A little bit of sun and sand. A lot of soccer. And a whole lot of bonding.
The Putnam Science Academy boys’ soccer teams spent a week in Bermuda earlier this month participating in the Footsail Soccer Invitational, a preseason training tournament that included some of the island country’s top national teams.
The purpose of the trip was twofold. The first was of course to play some soccer, which the Mustangs did, and did well. Playing against Bermuda’s U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-20 national teams (plus a couple of club teams), PSA did not lose a match. That includes an impressive 4-0 takedown of the U-20 team.
That all is even more impressive when considering there are roughly 30 new players in the program and the teams had zero practices together before they left on Aug. 12. Mustangs First Team coach Sam DeMello, who is in his first year at PSA, used the trip to learn a little bit about his team. He had never seen any of the 34 players who went on the trip play before.
“For me, it was a chance to just evaluate them in match settings,” he said. “It was a chance for me to assess the guys. See where they’re comfortable, see what they’re already good at, what they need to improve on, what they’re aware of.”
DeMello came away impressed, as did Second Team coach Ivan Damulira.
“We played very well against some good teams that challenged us a little bit and we were able to overcome that,” Damulira said. “It sets a huge standard for us going forward. It was a good show for us to see who belongs where and what we need to really work on as we get going toward the regular season.”
Mbongeni Kanyane, a senior from South Africa, said the teams struggled over the first two games but “as we played more, I think we started jelling much better and by the end, I think we were playing very well together.
“We built more chemistry off the field in order to get it on the field. We did a lot of community service, went out on the beach together. So everyone started feeling like a family off the pitch, and then it came during our matches.”
That development of team chemistry and bonding was the second mission of the trip. With a roster stocked with international players, some of whom linked up with the team once in Bermuda, there was a lot of introducing to be done.
“It was a good six days of them getting to know each other and getting comfortable with each other,” DeMello said. “We stayed in army barracks, so 24 beds in one, 10 in the other. That’s a good way to spend some time and learn a little about who they are.”
The new teammates also got to know each other while doing some community service. Among other things, the group did a beach cleanup, held some soccer clinics for the locals, and did some work on a farm for special needs children.
“We didn’t want to go there and just exclude ourselves to football,” said Damulira, who spearheaded much of the organization of the volunteer work. “We wanted to be part of their community for a week and really dig in. We enjoyed being there and this was something we would like to do again.”
Leandro Libiro felt good about the work they did, particularly at the beach.
“We saw a couple pictures of the beach before we went, and it was a disaster,” the senior from Brazil said. “There was just a lot of trash out there. I liked that I was able to help clean it up.”
Kanyane agreed that the beach cleanup was the best off-field activity the team did, though his reasoning was a little different.
“The other one we did was cleaning up horse stables. Oh man, that was hard work, in the boiling sun,” he said with a laugh. “I liked cleaning up on the beach. I mean, it’s the beach. It’s not horse stables in the sun.”
The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 963-0000.
Aug. 21
John Caez, 38, Smith Street, Putnam; third-degree assault, disorderly conduct.
Aug. 22
Robert Bogue, 29, no certain address; violation of protective order, first-degree criminal trespass.
Aug. 24
Jeremy Walker, 28, Sandy Lane, Norwich; disorderly conduct, third-degree strangulation, third-degree assault.
Sandra O’Neil, 67, Fabyan Road, N. Grosvenordale; operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
Melissa Orlowski, 32, Wrights Crossing Road, Pomfret Center; violation of State Traffic Commission.
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Congressman Visits
From left: U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney, David T. Panteleakos, Country Living at Westview Commons executive vice president and co-owner; and Donna Copeland, executive director for Country Living at Westview Commons. Courtesy photo.
DAYVILLE — U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) recently visited the construction site for Country Living at Westview Commons, an independent and assisted living facility.
The new 75-unit facility is under construction and slated for an autumn 2020 opening. Congressman Courtney toured the site with David T. Panteleakos, administrator of Westview Health Care Center and executive vice president and co-owner of Country Living at Westview Commons, and Donna Copeland, executive director for Country Living at Westview Commons.
When completed, the facility will be a 115,000-square foot building including 75 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom living units encompassing up to 1086 square feet. There’s also a large Great Room for dining, entertainment, a movie theater, beauty parlor, café, an Irish styled pub, a Family Gathering Center, physician office space and even an indoor parking garage.
The facility is part of the Westview Commons property that encompasses a 32-acre campus that includes; Westview Health Care Center, two outpatient centers for aquatic and sports medicine therapy, Country Living at Westview Commons and newly constructed model units at 124 Ware Road.
After the tour, Congressman Courtney discussed with the Westview leadership team the Oct. 1, 2019, changes to the Medicare program for skilled nursing facilities nationwide. “We are truly grateful to Congressman Courtney for taking the time to visit with us and for listening to how the decisions being made in Washington are affecting our seniors, residents, family members and health care professionals,” said Panteleakos.
“I will also say that since his election to the House of Representatives in 2006, Congressman Courtney has visited Westview several times and has always made himself available to us to listen, which we greatly appreciate.”
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Back to school time - way back in time!
PUTNAM — As school kids of all ages have been preparing for and returning to the ringing of the school bells, the Aspinock Historical Society of Putnam has a grade A program on tap.
The community is welcome to the free event, The History of Putnam’s Many Schools, slated 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Board of Education Pempek Conference Room, in Putnam High School (best entry and parking from Milton Street). The History of Putnam’s Many Schools will explore the evolution of education in Putnam and will celebrate Putnam Schools - from Cady-Copp Cottage, Israel Putnam School, Smith Street School and more.
The “instructors” for the program will be two of Aspinock Historical Society’s board members and retired teachers themselves, Louise Pempek and Jeanne Benoit. There is plenty of room, so bring a friend, bring your school memories and see how things have changed in Putnam’s schools.
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