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?

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

By Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

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. 

Awesome job Bridgedale!

By Joanne Smith, Bridgedale Academy Mom

He is so happy and thriving thanks to your guidance, help and grooming.

The best decision we have ever made for him

By Val Rivelli, Businesswoman, Bridgedale Academy Mom

I can't say enough about the education he received.

Val Rivelli appears by permission. She works in the real estate business.  

Val's son Dominick is a highly-ranked 03 AAA forward who recently graduated from Bridgedale Academy. Dominick has competed for the Chicago Mission Hockey Club for the past fo

ur seasons. 

Our son is flourishing in the smaller class size

By Andy Olson, Businessman, Bridgedale Academy Dad

He is not just excelling at Bridgedale - he is exceeding!

Sending Jake to Bridgedale Academy for his 8th grade year was the best decision we ever made for our son from both an academic and athletics perspective. 

Although we had been warned that he may "burn out" (mentally or physically) on hockey, we actually found the contrary to be true. Jake's endurance and stamina have dramatically increased as the school year has progressed. 

I can also see significant improvement in his skating, including very noticeable advancements in his goalie movements. We attribute his remarkable improvement in his quickness, explosiveness, and fluidity of movement on the ice and in the net to the top-notch athletic/hockey training offered at Bridgedale. 

Simply put, Jake is a much better and well conditioned goalie/hockey player now than when he started at Bridgedale 9 months ago.

Who goes to a school to play sports?

By Tillie Bruss, Landscape Designer, Bridgedale Academy Mom

The concept was foreign to us ... (but now) he has asked more than once to stay after school to study.

"I know this is weird, but he goes to a hockey school.”

That's how I start every conversation about my son's school.

Because, lets face it, it's weird.

I went to Catholic grade school and high school and so did my husband. All four of our kids were in Catholic school; that's just what we thought was normal.  

The problem was that our son was struggling. 

My husband and I debated what to do; his grades were low, he didn't want to study, he didn't want to do homework and we just couldn't keep doing the same thing - there was no way he was being prepared for high school. 

When we were forwarded the Bridgedale Academy info from a friend, we were initially reluctant - who goes to a school to play sports? The concept was so foreign to us. I mean it's all fine and good to skate and train every day but what kind of education would you get?

After much handwringing we decided to try Bridgedale. 

My son is on a different trajectory now.

By Tomas Kirda, Software Architect, Bridgedale Academy Dad

The pace of his athletic development has surpassed that of his teammates.

My son Matas is a 6th grader at Bridgedale Academy. I am very pleased with his development there.

The pace of his athletic development has surpassed that of his teammates.

His core strength and stamina has increased noticeably.

Academically, Matas has always been an excellent student but he's an even better one now. The truth is that at his previous school, although he did well academically, he was not very happy there.

And athletically, while he's always been a good hockey player too, his athleticism and hockey skills have improved more this year than in any previous year.

And his improvement this year has also been more consistent.

I'd say my son is on a different trajectory now.

On Mission U16 Title Team

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bridgedale Academy grad Josh Lopina became a USA Hockey National Champion this week.

Josh is a 2001 birth year player who played on the same Chicago Mission U16 team as Bridgedale grad Wyatt Schingoethe and present Bridgedale student Jacob Perreault. 

The Mission U16s defeated the Team Wisconsin U16s in the USAH National Finals on Tuesday in Philadelphia, PA. They earned six straight tournament wins en route to the title, including victories over Little Caesars, Boston Jr. Eagles and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, powerhouses all.

"Josh attended Bridgedale for three years, graduating from 9th grade two years ago,” said Bridgedale Headmaster Mike McPartlin. "He has been with the Chicago Mission organization since he was a second year Squirt."

USA Hockey National Champ as Bantam & U16

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Bridgedale Academy grad Wyatt Schingoethe won his second consecutive USA Hockey National Championship this week.

Wyatt, a 2002 birth year player, played on the same Chicago Mission U16 team as present Bridgedale student Jacob Perreault. (And as noted in my prior blog, this was also the second national title in a row for Jacob.)

The Mission U16s defeated the Team Wisconsin U16s in the USAH National Finals on Tuesday in Philadelphia, PA. They earned six straight tournament wins en route to the title, including victories over Little Caesars, Boston Jr. Eagles and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, powerhouses all.

Wyatt, like Jacob, also was a key player on last year's Mission Bantam Major team that won the 2017 Bantam National Championship.