On November 11, Greenwich Academy’s 2013-2014 winter sports season began. All five teams are eager to begin competing and to showcase the tremendous efforts they have put into their respective sports.
Despite losing eight seniors, the GA ice hockey team is very optimistic about their season. According to one captain, Sasha Fritts, Group XII, “This is GA hockey’s second youngest team ever.” She adds that the season has been off to a great start because, “each person is stepping up and working hard during all practices and games.”
In preparation for key games with Hotchkiss, Taft, Canterbury, and Millbrook, the team spends their ninety minutes of ice time working on every aspect of the game. Mr. Moe Tarrant, Head Coach of the team, believes that the team’s future is so bright that he needs to wear sunglasses.
The basketball team this year is also a young but united group. Although upperclassmen lead the team, the younger players will be vital to the team’s success.
“Although most of the team is young, they are all incredibly coachable and getting better with each practice,” said Mrs. Laura Soden, Head Coach of the Varsity Basketball team.
The team’s main goal for the season is to make it to the FAA tournament. Of the teams in the FAA league, the basketball team’s biggest rivals are Convent of the Sacred Heart and St. Luke’s School.
The fencing team has undergone a major transition from the previous season. Originally only using the foil, the team will now be using all three weapons – the foil, the saber, and the epee. Last year’s head coach, Mrs. Rebecca Killian, has been replaced by Mr. Jose Samora.
Mr. Samora, a nationally rated referee and international level fencer, guides the team along with Mr. Jake Turner, a Brunswick School Physics teacher.
The majority of the thirty-one members of the team are novices. On December 12, the team had their first match of the season, challenging Rye Country Day School. Throughout the season, they hope to prove that they are capable contenders against schools such as Hackley, Greenwich High School, Greens Farms Academy, and Masters.
The swim team started off their season with a win against Chase Collegiate on December 4. In addition to a strong core of swimmers that include a few eighth graders, the team also has some outside swimmers and two divers.
Each day of practice has a specific function – mid-distance Mondays, Tech Tuesdays and Thursdays, Beat Down Wednesday, and Sprint Freestyle Fridays. One of the main goals for the swim team is to be a formidable competitor against larger programs such Hopkins and some of the boarding schools.
“It would be great to know that our top competitors have to put out their best swimmers in order to hope to beat us,” said Mr. Karl Palmgren, Head Swim Coach.
Last but certainly not least, GA’s squash team is already pleased with their performance thus far. The JV team won its first match against Berkshire on Wednesday December 11, with each player winning her individual match. One of the captains of JV team, Pam Petrick, Group XII, notes, “We have a really strong team this year, with a lot of great new players, and I think that we will definitely be successful in the rest of the season.”
Although the Varsity A team has not had a match yet (they were supposed to play Darien High School, but the match got cancelled because of the snow day), they will play the Convent of the Sacred Heart on December 12. According to Kayley Leonard, Group XI, their goal for the season is to, “win New Englands and Nationals.”
To find out the schedule of the five GA winter teams, go to www.greenwichacademy.org and look under the Athletics tab for all of the home and away games throughout the season.
