December 2021 Issue 2
Victory at HVAL for Boys Cross-Country The Harvey School varsity boys cross-country team returned from the Housatonic Valley Athletic League (HVAL) tournament last month as champions. Thanks to some incredible individual efforts and an impeccable team mentality, the team was able to take home first place in the race on Friday, Nov. 5. Junior captain Hudson Chris stated, “We came together at a big moment, and we worked really hard.” Finishing in first place, Hudson individually won the tournament. But the team could not have succeeded without outstanding performances from other key runners.
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Freshman Will Hargreaves finished the race in fourth place with a time of 17:55. Junior Jordan Freund came in sixth with a time of 18:22, and senior Sam Alexander, who is regarded as a leader among the team, came in seventh (18:23). Bennet Katzin was the Cavs’ fifth-placing runner, coming in at 17 (19:49), guaranteeing the win. The team faced off against six other independent schools, HVAL rivals Wooster, South Kent, Watkinson, Christian Heritage, Williams, and Forman, this year’s host team. The race was run at the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, Connecticut. To get an inside perspective on the HVAL race and the entire season in general, The Pulse interviewed Hudson. When asked about what led to the team’s success, Hudson, without hesitation, stated, “Culture. From day one, we tried to build a team bond, and it all starts
By Dan Gasch
with culture and leadership.”
During the interview, Hudson stated that he had tweaked his ankle 10 days before the championship race while running on a trail. Remarkably, he did not allow the injury to affect his performance at all. “I told myself to fight through it… even if it hurts, I’m going to run through it.” Cross-country is different from many other team sports because the athletes are not working together to reach their goal but instead trying to maximize their individual success to score their team points. Hudson stated that the way for a team to find success within this dynamic is that each athlete must set their own individual goals and team goals. He said, “Once you realize what your individual goals are, you can form team goals.” Part of the team’s ability to buy into their collective goals came from the outstanding leadership they were fortunate to have. The team was led by captains Sam Alexander, Hudson Chris, Gabby Feldmeth, Jordan Freund, and Cody Siegel. The head coach is Mr. Christian Coscio, and the assistant coaches are Ms. Megan Taylor and Ms. Alison Nokes. The Pulse had the opportunity to speak with Coach Coscio and gain his thoughts on the season. During the interview, Cooach Coscio gave a similar answer to Hudson on the key to the team’s success, stating, “I think it comes down to the team culture… they would hold each other accountable every day.”
Cross-country celebrating HVAL victory. Photo Courtesy of Harvey School Communications.
When asked about what they learned this season, Coach Coscio added, “I’ve learned how important it is to have that team aspect. You can see they’re not just teammates, but also friends.” He finished by saying how grateful he was for the coaching staff and all his players from the top down. Lastly, Coach Coscio explained the reason why he loves cross-country: “It is a sport that anyone can take up because of the individual aspect of it.” The future is undoubtedly bright for the Harvey cross-country team. The squad will only be losing one of their top five runners (Sam Alexander), and although this is a significant loss, both Coach Coscio and Hudson Chris believe someone else will answer the call and join the team’s top five. Looking to next season, the team has aspirations to go even beyond the HVAL, with a goal of winning the NEPSAC tournament. Hudson stated, “The biggest thing is that we improved. If we keep working really hard, we can go try to win the NEPSAC championship.”
Coming Full Circle: An Interview with Mr. Welles On Wednesday, Nov. 17, The Pulse interviewed Harvey’s boys basketball assistant coach, girls varsity soccer coach, and rugby coach Connor Welles. Mr. Welles is also an American History teacher and an associate in the international student program. The Pulse learned from the interview what it takes and how hard it is to teach, coach, and work with the international program all at once. Mr. Welles was born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut. When he was in middle school and high school, he attended The Harvey School (yes, the same school where he works right now as a teacher and coach!). Mr. Welles did still lives in Danbury.
The Harvey School 260 Jay Street Katonah, NY 10536
When asked where he went to college, Mr. Welles told The Pulse that he graduated from Western Connecticut State University as a history major. In college, Mr. Welles explored several majors, including psychology and philosophy. Then he learned that his
By R.C. Ciunys
passion was for history, but he continues to include philosophy and psychology into his teaching. At this time, Mr. Welles is not married, and he does not have any children. He has one dog, though, a border collie named Buddy. Before teaching at Harvey, Mr. Welles worked as a rugby coach at Western Connecticut State University. After that experience, he coached part-time at Louisiana State University. What led Mr. Welles back to Harvey was his connection to the school’s alumni community. He says, “Ms. Lombardi mentioned the need for substitute teachers because of the pandemic,” so in 2020, Mr. Welles started substituting classes at Harvey. By the Spring Term, he became a Harvey rugby coach. He is got a head start to this year’s rugby season by taking the Harvey boys rugby team to a tournament on Randall’s Island in New York City. N
Mr. Welles will be coaching a Harvey sport every season of afterschool activities. For the Fall Term, he was one of the girls varsity soccer coaches. In the winter season, he was chosen to be boys varsity basketball assistant coach. Coming back to his roots, he will be coaching rugby this spring. It is going to be an intense athletic year! According to Mr. Welles, he always enjoys Harvey’s community and the people in the school who make his day enjoyable and fun. As for his hobbies outside of school, he stays very active and still involves himself in athletics. Mr. Welles plays rugby for the city of Danbury. Mr. Welles cont. on pg. 7