feature
|
ALUMNAE RETURN AS COACHES
Alumnae Coaches
Bring Passion and Acumen to Their Former Teams When it comes to The Masters School’s various athletics programs, it turns out you can go home again. Two alumnae — upper school admission director Andrea Fischer ’02 and Clara MeereWeigel ’15 — have both returned to 49 Clinton and are flourishing in their roles as former student-athletes-turned-coaches. Fischer, a standout basketball player for the Panthers, grabbed the reins to the varsity girls program this past year. Meere-Weigel, a gifted and accomplished fencer, has served as the head fencing coach for the middle school, junior varsity and varsity programs since 2020. The experience has been both gratifying and nostalgic for Fischer, who helped guide Masters’ varsity girls basketball program to prominence in the early aughts. “It’s one of those full-circle moments," said Fischer, who became a 1,000-point scorer at College of
Mount St. Vincent after graduating from Masters. “Being back to coach a team that had such an impact on my life in just two years, it’s been a lot of fun. I never thought I’d be back coaching the same team I played for 20 years later.” Meere-Weigel, meanwhile, recalled feeling a tinge of jealousy after throwing her rose on Graduation Terrace and heading off to Concordia University. After all, she never got a chance to sharpen her épée skills in the Fonseca Center’s state-of-the-art Francisco Martin Fencing Room. “We had to set up the strips in the Middle School every time,” Meere-Weigel recalled with a chuckle. “Now these kids are so lucky, so it’s amazing to have access to the space.” Meere-Weigel learned about and fell in love with the sport under the direction of former Masters head coach Francisco Martin, a legendary figure in the fencing world who still helps out with the Panthers’ program. Meere-Weigel learned more than blade technique from Martin.
BELOW: Fischer, pictured center with the 2021-2022 girls varsity basketball team, is focused on the girls program’s long-term health and success.
BELOW: Fischer, seated second from left, has loved basketball since her days as a Panther.
|
30
|
BULLETIN Spring 2022
