This summer, a Northgate family favorite is turning 20. Bronco Baseball Academy, founded in 2001 by Jon and Ben Campopiano, was preparing to celebrate 20 years of baseball camps last June when COVID-19 forced them to close for the year.
This year, Bronco Baseball Academy (BBA) is back in full swing and ready to celebrate its 20th season. BBA will once again be hosting four youth baseball camps – two in June and two in July – for kids of all ages and skill levels.
The Campopiano brothers started BBA when they were teachers and coaches at Northgate High School. They wanted to create an opportunity for local Little Leaguers to improve their skills, learn to love the game of baseball, and develop skills that would support them in all areas of their life and athletic career.
“We really just wanted to give kids a place to play and enjoy the game,” Ben said about starting BBA. “We knew that our (high school) players and alumni would serve as great mentors and coaches to all these young players. From the beginning, we focused on having fun on the field, teaching the fundamentals, and helping kids develop skills that would help them in all areas of their life.”
Today, BBA is directed by Ben, who is the Principal of Pine Hollow Middle School in Concord. Although Jon, Executive Director of Secondary in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, is no longer actively involved with BBA, he continues to provide counsel and support to Ben and the BBA staff. And Jon’s sons – like many former BBA campers over the years – are now teenagers who serve as coaches at the camps.
Besides baseball training and development, Bronco Baseball Academy is committed to supporting all families in the Northgate community. They annually contribute to local schools and organizations, and helped develop the Joe Dawson Memorial Scholarship fund to provide scholarships and equipment to local families in need.
As families drive by Foothill Middle School this summer, they will see Bronco Baseball Academy back in action for their 20 year, and hundreds of young ballplayers experiencing the fun for the very first time.
For more information about Bronco Baseball Academy, or to sign up for one of their summer camps, visit www.BroncoBaseballAcademy.com.
By Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991