a carnival performance put on by an impressive duo in the chapel. Juggling, unicycling, and plate spinning was just the beginning. Campers and counselors were called as volunteers to help complete complicated tricks. The laughter and cheers echoed throughout campus. It was the perfect end to a picturesque day here at camp. We are excited to keep having fun throughout the week. Go BSC!