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About Us

Our Mission

  • Use a holistic approach to sports
  • Allow for both directed and exploratory learning
  • Strike a balance between structure and freedom
  • Create a community environment
  • Develop life-long love of sport and activity
  • Provide a continuing and varied sporting experience for the community

Meet The Founder

I grew up with a passion for sports and always knew I wanted to be involved in sports.  As a high school and collegiate athlete, I learned first hand the importance of good coaching and a strong mental game.  Originally intending to become a college soccer coach, I spent nearly every weekend during the year, and several weeks each summer, coaching soccer teams in South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, California, and Oregon, improving my craft.

Through my experiences in coaching teams and camps, I found that while the soccer skills training was typically good and the activities fun, by and large they missed the bigger picture.

From my early days of coaching, I envisioned an organization whose coaching included not only skill-building and learning the game, but also stressed the importance of nutrition, proper stretching, positive thinking, and the mental game.

As an athlete, coach, parent, and sport psychology consultant with over 20 years experience in youth sports, I created BaxterSports – Camps, Clinics, Coaching, and Consulting – to continue my work and provide a great environment for athletes to learn and grow in all aspects of life.

Brian Baxter - Founder & Director of BaxterSports

Brian Baxter Owner / Director / Sports Psychologist

Jake Weiss
Head Coach / Program Director

Coach Jake

Coach Jake is BaxterSports’ first new Director since the camp’s inception, taking over for the

universally beloved Coach Blake. In fact, Jake & Blake’s rivalry spans countless millennia and

infinite planes of existence, where their various incarnations have nobly competed in sporting

tests of strength, speed, and skill. And their names always rhyme. In East Portland’s corner of

the multiverse, Jake defeated Blake in an epic whiffle ball battle by belting a knuckle curve into the highest branches of an elm and thereby earning the coveted mantle of Camp Director.

 

Much like Coach Blake, Coach Jake is a fun-loving sports nut and dad of two. He’s worked with kids in many capacities, with experience including 10 years of little league coaching, 5 years of advocacy for foster kids, and 1 year as recess coordinator at Abernethy Elementary. In that role, he was tasked with inventing and implementing inclusive games and creating a YouTube channel to entertain at-home schoolchildren when recess activities were shelved by distance learning. He has also been a Special Olympics volunteer, a mentor to underprivileged youth, a manny, a stay-at-home dad, and a certified coach in multiple endeavors. Coach Jake also plays all the sports. Some of his athletic accomplishments include varsity table tennis at Portland State, 2x MVP of Baseball USA Camps, a bowling high score somewhere in the 230’s, the record for most touchdowns all-time in SE PDX Ballers’ Annual Joey Bowl, and being the only person in the world who can claim to have attended high school with both Kobe Bryant and Paul Konerko.

 

While Coach Jake shares much in common with Coach Blake, there are some small differences that your campers may notice. For one, Jake’s got his own unique coaching style that is part drill instructor, part pro wrestler, and part honey badger, and is eager to teach your kids all of llife’s most important lessons, from “doing whatever it takes to crush your competition” to “there’s no I in TEAM, but there is M-E.” He’s also staunchly opposed to sunblock and napkins, so don’t dare send your kids to camp with either of those items or risk his wrath. Other than that, he’s super fun and normal.

 

He is very excited to begin what is more or less his dream job, and is thrilled to be a part of the BaxterSports family! (Until, of course, he is defeated by Coach Drake, as the prophecy foretells.)

The Team

We work with a solid bunch.

Jake Weiss 2021

Coach Jake

Camp Director/Head Coach Jake is a fun-loving sports nut and dad of two. He’s worked with kids in many capacities, with experience including 10 years of little league coaching, 5 years of advocacy for foster kids, and 1 year as recess coordinator at Abernethy Elementary.

Coach Isaac

Hello! My name is isaac livingston, I’m 16 years old and I attend Rex putnam high school as a sophomore. I love fishing and making music and my favorite sport is soccer.

Coach Tallulah

My name is Tallulah, I play ultimate frisbee and soccer, and I go to Franklin high school.

Coach Malakhi

Hey, I'm Malakhi and this will be my second year as a coach for BaxterSports. I play soccer, basketball, and run track for Franklin this year, and will be a sophomore next year.

Coach Sadie

Hi! My name is Sadie. I go to Grant high school, and the two sports I play are soccer and track.

Coach Ike

What’s up, my name is Ike and I’m a student at the University of Oregon. I love all sports but my favorites are soccer and basketball. This will be my third summer coaching at Baxter, and I’m excited to see some new faces and some familiar ones!

Coach Eli

Hi, my name is Eli, I’m going into my sophomore year at Franklin high school, and I am on varsity soccer and track teams. I’m looking forward to having another great summer!

Coach James

Hi I’m James! I’ll be coaching for Baxter for my 2nd year! I wrestle and play LB/DE for my football team! I can’t wait to see you all this summer!

Coach Natalie

Hi! My name is Natalie and I’m a sophomore at Franklin High School! I have been a camper at BaxterSports for many years, and this will be my second year coaching. I spend most of my time outside or at the beach! I’m so excited for this summer.

Coach Jake

I’m a lifelong soccer player, but I love a lot of sports, including tennis, ultimate frisbee, and basketball. I will be a sophomore at Franklin High School this fall.

Coach Lyla

My name is Lyla and I am a student at Grant High School. I love being outdoors, and I’m excited for another Baxter summer!

Coach Cash

Hi! My name is Cash, and I attend Franklin High School where I am a part of the Football, Basketball and track teams. This will be my second year working at Baxter after many years as a camper, and I can’t wait to be back.

Coach Max

I play soccer United PDX and McDaniel high school and I’ve played soccer for almost 12 years.

Coach Nate

Hi, I’m coach Nate. My favorite sports are hockey and pole vault, but I love most sports. I’m looking forward to coaching this summer!


Coach Jojo

Hey! My name is Johannes but you can call me Jojo, my favorite sport is basketball and I go to Franklin highschool. I can’t wait to see you this summer!

Coach Ashe

Hi, my name is Ashe and I am a sophomore at La Salle. I run track and play soccer. I have been a lifelong camper at Baxter sports, and am excited to continue my coaching journey

Tiare Farris, Executive Assitant

Our executive assistant, Tiare (tee/are/ee) is a true believer in the value of sports and the opportunities they provide to harness passion and promote a sense of self while simultaneously creating a feeling of community. She is bananas about tennis. She is also the mom of a BaxterSports camper and knows first hand just how important it is to get kids moving. Have a specific question about your camper's registration or a general inquiry about our organization? Just call or email, and she will get you set!

Our History