Chicago & North Shore Area Girls Softball Summer Camp & Clinic at Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy, 1500 Kennedy Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
CAMP DATES
July 7-10, 2025
Directed by Joe Kinsella
AGE GROUP
Revolution Softball Camp & Clinic is open to kids & teens ages 8 to 16.
CAMP FEES
Overnight:$729
Extended Day:$629 (9am-8:30pm)
Full Day: $529 (9am-4pm)
* Team Discounts Available: Click Here For More Info
OVERVIEW
Campers will get to play at Lake Forest Academy’s newly renovated turf fields. Lake Forest Academy’s campus is conveniently located just 30 miles north of Chicago and 60 miles south of Milwaukee.
Join us for a some high-level softball training and fun!
Camp is open for all abilities and ages 8-16.
Camp Director
The 2023 season will be Joe Kinsella’s 17th at Lake Forest College and 23rd as a collegiate head coach. The five-time coach of the year in the Midwest Conference owns a 358-227-1 overall record and impressive 180-32 mark in MWC play during his first 15 seasons at the College.
Under Kinsella’s direction, the 2022 Foresters posted a 24-15 overall record and won 15 of 16 league games to capture the 12th MWC title in program history. Josie Klein was voted MWC Position Player of the Year and Hannah Smith the MWC Pitcher of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. They were joined by three teammates as First Team All-MWC honorees while two others were named to the second team.
The 2022 MWC championship in the last nine years and Lake Forest has advanced to every four-team MWC Tournament since 2000. The Foresters have won four conference tournaments and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament five times during Kinsella’s tenure. They have also won a total of 10 NCAA Tournament games and a regional tournament during that time.
Kinsella’s players have earned 75 all-conference awards and 15 MWC Player or Pitcher of the Year honors in the last 16 years. He has also coached Lake Forest players to 27 All-Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Fourteen Foresters were named Academic All-MWC in 2021, giving the team 108 since Kinsella took over as head coach. They have also earned the MWC Elite 20 Award five times since 2016. In addition, Josie Klein was named First Team Academic All-America® by the College Sports Information Directors of America in 2022.
Lake Forest has excelled in numerous statistical categories under Kinsella’s direction. Members of the program set or tied four school records in 2022 and the program’s top marks in 67 different categories have been recorded during Kinsella’s time as head coach. Among the records set during his tenure is the 2015 team’s 35 victories en route to an NCAA Regional Tournament title and appearance in the Super Regional round. In addition, Lake Forest has led the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs, runs batted in, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, total bases, stolen bases, walks, hit by pitch, earned run average, opponent batting average, saves, strikeouts, putouts, assists, and fielding percentage during Kinsella’s tenure.
Kinsella was the head coach at Millsaps College for six years before coming to Lake Forest. He took over a 1-26 program at Milsaps and directed it to three Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference West Division championships, one league title, and an NCAA Regional third-place finish. Individual Lady Majors were named All-SCAC 38 times, earned 36 Academic All-SCAC honors, and were voted SCAC Players of the Year twice during his six seasons. He was named the conference’s Coach of the Year in 2003. He also founded and directed Joe Kinsella’s Major Impact Softball Camps LLC, which he ran throughout Mississippi during the summer. In addition to softball, he was an assistant football coach from 2000-03.
Prior to coaching at Millsaps, Kinsella was the head coach at Dakota Wesleyan University for one year, an assistant softball and football coach at Illinois Wesleyan University for two seasons, a campus minister at St. Patrick High School in Chicago, Illinois for a year, and a softball, track & field, and cross country coach at Resurrection High School in Chicago for three seasons.
What to Expect
At Revolution Softball Camps you’ll receive individualized softball training through a superior curriculum regardless your age or ability level. We want young softball players to improve in every aspect of their game; our camps put a focus on individual skill development while incorporating drills and games to emphasize teamwork and fun!
Features of our softball staff include: Low camper-to-coach ratios; Groups based off of age & ability level; Fun, energetic, & experienced staff.
Supervision: The staff supervises campers for the entire duration of the softball camp. For overnight camps, the staff will reside in the dormitories with the campers, providing supervision. Campers are expected to show respect towards other campers and the host facility. All staff are background checked for added safety.
CAMP HIGHLIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS
Each camper will:
- Develop their technical skills & tactical knowledge
- Participate in individual skill work position specific training
- Participate in camp games with a chance to win prizes
- Compete amongst their peers in small games & scrimmages based on age and ability levels
- Be given the opportunity to work with college &/or high school coaches & college players all week long
- Make new friends
…and most importantly: HAVE FUN!
TYPICAL CAMP CURRICULUM
Batting: Will focus on batting stance, hit and runs, bunting, pull hitting, opposite field hitting, and hitting for power
Fielding: Will work on groundballs, pop-fly’s, relay throws, fly-balls, pickles, and turning double plays
Pitching: Will work on communication between catcher and pitcher, types of pitches, pitching motions, and release points
Base-Running: Will practice hit and runs, stealing, tagging up, and pickles
Position Specific Training: All campers will practice throughout the day and week training at their desired positions.
*Curriculum may vary location by location and is up to the discretion of the director & staff on site.
CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
Overnight: Check in will be from 12pm-1PM on Monday at Dorm TBA.
Extended Day: Check in will be from 12:30pm-1PM on Monday at Dorm TBA. Campers should be dropped off at 9am and picked up at 8:30pm each day (besides the last day) at the softball field.
Day: Check in will be from 12:30pm-1PM on Monday at Dorm TBA. Campers should be dropped off at 9am and picked up at 4pm each day. (besides the last day) at the softball field.
Check Out: All Campers will check out at 12 PM Thursday at the Softball Field.
Make sure campers bring all necessary softball equipment, a refillable water bottle, & snack. (See below)
Softball Typical Daily Schedule*
7:00am – Wake up
7:30am – Breakfast
9:00am – Commuters arrive, stretching and warm-up
9:15am – Position Work with coaches
10:15am – Offensive/Defensive Stations
12:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm – Team Softball Drills
2:00pm – Offensive/Defensive Stations
4:00pm – End of Day for day campers, extra help, down time
5:00pm – Dinner
6:00pm – Softball Scrimmages/Evening Activities
8:30pm – End of Day for extended day campers, fun off field evening activity
10:00pm – Back to dorm
10:30pm – Lights out
*Schedule & # of softball sessions may vary location by location and is up to the discretion of the director & staff on site.
What to Bring to Camp
Below is a suggested list of items to bring to camp. We suggest that campers do not bring expensive personal items such as cell phones or laptops. Campers are allowed to bring cell phones to camp to contact their guardians, but they are not allowed on the field during training sessions. Please label every article you bring to camp. All personal items are the responsibility of each camper. Revolution Softball and its camp staff are not responsible for lost, stolen, or forgotten items.
- Health Form
- Glove, Bat, Helmet, Cleats, Catchers Gear (If Catcher)
- Water Bottle
- Athletic Socks
- Sliding Pads
- Shorts
- T-Shirts
- Off-Field Clothes
- Hat
- Sneakers
- Alarm Clock (overnight only)
- Pillow (overnight only)
- Blanket/Sleeping Bag (overnight only)
- Twin XL Bedding Linens (overnight only)
- Pajamas (overnight only)
- Flip Flops/Shower Shoes (overnight only)
- Sweatshirt (overnight only)
- Bathing Suit & Towel TBD (overnight only)
- Spending Money – we recommend bringing no more than $50 (overnight Only)
- Sunscreen (overnight only)
- Toiletries (overnight only)
- Shower Towel (overnight only)
CAMP REVIEWS
“I loved the matchplay sessions at camp! Getting to compete against other players and get feedback from the coaches was game-changing.”
Isabelle H.
“Every moment spent at camp felt like a step forward in my softball journey!”
Mia A.
“This camp was an unforgettable experience! The dorms were cozy, the meals were great, and the games really sharpened my skills. I made so many friends and can’t wait to go back next summer!”
John S.
