BA Faculty to Speak at Boys Coalition Conference -  Two BA faculty members will be featured presenters at the Maine Boys Network "To a Higher Degree" conference this November. Bob Katz will provide a workshop titled "Boys and Mental Health," focusing on a range of mental health concerns and how they specifically manifest in boys. He will also review the components of the "Boy Code" and how it contributes to the presentation of anxiety and depression in males. Technology Director Dave Lepage will offer "Pods, Pokes, and Tweets: Using Technology to Communicate with Boys." In his presentation, Dave will cover the use of technology as both a teaching tool and an aid to establish and maintain relationships by promoting communication.

Auction Items Needed - This year, BA will hold a Parents Weekend Auction in October for parents, faculty, and friends to benefit the 2010 Annual Fund. We are welcoming auction items of all kinds. Past donations include - vacation getaways, fishing trips, ski weekends, sports tickets, mountain bikes, ski gear, outdoor adventures, sports items, concert tickets, vintage wines, electronics, gift certificates, gift baskets, artwork, jewelry, and more. Get creative - your donation can be anything you want it to be. If you or your business have an item you would like to donate for this event, please contact Jessica Priola at (207) 647-3322, ext. 219.

Join Us for Golf on Parent's Weekend - On Friday, October 2nd, Bridgton Academy and the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce will co-host the 17th Annual Fall Golf Classic at Bridgton Highlands Country Club. Proceeds from the tournament benefit both BA and the Chamber. The cost is $75, which includes 18 holes of golf, golf cart, lunch, and gift bag. Prizes include low gross, low net, closest to pin, longest drive, and a Million Dollar Shootout. Alumni, parents, and BA friends are all invited to attend. To register, please contact the Chamber of Commerce at (207) 647-3742. Deadline for registration is Monday, September 28th.

Soccer Takes First Win - Coming off of a disappointing 2008 season, which saw the Wolverines go 4-10-2, second year head coach Kevin Mellon has much higher expectation for his first recruiting class. "This is the first team which I have had a hand in bringing every player on the team to campus, due to that fact, I will be pushing them harder and expecting a higher level of play from them," said Mellon. Athletic Director Brad Smith echoes Coach Mellon's thoughts saying, "I'm excited for Kevin. This is his first recruited team at BA. He's brought in some talented kids, and if they can stay healthy, they should do very well."

Their first game was a reflection of that sentiment. The Wolverines kicked off their first regular season game with a 4-0 victory over Bowdoin College. In what Coach Mellon described as, "a very good win, against a deep team," the Wolverines controlled play in the first, with the offense constantly pressuring the Bowdoin defense. BA was able to finally break through and get on the board, after several narrow misses,when Omar Khartabil (Hampstead, NH), caught the defense off guard and sent a direct kick into the bottom right corner in the 33rd minute.

The start of the second half saw Bowdoin controlling the ball on the Bridgton side of the field, but the defense was able to preserve the shut out, including shutting down a great scoring opportunity for Bowdoin, which had an indirect kick inside the 18 yard mark. From that point on Rob Palumbo (Kingston, NH), took over. Palumbo scored three goals within 10 minutes. In the 66th minute Rob found the back of the net on a pass from twin brother Steve Palumbo (Kingston, NH). Four minutes later Rob scored again, with the assist going to Ethan Martin (South Burlington, VT). Palumbo was able to complete the hat trick by finishing a ball that Khartabil played down the line in the 75th minute. For a full recap of the Bowdoin win, click here. This Saturday, the soccer team will play their first away game of the regular season against Providence Country Day School. Did you know the BA soccer now has its own Facebook page? Become a friend today!

 

Baseball Busy With New Fall Schedule - The Bridgton Academy baseball program started a new chapter this fall, as the Wolverines now have a full fall baseball season for the first time in recent memory. Bridgton is competing in the New England Club Baseball Association, which consists of 14 teams, competing in three divisions, with a championship that will follow regular season play. Bridgton is the only non-college or university team in the league. At the helm for his 12th year as head coach, Brad Smith and the Wolverines are coming off of back to back record setting spring seasons in '08 and '09 that saw them go 16-5 and 18-5 respectively. 

During their season opener against Southern Maine Community College, the Wolverines started the fall out right, exploding for seven runs in the second inning, and holding off Southern Maine Community College for five more innings in route to a 9-5 victory at the South Portland campus. BA southpaw Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) held the Seawolves pretty much in check for 6 1/3 innings with a very strong performance, scattering six hits while striking out five. The big inning started with one out in the top of the second as Zach Vauros (St. Charles, IL) singled home Mike Bullett (Stanford, VT) with the first run to tie the game, 1-1. With the bases loaded, Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) was hit by a pitch that scored Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA). A Sam Stauber (Cumberland, ME) RBI single kept the bases loaded for Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) who unloaded a base-clearing triple to right field to up the score to 6-1. Two batters later, Bullett launched a triple deep to left, scoring MacInnes with the seventh run. Gabe May (Portsmouth, NH) came in relief in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out to shut down the Seawolves attack for the save. The Wolverines open their NECBA conference season as they travel to Hampden Academy on Saturday for a noontime doubleheader against University of Maine. To view the 2009-2010 team roster, please click here.

Hockey Team Might Top Grueling Practice List - On August 28th, Coach Lounsbury and Coach Meserve started the 2009-2010 Independent Junior A Hockey Season with a team meeting and a fitness test.
"We lay out the expectations in our first team meeting. Commitment, Sacrifice, and Responsibility are things that all players will focus on throughout their time here at Bridgton Academy. The Bridgton Academy Hockey Player is a student first, then a hockey player," said Assistant Coach Meserve.

All prospective players completed a physical fitness test. Push ups for muscle strength, sit ups for muscle endurance and a demanding two mile run for cardiovascular. David Findley (Hamden High School/Hamden, CT), was the top scorer on the fitness exam. David performed 75 push ups and 72 sit ups in two minutes and then completed his two mile run with an impressive 16:24.

The Wolverine Hockey Team will continue dryland training for four more weeks. "Overall, I've been impressed by the guys drive during our grueling two a days. Their commitment and sacrifice has been noticed my myself and Coach Meserve" said Coach Lounsbury. The hard work of these young players was evident, when the team recently went out to do "Buddy Runs" on the hillside.

Lacrosse Team Prepares for September 19th Opener - The 2009-2010 lacrosse team is also busy getting ready for games beginning on September 19th with a season-opener against long-time Newport rival, Navy Prep. Traditionally only a spring sport at BA, this fall the Wolverines will play a number of games against both schools and club organizations. Recently, the team took a hike up Mt. Sebatus.