Bridgedale has been transformative for him

By: Olga Khamichonak, Bridgedale Mom

Alex needed a more challenging academic environment.

Bridgedale has been a huge positive for him

By: Tracy Williams, Bridgedale Mom

Gunnar skipped 5th grade and entered 6th at Bridgedale.

One of the Keys to Moving Up the Hockey Pyramid

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

A number of years ago I attended a spring AAA Minor Bantam game featuring many excellent players. 

It was, I knew, one of the very first “checking-allowed” games for both teams. 

As a longtime AAA bantam coach, I was expecting to see players who were more than anxious to “hit” - but without a clue about how to properly “check.”

But instead I was very pleasantly surprised.

Because this game featured two teams with very good checking skills.

Bridgedale has been a huge positive for him

By: Jamie Brennan, Bridgedale Dad

Finn was in a poor learning environment.

What does this have to do with young athletes?

By: Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

"An orange is not an apple."

Hmm. Seems pretty obvious.

After all, an orange is an orange, and an apple is an apple.

So “what does this have to do with the development of young student-athletes?” you might ask.

It turns out plenty.

Plenty, that is, when the student-athlete keeps trying to convince himself that some things are other than what they actually are.

A thing is what it is.

One of the most common challenges I deal with as Headmaster at Bridgedale Academy, is getting young student-athletes to deal head-on with the realities they face each day.

The capacity for youngsters to evade and contrive, and at times even to deceive themselves, never ceases to amaze me.

Bridgedale has made a huge difference

By: Ryan Ostrowski, Bridgedale Dad

Anthony needed a change.

Developing the Entire Student-Athlete

By Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Most schools are doing a disservice to their students

It's a sad reality that most schools today are doing a terrible, and in many cases irreversible, disservice to the students they are entrusted to educate. Far too often their priorities are out of whack and the truly important things students need to learn end up being sacrificed on the altar of cultural fads.

And this is especially true when it comes to boys, and all the more important during the crucial pre-teen development years.

But you can enhance your son's athletic and academic performance

How valuable is a school for athletes that understands and deals straight up with the fact that boys need physical activity, on a daily basis, and that getting that physical activity improves their academics?

What if that same school offers its student-athletes an elite classical education?

What if that school actually encourages the boys to be competitive? Won't that yield benefits that go above and beyond just sports and academics?

Boys excel in such an environment. And the benefits last a lifetime.

So let’s get to it. Here are my 7 top reasons for boys to attend a school for athletes like Bridgedale Academy.

Getting to the Next Level

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

How can a player get to the next level?

Every year thousands of youth hockey players try out for their next season’s teams. Virtually all are trying to “get to the next level.” In Illinois the next level might be AAA, or it might be their club’s Central States or Gold level teams. In some cases it might simply be making that first travel team.

How can a youth hockey player "guarantee" his own success?

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

What kind of mindset does a player need to realize his full potential?

The burden of doing what is necessary to an athlete's development falls squarely on the shoulders of the individual athlete.

Parents indeed do play a crucial role when the athlete is younger. But ultimately it is up to the athlete to do what he must to turn his potential into reality.

To do this the athlete must develop a certain mindset.

It is a mindset that will allow the player to do those 7 key things that "must" be done, i.e. for the player to eventually realize his full potential.

And ultimately, this mindset is dependent on what I'll call a "crucial understanding."

First I'll address the 7 "keys" ... and then the crucial understanding. 

Toughest Position in Team Sports

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Nothing compares physically, mentally and emotionally

I've never been a goalie.

In fact, I don't think I've ever even put on the pads.

Nonetheless, I believe that hockey goalie is the toughest position in all of team sports. So here's my very unscientific analysis of why it's so hard to be a goalie.

Value to the team is only a part of it

I've coached hockey for many years and understand the value that an elite goaltender brings to a team.

Put simply: You can't win a championship without a championship-caliber goaltender.

But other sports have positions that will have a similar value to a team. No team wins in football without an exceptional quarterback. Championship baseball teams need world-class pitching.

So it has to be more than just that.