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(Our
102nd Year)
1907 - 2009
FAQ's
Maine Golf and Tennis Academy
for Juniors
**OFFICIAL** USGA CERTIFIED
TRAINING FACILITY and
PROFESSIONAL GOLF Recognized
Training Facility
What
some parents say - click
here
LEVELS: - click here
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"I have a conviction that a few weeks spent in
a well-organized summer camp may be of more value educationally than a whole
year of formal school work."
- Charles Elliot - former
president of Harvard University
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Frequently
Asked Questions
Click on each
FAQ to find answers.
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2. Where is The Maine Golf, Tennis
and Hockey Academy?
We are right in the center of Maine's Belgrade Lakes
Region, a beautiful area of lakes and mountains.
One hour and ten minutes from Portland, Maine. About
3 hours and 20 minutes from Boston, MA, 4 hours
from Montreal, Canada and 7 hours from New York
City.
Driving Directions or
Google map of The Maine Golf, Tennis and Hockey
Academy
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4. Who are Maine Golf Academy and Tennis
Academy Campers?
We accept 130 boys and girls, beginners
to advanced golf and/or tennis devotees from all
over the world, who enjoy playing, laughing, and growing
together; campers who seek the excitement and challenge
of living cooperatively in a stimulating community.
We, their parents, and they, value strong, positive
peer relationships and build these through the challenge
of living in rustic cabins with 8- 10 other campers
from all different cultures, sacrificing the comforts
of living in their own home with all the modern conveniences
at their finger tips. They believe, as do we, they
gain much for their efforts. These courageous young
adventurers learn to covet this enclave and home
away from home for the thrill of gaining the wonderful
benefits of sharing their passions, challenges and
living space with others. Most notably they are excited
about devoting their weeks with us to learning and
practicing one or both of their favorite sports in
a traditional Maine summer camp environment.
 
Most MGA campers come from the Eastern
Seaboard of the US: New England, Metro
New York, and Metro DC, but we get campers
from all over of the US: California,
The Carolinas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida,
Texas, and Alabama. Our International
campers come from Great Britain, Italy,
Mexico, Spain, France, Germany, Austria,
Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal, other Eastern
and Western European countries, Kuwait, Venezuela, Brazil, Korea,
China, Japan and Canada. Camp is truly an American international
community, with 90% US campers and about 10% international campers.
We offer ESL or ESOL (English as a Second Language) optional
instruction to help international campers
develop skills in conversational English
and bond more strongly with their cabin
mates. Campers are from 25 different
countries and 35 different states across
the US.
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5. Is this going to be too advanced
for my child?
We teach beginners through advanced, each within his
or her own program. Click
here to see explanation of different levels and
description of Beginner - Intermediate and Advanced
Golf Program.
Here is a table to help you find out what
is being taught at each level. Click
here
While we pride ourselves on offering the finest Professional
PGA/LPGA Golf Instruction and USPTA Tennis Instruction
that a Junior can receive, our staff is ready, willing,
and able to make the beginner feel right at home. It
is true that Advanced Golfers and Tennis Players can
get up to 8 hours a day of instruction and play, however,
the unique aspect of the Maine Golf Academy and Tennis
Academy is that each camper can adjust the amount and
the intensity of the golf or tennis program by opting
for other activities offered each day.
The last thing we want to do is overwhelm our camper.
Even though campers are offered highly sophisticated
and technical training along with being video taped,
analyzed, measured, adjusted and molded in every aspect
of their game no matter
what level, the camper is still in charge of how much he or she
can manage in any given day.
View a Typical
Day>
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7. Who are our counselors?
Our faculty and staff are
our greatest asset!
Men and women in college or finished college, who
choose to focus their summer on helping children
to realize their potential. They are teachers, guidance
counselors, childcare professionals, students, caring
and skilled individuals with camp-related backgrounds.
These staff live, eat, bunk with, guide, counsel,
listen to, care for, and recreate the campers when
they are not in either the Golf or Tennis Program.
Because we run camp as a full time, year round venture, we spend
most of our time recruiting and interviewing new candidates to
become part of our team of wonderful faculty and staff. Our faculty
and staff are our greatest asset!
The Instructors and and Pros
The Management Team assists with the day-to-day running of the
camp. Mature, experienced Division Heads supervise each of the
living units. Mature, experienced Professionals who are Department
Heads supervise each of the major areas, Golf, Tennis, Waterfront
and Program Activities. We have 10 Golf Teaching Staff: PGA and
LPGA Professionals, Coaches, Instructors, Golf Professionals
and college players. In Tennis we have 4 Teaching Staff headed
by a
USPTA Professional and 3 assistant coaches.
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8. Where do Counselors come from?
Most come from all across the US, as well as some
from international points: Australia, Europe, Asia,
South America, and Central America. We hire and train
counselors from Colleges and Universities around the
world.
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9. What's the food like?
New Menu with
***** HEALTHY *****
FRIENDLY OPTIONS
Our Chefs prides themselves on exciting the campers
every meal with carefully balanced and kid-friendly
scrumptious meals to which he puts his personal touch
and creativity. He is always concerned that every child
goes away satisfied. Most special diets or food allergies
can be accommodated, if requested in writing, in full
and exact detail by April 30th. Please contact the
office to get exact amount of the extra fee for special
diets.
The Maine Golf and Tennis Academy uses the served
family style and buffet style: you select what you
like to eat and there are always options. Entrees include
vegetarian options at every meal with an extensive
salad bar offered at every lunch and dinner. Maine
Golf and Tennis Academy maintains a bottomless fruit
bowl all day long: An afternoon snack (at 3:30
PM) Sandwich ingredients and cereal are always available
An evening snack, such as cookies and milk, brownies,
or fruit is offered before bedtime.
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10. Where do I swim?
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This quintessential summer
camp scene is our own "little heaven" on
Lake Salmon. In beautiful, crystal clear Lake Salmon.
Because Lake Salmon is relatively shallow, only 50
feet deep, it warms quickly in the spring and retains
warmth through our season. |
Lake Salmon is 3.5 miles long, providing excellent facilities
for boating, skiing, and swimming activities. Lake Salmon
connects to McGraw Pond another lake which is 4 miles long.
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Ahhh... LIFE IS GOOD! |
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11. Where will I live?
In a comfortable rustic cabin with 8 - 10 other campers
of your age and grade. Your cabin has electricity,
toilets, sinks, and wrap around screens to insure plenty
of cool air flow during the day and side flaps to keep
in the warmth on chilly nights. Because we are in a
pristine and picturesque lake setting, we want you
to help us keep it that way for the Next 100 Years! Thus:
Camp requires that you bring and use only BioDegradables
- Thank you.
Bio-Degradable Soaps and Toothpaste
only please. See Tom's Of Maine Products for a good
selction and a reliable product. www.tomsofmaine.com
We will have a selection of Tom's of Maine Products
for sale in the Pro Shop for those who have forgotten
to bring them.
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12. How are Junior Camp (ages 8-12) and
Senior Camp (ages 13-17) different?
The Juniors experience focuses primarily on integrating
a new camper to our program. The meals and evening
activities are generally segregated by age group. This
experience provides an excellent introduction to all
aspects of camp life, without the age factor being
intimidating to the younger camper. The Junior Camp
program is unique in its small size and very close
camper-counselor contact.
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13. Is the camp orientated toward competition
or individual skill development?
The Maine Golf Academy and Tennis Academy emphasizes participation
and individual achievement over competition. Any camper who wishes
to be a part of our golf, tennis or other sports inter-camp team,
makes the team, every camper who tries out for the play is cast:
all campers are encouraged to participate in the talent shows,
music recitals, and other performances offered during evening activities.
We maintain: "Your greatest competition is your
former self" and as such we challenge you to improve
yourself to your utmost ability and satisfaction.
The Gallary looks on, as a camper chips on, to finish his match
at our Maine Golf Academy Tournament
Tournaments and competitions are played here at our own facility
once a week. They are arranged to teach more how to participate
nobly rather than to participate triumphantly.
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15. How many campers sleep in a bunk,
and what is the camper to counselor ratio?
Your bunks range in sizes from 7 to 10 campers, and
most cabins have two counselors. Our overall camper
to counselor ratio is 3 to 1.
New Bathrooms in every cabin and girls also have showers
in their cabins.
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16. How does the co-ed aspect of camp
work?
Girls live in their own cabins with female counselors, in an area
of the circle of cabins designated for girls only, and the boys
have their own area of the circle of cabins. Each has their own
shower house. Neither are permitted to visit each other in their
cabins. All the scheduled activities, which are supervised 24 hours
a day, are the appropriate place and time for socializing. Otherwise
boys and girls eat together, take instruction together and are
engaged in all activities based on interest and ability.
Most coed camps report a surprisingly smooth and easy
integration of boys and girls in the instruction and
play for their respective sports activities. We find
the same is true here at the Maine Golf Academy and
Tennis Academy. Campers are all very respectful of
our strict rules of etiquette both on and off the field
of play.
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18. Are there any special events?
Special events are usually the core of each evening's
activities: games shows, trivia contests, talent night,
carnival, casino, movies, etc. Trips include: Whitewater
rafting, Mountain Climbing, Camping Trips, Rock Climbing,
Whale Watching, Tournaments, Parent/ child Tournaments
on the Saturday that your child leaves.
A favorite activity is the climbing of Mt. Battie,
overlooking Camden, and then a Lobster Feast on the
ocean!
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19. What do you do about Homesickness?
Homesickness is normal and in many cases to be expected.
After all, most campers come from the warm cocoon of a
tight knit family unit that gives the child unlimited access
to their loving parents, the comfort of their family constellation
and all the support that comes with it. Often times children
don't have to share a bedroom, bathroom or a new living
space with anyone else, let alone strangers. It can be
a wonderful time of growth, skill development and pride.
Yet it can also be unnerving. The most important factor
is that everyone has a positive attitude. It may seem to
be a breeze going to camp when we are in the comfort of
our homes in January. It is another story when your son
or daughter suddenly discovers the real sense of being
in a new environment. Here is where we are the experts
at helping your child regain that optimism they had before
they arrived. That is why it is critical that your child
come to us with all their concerns and worries so that
we can attend to them immediately and fully. Parents, who
are usually states and sometimes countries away, can do
little or nothing to assuage their concerns. If you let
us co-parent with you for these few weeks your child is
away there is nothing so effective as the friendly caring
face of their counselor and our staff. Thus the reason
for no phone call for the first week and then only one
per week after that.:
We teach our counselor to handle homesickness through
an approach borrowed from Bob Ditter, a special Camp Psychologist
and Expert in the field of camps and homesickness:
"Going away to camp is a tremendous step for many
children, even if it's their third or fourth time doing
it, and those of us who have been doing it for a long time
can easily underestimate the trepidation a child experiences
in the process." -Bob Ditter, American Camping Association
What to do for homesick campers:
1. Acknowledge the feeling:
"It's scary to wake up in a new place." "I feel badly that you
feel like this." "It's not easy being away from home."
2. Share your feelings:
"I know how you feel, when I went to college for the first time I was homesick
too!"
3. Clarify the real issue:
"What is it that bothers you the most?" (If scared of the dark) "Do
you think a flashlight would help you?" "Have you tried to make friends?"
4. Reassure them:
"I think you're a neat kid." "I know you can get through this." "I
like you already and I've only just met you." "You and I are going
to be special friends."
5. Predict: "Won't it be great when you get through this." "You
will be so proud of yourself."
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20. Can my parents call me?
NO phone calls for campers are accepted from parents.
Campers may make appointments to call parents after
their first week and then only once a week. It is important
for campers to adjust themselves to this new lifestyle
of summer camp and phone calls are often times disruptive
and can even create an exaggerated feeling of homesickness
on the part of the child. Of course, at Camp Parents
may call us at the camp office (1 800 465 3226) at
any time to inquire about their child with anecdotal
reports and up-to-date information on each camper's
adjustment to camp.
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22. What about Email?
We allow Parents to e-mail Camp
through a company called Bunk1.com. New for
this year Campers will be able to reply to
those e-mails through special technology Bunk1
has developed. To sign up or to use the service
click on this link www.mainegolfandtennisacademy.bunk1.com
We permit Parents to Campers Only. (Email is
one way to campers only and is restricted to
the use of verified camp parents only) After
the first Thursday of their stay, campers can
receive emails and each day there after. As
always, campers can write letters home everyday,
but campers are not permitted to write or send
emails, as we have decided to do without computers
for the campers. This insures that campers
will not have the lose of fun program time.
Send emails to www.Bunk1.com.
Put your campers name and bunk in the subject
line so that we can ensure that the mail gets
to your camper.
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23. What's the deadline to apply?
The Maine Golf Academy and Tennis Academy
does not have an application deadline We do not believe
in creating artificial pressure for your family. However,
some age groups and sessions fill very early; so please
call to ensure room for your campers.
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24. Why did we choose to change Kennebec
Boys Camp, a traditional boys camp, a legend in the
camp world with a general theme, into this unique hybrid
of a
Golf School and Tennis School at a Summer Camp?
It has been increasingly apparent to us, as parents,
that there are fewer and fewer role models that are
the kind of people we would choose to put in front
of our own kids, let alone in front of your children.
The world needs the kind of heroes that we are proud
to have our children emulate. Sports in general used
to do just that .It attracted, and was attractive to,
those who held values high. Nowadays, it is not so
easy to find the kind of examples we can be confident
are going to afford our children the nutritious upbringing
we are all so interested in providing for our families.
Most sports nowaday seem to tolerate and some even
encourage a blatant sense of disrespect of person,
place, and thing.
Because we believe Golf is a world that still carrys
a wholesome code of ethics and etiquette. Further,
the kind that the world is sorely in need of demonstrating
to its young. It is one of the last bastions of decency,
fair play, honesty and integrity in sports, which we
all know can help mold the values of our future generations.
It gives us an oppotunity to help those parents who
want to insure that their child is surrounded by role
models, that are like the kind they had when they were
growing up. The old fashioned values of manners, kindness,
sacrifice, persistence, honesty and fair play. This
article > we found says it better than
we could.
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