suffolklivingmag.commay/june 2022 • vol. 13, no. 3 Plow LACROSSEFOOTBALLDayANDROUNDOUTFUNONTHEFIELD
suffolk living 3 TAnww757-923-5500w.lakeprincewoods.orgaward-winningseniorservices:ResidentialLivingransitionalRehabilitationMemorySupportHomeHealthAssistedLiving A new name, a new design, a new beginning. Same great mission. Hospice Harbour View Downtown Suffolk 5837 Harbour View Blvd Suffolk, VA 23435 757.686.3636 102 Western Ave Suffolk, VA 23434 757.539.7695 Ralph L Howell, Jr , DDS I R Leroy Howell, Sr , DDS C Danielle Howell, DDS I Melissa L Campbell, DMD www.howell.dental
CONTENTSAdvertisingratesandinformationavailableuponrequest.Subscriptionsare$20annuallyin-state;$25annuallyout-of-state;$30forinternationalsubscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 WHERE AM I? | Think you know Suffolk well? Then see if you can identify this photo.11 Plow Days FEATURE A fleet of antique tractors showed off for visitors at an event that seemed like it came from yesterday. 14 Dr. L.D. Britt, a forchampionhealth care equity in Suffolk and beyond, was honored recently with a sculpture. may-june12 | 2022
Quineshia Leonard plays tackle football for the U.S. women’s team.
Cover by John H. Sheally
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II ON THE COVER On Fieldthe
This edition is filled with stories about things that are great to play, or play with, on a field.
Publisher publisher's note may2022june EDITORIAL Jen WriterMeganWriterRachelWriterJimmyPhotographerJaquaLaRoueAustinTaylor news@suffolklivingmag.com ADVERTISING Earl MarketingJones Consultant Lindsay MarketingAustinMarketingDanaMarketingRichardsonConsultantSnowConsultantHollandConsultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com PRODUCTION Troy DesignerCooper ADMINISTRATION Betty J. ProductionHopePublisherRamseyRose Suffolk Living is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437
Indian Neck Farm, just a few hops, skips and jumps over the state line in North Carolina, hosted Plow Day earlier this spring, with attendees showing off a fleet of antique tractors to visitors from near and far. This event celebrated a country lifestyle that almost seems to be from a bygone era, as more people live in urban areas now than in previous decades. Many farmers are still toiling tirelessly — and, oftentimes, thanklessly — in the fields, but, we hope, with newer models than the vintage specimens on display at this event. What a fascinating look into the Americana of yesteryear. We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. As always, we are deeply appreciative of our many advertisers and readers, whose support makes our magazine possible.
That’s right — we have football, lacrosse and tractors for you, along with a generous helping of your favorite features like our calendar of events, your neighbors’ vacation pictures, a feature on a recent news event, the Where Am I? challenge, the Through the Lens feature with a local photographer, and more.
Late spring may not be generally thought of as football season, but this May/June edition features one local woman who has taken the tackle football world by storm. She recently made the 2022 U.S. Women’s Tackle Football National Team, a gender-stereotype-busting crew that will compete in the world championship in Finland this summer. Read more about Quineshia Leonard inside.
The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy varsity boys lacrosse team is enjoying some brotherly love this year. Of the 34 players, nearly one-third — 10 of them — have a brother on the team. These five pairs of siblings and their teammates have enjoyed a successful season and entered the state tournament as the top seed. You can read more about their winning ways under the tutelage of Coach T.W. Johnson inside.
Having a field day
Betty Ramsey,
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The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors (60+), military and children 12 and under.
8 suffolk living what to do Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com 59th Annual
JUNE 8, 22 AND 25 Come and see that the Great Dismal Swamp is anything but dismal. The Art Show
JUNE 6 AND 25 An official Virginia Civil War Trail site, Cedar Hill Cemetery has long been an attraction for history buffs and even walking groups. A stroll through the cemetery will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. starting under the Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, 524 N. Main St. The 75-minute daytime tour will offer unique insights into Suffolk’s heritage as visitors
JUNE 4 The Victorian Suffolk: Dying To Be There — A Guided Discovery of Cedar Hill Cemetery departs at 7 p.m. from Seaboard Station Railroad Museum parking lot, 326 N. Main St. This 75-minute walking tour explores the hidden meanings buried in Suffolk’s Historic Cedar Hill Cemetery. The tour features Victorian-era symbolism, burial practices, funerary industries and mourning rituals. The cemetery is more than two centuries old, with roots that harken back to the founding of Suffolk.
traverse the cedar-lined terrain dotted with timeworn headstones. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors (60+), military and children 12 and under. Reservations are required, and cancellations are expected no less than 48 hours prior to the scheduled tour. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to reserve your spot.
MAY 19 THROUGH JUNE 24 Chesapeake Bay Art Association’s 59th Annual Members Art Show will be on view from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Suffolk Center’s Art Galleries, 110 W. Finney Ave. This new exhibition features 39 artists from the Chesapeake Bay Association, including nine high school students and 98 pieces of art. The show features a wide variety of artistic mediums including paintings, photography, pottery, glass, metal, paper and one amazing 4-foot-by-5-foot mixed media sculpture. For additional information, suffolkcenter.org/cbaa.
visit
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1919
JUNE 25 Embark on a nutty adventure at the Suffolk Public Library’s at the library's seventh annual Amazing Peanut Chase! From 1 to 4 p.m. starting at the Morgan Memorial Library, 443 W. Washington St., this citywide scavenger hunt will have you road-tripping all over town, solving clues. Form your team and prepare for a day full
JUNE 11 Hometown Heroes Tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery will take place from 11 a.m. to noon, departing from the Seaboard Station Railroad Museum porch, 326 N. Main St. This tour highlights and honors the sacrifices made in the name of freedom. The tour visits graves and memorials of soldiers who died in combat during the two world wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Advance reservations are required. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors (60+), military and children 12 and under. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to reserve your spot.
narrated Great Dismal Swamp Safari will go from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and depart from the Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. This three-hour tour is led by a biologist who will teach the history, lore, vegetation and wildlife of the swamp. Sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable clothes and shoes are recommended. A small snack and beverage are provided. This tour is not recommended for very small children. The cost is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (60+), military and children 12 and under. Reservations are required and cancellations are expected no less than 48 hours prior to the scheduled tour. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to reserve your spot.
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JUNE 17 The first night of Suffolk’s TGIF Summer Concert Series will welcome Rajazz. Starting at 6 p.m., folks can make their way to Constant's Wharf Park & Marina to enjoy lots of family fun, with food vendors, bounce houses, adult beverages and merchant vendors before the band takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. and will have the crowd jamming until 9:30 p.m.
JUNE 19 Suffolk Tourism, in partnership with the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, presents Summer of Adventure at the Center, a series of three blockbuster adventure films. The series kicks off with “Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade” starting at 2 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Admission is $2 per person. To purchase tickets, contact the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts box office at 757923-2900 or visit SuffolkCenter.org.
JUNE 24 The TGIF Summer Concert Series will welcome The Original Rhondels to rock the night away. Starting at 6 p.m., folks can make their way to Constant's Wharf Park & Marina to enjoy lots of family fun, with food vendors, bounce houses, adult beverages and merchant vendors before the band takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. and will have the crowd jamming until 9:30 p.m.
suffolk living 9 what to do
JUNE 25 Experience a hair-raising encounter with the spirited side of Suffolk on the Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk from 8 to 9:30 p.m. starting at Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. Follow a costumed guide through the shadows of historic Main Street discovering stories, legends and "unexplained occurrences" by lantern light. Tales of unsolved mysteries and unresolved affairs abound throughout Suffolk's historically hip Ghost Walk. Advance reservations are required. The cost is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (60+), military and children 12 and under. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to reserve your spot.
JULY 8 The TGIF Summer Concert Series will welcome Good Shot Judy to rock the night away. Starting at 6 p.m., folks can make their way to Constant's Wharf Park & Marina to enjoy lots of family fun, with food vendors, bounce houses, adult beverages and merchant vendors before the band takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. and will have the crowd jamming until 9:30 p.m. Do you have an event you'd like to share? Contact Suffolk Living news@suffolkliving.comat
JUNE 25 A Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. departing from the Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. Suffolk’s rich heritage dates back to the early 17th century, when Captain John Smith first encountered the Nansemond Indians on the Nansemond River. Even now, you can trace Suffolk’s legacy through our historic homes and neighborhoods, churches and Virginia Civil War Trails. Guided by a Suffolk historian, you meet the people and places that made Suffolk the city it is today. Advance reservations are required. The cost is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors (60+), military and children 12 and under. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to reserve your spot.
10 suffolk living PRE-K3 THROUGH 12TH GRAD We provide the highest quality college preparatory, biblically based education SCHEDUL Best Preschool Best Private School LOCALS CHOICE 2020 Edu P THROUGH 12TH GRADE We provide the highest lit llege aatory,tion. SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY! Best Preschool Best Private School LOCALS CHOICE 2020 Through Quality Christian Education NOW ENROLLING FOR TWO LOCATIONS 2022 - 2023 SCHOOL YEAR College Preparatory • Biblically Based Education (757) 809-6606 Schedule a Tour Today! BUILDING CHRISTIAN CHARACTER Su olk, Virginia Preschool - Lower School 917 Carolina Road Upper School 237 N. Main Street LOCALS CHOICE AWARDS 2022 LOCALS CHOICE 2017 WINNER LOCALS CHO CE 2018 WINNER LOCALS CHOICE 2019 WINNER LOCALS CHO CE 2020 WINNER 2019 WINNER 2020 WINNER 2017 WINNER 2018 WINNER LOCALS CHOICE 2019 WINNER LOCALS CHO CE 2020 WINNER WINNER WWINNER INNER WINNER what to do of fun and adventure. All ages welcome. You must provide your own transportation. There is no charge, but registration is required; call 757-514-7323.
JUNE 26 Come on a kayak excursion of Bennett's Creek from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., starting at the Boat Ramp at Bennett's Creek Park. Explore the tidal wetlands along Bennett's Creek while viewing a variety of bird and plant species facilitated by a water adventure outfitter with years of experience. All equipment is included with the registration fee of $40. Sunscreen, insect repellent and comfortable clothing are recommended. Participants must be at least 10 years of age or older; anyone 17 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. You are encouraged to bring a snack and bottled water. Call 757-514-4130.
So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk! where am I?
In each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.
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If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card.
E
Artist Mario Chiodo is best known for his depictions of people who have made a dif ference in the world. His sculpture portrays Britt in a classic contemplative pose, the figure standing in the middle of railroad tracks that hint at his beginnings in a once-segregated community; behind him, a towering stack of books in the form of the DNA double helix signifies his success in medicine.
“When people walk by, I hope they think about perseverance and excellence — the fact that you have an obligation to make your society better,” he said.
Story and photos by Jimmy LaRoue
Statue honors renowned surgeon Britt
Britt said he is humbled by the statue on the lawn of Waitzer Hall. His hope is that it will serve as a source of pride and inspiration for the entire EVMS community.
“Dr. Britt has devoted his entire profes sional life to addressing health care disparities, mentoring and serving others and delivering unparalleled patient care,” Abuhamad said.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, Britt joined the EVMS faculty in 1986 after earning his medical degree and a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard. He is the Edward J. Brickhouse Chair in Surgery and has served as chair of EVMS surgery since 1994 and vice dean for clinical affairs since 2021.For the first 25 years of his career, Britt trav eled to Suffolk every Tuesday to see patients, Suffolk native Dr. L.D. Britt, left, was honored April 29 with a bronze statue outside Eastern Virginia Medical School for his “incomparable contributions to medical education, patient care, the field of surgery and the health of people in Hampton Roads.” Sentara Healthcare President and CEO Howard P. Kern presented Britt with a plaque honoring him on behalf of the Sentara Healthcare Board of Directors and thanking him for his service.
The 9-foot-tall sculpture is symbolic of the profound impact Britt has had over his long career, said Dr. Alfred Abuhamad, interim EVMS president, provost and dean of the School of Medicine.
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astern Virginia Medical School on April 29 unveiled a bronze sculpture depicting surgeon L.D. Britt to honor the Suffolk native for his “incomparable contributions to medical education, patient care, the field of surgery and the health of the people of Hampton Roads.”
“Our hope is that each person who passes the statue will not only appreciate the work of this talented artist but understand the magnitude of Dr. Britt's lifelong dedication to health care, research and education.”
in the news
“As a young man, I looked around my com munity, the segregated Jim Crow South, and I saw real struggles,” Britt said. “If my family members had to go to the doctor, they packed a lunch because getting to that appointment, being seen by a doctor, getting home — it would take hours. I knew something was wrong. The issue of health care disparities was our biggest challenge. It’s what drew me into medicine.“Westill have healthcare disparities,” he added. “To be honest, that’s what keeps me in medicine.”AsaBlack man who grew up in the segregated South, Britt pushed past social, economic and political barriers to earn many of the medical and surgical community’s high est honors and to serve in some of its most influential roles, including president of the American College of Surgeons. Among other achievements, Britt was the first EVMS physi cian to be named to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine. He also was the first Black surgeon to receive the ACS’ Lifetime Achievement award — an honor so presti gious that it has been given to only four other surgeons in the organization’s 108-year history.
The diversity, equity and inclusion funding activities for EVMS faculty, staff and students include educational programming, training, service opportunities, curriculum enhance ment through grants, and student scholar ships.These are all initiatives identified as priori ties in the EVMS Strategic Plan for Advancing Health Equity and Inclusion for Community and Academic Impact.
At EVMS, his work around disparities is furthered by the Britt Endowment for Diver sity and Health Equity.
Britt is the author of more than 220 peerreviewed publications, more than 50 book chapters and non-peer-reviewed articles and three books. He serves on numerous edito rial boards, including the Annals of Surgery, Archives of Surgery, World Journal of Surgery and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. In addition, he is a reviewer for the New England Journal of Medicine.
The terrace on which the sculpture of Britt stands has been named the L.D. Britt, MD, MPH Terrace “in honor of his extraordinary contributions and to draw attention to the important work being done through the Britt Endowment for Diversity and Health Equity.”
The endowment, which enhances diversity and inclusion efforts at EVMS and draws attention to the important work of addressing health care disparities, was realized through gifts to the EVMS Deliver on the Promise Campaign from the Hampton Roads Com munity Foundation and The Oliver Fund, a Donor Advised Fund established by Frances Martin Lindsay.
A member of Alpha Omega Alpha, Britt also is the recipient of the nation’s highest teaching award in medicine, the Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teaching Award. He was honored by the Association of Surgical Educa tion with its lifetime achievement award, the Distinguished Educator Award. More than 190 institutions throughout the world have invited him to be their distinguished visiting professor.Aprolific researcher, Britt was awarded a $2.5 million grant in 2017 from the National Institutes of Health on behalf of the ACS to address health care disparities.
suffolk living 13 including some of his former schoolteachers, who couldn’t make it to Norfolk. The trips, he said, were a way for him to both stay con nected with his past and better understand the current needs of the community.
From left, Dr. Bruce Waldholtz, rector of the Eastern Virginia Medical School Board of Visitors, Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, Suffolk native Dr. L.D. Britt and Dr. Alfred Abuhamad, interim president and provost of Eastern Virginia Medical School and the interim dean of its school of medicine, stand in front of the bronze statue of Britt outside EVMS honoring the renowned surgeon for his substantial medical achievements.
“My greatest honor is taking care of patients,” Britt said. “There’s nothing better than getting patients the surgical and medical interventions they need. A close second to that, for me, is teaching.”
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The nostalgic sound of dozens of vintage tractors pulling plows through the rich soil triggered long-ago memories for the older visitors and made new memories for the youngsters learning about a way of life from theNationally,past. farming underwent a “tremen dous transformation” in the 20th century, according to the U.S. Department of Agricul ture’s Economic Research Service. A hundred years ago, more than half of the nation’s population lived in rural areas with diversified farming on numerous smaller family farms. Agriculture was a way of life. In the 21st century, the rural population de creased to less than a quarter of the country’s total, and the number of farms decreased, too, replaced by fewer but larger specialized farms. Small family farms seemed destined to fade into history.
Hobbsville event pays tribute to region’s agricultural heritage
The annual Plow Day event, hosted by the Todd Lewis family at their expansive Indian Neck Farm, is a celebration of classic farming Tractors — lots of them — were in the spotlight at Plow Day on Indian Neck Farm.
Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II Arhythmic chug-a-chug drifting over Indian Neck Farm drew a crowd to the farm in Hobbsville, North Carolina, on a March Saturday for Plow Day. Visitors came from as far as Virginia Beach, Great Bridge, Zuni and Suffolk, as well as North Carolina.
Brooke’s favorite tractor belongs to Chesa peake businessman Ashton Lewis Sr., who also started farming in his teens and never lost his love for tractors and plows. Lewis and his family brought seven other vintage tractors, as well, from their collection.
suffolk living 15 techniques and equipment. The Albemarle Antique Power Association from Elizabeth City, dedicated to preserving and restoring an tique farm equipment and tools, cooperates in the popular event. Vintage tractors, dating to the 1950s and earlier, pulling a variety of plows in an everwidening circle around a large field, seemed to pass in review for the crowd cheering them on. With each circuit, the watchful spectators backed another dozen feet out of the way as the plows furrowed up waves of soil around the field. The churning dirt also stirred a stream of stories from those who had driven similar tractors years ago or who had grown up in a farming community. So why spend the day watching old tractors plow up a field? It’s not a competitive event. There are no Best in Show awards or firstplace trophies for plowing speed and accuracy. There are no concessions or souvenir stands.
“Plow Day offers a window into the old family farms and small farms where you had to maintain your equipment yourself, not like the big corporate farms,” Coxe added. Brooke Bright, 6 years old, might agree with Coxe. She watched each tractor as it took the curve in front of her, before pointing out the red McConnell-Marc 990, the biggest tractor in the field, and declaring, “I want to drive that one!”Erna Bright, her grandfather, had come to Plow Day with Brooke, her father and her uncle and explained that plow days were a familyBrooke’sfavorite.father, Daniel Bright, is a Nor folk firefighter who lives in Sunbury and has worked part time on farms, including Indian Neck Farm, since he was a teenager.
Tom Coxe, a retired sawmill manager from Suffolk, offered an answer. “Plow Day is a slice of American life people don’t see any more and a fascinating gettogether with a chance to see the machinery from the ’50s and ’60s, fully restored.”
Brandon McMahan, from Zuni, said that he and his father collect John Deere tractors and currently have 10 between them. After driving one of the other Lewis tractors, he said, “Trac tors fascinate me and, through them, you can see the progress of farming in our country — veryAlthoughimpressive.”nota full-time farmer, McMahan enjoys planting and watching the growth. This was his third Plow Day event, and he was impressed by the turnout of participants and guests at the event.
Henry Curling, a retired farmer from Great Bridge, came to Plow Day with his orange Allis-Chalmers tractor, a 1953 CA model, and Classic John Deere tractors, including this one operated by Calvin Upton, were among the many on hand at Plow Day.
James Copeland, president of the Albemarle Antique Power Association, built the little train and brought it to Plow Day to entertain the children. After a winding ride around the expansive farmyard, the children hopped off to play in a sand pile nearby while another set of small passengers climbed aboard.
The youngest Plow Day visitors ran past the McConnell, eager to get a ride on a min iature train fashioned from vinegar drums and pulled by a Cub Cadet mini tractor.
The March event was the third Plow Day held at Indian Neck Farm, and Todd Lewis said all of the organization and logistics the event requires is well worth the effort.
“It’s a family day, and there needs to be something here for the kids to enjoy,” Cope landMalieksaid. Copeland, 13, was assisting his uncle with the train and happy to be at Plow Day. “I just love being outside,” Maliek said. “That’s why I want to be a farmer, too.”
“Plow Day is special to me, my friends in farming and the community,” he said. “It’s a chance to go back to a simpler time, a special time in your life. The people that come out here have ridden, worked with, and worked on these tractors. I don’t get to see these people on a daily basis, and we have new people come to meet so plow days are a relational thing.”
Brooke Bright and her father, Daniel Bright, enjoy Plow Day demonstrations.
16 suffolk living childhood friend Dallas Belcher from Cra dock. Belcher grew up in Norfolk County on 55 acres with a huge garden and is a member of the Albemarle Antique Power Association. “Hi, how you doin’?” signaled yet another old acquaintance, greeting the pair, who seemed to know most of the crowd. The aroma of barbecue and fried chicken signaled noon. Conversations paused, drivers parked their tractors, and the crowd headed to a large equipment shelter for lunch and more tractorBrooke’stalk.favorite tractor, that big McCon nell-Marc 990, was parked near the shed with a story board noting that the tractor was built in Kinston, North Carolina, in 1995. A decade before that, Joseph Ward McConnell of Mc Connell Tractors in Kinston, about a hundred miles south, purchased the 4000 series 4WD tractor product line from the then-struggling Massey Ferguson Tractors. McConnell manu factured the tractors in Kinston as Massey Ferguson 5200s. In 1993 McConnell fulfilled his dream of manufacturing his own tractors and christened them the McConnell-Marcs, named after his young son, Marc McConnell. Marc McConnell, now chairman of Mc Connell Holdings, came to Plow Day and shared stories about his late, ever-innovative father. The senior McConnell, with the help of Detroit Diesel’s Roger Penske, built the first tractor with a computerized engine in the late 1980s.“Dad also put a microwave oven in a tractor once and also did an early version of a cellphone-equipped tractor for a farm show before cellphones were everywhere,” he remembered.TheMcConnell-Marc on display had one owner prior to finding a home with Mike Whalen. A full-time farmer, Whalen traveled from his home in Ivesdale, Illinois, to Plow Day to meet Marc McConnell in person after having done business with his father for years. Whalen, who has a tractor collection of his own, including several McConnells, recently sold the McConnell 990 to Ashton Lewis Sr. Whalen and McConnell agree on the value of plow “Plowdays.days draw all generations,” Mc Connell said. “They are an enjoyable way to celebrate this aspect of American life — a bunch of crazy people getting together and enjoying it all.”
Participants showed support for both America and Ukraine at Plow Day.
Taylor Lewis, with pooch Skye, hosted Plow Day with her husband, Todd Lewis.
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Dallas Belcher surveys the scene at Plow Day.
A FAMILY AFFAIR NSA lacrosse team features five sets of brothers
Story and Megan Taylor
Photos by
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The brothers include George and Jack Taylor, Ryan and Kyle Pillsbury, Nic and Alex Eisenhart, Adam and Ryan Tabet, and Max and David Russell.
Brothers George Taylor, Jack Taylor, Ryan Pillsbury, Kyle Pillsbury, Nic Eisenhart, Alex Eisenhart, Adan Tabet, Ryan Tabet, Max Russell and David Russell make up about one third of the varsity boys’ lacrosse team at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.
hen Coach T.W. Johnson talks about his varsity boys lacrosse team being like family, he means it literally.Outofthe 34 players on the boys lacrosse team at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, there are five sets of brothers. Brotherhood proved to be a successful theme, as the Saints finished the regular season No. 1 in Virginia Indepen dent Schools Athletic Association Division II and headed into the state tournament as the top seed. At press time for Suffolk Living, the team had advanced to the semifinal game.
"It's been a privilege for me. I think it's neat that they get to compete against each other, but I can say wholeheartedly that, with all five sets, there's a lot of love there. They all really
Parents Tina and Mark Eisenhart, Debbie and David Russell, Kim and Doug Pillsbury, Maribeth and Billy Taylor and Marcia and Bob Tabet represent one-third of the team’s core supportJohnson,base.who is also NSA’s athletic direc tor, says it's a bit strange coaching this many brothers, but he loves the dynamic that it brings to the team.
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See FAMILY page 21
Ryan and Kyle Pillsbury and Nic and Alex Eisenhart are two pairs of brothers on the team seeing one brother’s high school lacrosse career coming to a close while the other’s is just beginning.
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Kyle will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall to study engineering, and Nic will be at tending the University of Mary Washington to study communication and digital studies.
The boys also maintain a healthy level of competition with each other. Ryan and Kyle play the same position, so they push the other to do better through competition, and Nic and Alex play opposite positions, but they push each other all the same. “Yeah, Nic thinks he’s faster than me,” quipped Alex. Ryan and Kyle also noted that lacrosse has helped them improve their hand-eye coordination, which can translate to other sports and skills. Kyle also values the importance of com munity with lacrosse. “I guess because it’s a smaller sport, but we all want the best for each other,” he said. “Even when we play against other teams, we all talk to each other and want the other to do well. Just maybe not better than us.”
FAMILY continued from page 19
David Russell makes a play for the Saints on the field.
"I love that we get to spend a little extra time together playing on the same team; it's not something that everyone gets to experi ence," said FreshmenKyle.Ryan and Alex both credited their interest in lacrosse to watching their older brothers play. "I was watching Kyle play and it made me want to try it out," Ryan said. "Yeah, I started because of Nic too,” Alex said. “Seeing how much he enjoyed it made me want to try it as well.” All four of the brothers agreed that one of their favorite parts of the game is the fact that it is a contact sport. They explained that contact sports are an excellent way to relieve stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
suffolk living 21 care about each other and want to see their brother do well, and I think that's fantastic," he Thesaid.brothers range from freshmen to graduating seniors. For Ryan and Kyle Pills bury and Nic and Alex Eisenhart, one broth er's high school lacrosse career is coming to a close, and the other’s is just beginning. Kyle and Nic are seniors this year and are happy that they got to spend this extra time with their brothers before they go to college.
Renee Cowan enjoyed a photography session at the Suffolk Cruise In at the Suffolk Executive Airport. Enthusiasts come twice a month to show off all makes, models and years. We’re always looking for amateur and professional photographers who want to share their views of Suffolk. If you’d like to have your work considered, send an email and a selection of at least five of your original photos to news@ suffolklivingmag.com.
22 suffolk living through the lens: Renee Cowan
suffolk living 23 TAKING A TRIP? Take a Suffolk Living with you suffolklivingmag.com may/june 2021 • vol. 12, no. 3 newSoaringtoheightsONPOINTEANDINPLANES Send us your travel photos with a copy of Suffolk Living. We'd love to publish them.
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Leonard is originally from Portsmouth and graduated from Hampton High School. Since high school, she has lived in Suffolk and now has two children, ages 4 and 6. Leonard was never interest ed in playing football growing up — in fact, she never even watched it. She played basket ball for three years at Woodrow Wilson High School, then dur ing her senior year at Hampton High School. Leonard earned a basketball scholarship to play at Norfolk State University, where she excelled for three years before becoming pregnant with herDuringson. the pandemic, she wanted to find a new way to stay active and in shape after months of being stuckSheinside.triedflag football for a few weeks, but it wasn’t the right fit. After hearing about a chance
Story by Rachel Austin Not a sport?girl
Suffolk’s Leonard makes national tackle football team F or one Suffolk woman, what started as a way to stay active is now a passion.Quineshia Leonard made the 2022 U.S. Women's Tackle Football National Team, which will compete in the world championship in Vantaa, Fin land, July 28 through Aug. 8.
“It feels pretty amazing,” Leonard said. “I’m so new to football but already seeing recognition quickly. I put in a lot of hard work and training, and it feels amazing right out of the gate to be put in a position I want to be in.”
26 suffolk living to be on a professional tackle football team, she decided to go for it. She now plays for the Washington Prodigy Women’s Tackle Football team in the Women's Na tional Football Conference when she’s not working with people with developmental disabilities at Our Summer Place Inc. in Portsmouth. After starting to play tackle football in January 2021, she heard about tryouts for the national team in Florida in March. She went and competed against more than 200 other women to make the team’s 45-player roster as a defensive lineman.
The U.S. Women's Tackle Football National Team works on a pay-to-play basis. Anyone interested in donating to the team to help cover costs can look up the IFAF Women’s World Championship on GoFundMe.com.
“It was a good experience, but very overwhelm ing,” she said. “It was cool to see so many women who have the same interest in playing tackle football.”Theupcoming competition in Finland will be the fourth IFAF Women’s Tackle World Champion ship. The International Federation of American Football Women’s Tackle Team has won gold medals in the three previous championships, in 2010, 2013 and 2017. They will compete against teams from Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Mexico and Sweden.
Suffolk Living has been to some fantastic places lately. At left, Jeff and Cora Hancock took Suffolk Living to Helen, Georgia, a mountain town known for its vineyards and Bavarian-style buildings. Below, Sarah Grace Wampler and her family enjoyed a cruise on the Disney Fantasy and gave Suffolk Living a beautiful view of Falmouth, Jamaica.
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Suffolk Living designer Troy Cooper and his wife, former editor Tracy Agnew Cooper, visited Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Mexico on the Carnival Glory in May. At right, they are pictured with Suffolk Living in Jamaica. Below, Troy Cooper is showing off Suffolk Living to a pair of beautiful birds at Xcaret Park in Mexico. If you take us on vacation this summer, please snap a photo with us and send it to news@ suffolklivingmag.com.
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30 suffolk living Last Whereedition’sAmI? The gifttorandomlythem.wasJohanningsmeierandcorrectpeopleCemetery.tothemonumentWorldisAminhelmetsoldier'sincludedourlastWhereI?challengepartoftheWarIatentranceCedarHillSixgottheanswer,CaroloneofShewaschosenreceivea$25card.Findthis month’s challenge on page 11. In each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk! where am I? suffolk living 11 suffolklivingmag.com january/february 2019 • vol. 10, no. 1RoadWarriorsKEEPINGWARMANDCELEBRATINGBLACKHISTORY Six times a year in Suffolk for $20 subscriptionsOut-of-state for $25 Suffolk Living All Year Subscribe and you can get Suffolk Living delivered to your door six times a year. Don’t miss out. suffolklivingmag.commay/june 2019 • vol. 10, no. 3 Community Garden AND VOLUNTEERS THAT LOVE BOOKS suffolklivingmag.comjuly/august2019•vol.10, no. 4 HAVELOCALLeadersGlobalINFLUENCERSWORLDWIDEREACHNetwork with Suffolk Living on Facebook
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G.W. TRUITT: G.W. Truitt demolished an earlier house to build this mansion on the corner of Bank and Grace streets. A lumberman, Truitt used very fine and unusual woods to build the house, which boasted a gallery for musicians and a third-floor ballroom. The house now operates as a bed and breakfast.
C H O R E Y & A S S O C I A T E S R E A L T Y , L T D . T H O M A S M O O R E , A S S O C I A T E B R O K E R P L A T I N U M A W A R D , T O P 4 % L E I G H A N N E P A R K S , A S S O C I A T E B R O K E R G O L D A W A R D , T O P 7 % B I L L Y C H O R E Y , O W N E R / B R O K E R D I A M O N D A W A R D , T O P 1 % A N N C U L L E Y C R U S E N B E R R Y , R E A L T O R ® - B R O N Z E A W A R D , T O P 1 8 % R O B E R T A S K E W , R E A L T O R ® - B R O N Z E A W A R D , T O P 2 1 % 3 3 0 W C O N S T A N C E R O A D S U F F O L K , V A 2 3 4 3 4 S U F F O L K S P E C I A L I S T C O M 7 5 7 5 3 9 7 4 5 1 Congratulations 2021 Sales Award Winners
