On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bridgedale Academy grad Davis Burnside has given his verbal commitment to play his Division 1 NCAA hockey at The Ohio State University. 

Davis, an outstanding forward who is now playing for the Chicago Mission U15 team, becomes the 14th Bridgedale grad to have earned his D1 scholarship.

(Click to see all Bridgedale's college commitments.)

He was also an Honor Roll student at Bridgedale.

"Davis, a forward, has elite level speed who is a threat to score anytime the puck is on his stick," says Gino Cavallini, coach of the Chicago Mission U15 team for which Davis now competes. "His stride and ability to generate this kind of speed almost always catches the opposing defenders on their heels. His speed sets him apart; his ability to play 200 feet is why he is coveted."

Beloved son of Bridgedale's Mike McPartlin

The entire Bridgedale Academy Family is extremely saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of Nicholas "Nick" Marlowe, son of Bridgedale Headmaster Mike McPartlin.

Every Year Parents Scramble to get their sons in Hockey Camps

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Isn't there a better way?

Every summer, hundreds of hockey camps are operating all over North America. And no matter what skills your hockey-playing child needs to work on, there are camps out there for you.

There are camps for speed, camps for stick handling, camps for shooting, camps for checking, camps for “power” skating, camps for defensemen, etc. 

Most of these camps are week-long camps, and with each camp comes the promise of positive results.

So my question is: If positive results can come from attending a 1-week hockey camp, what kind of results could you expect from 37 weeks of hockey camp?

On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bridgedale Academy grad Josh Lopina has given his verbal commitment to play his Division 1 NCAA hockey at UMass Amherst. 

Josh is an outstanding forward who recently won a USA Hockey National Championship as a member of the Chicago Mission's U16 team. Josh becomes the 13th Bridgedale grad to earn his D1 scholarship, and the first to commit to UMass.

(Click to see all Bridgedale's college commitments.)

Josh, who will compete in junior hockey this season for the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League, was also a High Honors student at Bridgedale.

"Josh has good hockey sense in addition to his strong athletic abilities," says Anders Sorensen, Josh's coach at the Chicago Mission U16s last season. "He possesses a very strong two-way game combined with a great compete level."

"The more competitive the game becomes, the more Josh excels," added Sorensen.

Creativity might come from thinking outside the box, but fundamentals come from thinking inside it

By Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bridgedale Academy grad Jack Devine has given his verbal commitment to play his Division 1 NCAA hockey at Denver University. 

Jack, an outstanding forward who is recognized nationally at the Bantam Major level, becomes the 12th Bridgedale grad to have earned his D1 scholarship.

(Click to see all Bridgedale's college commitments.)

He was also a High Honors student at Bridgedale.

"Jack Devine is on his way to becoming the epitome of a team leader whose play does the talking. A Messier type center, he can play any way you like him to. Skilled, tenacious and gritty, you get the full 200ft from Jack," says Gino Cavallini, coach of the Chicago Mission Bantam Major 03s team for which Jack competed last season.

A thank you to former Notre Dame hockey coach Tim McNeill

By Bill Whiteside, Businessman, Sales and Marketing

This is really not about my hockey career.

My hockey career peaked when I made the junior varsity team in college. Any scouting report on me it would have noted: “He’s slow but he’s small.”  A teammate once complimented the hang time on my slapshot. In other words, this is really not about my hockey career.

During my freshman year I was involved in a scuffle that wasn’t really a fight, but which irritated the referee enough to toss me and a player from the other team out of the game. Tim McNeill, our coach, had an iron-clad rule that any player who was thrown out of a game would also be suspended for the next game.

Our parents didn’t know this at a time, but they were very fortunate to trust their freshman sons to the guidance of Tim McNeill. He expected us to respect the game, each other and our school. He expected us to hustle and to play hard, but within the rules. After the first taste of extended life away from home for most of us, by Thanksgiving it was time for “that turkey trim” – no hair could extend below the backs of our helmets. Coach had his rules, and if you broke his rules, there were consequences.

Your parents sacrifice so you can play hockey

By Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bode Wilde, Jacob Pivonka and Spencer Stastney

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bridgedale Academy is proud to announce that three (3) of its recent graduates were selected in the recent NHL Draft. 

What makes Bridgedale unique to parents?

By Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Absolute confidence that Bridgedale is delivering on its promises.

Recently, a number of Bridgedale Academy parents and teachers got together with a marketing professional to conduct what is called a Value Proposition exercise. We talked about what Bridgedale is, and what it could be.