The
Winter 2015
Hillsider
A newsletter for the Hillside School Community
The Head’s Slate
S t u de n t L e a d er s h i p B y H e a d m a s t e r Dav i d Z . B e e c h e r
L
eadership is of vital importance to the Hillside culture. While we recognize the need for strong leadership from faculty and students to guide our young people in their important Middle School years, we feel equally strongly – perhaps even more so – about the significance of leadership responsibilities and opportunities for the students themselves.
H
illside provides a bifurcated leadership training program that on the surface may seem contradictory but makes complete sense to those of us within the community. On the one hand, our definition of leadership is that “any action small or large, seen or unseen, done by a student to support another student or member of the community is leadership.” This means that any boy has the opportunity to show leadership, whether it’s planned or spontaneous. A few days ago, a new Fifth Grader reached out in a small way to help clean up his classroom, and the next night after dinner, I saw a veteran student (but not a formal student leader) take aside a new student who was upset. We feel this encouragement provides all students an opportunity for leadership development hundreds of times per day. We value the behind-the-scenes, seemingly small, shows of compassion and support as significant leadership moments.
T
hat said, we also have a more prominent hierarchical system of prefects and proctors. This more traditional system allows for boys to be selected for proctor or prefect positions and further their leadership skills. The former are selected for specific program areas such as athletics, residential life, or technology. These leaders work with the specific faculty or staff department chair to improve
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Lytle Hamilton (l) and Sam Natale on Graduation Day
the program in that specific area. The number of proctors needed in each function can vary from year to year, depending on trends, changes within the curriculum or community, and the skills of the students themselves; varying numbers of mid-year students, the addition of new programs such as the iPad, or an increase in visits by prospective families can necessitate some shifting of proctor responsibilities and the addition of new ones mid-year.
P
refects are selected through a multi-tier process that ultimately recognizes a small group as the top leaders within the School. They are responsible for assisting in administration in all areas of student life. In addition to the more visible elements of the position such as running the Tuesday community luncheon, these provide significant support in the dorm houses and behind-thescenes with students in need of a big brother for some mentoring. I have often used prefects reach out to students struggling perhaps with a divorce at homes, homesickness, or perhaps having trouble getting on the same page with a teacher. This year as in the past, the prefects have been incredibly effective in turning the boy around.
S
o whether you are in a highly visible leadership track or just one of the boys at Hillside, leadership opportunities abound. We are proud of our leadership development program and how it helps all of our boys grow and learn. I am proud of having seen so many young men boys make great strides in their careers with us, and just as excited when we learn of alumni leadership stories in secondary school, college and beyond. I personally feel a deep sense of satisfaction that many of these leaders may have gotten their first taste of this important life skill right here at Hillside.
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THE HILLSIDER
Leadership in Action Overview
Summer 2014
Despite the need for a formal leadership structure, Kevin reinforces the points in the Headmaster’s Slate that leadership is encouraged for all students, at all times. A specific example is the weekly Bulldog program, in which any member of the community can submit a Bulldog nomination for any student in the areas of the School’s core values: compassion, respect, determination, honesty and fun. Many of these awards are given for what the Headmaster calls spontaneous acts of leadership, such as clearing snow to help the maintenance team, picking up in the dorm without being asked, or helping a classmate with an injured arm carry his books. These awards are announced weekly and serve to remind the community that leadership can be provided by every student regardless of age or boarding status.
Hillside’s 2014-15 student leadership is pre-dominantly Ninth Graders and boarders, which is commonly the case based on their “understanding the expectations” and the importance of residential life at Hillside. However, as Dean of Student Life Kevin Hundley notes, the positions are open to Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Graders, and the perspective of day students is very valuable as well. In that vein, Cullen Young, an Eighth Grade day student, was recently elevated to a prefect from his previous position as a proctor. Similarly, while most student leaders are returning students, it is not unusual for a new member of the community to be added to the leadership throughout the year, such as Sasha Tertyshny ‘15 this year. Headmaster David Beecher and Kevin continually search for young men who can add value in a leadership position, and who will gain from the experience, regardless of age. They point to the contributions as proctors of Seventh Grader Colby Becket and Eighth Graders David Sozanski, Dov Trestman and Brendan O’Donnell, and note the promotion of Cam Ray and Sam Rand, along with Cullen, to prefects in mid-year
Leadership Program at Hillside Hillside is proud to offer an innovative Leadership program, led by Assistant Dean of Student Life Craig Evans and presented as a “Special” to Seventh to Ninth Graders. The goal of the Leadership Program is to develop and reinforce self-awareness and awareness of others, open-mindedness, and the capacity to inspire through varied cooperative games, class work and activities as well as community service initiatives.
Selection Process The leadership selection process starts after spring break. All rising Sixth to Eighth Graders are eligible to apply for a leadership position, and the Headmaster and his senior team choose who will be considered for prefects versus proctors. The “program team” (Kevin Hundley, Chief Academic Officer Richard Eyster, Dean of Residential Life Monica Lucey, Dean of Faculty Jamie Paul, Assistant Headmaster for Enrollment Bill Newman, Director of Technology Phil Tang and Athletic Director Tim McCarthy), along with Assistant Dean of Residential Life Craig Evans and Hillside jack-of-all-trades Rich Meyer, select students who are best-suited forr leadership and then determine which subject-specific role would be the best fit for the proctors (see the chart on page 4). David Beecher ultimately selects the prefects. Kevin Hundley notes that while some leaders are “obvious,” while others are selected on their potential for growth.
The integrity and success of the program depend on effective communication, respect and empathy from each individual, working as a unified group, and commitment to the experience. Teamwork, communication, creativity, selfconfidence, problem-solving capabilites and determination are all critical building blocks for success in life. The hands-on activities include the Bull Ring, River Crossing, Pipeline, Trust Falls, Human Knot, and the “Old/Young Woman” perception test. In addition to team-building exercises, the class reads a variety of true inspirational stories and books focused on leadership and teamwork. Examples include the incredible, true Kyle’s Story about how small things make a big difference, and Continued on page 3 2
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Leadership in Action (continued) Continued from page 2 how it can take courage to support an unpopular friend. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, a companion to the Steven Covey book originally written for adults, focuses on topics of lifelong importance, including being proactive vs. reactive, “beginning [anything] with the end in mind,” time management through putting first things first, will-power through the power of choice, and the value of a mission statement.
These aspiring young leaders count this among their favorite courses, with one class finding the following especially valuable: “learning to be a leader and accountable,” “books they’ve read, such as Kyle’s Story and how small things make a big difference,” and “how it can take courage to support an unpopular friend, but that’s part of leadership.” Hats off to Mr. Evans for pushing, challenging and supporting these students while introducing them to concepts that most of us continue to work on throughout our lives.
Community Service Another very significant part of the program is community service, where the students visit residents at Reservoir Health and Rehabilitation Center (formerly known as Bolton Manor) to sit with them, play games, push their wheelchairs, and do anything possible to help and brighten their day. This spirit of giving and helping those less fortunate is a crucial part of leadership at Hillside. Leadership Exercises Trust Falls Groups that work well together have complete confidence that all the members will support the others, and “have their backs.” This faith is literally put to the test in “Trust Falls,” an exercise used by many companies as part of team-building programs. At an early age, Hillside students are gaining the valuable experience of falling backward - and being caught - by their trustworthy friends and classmates. Like the other facets of the Leadership program, Trust Falls are very hands-on and involve close collaboration among the boys. Ropes Course The boys need to
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Student Leaders at Hillside Prefects
Proctors Residential Life:
• Eric Lu ‘15
• Jack Scott ‘15 • Brendan O’Donnell ‘16
Academics/Library:
• Alex Jeong ‘15
• Henry Walker ‘15
Technology:
• Chris Konin ‘15
• Tom Choi ‘15
Farm:
• Jose Lara ‘15
• David Sozanski ‘16 • Colby Becker ‘17
Athletics
• Ross O’Connor ‘15
• Sasha Tertyshny ‘15
Dining/Kitchen:
• Sam Rand ‘15
• Michael Olson ‘15
Chapel/Community Service:
• Cullen Young ‘16
• Dov Trestman ‘16
Admission: • Lucas Adam ‘16 • Cam Ray ‘16 4 4315_Winter_Hillsider.indd 4
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THE HILLSIDER
Summer 2014
2014-15 Winter Awards ACADEMIC Most Improved:
J
High Honors: Sixth Grade
James Thomas Colby Cataldo Jeremy Hallal
High Honors: Seventh Grade
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Seventh Grade
Edward Kosek Songtai Liu
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Eighth Grade
Lucas Adam de Teresa Robby Dey David Sozanski
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Grade 9
Colin Binswanger Khai Hoan (Michael) Tran Henry Walker
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Grade 7
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Grade 8 High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Ninth Grade
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Seventh Grade 7
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Eighth Grade
Dima Piskun High Honors: Ninth Grade Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Ninth Grade Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Eighth Grade
Ryan Lovett Jose Lara, Cameron Ray, Joonseo (Mark) Yang Zhaojun (Jonas) Zhai
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Seventh Grade
Christopher Allain, Spencer Bernard
Charles Froelich Chance Payton
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Eighth Grade
Gianni Rodriguez
Xiangshan (David) Tan
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Ninth Grade
Jeremy Hallal, Zhenghang (Eric) Lu, Michael Olson, Jon Sakhat Luke Black, Frank Ireland, Hyun Ho Kim, Alec Nevins, Jared Noxon, Brent Powers, Brian Ruballos, Brandon Yep
Jack Baker Dylan Fields Ross O’Connor Patrick Robles Alexander Tertyshny
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Seventh Grade
Patrick Saber
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Eighth Grade 8
Connor Guyette, Brendan O’Donnell, Hyungyu (Justin) Park, Noah Tidus, Brad Zona
Kyle Murphy
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Ninth Grade
Matthew Guerra, Alex Morawski, Brian Sugar
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Ninth Grade
Chang Hwa (Alex) Jeong Honors: Grade 5 Carson McKinnon
High Honors: Fifth Grade
Cooper Frandina
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Caleb Bloch Greyson Heinzer Syan Maity James Walker
Mauricio Chavez Sendra Benjamin Hubbard James Thomas Ajay Vempati
Continued on page XX
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Winter Sports Review The winter of 2014-15 was notable at Hillside for several reasons beyond the record-setting snowfall and cold. The five scholastic athletic teams all had strong seasons, some notable for season-long performance, others for moments of brilliance, and all for hard work and determination, often against older and more experienced opponents. Varsity Hockey The team’s highly successful season started with an enjoyable and productive trip to Lake Placid for preseason training and ended with a triumphant win at the Belmont Hill invitational tournament. In-between were hundreds of hours together learning, working, training, having fun – and a school-record 22 wins in 26 games. The experienced coaching staff of Headmaster Beecher, his cohead coach Tim McCarthy, and assistant Jordan Dewey noted the incredible success on the ice against a schedule comprised almost entirely of high school JV teams; the unparalleled exposure our players received throughout the year from prep high school coaches, college coaches and even pro scouts; and most important, incredible improvement made by each player. Recently the coaches had to choose MVP, most improved, and unsung hero awards. The Coaches’ Award for MVP was a tough choice, but ultimately Ninth Graders Matt Guerra and Andranik Armstrong were deserving winners. The unsung hero prize was unanimous for Patrick Robles ‘15, and the MIP was ultimately not awarded because so many players made big strides during the season. The coaches feel the best recruiting approach is to highlight our level of game and practice competition and expert coaching, which is provided to every team member. They feel the strong training regimen and player development are a higher level than any other junior program. and point to the Bulldogs’ five-year varsity record of 97-19-5 as evidence.
In a season with many highlights, the win at the Belmont Hill tournament, a tight 4-3 victory over Exeter, and resounding defeat of junior boarding rival Cardigan Mountain were most notable. The squad was led by an outstanding group of seniors including veterans Sam Rand, Chris Konin, and Ryan Lovett. Captain Cullen Young ‘16 had an excellent season, and the team received excellent goaltending from Carson McKinnon ’15 and Gianni Rodriquez ‘16. Nik Armstrong ’15 and Matt Guerra ’15 were unstoppable offensive weapons. With the quality of the varsity program and the creation of the varsity development program, hockey at Hillside has never been stronger. JV Basketball The 2014-215 JV Bulldogs had their best season ever, finishing with an 11-6 record. Head coach Michael Brown and assistant Justin Kinney noted the squad was not the most talented or experienced, but made up for it with their fighting spirit. The boys committed themselves to the team from day one, got along well, and gave meaning to the word “team.” Captain Ryusei Morishima led the team with a fierce competitive drive and will to win, and his skills improved dramatically. Fellow co-captains Museba Mwape and Noah Tidus took their jobs seriously and provided strong leadership and defense. Mikie MacKool and Dahmir Fowlkes received rave reviews for their play from officials and opposing coaches, while Justin Park, David Tan, and second year man Stephen Stento were a strong inside presence. Colby Becker, James Thomas, and Songtai Liu were warriors and won the respect of their teammates with their fearlessness and unrelenting play. Sharpshooters Ian Baker , Jake Sands, Bum Kyu Kim gave us smart 6
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Winter Sports Awards Varsity Basketball
Eco-Team
Coach’s Award
Jose Lara Cam Ray
Unsung Hero
Tyler Bryan
Coach’s Award Unsung Hero
Chance Payton Brent Powers
Skiing/Snowboarding
JV Basketball Coach’s Award
Museba Mwape
Coach’s Award
Colin Binswanger
Unsung Hero
Songtai Liu
Unsung Hero Award
Edward Kosek
Most Improved Player
Ryusei Morishima
Most Improved Player
Mike Zhang
Varsity Hockey Coach’s Award Unsung Hero
Varsity Development Hockey
Band Andranik Armstrong Matthew Guerra
Coach’s Award
Patrick Robles
Unsung Hero Award
Kofi Asante Brian Ruballos
Patrick Saber
Coach’s Award Unsung Hero Most Improved Player
Wrestling
Brendan O’Donnell Greyson Heinzer
Jack Scott
Coach’s Award Unsung Hero
Amir Thomas
Most Improved Player
James Walker
“Guts” Award
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THE HILLSIDER
Alumni In Focus
Winter 2015
by Rich Meyer, Director of Alumni
It has been a busy and exciting winter in the Hillside Alumni Office. There were several events and our Alumni Speaker series has continued. I made a number of off-campus visits to see alums, and many more graduates returned to campus just to see some familiar faces. Headmaster Beecher also saw several young alums in his travels, while we have continued to receive word of several noteworthy alumni accomplishments.
Alumni Events
great pics on the next page!
The alumni events began back in December with our annual Alumni Winter Celebration centered around the 25th anniversary of the Hillside Holiday Basketball Tournament. Eighteen alumni returned to campus to watch the Varsity Basketball team take on Rectory School in the championship game. Those alumni and a huge crowd of students, faculty and visitors were treated to an incredibly scintillating sporting event. Down by as many as 24 points in the second half, Hillside charged back to win the game in the closing seconds. The gym was rocking as never before, and a deafening roar enveloped the court as the final seconds ticked down. Following the game we all headed to Guiseppe’s Grille to celebrate. Mr. Beecher had donated a pair of Patriots tickets to the Pat’s game against the Dolphins to be raffled off at the celebration. Will Connor ‘09 won the raffle and took Kyle Wilson ‘08 with him to the game the next day. It was truly a wonderful event - see more
In January a group of alumni joined current Hillside boarders and headed into Worcester for hockey action at Hillside night at the Worcester Sharks. Before the game, Hillside’s own Boys in Blue sang the national anthem. Later that month, hree alumni reunited at a Boston Celtics game. Jon Oggiono ‘98, Teddy Fox ‘99, and Doug Hamilton ‘00 had not been together since their Hillside days, and their stories and memories abounded, aided by some old yearbooks Everyone was having such a good time catching up that we barely watched the game and forgot to take a picture. In February, I jnvited a group of five alumni to the Beanpot semi-finals. Once again, the laughs and the stories just kept coming. With one game going into double overtime, we did not get home until after midnight, but it was well worth it. Speaker Series Our alumni speaker series continued as Chris Barry ‘11 came back at the beginning of January. Chris is currently a freshman at Fitchburg State University where he is studying film making and pursuing music on the side. Chris performed a couple of songs in the dining room, including a duet with Mr. Salmi. He talked about his experiences since Hillside and expressed how grateful he was to Hillside for the opportunities it gave him. Finally he showed the trailer for a movie he is making based on the Where’s Waldo books. Alumni Accomplishments Brolin Mawejje ‘08 is the subject of a documentary called “Far From Home: Uganda to the Tetons,” which premiered on February 2nd at the cutting-edge Santa Barbara Film Festival. Brolin was at Hillside for two years, shortly after moving from Uganda. Last year the film crew was at Hillside to capture that aspect of Brolin’s life. He is currently a pre-med student at Westminster College in Utah and training for the 2018 Olympics where he hopes to become the first snowboarder from an African country. The Worcester Telegram has shown interest in his amazing story. Two members of the class of 2102 have signed national letters of intent to play Division I college sports next year. Terance Mann (L, in the center, with his brother Martin ‘14 and their mom) ended his career at Tilton committing to Florida State for basketball, while Austrian Robinson (R, in the center), will be playing football at Ole Miss after graduating from Trinity Pawling. Terance was nominated for McDonald’s All-America, while Austrian was one of the nation’s top recruits!
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Alumni Notes and Visits
w
n The
ots
e
t gs ul e’s
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
DAR Corner A
fter one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record the sun finally came out and the weather started to warm up just as Hillside visits to DAR events started back up. Coincidence? I think not.
O
n February 28, Director of Alumni and DAR Relations, Rich Meyer, traveled to Hartford to speak at the Connecticut Board of Management meeting. He was accompanied by two eighth grade students, Dov Trestman and Tyler Bryan. Mr. Meyer spoke about the history of Hillside and its long time connection to the DAR. He also shared information about Hillside’s program today and ways that the Daughters can be involved in Hillside.
D
ov Trestman shared how Hillside has made a difference in his life, helping him to improve in his academics, giving him opportunities for leadership, and introducing him to a new sport, lacrosse, which he is now passionate about. He thanked the Daughters for their support of Hillside and in particular the lacrosse and art programs.
T
yler Bryan spoke about how Hillside has made a difference for him academically by challenging him to move beyond his comfort zone and by being in a class of 10 as opposed to a class of 30 as he was in his former school. He also talked very passionately about the friendships he has formed at Hillside, describing his closest friends that he now considers brothers. Tyler expressed his gratitude to the DAR for their support of Hillside scholarships, without which Tyler would not be able to attend Hillside. The boys received a standing ovation after they spoke
I
n March there were two more events. On March 14th, Hillside played host, as it has done now for the last several yearsto the annual meeting of the Massachusetts CAR. The CAR leadership describes Hillside as the perfect location for their meeting. It is centrally located in the state, our Allison Taplin Lounge is the perfect size for their meeting, and they get a delicious lunch provided by our kitchen staff.
Clockwise from top: Nick Rivera ‘14 and Jack Cusack ‘14 with Massachusetts State Regent Gail Terry and President General Lynn Forney Young; Gail Terry speaking at DAR Day; Rich Meyer with Vermont State Regent Liz Bicknell at a Vermont State meeting; a scene from DAR Awards day.
O
ne week later our Headmaster, David Beecher, and alumnus from the class of 1998, Jon Oggiono, attended the Awards Luncheon of the Massachusetts DAR State Conference. Mr. Beecher brought greetings from the school and once again expressed his gratitude for the support of the Massachusetts Daughters and the wonderful relationship between Hillside and the Daughters.
W
e are looking forward this spring to our annual DAR Awards Day on May 13. Last year we had a record number of awards and contributors, but we would love to get even more this year as the need is always increasing. If your chapter would like to donate a scholarship award, please contact Rich Meyer at rmeyer@hillsideschool.net or (508) 481-4615 for more information.
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THE HILLSIDER
Summer 2014
Academic Awards (continued) Honors: Grade 6
Honors: Grade 7
Honors: Grade 8
Yixin Huang Biiron Sane William Stephenson Amir Thomas Douglas Tulman Colby Becker
Benjamin Bloomgren Bum Kyu Kim Ji Ho Kim Juan Medrano Devin Rochelle Patrick Thomas Dov Trestman Cullen Young
Honors: Grade 9
Andranik Armstrong Arturo Chavez Sendra Benjamin Hanrahan Christopher Konin Samuel Rand Pengrui (Ray) Wei
Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Eighth Grade
Kofi Asante Jack Scott
Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Ninth Grade
Michael Keefe
Reading Rewards: Most Pages Read in Winter Term
Edward Kosek
Trustee Spotlight John Tegan
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Winter Sports (continued) guard play and quality shooting from the outside, and Yixin Huang, Aaron Pan, and Shawn Zheng were consummate team players who delivered quality minutes. Jun Seok Yang and Spencer Bernard are first-year players on the rise. While there were several games of note this year, two stood out: the stunning turnaround against Applewild, where the team used a 21-point loss as fuel for a 12-point win in the rematch; and a trio of games against Fay in which the Bulldogs rebounded from a heartbreaking home loss to take the rubber game on the road. All in all, it was a great season, and the coaches and players offer thanks to the community for coming out to the games this year to support us.
PERHAPS ADD A SPECIAL SECTION ON THE 25TH hOLIDAY - AS AN INSET - COMBO OF SPORTS AND ALUM
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THE HILLSIDER
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THE HILLSIDER
Summer 2014
Trustee Spotlight Hillside has been blessed to have had the unwavering support of hundreds of dedicated trustees over our long history. These men and women have consistently focused on the School’s best interests and offered valuable guidance to our line of Headmasters, including current head David Beecher. In this issue, we’re highlighting the contributions of Harvey Allen, a larger-than-life figure at Hillside. Harvey’s affiliation with the School started when his son Ross, ‘06, enrolled, and he has been a consistent presence on the board ever since. As the CEO of M.S. Walker, a leading wine and spirits distributor, he has kept alive a family tradition of over 80 years. Harvey has known independent schools his whole life, having attended Middlesex. Harvey’s athletic feats include playing AAA baseball in the Red Sox’s system and winning the Pine Brook Country Club golf championship in an astounding six decades! Headmaster Beecher summed up his personal gratitude and that of the Hillside community this way: “No one has contributed more to Hillside and our Board of Trustees over the last 12 years than Harvey. We would not be where we are today without him.”
Hillside Board of Trustees: 2014-15 ** Indicates new trustee Harvey Allen Hiroyuki Arita Sally Bueno Edward Chase (President) John Doran
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David Froelich** Joshua Gross (Vice President) Olaf Jorgenson** Edward Latessa Thomas Lee
Spencer Merinoff Joan O’Connor** Michael O’Neill (Treasurer) Alex Sugar John Tegan** 13
Gail Terry Stephen Thomas Emily Wick (Secretary)
4/3/2015 9:51:46 AM
THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Alumni Spotlight
B y R i c h M ey e r, D i re c to r o f A lu m n i A f fa i r s
WINTER SPORTS REVIEW The winter of 2014-15 was notable at Hillside for several reasons beyond the record-setting snowfall and cold. The five scholastic athletic teams all had strong seasons, some notable for season-long performance, others for moments of brilliance, and all for hard work and determination, often against older and more experienced opponents.
The coaches feel the best recruiting approach is to highlight our level of game and practice competition and expert coaching, which is provided to every team member. They feel the strong training regimen and player development are a higher level than any other junior program. and point to the Bulldogs’ five-year varsity record of 97-19-5 as evidence.
Varsity Hockey
In a season with many highlights, the win at the Belmont Hill tournament, a tight 4-3 victory over Exeter, and resounding defeat of junior boarding rival Cardigan Mountain were most notable.
The team’s highly successful season started with an enjoyable and productive trip to Lake Placid for preseason training and ended with a triumphant win at the Belmont Hill invitational tournament. In-between were hundreds of hours together learning, working, training, having fun – and a school-record 22 wins in 26 games.
The squad was led by an outstanding group of seniors including veterans Sam Rand, Chris Konin, and Ryan Lovett. Captain Cullen Young ‘16 had an excellent season, and the team received excellent goaltending from Carson McKinnon ’15 and Gianni Rodriquez ‘16. Nik Armstrong ’15 and Matt Guerra ’15 were unstoppable offensive weapons. With the quality of the varsity program and the creation of the varsity development program, hockey at Hillside has never been stronger.
The experienced coaching staff of Headmaster Beecher, his JV Basketball co-head coach Tim McCarthy, and assistant Jordan Dewey noted the incredible success on the ice against a schedule The 2014-215 JV Bulldogs had their best season ever, finishcomprised almost entirely of high school JV teams; the ing with an 11-6 record. Head coach Michael Brown and asunparalleled exposure our players received throughout the sistant Justin Kinney year from prep high school coaches, college coaches and even noted the squad was pro scouts; and most important, incredible improvement not the most talented made by each player. Recently the coaches had to choose or experienced, but MVP, most improved, and unsung hero awards. The made up for it with Coaches’ Award for MVP was a tough choice, but ultimately their fighting spirit. Ninth Graders Matt Guerra and Andranik Armstrong were The boys commitdeserving winners. The unsung hero prize was unanimous ted themselves to the for Patrick Robles ‘15, and the MIP was ultimately not team from day one, awarded because so many players made big strides during got along well, and the season. gave meaning to the word “team.” 14 4315_Winter_Hillsider.indd 14
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
2014-15 Winter Awards
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