After two-plus weeks of quarantining in the Putnam Science Academy dorm, Zaakyaa Young took pleasure in the small things as the girls’ basketball team opened practice last Monday.
“It was just a blessing, really, to finally get a chance to see our teammates in person, look them in the eye, and not just have to see them while we’re sitting on our laptops 24/7,” she said. “And then, to get back out on the court and get back into the competitive team spirit, getting to play and workout with my team, experience that team bond again…that’s a blessing, too.”
Young also paid for pizza and wings for her teammates over the weekend in an effort to build some team chemistry.
“I’m not trying to take over and be the alpha here, I’m just trying to get everyone together,” she said. “We’re from different places and it’s OK we’re into different things, but I just want everyone to feel like they’re connected. It’s going to be rough for the next couple months with COVID and restrictions and how we’re going to play. It was worth it. You take time to pull the team together and make sure you’re all together.”
On the court, the two weeks off have shown a bit. Legs are tired, shots are rusty, play is a little sloppy. That’s to be expected, said junior Louella Allana.
“We’ll start to understand what it is we’re getting into and will be able to adjust with the new schedule,” she said. “It will be just amazing seeing everyone’s talent up close and seeing what they bring to the table.
“I also enjoyed creating on court chemistry with most of the players and am looking forward to this season. It has been quite challenging for others who are trying to find a new role on a new team and to keep up with high standards. However, it’ll be great to see that not one player is truly alone in this and that everyone is trying their very best to help the others out.”
Mustangs coach Devin Hill, in his first full season after taking over midway through last year, has liked what he’s seen.
“It certainly won’t the cleanest basketball, but we expect that,” he said. “They haven’t played in two weeks and they haven’t ever played together. But I know we’ve got talent. We’ve got people who can play, so I’m confident we’re heading in the right direction.”
Hill and his new assistant coaches Jasmyne Fogle and Ashley Wilson worked hard this summer to upgrade the overall talent among the two girls’ teams at the school, so much so that rebranding them as two prep-level squads (Prep Black and Prep Red) made a lot of sense. What that looks like in reality this season remains to be seen, as no schedule has yet been set due to the pandemic.
That doesn’t change things for Young, however.
“It’s great being out there because we’re all chasing the same goals,” she said. “We all want to earn scholarships, we want to go to college. We’re students before athletes and that has to be our motto.
“Coming here has been a blessing already. I wasn’t expecting to get my own room here. I’ve never had my own room before. I’m humbled. I’ve never been around a group of girls like this before, never gone away to school. I’m just blessed.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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caption:
Captains
The Woodstock Academy field hockey captains, left to right: Eliza Dutson, Meg Preston and Olivia Ott. Photo by Marc Allard
A sense of “normal.”
Unlike many high school athletics in this pandemic crisis which have been cancelled or will play by modified rules to meet new guidelines established by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and the Connecticut Department of Health, girls’ field hockey remains pretty much status quo.
“In our (state) preseason meeting, (officials) talked about what referees would be doing differently and rules regarding spectators. For (teams), there is essentially nothing (different) other than sideline protocols. In reality, field hockey is a sport where (athletes) should not be in each other’s face much anyway. If you’re doing it that way, you’re doing it wrong,” said Woodstock Academy field hockey coach Lauren Gagnon.
It means student-athletes, especially seniors, will likely get their wish in that there, right now, will be a field hockey season.
“I’m so excited,” said Centaurs senior tri-captain Olivia Ott. “I’ve been looking forward to this season for the past three years. Your senior season is always the most exciting. We’ve built a lot of strong relationships with each other and, despite COVID, it’s going to be the best season.”
There is still the possibility that the season could be hampered by an outbreak of the virus or even by schools deciding not to send their athletes to compete.
There have already been some structural changes. Normally, teams begin play shortly after Labor Day. The first official game is Oct. 1. The Centaurs will play a scrimmage against Killingly on Sept. 28.
And up until this past Saturday, practices were limited to one hour of conditioning and skill work since they began in late August.
“It’s definitely weird that we’re only playing 11 games and our games start so much later. We usually only have a couple of October games. It , potentially, hinders us with weather and those kind of issues. It’s hard to play field hockey in the cold. Your hands hurt really bad, the ball (when it strikes a player) hurts even worse. It’s an added challenge, but I don’t think any of the kids or myself are complaining,” Gagnon said.
The field hockey team also has the opportunity to do something that others do not. Travel. While most fall sports teams at Woodstock Academy will not travel much further than Norwich, the field hockey team has just about a normal schedule. It includes home-and-home games with Waterford, E. Lyme and NFA, single games with Fitch and Stonington and three matchups with nearby Killingly.
The reason for the increased travel is that none of the local schools, with the exception of Killingly, sponsor the sport.
Despite the relative normalcy, there will be no league, divisional or state championships to compete for. It’s just an 11-game regular season.
“We just want to have a good season; to have fun. We have a schedule as of now so we will play games, hopefully do well, and win I guess,” Ott said.
Ott is joined by a host of classmates. Her fellow captains include Meg Preston and Eliza Dutson. Other seniors on the roster include Alexia Adams, Amanda Bond, Rachel Canedy, Sarah Delaney, Kaily LaChapelle, Avery MacNeil, Maddie Silbermann, Liz Silbermann, and Alex Vaida. Elaina Borski, Brigid McNerney, Sofia Murray, Marissa O’Sullivan, Tegan Perry, Julia Powell and Eliza Simpson are the juniors on the team.
The top two scorers from last year’s 5-11 squad, Canedy (6 goals, 4 assists) and Dutson (4, 1), return.
Field Hockey Schedule: Thurs., Oct. 1: vs. Norwich Free Academy, 4 p.m.; Mon., Oct. 5: vs. E. Lyme, 4 p.m.; Thurs., Oct. 8: vs. Fitch, 4 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 10: vs. Killingly, 11 a.m.; Mon., Oct. 12: at Waterford, 4 p.m.; Thurs., Oct. 15: at Stonington, 6:15 p.m.; Mon., Oct. 19: vs. Killingly, 4 p.m.; Thurs., Oct. 22: at NFA, 4 p.m.; Mon., Oct. 26: vs. Waterford, 4 p.m.; Thurs., Oct. 29: at E. Lyme, 4 p.m.; Mon., Nov. 3: at Killingly, 6:30 p.m.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Kevin Hodges,
Army vet
PUTNAM — Kevin Hodges, 57, died of a massive heart attack Sept. 17, 2020, at home.
He was born Nov. 5, 1968, in Belfast, Maine.
He graduates from high school in Groton, Mass., June 1981 and entered the Army in July 1981.
He served proudly four years.
His interests were martial arts, cartoon animation of arts, swimming and scuba diving, and bicycling.
Being an avid reader, he was a great book collector.
He leaves his mother, Verna (Philbrook) Hodges of Brooklyn; one brother and his wife; and a niece, Destine Lynn Hodges of Bellingham, Mass., who lives with her mom, Gloria Brigham; other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of his Life will be held at a later date.
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