Tabor Today Magazine Summer 2021 by Tabor Academy

ON THE COVERS: Front cover: Read more about Olympian Charlie Ogletree ’85 on page 42. Back cover: Read more about Olympic hopeful Abby Newhook ’21 on page 24.

TABOR TODAY MAGAZINE 2020 – 2021

T RU ST E E S A N D E M E R I T I 2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1

INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL

CHAIR

Julie A. Salit

Mrs. Regina Shakin P ’15 ’17 ’19

TABOR TODAY EDITOR Stacy Jagodowski, Director of Communications

MAGAZINE COMMITTEE Sophie Arnfield, Librarian/Archivist Deb Cohen, Communications Specialist Rick DaSilva ’89, History Teacher, Associate Director of International Center Jennifer Dunn, Advancement Communications Coordinator Sean Harlow, Associate Director of Advancement Eliza Kennedy ’10, Advancement Officer, Young Alumni Gary Lawrence, Digital Content Manager

OFFICERS Mr. G. Eric Davis ’89, P ’22 Vice-Chair Mr. Stephen Sprague ’68 Treasurer Mrs. Elizabeth Welsh Eyler ’87, P ’15 ’17 Secretary

TRUSTEES Mr. David A. Barrett ’70 Mr. Clement C. Benenson ‘00 Mr. Angus H. Leary ’95

Kate Marvel ’87, Associate Director of Advancement

Mrs. Jennifer Noering McIntire ’84, P ’16 ’22

Andrew McCain ’84, Director of Alumni Relations

Mr. Paul J. Murphy ’75

PJ O’Connell, Director of Advancement

CLASS NOTES Jean McBride, Administrative Support & Office Manager, Advancement Office

SPECIAL THANKS TO: The Advancement Office

Mr. D. Marvin Pierre ’02 Mrs. Julie Salit (ex-officio) Ms. Jacqueline W. Shire ’84 Ms. Ngai Suet ’03

TRUSTEES EMERITI Mr. R. William Blasdale ’61, P ’85 ’90 Chair 1991 - 2006 Mr. John W. Braitmayer ’48

Julie Crosby, Auxiliary Programs Manager, editing

Chair 1978 - 1986

Lori Ferguson, Writer

Mr. Keith N. Browning ’79, P ’06 ’10 ’11

Eliott Grover ’06, Writer

Chair 2006 - 2014

Samantha Barney Lawrence, Parent Programs Assistant, photography

Mr. Peter T. Francis P ’14 ’16

Robert Deaves, courtesy photos Finn Class Archives, courtesy photos

Mr. John F. Fish ’78, P ’15 Mr. Albert Fried, Jr. ’48 Mr. Carmine A. Martignetti ’71 Chair 2014 - 2021

Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway, courtesy photos

Mr. Lee Pokoik ’63

Museum of American Fencing, courtesy photos

Mr. Phillips G. Smith ’65

The Professional Squash Association, courtesy photos

Mr. John F. Swope ’56, P ’88

Tabor Academy Archives, research and assets

Mr. Louis S. Wolfe ’68 Mr. Geoffrey H. Worrell P ’01 ’03 ’10

Tabor Academy Photo Pool (Student Photographers)

DEPARTING TRUSTEES Mr. Sumner J. Waring III ’87, P ’13

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? Please contact the Communications Office at communications@taboracademy.org. 2

IN THIS ISSUE

HISTORY Anchors Aweigh

Tracing the roots of Tabor’s Olympic sailing lineage

The Tip of the Sword

Frank Righeimer, Jr., ’25 and the pinnacle of American fencing

The War Torn Games

Geoffrey Tootell ’44 and the 1946 Inter-Allied Games

Global Citizens & Spectators

Under the leadership of Walter Lillard, international school trips in the 1920s and ’30s included visits to the Games

The Miracle Before the Miracle on Ice

John “Jack” Riley ’39 and the unsung heroes of American hockey

CAMPUS The Joy of Sports and Service

How Tabor and Special Olympics forged a lasting bond

Prepped for Play

Mental and physical conditioning for elite athletes

Along Front Street

Get Centered: The New Campus Center

Meet the New Head of School

Class of 2021

AL UMNI Alumni Connections

The Road to the Gold

Conversations with former Olympians and future competitors

Going to the Games

Congratulations to Gia Doonan ’13, USA Women’s Eight

Olympic Sailing

The passionate pursuit of excellence across generations

Squash in the Olympics

We asked members of Tabor’s squash community their thoughts on why the sport met resistance from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and their hopes for the future of the game

Class Notes

Athletic Hall of Fame

taboracademy.org/magazine

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

Believe. by Julie Salit, Interim Head of School

I am a sports enthusiast. Always have been, always will be. I remember as a little girl watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports’ thrills of victories and agonies of defeat with my father. This spring, I sat with my husband and two sons and watched the second round of the NFL draft. I believe in the lessons one can learn playing on a team: true sportsmanship, unselfish commitment to others, hard work, and achieving goals. And, I have enjoyed hearing the stories of athletes who have overcome adversity to reach those goals. It’s why in the fourth grade I chose to do my biographical book report on Olympic Gold Medalist, Wilma Rudolph. Rudolph overcame adversity to become the first American female athlete to win three gold medals in a single Olympics. Born the 20th child of 22, Rudolph contracted polio at age four leaving her left leg paralyzed. With the determination to walk again, Rudolph did just that—and more. At age 13 while playing in the state basketball tournament, she so impressed Tennessee State University’s track and field coach with her speed and athleticism that he invited her to join TSU’s Tigerbelles as an unofficial member of the running club. At 16, she burst onto the scene by winning a bronze medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Though the Tigerbelles were often segregated against, they were a resolute group with many going on to compete in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. There Rudolph won three gold medals, setting world records in the 100 and 200 meter dashes, as well as the 4x100 meter relay. In an interview about her 1977 autobiography simply entitled Wilma, she said: “To me, my legacy is to the youth of America to let them know they can be anything they want to be.” Like Rudolph, we’ve all faced adversity over the past year and a half. We’ve been forced to change the way we lived life pre-pandemic. We’ve been challenged by one another to think deeply about what it means to belong. Some have suffered great loss, others have faced isolation, and many have confronted anxiety and fears. Through it all, however, we, this Tabor community near and far, have shown great resilience and persevered. At our opening chapel—virtual, of course—I shared what was written on the chalkboard in my home: a single word - BELIEVE. Be your authentic self. Engage with your peers and classmates. Listen and learn. Inspire and include others. Empathize. Value yourself and validate others. Elevate one another with your thoughts, words, and actions. We have done all of this and more, as students, faculty and staff, parents, trustees, alumni, and friends. We believe in one another and in this incredible institution. And, although we haven’t always won the gold medal, we’ve trained hard, competed well, and shown that we can and will meet every challenge that comes our way. Now, I end my leg of the Tabor Olympic relay and proudly pass the baton on to incoming Head of School Tony Jaccaci. It has been an honor serving you and this amazing school, and I look forward to Tabor winning many gold medals in the years to come. Onward!

TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Change. by Stacy Jagodowski, Director of Communications

Like many children, I dreamed of competing in the Olympics when I grew up. I wanted to be an Olympic equestrian and, through my early twenties, I was a competitive horseback rider. I always imagined that one day, I would transition from saddleseat—a style of riding that is not represented in the Olympics—and train to, hopefully, become an elite Olympic dressage rider, but life didn’t quite work out that way. Shortly after college, I hung up my helmet and left the stables behind for the competitive world of independent school marketing and communications. One might say I made a grammatical mistake when I switched riding disciplines ... today, instead of riding as an Olympic equestrian, I am writing to you as the editor of the Olympic Issue of Tabor Today. That’s right, we have dedicated an entire issue to telling Olympic stories: people who have competed in, and those who are tirelessly working to compete in, some of the most elite games in the world. With the Games slated to take place this summer, it seemed only fitting to pay tribute to these talented Tabor athletes (we are assuming that COVID restrictions don’t alter the timing of the Games once again). As you read through the pages of this issue of Tabor Today, you may notice that the publication feels a bit different. Namely, the content has taken on a more narrative tone with articles telling the stories of Tabor, its deep history, and its people. Looking ahead to the future and the 150th anniversary of Tabor Academy, the idea of delving into the details of who we are as a school and a community seems more than fitting for our magazine, and the Olympics felt like a perfect starting point for Tabor Today’s new focus. We invite you to dive into these tales of Tabor and learn more about some of our first Tabor Olympians and those who are currently hoping to represent their home countries in the Games soon. Beyond the stories on these pages, we encourage you to visit our magazine online for bonus content, including additional stories and photos. And, if you have a story that needs to be told, we welcome you to share it with us. Help us honor all members of our community who have left a mark on Tabor’s history. Happy reading.

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A Salute to Salit

TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

When Tabor was faced with great uncertainty, the Board of Trustees looked to Julie Salit for guidance, leadership, and stability. Little did they know that less than a month after she stepped into the role of Acting Head of School, and later Interim, our world would face an unprecedented time in its history, but their choice for a leader was up for the challenge. “Julie agreed to accept the job of Interim Head of School at a

Julie maintained an understanding of the students the school

time of great uncertainty, not only for Tabor but the world at

serves,” Trustee Jennifer McIntire ’84 adds.

large,” Trustee David Barrett ’70 points out. “Thankfully, she was the right person at the right time. Julie, asTabor through one of the more difficult thoughtful leadership, and a sense of purpose. The Tabor community will be forever grateful.” A true leader shows strength, compassion, and humanity even in the toughest of situations. “Julie stepped

a mark on Tabor, not just for the work that Julie

“

sisted by her able team, succeeded in steering periods in its history by hard work,

Her time as Interim Head of School will forever leave did while here, but because it was also a

JULIE BROUGHT A SENSE OF CALM DURING A TRULY EXTRAORDINARY TIME AT TABOR.

into the role of Head of School at a critical and challenging time in Tabor Academy’s history,” says newly elected Board

”

in as Acting Head of School, she did not hesitate to serve the school in the most profound way—she led!”

to see a highly capable woman at the helm of Tabor Academy, the first in our history,” points out McIntire. “Julie rose to the occasion. This is particularly meaningful to an alumna who was a co-ed pioneer at the school.” The appreciation for Julie is endless, and

–– Lisa Eyler ’87

Chair Regina Shakin. “When she was asked to step

milestone for the school. “I am delighted

as she prepares for her next adventure with a leave of absence during the 2021-2022 year to attend graduate school, our Board of Trustees and

our community are grateful for her leadership. Shakin sums it up best saying, “The school is stronger and in an excellent place

Throughout it all—leadership changes, a global pandemic, so-

due to her guidance and thoughtfulness. She will hand the

cial injustice—she handled it with determination, perseverance,

school over to the next Head of School in much better shape

resilience and good judgement. “I admired the way she was

than when she took over.”

always so cheerful whenever I talked with her. You would never guess that she must have had the weight of the world on her shoulders,” Trustee Steve Sprague ’68 adds. “It was really some-

To Julie Salit, we thank you for your leadership, your partnership, and your service to our school.

thing beautiful to behold how she and her leadership team, faculty, and staff all rose to the challenge and did so well. Tabor stood out as an exception among so many other schools.” Navigating these times was no easy task, but Julie asked the right questions. “Julie and her team were able to get students through the end of the 2019-2020 school year and open in person in fall of 2020 when a lot of schools weren’t able to do that. For those students and families that weren’t comfortable being in person, she was able to provide virtual learning to accommodate them,” adds Trustee Lisa Eyler ’87. Julie brought more than just business acumen to the job, however. She also embraced the joy and heart of Tabor every day. “Julie brought love and connection to students to her administrative role. As a biology teacher and a girls’ soccer coach, taboracademy.org/magazine

HISTORY

Anchors Aweigh Tracing the Roots of Tabor’s Olympic Sailing Lineage By Eliott Grover ’06 For as long as Tabor has had a sailing team, the school has produced Olympic sailors, and this fact will not come as a surprise to any alum involved in the program. Whether you graduated in 1931 or 2021 or any year in between, you have at least one thing in common with every other Seawolf who reads this: Tabor’s sailing team was strong when you attended. In this article, we look at two late alumni who fueled the dawn of Tabor’s Olympic sailing legacy.

TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Frank Jewett, Jr., ’34 A stiff wind whipped across the Baltic Sea shortly before noon on August 4, 1936. The Olympic regatta was scheduled to start earlier that morning, but heavy seas forced a delay. By 11 a.m., officials decided that the surf had receded enough to launch. A fleet of small sailboats knifed through the harbor of Kiel, a bustling port town in northeast Germany. They were 12-foot dinghies called O-Jolles, the smallest class racing at the Games, and they took a beating. Whitecaps pounded the hulls as they toiled to the starting line. It was a disappointing race for the American boat. Her skipper, the youngest sailor there, couldn’t tack out of a messy cluster. He finished near the back of the field. Six

1934. In February 1936, he won three out of four races in the monotype class at the Olympic trials in California. The result ensured that Tabor’s first great racer would

races remained, but he knew he’d have to handle

be its first Olympic sailor.

the conditions better if he hoped to improve his standing by the end of the week. He was con-

Back in Marion, the school celebrated its

fident in his abilities. Despite his youth, he was

young alumnus. “This culminates many years

one of the most competent seamen in the group.

of practice gained in various types of boats here at Tabor,” The Log wrote in a March 1936

From the moment he set foot on campus, Frank

article recounting Jewett’s triumph. “Monotype

Jewett, Jr., ’34, immersed himself in Tabor’s nautical identity. He joined the Sea Scouts in 1932. Affiliated with the Boy Scouts, the group trained on the SSV Tabor Boy and gave students real-world experience to develop their sea legs. In

boats ... are small craft carrying one man. Their simplicity of design puts a premium on the skill of the individual skipper.”

1933, he was selected for the school’s prestigious Cruising Pro-

Jewett’s skills faced the ultimate test at the 1936 Olympics.

gram. This was one of Headmaster Lillard’s signature initiatives.

After the challenging August 4 race, he ranked 17th out of 25

Students honed their maritime skills working as deckhands on

competitors. Over the next six days, he demonstrated remark-

cargo ships and then engaged in cultural exchanges when they

able composure and talent. Jewett ultimately finished in ninth

reached destinations in Central America or Europe. In 1934,

place. While this result fell short of his goal, it reflected a noble

Jewett co-founded the Tabor Yacht Club and was elected as its

effort against such world-class opponents. In the history of

first commodore. “Done the most for Tabor” was one of three

Tabor sailing, Jewett was the trailblazer who opened the

superlatives he received in his senior yearbook.

Olympic floodgates.

Arguably, Jewett’s most enduring contribution was kindling

Frank Scully, Jr., ’44

Tabor’s legacy as an elite sailing school. His freshman year coincided with the formation of the Interscholastic Yacht Racing Association, a significant milestone that marks the formal beginning of Tabor’s competitive sailing program. At the 1932 championship, Jewett expertly captained a three-man crew through the choppy waters of Buzzards Bay. The following day, the Boston Globe used the headline “Tabor Shows Superiority” to describe the race. Jewett went on to win the Sears Cup, the

Seven months shy of his graduation, Frank Scully Jr., left Tabor to join the Army Air Corps. The lanky 18-year-old enlisted on October 13, 1943, and served until the spring of 1946. After the war, he attended Harvard before starting a career in real estate. When he wasn’t working, Scully was pursuing his love of sailing at the highest level.

Junior National Championship, during the summers of 1933 and

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HISTORY

At the 1959 Pan American Games, he won a gold medal in the 5.5 metre class. Five years later, he crewed alongside Joey Batchelder in skipper Don McNamara’s boat at the Olympic trials in Newport, Rhode Island. McNamara was a highly decorated sailor, having won two national championships in the ’50s, but he was also unlucky. At consecutive trials in 1956 and 1960, McNamara saw Olympic berths slip through his fingers at the end of tight races. With half a mile to go in the 1964 race, his crew’s lead was so healthy that they started gabbing about the upcoming Games in Tokyo. And then disaster struck. The jib broke and the sail flapped savagely in the wind. The second place boat bore down on them as they lost speed. “With the clew pulled out of the sail there was no way of securing a sheet,” McNamara later explained. “So Joey went to leeward and hung on for dear life, trimming as best he could. But more than one man was needed. I’m the biggest so I figured I could help Joey. Frank sailed the boat in and he did a tremendous job. But I can tell you Joey and I tasted every wave we hit until we got over that line.” They won. Barely. Two months later, they left for Japan. On September 30 they arrived in Enoshima, the small island 50 miles south of Tokyo that would host the racing. Expectations were high. “There is no room for doubt,” Leonard Fowle, the Globe’s yachting editor, wrote on October 10, “this is the best team of sailors ever assembled to represent Uncle Sam.” Racing in the 5.5 metre class commenced on October 12. Against stiff competition, including Norway’s crown prince (and current king) Harald, the Americans finished the first race 10th out of 15. Frustrated yet resolute, they stormed back by winning the next two. Determined to earn a medal, they abstained from the regatta’s extracurricular festivities. “There’s a party here every night, as you’d expect in a yachting atmosphere,” Scully told the Globe on October 17. “But our crew is here for one thing. To win. We’re lying low and getting to bed early.” Their commitment paid off. At the end of the week, the Americans finished third. Heroic racing from Bill Northam, Australia’s 60-year-old skipper, secured the gold. Sweden took the silver. When Frank Scully accepted his bronze, he became the first Tabor sailor to win an Olympic medal. He would not be the last. 

TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

The Tip of the Sword Frank Righeimer, Jr., ’25 and the Pinnacle of American Fencing

The 1932 US Olympic Fencing Team

By Eliott Grover ’06 A little after sunset on February 12, 1932, hundreds of specta-

Joseph Levis was the darling of American fencing. He was the

tors spilled into M.I.T.’s Walker Memorial Gymnasium. It was a

star of the team that came up short of a medal at the 1928 Am-

cold night, wet and windy. The temperature hovered cruelly

sterdam Olympics, but their gutsy performance put the Europe-

just above freezing. Rather than gentle snow, the arriving fans

an-dominated fencing world on notice: the United States was

were greeted with piercing rain. They didn’t mind. The oppor-

learning how to swordfight. The upcoming 1932 Games in Los

tunity to see the country’s greatest swordsman was worth the

Angeles offered the hope of a breakthrough in a sport that was

weather.

increasingly drawing national attention. The reason the crowd

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HISTORY

turned out on this February night was to

At Yale, he maintained his scholastic prowess

watch the eastern finals of the Olympic

from start to finish, but his athletic dreams

qualifying tournament. Levis, everyone

were dashed early. During his first semester,

agreed, should win.

he was cut from the basketball team. As he

There was less consensus over who would claim the second and final spot on the Olympic roster. The Boston Globe favored Everett Lane, Harvard’s captain,

walked out of the gym after receiving this devastating news, he passed the fencing coach’s office. Something compelled him to stop.

and there was growing support for Ar-

Four years later, Righeimer was elected cap-

chibald Busby, Yale’s wiry captain. Busby

tain of Yale’s fencing team. (Coincidentally,

arrived late to the previous day’s open-

Tabor launched a fencing program around

ing round because he refused to skip

the same time. Like a shooting star, it burned

class. He was forced to fight six bouts

brightly but briefly, fading after a few years.)

without any rest and won them all. But

To this day, Righeimer’s 1929 season is one of

there was a fourth contender whom Lane and Busby were well

the most dominant seasons on record. At the collegiate cham-

aware of, even if the crowd was not.

pionship, he won titles in two events, foil and épée. (Fencing

Frank Righeimer, Jr., ’25 was a head taller than the others. Darkhaired with a reserved demeanor that belied his youth, the 22-year-old was finishing his third year at Harvard Law. Compared to his competitors, many of whom started fencing before prep school, Righeimer was relatively new to the sport.

has three events named after the three types of swords: foil, épée and sabre. The weapons have different weights, and the events are governed by different rules concerning target areas and scoring). Later that year, Righeimer took the gold medal for épée at the US national championship, which only a handful of undergraduates have ever won. Although his impressive resume

He attended Yale as an undergraduate. When he arrived in

was unknown to many of the journalists and fans attending the

New Haven in autumn of 1925, he dreamed of playing basket-

qualifying tournament in February 1932, Righeimer’s competi-

ball and pursuing a legal career. The son of a prominent Illinois

tors feared the hawkish precision of his sword.

county judge, Righeimer graduated from Tabor the previous spring where he won academic prizes in French and chemistry and lettered in soccer and basketball.

10 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Their fears were well-founded. He defeated Lane, the Harvard captain, with an assertive 5-2 victory. In order to face Levis in the finals––and secure an Olympic berth––he had to

https://www.newspapers.com/image/432262716

Downloaded on Feb 15, 2021

get through Busby, the current captain of his alma mater. He

American Fencing Museum has called “the finest accomplish-

did, winning handily 5-2. In the finals, he lost to Levis 5-3, but

ment ever by an American fencer.” The ’32 Games represent the

demonstrated Olympic mettle. Levis, the Globe observed, “had

high-water mark for American fencing. The men haven’t won

a hard time scoring five touches on Righeimer.” The fact that

two team medals in a single Olympiad since.

both of these swordsmen would represent the United States in

After Los Angeles, Righeimer returned to Chicago and started

Los Angeles was encouraging for the team’s medal prospects. The 1932 Olympics were historic for a number of reasons. For starters, they almost didn’t happen.

working as an assistant state’s attorney. During the city’s

“ THE UNITED STATES

famous “Public Enemy” campaign, he prosecuted Al Capone-era gangsters like “Machine Gun Jack”

It took a herculean effort from the interna-

WILL ENTER THE OLYMPIC

McGurn and James “Mad Bomber” Belcastro.

tional community and the city of Los Ange-

FENCING THIS YEAR WITH

He returned to the Olympic stage in 1936,

THE STRONGEST TEAM

the foreboding Berlin Games, but the po-

les to hold them in the midst of the Great Depression. They were also noteworthy for instituting several permanent changes to the Games. Medal podiums were introduced, ath-

dium proved elusive. The outbreak of World

THAT HAS EVER TAKEN PART FOR THAT NATION.

letes resided in a single “Olympic Village” for

”

– L.A. Times, July 17, 1932

the first time, and the whole event was reduced to its current length of 16 days. Previously, the shortest Games were 79 days long. In fencing, one of only five sports to appear at every modern

War II precipitated his return to Germany. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served as a captain in the counterintelligence division. At

the end of the war, he was reassigned to Washington and tasked with drafting the legislation that established the Air Force as a separate branch of the military. For this service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit.

Olympics, 1932 was a milestone year, at least for the Americans.

Frank Righeimer, Jr., passed away in 1998 at the age of 89. His

On July 17, the L.A. Times issued a confident assessment: “The

legacy is preserved by many honors––he was inducted into the

United States will enter the Olympic fencing this year with the

Fencing Hall of Fame, and Harvard Law School’s annual citizen-

strongest team that has ever taken part for that nation.”

ship prize is given in his name––but it also endures in the values

The team’s performance matched the hype. Along with his compatriots, Righeimer stood on the new podium twice when he collected bronze medals in the foil and épée team events. Levis

he lived, values found at the top of Tabor’s mission statement: committed citizenship, personal responsibility, and passion for the highest standards of achievement. 

earned a third medal, a silver in the individual foil, in what the

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HISTORY

The War Torn Games

Geoffrey Tootell ’44 and the 1946 Inter-Allied Games By Eliott Grover ’06

Since the modern Olympics began in 1896, they have been canceled three times. Once for the First World War and twice for the Second. The upcoming Tokyo Olympics nearly suffered the same fate. As the COVID-19 pandemic raged through last fall and into the winter, officials feared that postponing the Games to the summer of 2021 would not suffice. Thankfully, the global health picture has improved. The precarious arrival of this 32nd Olympiad, however, offers an occasion to revisit a little-known chapter of Olympic history. Like all good stories, ours begins in Marion. Geoffrey Tootell ’44 arrived at Tabor in the fall of 1940. A lanky

marching battalion and boat drills, navigation and first-aid

freshman from Kingston, Rhode Island, he had big dreams.

training, and a drum corps, all as part of the school's contribu-

World War II was a world away, and Marion provided the per-

tion to “national preparedness” for the war. An act of Congress

fect bubble to pursue them. His father, Fred, had won the gold

designated Tabor as a Naval Honor School in 1941. In 1942,

medal in the hammer throw at the 1924 Paris Olympics. The son

Headmaster Walter Lillard announced that he would be leaving

had similar aspirations as a shot putter. He was also an ambi-

Tabor after 26 transformative years to return to the Army as a

tious student and hoped to attend an elite university. From his

lieutenant colonel. This was devastating news, but his versatile

first day at Tabor, he pursued these goals with the tenacity of

successor, James Wickenden, ensured the continuity of strong

a tornado.

leadership.

The war didn’t stay away for long. Starting in 1940, students

By Tootell’s senior year, he was the big man on campus—liter-

participated in the new “Defense Training” program, which in-

ally and extracurricularly. At 6-foot-5, he towered over his peers

cluded riflery and manual of arms, Morse code and semaphore,

and teachers. He was a starting tackle on the football team and

12 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

held several leadership roles in the community: president of the

the lost Olympics was held in Paris in June 1919. It was billed

Robat Club (a popular student-run organization that screened

as the Inter-Allied Games. This, the World War II commanders

films for the student body every Saturday night), editor of The

agreed, was what they needed to replicate.

Log, and secretary of the senior class. A member of the Cum

The second Inter-Allied Games, dubbed by the press as “the Al-

Laude Society, his academic record was equally impressive. “In

lied Forces Olympics,” commenced on September 7, 1946. Com-

studies,” the yearbook staff wrote on Tootell’s senior page, “he

petitors were invited from the armies of 12 Allied nations. Over

is surpassed by no one.” Despite his busy schedule, he still had

85,000 spectators––military personnel and German citi-

“

time for playful mischief. “He is in practically everything all year,” the

zens––filled Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, one of the few structures in the city that was largely un-

THE YOUNG TABOR

Fore ‘n’ Aft description went on, “including

damaged by the blistering air raids. The front

ACADEMY ATHLETE

hot water. His talent for raising roofs and

of the official program featured a wreath

general obstreperousness has kept him on

WAS EASILY THE CLASS

the move during the year. No housemaster

OF HIS FIELD.

the wreath were white flags imprinted with

”

doves carrying olive branches. The American

can stand it for long. Cap this amazing combination of physical and mental abilities with an abundant and indestructible good humor,

newspapers covered the event with reverence.

– Boston Globe, February 26, 1944

and you have a lad who is bound to make good.”

encircling the word “peace.” Criss-crossing

One American’s performance garnered special recognition.

He may have possessed a boy’s proclivity for pranks, but when

“Tomorrow the Olympic torch will be lit for the first time in

it came to achieving his goals, he exhibited the emotional and

10 years,” the L.A. Times reported on September 8, “and the

physical fortitude of a man. This was most evident in his com-

winners of the final events will be crowned on an exact replica

mitment to his main sport. Wherever he went, Tootell lugged

of an Olympic winners stand. Pfc. Geoffrey Tootell of Kings-

his 12-pound shot put with him. He trained year-round, even

ton, R.I., was the star of the United States team, qualifying for

during football season, and was the star on one of the most

tomorrow’s finals in the 200-meter dash, shot put, and discus

successful track teams in Tabor’s history. On February 26, 1944,

throw.”

he led that team into Madison Square Garden for the national championships. They placed seventh overall, the best result of any New England school, and Tootell won the shot put title.

Tootell came up just short of a gold medal, taking the silver in shot put. It was a heroic hurl. The November 26 issue of The Log included a photograph of him on the podium, his stoic expres-

“The young Tabor Academy athlete,” the Boston Globe wrote

sion betraying a hint of pride and awe. He must have felt the

in that evening’s paper, “was easily the class of his field.”

weight of history as he received his medal in the same stadium

The next fall, Tootell started at Harvard. Everything was going according to plan, that is, until his plan collided with history.

in which Hitler had presided over the 1936 Olympics just one decade and a radically different world before.

At the end of his freshman year, just after his 18th birthday, he

After his military service, Tootell returned to Harvard. He was

enlisted in the Army and deployed to Germany as part of the

elected captain of the track team, but his academic interests

occupation force. The war-torn country, with its bombed-out

soon eclipsed his athletic ones. He received his PhD in sociology

buildings and shell-shocked population, must have made a trau-

from Columbia and enjoyed a long career as a beloved profes-

matic impression on Tootell.

sor at San Jose State. He passed away in 2017, three weeks

By early 1946, as the physical scars of the conflict started to heal, Allied leaders searched for ways to help the international community regain some sense of normalcy. Nothing, they concluded, was more unifying than sports. Their memories drifted

before his 90th birthday. “Geoff once said he got interested in sociology because he loved people,” a former student-turnedcolleague wrote in his obituary. “He was strongly committed to social justice.”

back to World War I when, during the famous Christmas Truce

Tootell never made it to the Olympics, but his story is part of

of 1914, opposing soldiers laid down their arms to exchange

Olympic history. In 1946, he stood at the center of the world

holiday greetings and play soccer between their trenches. At

stage and took his shot. He didn’t miss. 

the end of the Great War, an athletic competition modeled on taboracademy.org/magazine 13

HISTORY

Global Citizens & Spectators International school trips in the 1920s and ’30s included visits to the Games By Eliott Grover ’06 Two dates are inscribed on Tabor’s seal: 1876 and 1916. The for-

riers are being smashed and the man with a broad vision counts

mer, of course, is the year Elizabeth Taber founded her school.

for so much.”

The latter’s significance might not be as readily identifiable, but there’s a good chance Tabor would not exist today without the changes that started in 1916.

The shadow of World War I weighed heavily on Lillard, who ultimately served in both world wars, and he felt a duty to ensure his boys graduated as conscientious global citizens. He fervently

The school enjoyed steady growth over its first few decades,

believed that international contact between students promoted

but its fortunes faded as a wave of financial catastrophes swept

world peace, and he introduced several foreign exchange and

across the country around the turn of the century. By 1915,

travel programs to advance this belief. As early as 1919, Tabor

Tabor had fewer than a dozen students enrolled.

“

Fearing insolvency, the Board of Trustees considered relinquishing control of Tabor to

students visited Central America and Europe, working as merchant marine cadets on the voyages––directly applying the seamanship skills they had learned

the town to run it as the local high school.

UNTIL WE LEARN HOW

Three of the Trustees, however, proposed

TO PREVENT WAR, WE

changes once they reached their destinations.

another solution. A visionary headmaster,

SHALL HAVE TO DEAL

In 1927, Lillard was instrumental in founding

WITH ITS AFTERMATH.

the International Schoolboy Fellowship (ISF).

they believed, could chart a new course. Walter Lillard became Tabor’s fifth headmaster in 1916. Working with the Trustees,

”

Other schools perceived the value of Tabor’s

– Walter Lillard, 1942

he wasted no time reorganizing the school. In order to position Tabor more competitively with

in Buzzards Bay––and engaging in cultural ex-

international outreach and were eager to join these efforts. “Believing that misunderstandings and quarrels between nations often arise through long-dis-

other prep schools, the girls boarding program was discon-

tance misjudgments,” Lillard wrote in the ISF’s handbook, “the

tinued. Girls were still admitted as day students as part of a

headmasters of some American schools are now cooperating in

new division called the Tabor Academy Girls School. Marion’s

the development of contacts that will tend to promote cordial

geography, Lillard discerned, was the key to distinguishing

relations and lasting friendships.”

Tabor––promotionally and programmatically. During his tenure, Tabor became the “School by the Sea.” Even before the Trustees brokered a deal with the town to move the entire campus to its current waterfront location, the water became a vital part of Tabor’s identity. The rowing and sailing teams started, the Tabor Boy program launched––initially with Black Duck, a ship borrowed from the Forbes family––and the curriculum incorporated a nautical science component. The 1920 school catalogue, an admissions brochure of sorts, trumpeted the merits of the marine program. “The cutter drills, the sailing of small boats, and the cruising are most valuable experiences for any boy to have––especially in view of the timely preparedness of present-day problems when international bar-

14 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Athletics were a recurring motif in Tabor’s own early travel programs. All-A-Taut-O, a book published by the Trustees in 1936, includes various accounts of the “friendly competitions” that Tabor boys participated in around the world: soccer in Costa Rica and Guatemala, basketball in Mexico and Puerto Rico, baseball and tennis in France and Germany, and rowing at England’s Henley Royal Regatta. Given this background, it’s not surprising that athletics were a critical part of the ISF’s first overseas trip in 1928. On July 7, the SS Adriatic steamed out of New York Harbor. Among the passengers were 21 students, including four from Tabor. Lillard was the head chaperone. Eight days later, they disembarked in Liverpool and spent a day in London before cross-

The schoolboys and headmasters of the International Schoolboy Fellowship outside the École du Montcel in summer 1928. Walter H. Lillard is pictured center.

ing the channel. At l’école du Montcel, a school near Versailles

when they defeated Kent in the finals.) This voyage was par-

where Lillard had cultivated strong relationships, the American

ticularly spirited. Four members of Tabor’s jazz ensemble were

boys studied with French teachers and fraternized with French

present, and, along with musicians from other ISF schools, they

teenagers. Day trips to Paris, picnic dinners, and evening dances

serenaded passengers with daily concerts.

were just a few of the highlights. The climax of the summer came at the end of July.

After two weeks of classes at Montcel, the students left for Berlin. Frank Jewett ’34 and Frank Righeimer ’25 were already

The train to Amsterdam was shorter than the boys expected.

there, representing the United States on the sailing and fencing

That was a good thing. Any longer and they would have

teams, respectively. When the ISF boys weren’t busy watching

struggled to contain their excitement. They were going to the

the Games, they hiked and biked through the countryside with

Olympics! They spent four days in “the Venice of the north,”

English and German students. Before returning home, they trav-

watching a number of events and exploring the city’s fairytale

eled through Switzerland. It was a blissful time.

architecture during their downtime. The 1928 Games were historically significant because Germany was allowed to compete for the first time since being banned in 1920. Just as Lillard hoped, Tabor students had front-row seats to witness and absorb the promise of peace.

Sadly, the 1936 Olympics are remembered as the prelude to one of the darkest chapters in modern history. Although Jesse Owens’ four gold medals spoiled Hitler’s dream of using athletics to advance the fallacy of racial superiority, the Nazi dictator soon forced the world into another calamitous war. Despite

The success of this first ISF trip fueled tremendous growth.

Lillard’s ardent hope that such a conflict could be avoided, he

Over the next decade, membership expanded to include 25

recognized the moral imperative of standing up to evil. In 1942,

American and 29 French, English, and German schools. Year-

he left his school to serve his country. The Tabor community was

long exchange programs began, and the summer transatlan-

crushed by his resignation, but forever strengthened by

tic journey became an annual fixture. When the opportunity

his presence.

arose to attend the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Lillard and the ISF leaders adjusted the itinerary. The mounting aggression of the Nazi government made this a complicated decision, but Lillard believed deeply in the power of diplomacy and international engagement. He held an eternally hopeful faith that the seeds of cooperation and understanding sowed through the ISF’s schoolboy contacts would bear fruit in future times.

After the war, Lillard became the Director of the US State Department’s newly formed International Refugee Organization. “Until we learn how to prevent war,” he said, “we shall have to deal with its aftermath.” The ISF struggled to regain its momentum and was ultimately subsumed by the English Speaking Union, a similar organization that facilitated transatlantic student exchanges. Although the ISF quickly receded into Tabor’s

The ISF group crossed the Atlantic on the Berengaria, sailing

history, its mission, anchored in Lillard’s commitment to building

from New York on July 2. (Coincidentally, the Berengaria was

global bridges, laid the foundation for the robust international

the same ship that transported the rowing team to Henley in

programming that continues at Tabor today. 

June; Roderick Beebe’s boys won the regatta’s Thames Cup

taboracademy.org/magazine 15

HISTORY

The Miracle Before The Miracle on Ice John “Jack” Riley ’39 and the unsung heroes of American hockey By Eliott Grover ’06 “We hope to be the first American hockey team to beat the

and more,” read the blurb on his senior page. “To all of us

Russians and win an Olympic gold medal,” the coach told the

‘Slasher’ is Hockey, and Hockey is ‘Slasher.’”

reporters. The reporters chuckled. One of them asked the coach

Riley matriculated at Dartmouth College and quickly emerged

what he’d tell the experts who said he had a better chance of

as one of the best players on their team. In 1942, he left school

building a snowman on the equator. “We hope to be the first

and joined the war as a naval aviator. For the next four years,

American hockey team to beat the Russians and win an Olympic

Riley patrolled the Pacific in a twin-engine PBM bomber. He

gold medal,” he repeated in his Boston accent.

returned to Dartmouth after the war and was captain and high-

The coach, to be clear, is not Herb Brooks, the coach of the

“

legendary 1980 team that beat the Soviets and won a gold medal at Lake Placid. Brooks’ story is immor-

the architect of an earlier miracle. Riley was born in Boston in 1920. He attended Medford High School and starred on the

title. Conventional careers presented themselves upon graduation, but in his heart of hearts, Riley knew

WE HOPE TO BE

talized in the 2004 Disney film, Miracle. The coach in this story is John “Jack” Riley ’39,

scorer of the 1947 team that won the North American Hockey

where he wanted to spend his life. Not in an

THE FIRST AMERICAN

office, but on a thin layer of ice.

HOCKEY TEAM TO BEAT THE RUSSIANS AND WIN AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL

hockey team, earning Greater Boston player of the year honors in 1938. He also attended

”

– Coach John “Jack” Riley ’39

Tabor’s summer program for two seasons, where his peers voted him “biggest roughhouser” and “best

He earned a spot on the 1948 Olympic squad that finished fourth in St. Moritz. The following year, he returned to the national team as a left-winger, but also assumed a new role: coach. Riley’s passion and hockey acumen

made him an ideal fit. As a player-coach at the 1949 World Championships in Stockholm, he led the

athlete.” Recognizing that a year of prep school would serve

Americans to a bronze medal with an upset win over Sweden. It

him well before college, he joined Tabor’s class of 1939. Riley

would not be the last time he shocked the hockey world.

was crushed to learn that the school disbanded its hockey program in 1936 due to inconsistent ice conditions––it didn’t return until 1962––but he made the most of his time in Marion. He was a key player on the soccer and baseball teams and did well in the classroom. The winter of 1939 was a cold one and he found a way to scratch his hockey itch. He lugged his skates to Wareham and carved across the crisp black ice of the cranberry bogs.

In 1950, Riley accepted the head coaching job at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. He had his work cut out for him. Over the first two seasons, Army’s hockey team compiled 5 wins to 22 losses. Riley never relented. The team finished at .500 during his third year. By the 1959 season, they posted a 16-5-1 record. This turnaround did not go unnoticed. The Amateur Hockey Association of the United States, which today

It didn’t take long for Tabor Boys to learn that Riley, whom they

goes by the mercifully shorter USA Hockey, approached Riley

affectionately dubbed “Slasher,” worshipped at his sport’s altar.

about coaching the 1960 Olympic team. Although his plate was

“Just whisper the name of a hockey player and our one-man

full with his West Point job and a young family, four sons and a

sports information bureau is at your side giving you your dose

daughter, he couldn’t refuse.

16 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

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taboracademy.org/magazine 17

HISTORY The 17 players he selected for his team hailed almost exclusively from Minnesota and Massachusetts. Olympic athletes were required to be amateurs, and Riley’s boys were a motley band of irregulars. They included a fireman, multiple carpenters, and a television salesman. Recognizing that they were lightyears behind their competitors in terms of training and team chemistry, Riley designed a punishing program for the months leading up to the Games in Squaw Valley. They spent three weeks at West Point doing nothing but conditioning. After that, a grueling 30-game cross-country warm-up tour against the top colleges in the country. On January 24, one month before the Olympics, they skated to a 4-4 tie against Minnesota. “If we can’t beat a college team,” Riley fumed after the game, “we’re really in trouble.” When the February 4 deadline arrived for teams to submit their final rosters, Riley did something that rattled his crew to its core. He brought in Bill and Bob Cleary, brothers from Boston who missed tryouts because they were launching a business. Their arrival meant he had to cut two players. The final cut, the hardest one, was a 23-year-old from Minnesota named Herb Brooks. Later that night, eleven players accosted their coach and threatened to quit. “I told them if they wanted to come to Squaw Valley as the second best team, okay,” Riley said. “I didn’t. I said we’d go as the best, or not at all.” This blunt declaration worked. With the mutiny thwarted, Riley led his team to California. The revamped Americans skated through their preliminary opponents, earning a date with the defending world champions from Canada in the quarterfinals. Bob Cleary, whose teammates hadn’t spoken to him when he first arrived, netted the first goal

18 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

en route to a 2-1 win. The only coach more excited by this result

When the Rileys returned to

than Riley was Anatoli Tarasov, Russia’s skipper.

West Point after the Olympics,

“In the bedlam that followed the Americans’ stunning conquest of the Canadians,” Louisiana’s Shreveport Journal reported, Tarasov “hugged and kissed the surprised Riley.” The Russian coach was elated that his team, the defending Olympic gold medalists, would not have to play Canada in Saturday’s semifinals. Instead, they’d get the Americans. Tarasov, an innovative coach regarded as the father of Russian hockey, expected to win. Four minutes into the game, Bill Cleary took a pass from his brother and buried it in the back of the net. The Russians answered with two quick goals. They held a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period. Facing a barrage of Soviet shots in the second and third periods, Jack McCartan, the young American goalie, was perfect. His perfection gave his

they were greeted with a 21-gun salute. Jack Riley retired in 1986, with a career record of 544-242-21, and was succeeded by his son Rob. When Rob retired in 2004, his brother Brian took over, ensuring dynastic continuity. Their father passed away in February 2016 at the age of 95. The following October he was posthumously inducted into Tabor’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class. Riley only spent a year and two summers in Marion, but he made an indelible mark. In the June 1939 issue of The Log, the senior class’s traditional “Class Prophecy” section predicted that Riley would get to the Olympics. In the cheeky “Last Will and Testament” page from the same issue, he bequeathed a special gift.

teammates a sliver of a chance, and they seized it. When the

“Jack Riley leaves plans for the transformation of Sippican

final horn blew, the scoreboard read US: 3, USSR: 2. This was the

Harbor into a skating rink, so that everyone can see what a true

biggest upset in the history of Olympic hockey, but there was

sport is like.” 

no time to celebrate. The Americans would play Czechoslovakia for the gold medal the next day. The physical and mental toll of back-to-back victories against Canada and Russia quickly became evident. After two periods, the depleted Americans trailed the Czechs 4-3. During the intermission, Riley invited an unusual guest into his team’s dressing room. Nikolai Sologubov, the Soviet captain, burst through the door. Sologubov, whom Riley re-christened with the classic hockey moniker “Sully,” pounded the American players on their backs and implored them to dig deep. He then suggested that Riley give them oxygen to counter their fatigue, which was exacerbated by Squaw Valley’s 6,200-foot elevation. With nothing to lose, Riley shrugged. The coaches and trainers scrambled to administer oxygen before the game resumed. Sully helped. In the third period, the American offense exploded. They scored six unanswered goals while McCartan saved every shot he faced. The 9-4 victory gave the United States its first-ever gold medal. A photograph taken after the game was printed in newspapers across the country: players celebrate while Riley and Sully pose in the foreground. Their arms are draped over each other’s shoulders. Schoolboy grins convey deep adulation. It’s an image of the Olympic spirit: athletic fellowship transcending international tension. By 1980, the Cold War had become considerably colder. Maybe that’s why the second miracle made for a better movie. taboracademy.org/magazine 19

CAMPUS

The Joy of Sports and Service HOW TABOR AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS FORGED A LASTING BOND

By Eliott Grover ’06 A new championship banner is coming to the Fish Center. Unlike the others, this one will not be Tabor Red. Last year, Tabor earned national recognition from Special Olympics as a Unified Champion School and will soon receive a banner to honor this achievement. In announcing the news, Special Olympics praised Tabor for meeting standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect. The partnership that has blossomed between the school and Special Olympics in recent years is a testament to what happens when impassioned student leaders mobilize an entire community to support an important cause. Going into her senior year, Molly Bent ’16 had a full plate. She was committed to play basketball at the University of Connecticut the following year and her rigorous schedule included four AP classes. But when the opportunity emerged to initiate a relationship between Tabor and Special Olympics, she jumped. Molly’s sister, Sarah, was born with Down Syndrome and had competed in Special Olympics for many years. Working with Tim Cleary, Tabor’s Dean of Students, and a number of her classmates, Molly started a Special Olympics club. Ahead of their first event, she authored a Tabortalk blog post to rally her peers. “The people involved are the most important aspects of any Special Olympics program. Volunteers need to be energetic, selfless and kind, and the students at Tabor are all those things.” In the months that followed, the community proved Molly right. The Young Athletes Program, the club’s flagship offering, was a tremendous success, so they planned more events to increase their reach. On Valentine’s Day 2016, they organized a Special Olympics basketball tournament and hosted 11 local teams. The tournament was staffed entirely by Tabor students who were overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude they received from the athletes’ families.

20 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

taboracademy.org/magazine 21

CAMPUS

Unlike many worthy clubs that thrive only to fizzle when key

program,” says Lainie Cederholm ’21, another board member.

student leaders graduate, Tabor’s Special Olympics club has

“They’ll learn how to throw a ball or how to run sprints, so once

flourished. Its organizational structure is vital to its enduring

they leave Young Athletes, they’re even more prepared to enter

success. The club has a board of directors, and each year six to

a Special Olympic sport.”

eight students sit on the board. They meet regularly with Mr. Cleary, their faculty advisor, and serve as a conduit between the club and the broader school community. Over the past five years, Special Olympics has become a staple of Tabor’s robust service program due to the tireless work of these leaders and the energetic response from the student body.

In addition to coordinating the Young Athletes Program, Tabor hosted two major Special Olympics events annually, prior to the pandemic, and hopes to start again soon. One is the basketball tournament that Molly started, which has grown to include 15 to 18 local teams every winter. The other is the School Day Games. Held in partnership with Special Olympics Massachu-

Running the Young Athletes Program is one of the club’s core

setts, it has quickly become one of the highlights of the school

functions. Every Sunday during the winter term, they welcome

year. Nearly 250 Special Olympics athletes from 16 different

around 20 local children with intellectual disabilities to campus.

schools spend a day on campus competing in a number of

The kids are all under 12, with some as young as 3, and they

events. Classes are called off and the entire Tabor community

work in small groups with Tabor students.

participates in a day of service. Just like the Olympics, the event

“We usually run one sport a weekend,” says Kiley Smith ’21, a member of the 2020-2021 student leadership team. “One weekend it could be tennis or soccer, and then the next weekend could be baseball or track. For the really young kids, it’s

is bookended with opening and closing ceremonies. The Special Olympics club takes the lead in planning, but it’s a team effort that brings the best out of every Seawolf. For the visiting athletes, it’s a day of joy and accomplishment.

more of a free-for-all. We’ll have an obstacle course set up with

“After the closing ceremony, each of the athletes gets a medal

hoops and balls, and you basically just help them have fun and

and the entire Tabor community lines up in the Fish Center

go wherever they lead you.”

concourse,” Lainie says. “You have this tunnel of Tabor kids, and

At the other end of the Field House, the older group works on developing sport-specific skills. “It’s a more structured

22 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

each athlete gets their medal and then runs down the tunnel high-fiving everyone and getting cheered.” The most recent

School Day Games featured a particularly poignant moment for

and see kids who are like them, I think it’s really moving for

Lainie. “My elementary school came and one of my friends from

them. It’s like, ‘Oh, I’m not that different. We can all do this

home was an athlete. He ran down the concourse and it was

and we’re all part of this community.’ And even for the Tabor

just so fun because I hadn’t seen him in such a long time and he

students helping, we’re all equal and I think it’s important for

had the biggest smile in the world.”

everyone to see that the Special Olympics athletes can do just as

Although COVID-19 made it impossible to host in-person events,

much as we can.”

the club continued to champion the Special Olympics cause.

The ongoing relationship between Tabor and Special Olympics

“We’ve persevered through a tough, confusing time and have

has helped instill a powerful message, one that Claudia captures

been able to work out logistics, communicate with one another,

eloquently.

and include the whole school in our mission,” says Claudia Rog-

ers ’22, one of the rising seniors on the board. Last year, they

“This work has solidified my view that you can have challenges

brainstormed a number of creative ways to maintain the com-

and be ‘different.’ You can still be successful and make every-

munity’s support and engagement. In October, they sponsored

one’s life brighter and better just because you are you. And you

a screening of The Peanut Butter Falcon, a movie where the

can be uniquely you without judgment.” 

main character is played by an actor with Down Syndrome. The screening kicked off an R-word campaign, an effort to eradicate the word “retarded” from the community’s vocabulary. In December, the club organized a Polar Plunge that raised over $5,000 to support Special Olympics Massachusetts. The horizon holds hope that in-person events will return sooner rather than later. Those shared experiences are what make Special Olympics so impactful for everyone involved. “I don’t know if a lot of the athletes have a sense of community beyond their families,” says Kiley. “So when they come together

taboracademy.org/magazine 23

CAMPUS

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONING FOR ELITE ATHLETES

Prepped for Play: Ask any serious athlete the formula for success and two watch-

injury. “That’s where my job comes in—I tell the student ‘you

words invariably surface: focus and perseverance. Speaking with

can still train, but let’s figure out what’s ailing you.’”

girls’ ice hockey standout and Olympic hopeful Abby Newhook ’21, it’s clear that much of this discipline is self-directed. But

Nor does Torres vary his routine much when training with an

having coaches and trainers who bring experience and perspec-

elite athlete like Newhook. “Abby is a phenomenal athlete—

tive to bear is also critical. This is where Tabor’s Assistant Athletic

she can do anything in the gym,” he asserts. “My aim with her,

Director and Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Brian Torres

as with all of my athletes, is to ensure that she’s making prog-

and Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey Coach Eric Long P’23 shine.

ress every time she works out.”

“My goal in training athletes is to make sure they are strong

With Torres handling off-the-field preparation, it falls to Coach

and move well so that they’re ready to train at the next level

Eric Long to guide players’ performance on-ice. It begins with

when it comes,” says Torres. To guide his training programs, Tor-

maintaining a team roster of 20 or fewer players, says Long. “This

res listens to what students are saying, verbally and physically.

allows more ice time for the kids, more repetitions in practice

“The kids tend to be pretty honest with me about how they’re

and more team cohesion,” he explains. “We let the kids know

feeling, but I also pay close attention to body language—are

what they need to do to succeed, and the older kids lead by ex-

their shoulders drooping, are their feet dragging? If so, I back

ample, so the younger players don’t know anything different.”

off. You can’t be all gas and no breaks.”

Maintaining a sense of balance between athletics and aca-

The mantra of playing through the pain has largely fallen by

demics is also key, says Long. Players work out before school,

the wayside, Torres continues, replaced by a more sensible as-

practice for 90 minutes each afternoon, and rarely miss classes

sessment of when to push through soreness and fatigue and

for games. “Everything is prioritized around the academic day,”

when to revise training regimens in the face of a legitimate

says Long. “These are high school kids and there’s a lot of social

24 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

and emotional growth taking place in these years. We strive to prepare our students for competitive play at the college level and beyond, but we also want to ensure that they have a rewarding high school experience.” Tabor’s success in threading that needle is manifest in Newhook. “Tabor was Abby’s first introduction to girls’ hockey,” Long explains. “She had always played boys’ hockey in Canada, so we helped her transition to an all-girls’ team and continue to refine her skills so that she’ll be ready for college-level competition at Boston College.” Newhook and classmate Carson Zanella ‘21

Browne, Fey, Finocchiaro at BC

will join current Eagles and Tabor alums Kelly Browne ’18, Jillian Fey ’18, Olivia Finocchiaro ’18, and Olivia O’Brien ’19. Newhook is grateful. “Being at Tabor has helped me so much in the past three years,” she says. “My teachers emphasized keeping up with schoolwork while playing sports, which has helped me improve my time management skills, my teammates pushed me to become better on and off the ice, and my coaches pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me prepare for what’s next.” And what’s next, Newhook hopes, is the Olympics. “My goal is to make the Winter Games in 2026,” she notes eagerly. She acknowledges, however, that she’s still growing as a player. “I’m only 17, so it’s a process.” The next step is the Canadian Under-18 national team, Newhook explains, then Under-22, then Under-25, and then hopefully the Olympics. Coach Long

Newhook plays for Tabor

is eager to see where Newhook’s talents take her. “She’s very good and she’s still developing,” he observes. And hockey runs in the family, Long notes. Newhook’s older brother recently left Boston College for the NHL, landing a spot with the Colorado Avalanche. “With Tabor ice hockey, we’ve created a culture in which our expectations for the kids are clear,” says Long. “They know that they will all work hard and be held accountable, and if they do these things, they will succeed.” This philosophy has been years in the making at Tabor, he continues, and it has paid off. “The level of players we have here, top to bottom, has grown exponentially in my 15 years at the school.” “It all comes back to building a strong foundation, so when these athletes are training at the next level, they’re ready,” concludes Torres. “My goal is to develop athletes who are strong and healthy and who continue to progress in their training, regardless of their level of play.” 

goal in training athletes is to make sure “ My they are . . . ready to train at the next level ” – Brian Torres

taboracademy.org/magazine 25

CAMPUS

ALONG FRONT STREET Wondering what has been happening at Tabor? Check out our latest news online. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find. Get these stories and more online at

www.taboracademy.org/alongfrontstreet

NEW CO-HEADS OF SCHOOL NAMED Tabor Academy’s student Co-Heads of School have become important leadership roles at our School by the Sea. Through

THE TRADITION OF INTERNATIONAL WEEK CONTINUES

multiple rounds of speeches and voting, eight candidates from

A much-loved tradition—International Week returned this

the Class of 2022 vied for the coveted roles to lead during

year to the delight of the Tabor community. International

the upcoming academic year. In the end, Liv Justice and Percy

week is an annual festival when students celebrate various

Ackerman were selected as Tabor’s 2021-22 Student Co-Heads

cultures from all around the world. Read the full article on-

of School!

line for all the details!

CONNECTING RACIAL DIVIDE THROUGH POETRY When Tri-Town Against Racism put out a call for entries for their 2021 Black History Month Creative Expression Contest, Aliyah Jordan ’23, submitted her poem “Heroes Unsung.” Of the 38 entries—students from surrounding local schools submitted essays, poems, art

SPRING FEST RETURNS WITH NEW LIGHT

pieces, songs, and many other

The Tabor community came together on Duffy Fields to cel-

original works—Aliyah won

ebrate Spring Fest, a favorite tradition filled with live music,

the top prize! Go online to

food, games, and a leisurely vibe. The evening began with

listen to Aliyah recite her poem.

“flipping the switch” on Saturday night to turn on the brand new lights over the turf, illuminating the fields and adding excitement to the air.

26 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

SEAWOLF JOINS STUDENT OF THE YEAR CAMPAIGN Where you find tragedy, you can also find hope and inspiration. Charlotte Forker ‘23 raised more than $25,000 in memory of her mother as part of her Student of the Year campaign. Read the story of

ART “SPRINGS” UP AROUND CAMPUS

how Charlotte undertook the

With the arrival of spring and flowers blooming, Tabor stu-

challenge of raising money for

dents and faculty noticed some creative installations popping

the Leukemia & Lymphoma

up around campus. “The assignment for Tabor’s Pop-up print

Society by joining the Students

installation started with a prompt asking student artists to

of the Year campaign with a

consider possible connections between their personalities and

goal of $20,000.

an animal, plant, machine, object or ‘critter’ … that felt personally resonant or like an energetic sherpa for us in our daily lives,” explains Art department Chair, Tricia Smith.

TABOR CREATIVITY ON DISPLAY Tabor students Sarah Blake ’22, Lauren Cohen ’24, Mary Townsend ’22, and Emma Zhou ’23 recently had artwork selected for the Marion Art Center’s newest exhibit titled, “High School Art Show.” This exhibit features student works from Tabor Academy, as well as the surrounding Southcoast schools, allowing the MAC’s galleries to be filled with works by nearly thirty talented artists.

A CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS! Enjoy Tabor’s Winter Musical, Covid Cabaret, in the comfort of your own home! The show, which debuted in March is still available for viewing at www.taboracademy.org/dramaproductions. In November 2020, a cast and crew of 40 in-person and remote students began work on this year’s musical—a revue of 14 songs from different musicals, with the theme of “coming together.” Also, enjoy the Spring Arts Showcase!

taboracademy.org/magazine 27

CAMPUS

28 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Campus Center Get Centered. A Campus Center designed for today’s Tabor Academy students and their learning and living as they face an ever-changing tomorrow.

taboracademy.org/magazine 29

CAMPUS tentative floor plan

2021-2022 Breaking ground in summer 2021, this new building is designed to be the heart of our entire campus. Located in the central part of campus, it will serve as the main hub of school life, bringing together students for living and learning under one roof. The design of the new Campus Center will allow it to pay tribute to the rest of our historic campus while providing modern facilities to meet the needs of our community. It will include a Student Center, a place for students to relax, unwind, and come together, including a cafe with healthy food and drink options. It will also allow for a centralized home for student life offices, as well as a modern library, ASSIST tutoring spaces and offices, and the Tabor Archives. Learn more about this amazing new facility online at

30 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

www.taboracademy.org/getcentered

taboracademy.org/magazine 31

CAMPUS

Meet the New Head of School Anthony “Tony” Jaccaci is humbled and excited to take the helm

By Eliott Grover ’06

Tony Jaccaci’s respect for Tabor began long before he was appointed as the tenth Head of School, decades before. He and his wife Lucia started their careers––and their family––at St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island. They were classic boarding school triple threats: teachers, dorm parents, and coaches. In this last capacity, they made the short trip from Middletown to Marion many times. “All the schools in the ISL have a different feel,” Tony says, “and

and not have to pretend the Reds or the Bengals are our favorites -

every time you visit, you get to know them better. You see the cam-

although they are great teams too! And finally, we just have good

pus and, of course, Tabor has a gorgeous campus, but it was the

and strong relationships with family and friends here. When we were

people that really intrigued me. Lucia and I came to admire the spirit

in China, we were half the world away.”

of the Tabor athletes that our kids would play against and the coaches whom we would coach against. The parents were so gracious and supportive. I always remember thinking very highly of Tabor and the community.”

They moved to Shanghai in 2010 when Tony became the executive principal of YK Pao, a prestigious international school. Tony, who majored in East Asian Studies at Harvard before earning an MALD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, is fluent in

The move to Marion is somewhat of a homecoming for the Jaccacis.

Mandarin. After a five-year tenure in which he helped develop one of

Tony and Lucia are both New England natives. Their three sons, Nick,

the first residential boarding programs in Mainland China, he accept-

Sam, and Ben, grew up romping around St. George’s campus as fac-

ed the position as Head of School at Cincinnati Country Day School.

ulty kids. More recently, the family has lived in Shanghai, China and

For the past six years, he has guided that institution through an

Cincinnati, Ohio. Nick and Sam now attend Middlebury College and

extensive strategic planning process. When it comes to school leader-

Washington University, respectively, and Ben will join Tabor’s class of

ship, Tabor’s new leader brings a seasoned hand to the tiller. This

2023 this fall.

experience, however, has not dulled his sense of humility.

“We’re really excited to get back to the ocean,” Tony says. “And

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” he says. “That’s something

we’re really excited to be able to cheer for our New England teams

I’ve learned the hard way. Somebody shared this quote with me the

32 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

other day. ‘Although my island of knowledge is getting bigger, my

polarized as ours is right now. But I think that’s a reason to double-

coastline of ignorance is also getting longer.’”

down on creating individuals who can be leaders in seeking consensus with people who have very different points of view.”

This sentiment captures why, when addressing Tabor’s faculty this spring, Tony said he expects to move both fast and slow during his

Tony sees two broad paths to nurture this sense of global citizenship.

first year.

The first is to bring Tabor students into the world. Once the pandemic ends, he hopes to build on the school’s rich tradition of interna-

“Having been a head of school, I’m very familiar with operations. I

tional travel. Not only does this provide an opportunity for students

feel like I can step right in and help and support the senior leadership

“

team from day one. The part where I’m going to take it slow,” he says, “is spending

to directly engage and learn about other cultures, but it offers a fresh perspective to consider their own. This is

enough time to form good and strong rela-

My job is to take as many

tionships. I know how to run a school, but I

obstacles out of the way as

don’t fully know Tabor.” His Seawolf orientation, however, is well underway. Since his appointment in January, he’s met regularly with Tabor’s trustees and administrators. He aims to speak with every

possible so they can focus on developing relationships with kids in the classrooms, on the fields, and in the dormitories.

something Tony has experienced firsthand. “Living in China for five years, I probably learned more about the United States than I did about China. Looking back at my own country through the eyes of others really helped me understand where I was from.” Recognizing that travel is an expensive and

faculty and staff member over the summer

privileged endeavor, Tony says there are

in order to deepen his sense of the school’s

also ways to bring the world to Tabor.

culture and identity. To learn about Tabor’s

“One of the silver linings of the pandemic,

history, he’s been reading Joseph Smart’s

as tragic as it has been, is the use of tech-

The School and the Sea.

nology. We can bring global voices and individuals onto campus whether it’s virtual

Smart’s 1964 book has shown Tony that he

or, hopefully, in-person.”

has something in common with Walter Lillard, Tabor’s fifth Head of School. Their

As he looks to the start of his Tabor career,

worldviews are both anchored in the belief

Tony is humbled and excited. Education is

that international relations and empathy are critical for addressing the problems of a complex and interconnected world. Like

That’s what this is all about. It’s all about the students and their Tabor

his life’s calling and passion. It’s imprinted in his DNA. Having grown up at Lawrence Academy, where his father taught art, and

Lillard, Tony believes Tabor can play an

experience. That’s how I’m going

then attending Phillips Academy Andover,

important role in preparing students to

to lead. That’s my North Star.

he has a deep appreciation for the value of

make a global impact. “The challenges facing the current Tabor graduate of this year, and for years to come, are only going to increase in scale and scope.

”

a boarding school experience. He is a devout practitioner of “servant leadership,” a philosophy that will guide his approach to the work ahead.

We’re set up as nation states and when we think of some of the

“My first service is to the students,” he says, “In so doing, I want to be

work that we do, country versus country, sometimes the thinking is a

able to create a senior leadership team and a faculty that will do the

kind of zero-sum game. But the challenges we face––such as COVID-

same, but then I need to be able to serve those two groups as well.”

19, such as global warming, such as issues of systemic inequity–– these are challenges at the human scale. I’ve been a little discouraged at times when we’ve looked at some of these challenges through an ‘us versus them’ lens.”

The most impactful way he can serve his colleagues, he believes, is through facilitating their interactions with students. “My job is to take as many obstacles out of the way as possible so they can focus on developing relationships with kids in the classrooms, on the fields,

The key, he maintains, is having the cultural fluency to empathize

and in the dormitories. That’s what this is all about. It’s all about the

with people who possess different backgrounds, values, and priorities.

students and their Tabor experience. That’s how I’m going to lead.

“I know that sounds a bit idealistic, especially in a country that’s as

That’s my North Star.” 

taboracademy.org/magazine 33

CAMPUS

MATRICULATION BY COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY American University (2) Auburn University Babson College (3) Bates College Belmont University Boston College (5) Boston University (3) Brandeis University University of British Columbia (2) Brown University Bryant University Carnegie Mellon University College of Charleston Colby College (2) Colgate University Connecticut College (3) University of Connecticut Davidson College Denison University (2) Eckerd College (2) Elms College Elon University (4) Endicott College Fairfield University Fordham University Georgia Institute of Technology Hamilton College (2) Hawaii Pacific University Hobart William Smith Colleges (2) Illinois Institute of Technology Indiana University-Bloomington Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University University of Maine Massachusetts Maritime Academy University of Massachusetts-Boston University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth University of Miami Michigan State University Mount Holyoke College University of New England University of New Hampshire-Main Campus (2) New York University

34 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Northeastern University (7) Northwestern University Occidental College Pennsylvania State University (2) University of Pittsburgh Pratt Institute Princeton University Providence College (3) Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Rhode Island University of Richmond Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College Rutgers University-New Brunswick Sacred Heart University (2) Saint Michael’s College San Diego State University University of San Francisco Santa Clara University (4) School of the Art Institute of Chicago Seattle University Smith College University of Southern California (3) St. Lawrence University (2) Syracuse University (5) The University of Tampa The University of Texas at Austin Trinity College Trinity College Dublin Union College (2) University of Glasgow University of Oregon University of Vermont (2) Villanova University (2) University of Virginia Wake Forest University Washington and Lee University Webb Institute West Virginia University University of Wisconsin-Madison Worcester Polytechnic Institute *As of June 7, 2021

Nathan Anderson

Lydia Baer

Katelyn Belmore

Jack Benway

Seth Bernard

Isaiah Bird

Charles Browning

Gillan Campbell

Jake Carlson

Benjamin Carter

Elaine Cederholm

Siyuan (Daniel) Chen

Zhihan (Gavin) Chen

Sebastian Chin

Itthivat (France) Chirathivat

Ashley Clark

Brooke Coen

Paul Collins

Renni-Natalya Collins

Sebastian Cronin

Charles Crowley

A. Felix Cutler

Nicolas Dallaire

John Darwin

Sydney DaSilva

Joseph DeVesto

Hai (John) Do

Trang (Mary) Do

Caroline Donley

Caroline Dowling

taboracademy.org/magazine 35

Rachel Dwyer

Andrew Eilertsen

Eva Elger

Charles Elliott IV

Katherine Evans

Laurel Evans

Yijin (Tracy) Fang

Paige Feeney

Fernando Fernandez-Guzman

Charles Finley

Alexandra Giannaros

Sara Gonzalez

Shelby Graham

Samuel Gryska

Sihong (Steve) Guo

Tierney Haas

William Halecki

Hailey Hammond

Chase Hayes

Samuel Hazzard

James Houck

William Hoyt

Willem Hunt

Skylar Irving

Aidan Jackivicz

Henry Johnson

Anastasia Kinsley

Lauren Kirk

Lela Krein

Maya Lannan

Liam Lawless

Michael Leone

Menasha Leport

Yuxuan (Alicia) Liu

36 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Shayna Kantor

Sydney Leaver

Griffith Long

Hope Lovell

Logan Lowder

Bennett Lynch

Xiaofan (Yaya) Ma

Sawyer MacDonald

Grace Magee

Grace Martin

Katherine Marvel

Finneas McCain

Seamus McCarthy

Carey McCollester

Justin McIvor

Jack Menard

Zoë Mermin

Tessa Mock

Nina Moore

Andrew Mottur

Cassie Murphy

Grace Murphy

Kiley Murphy

Abigail Newhook

Caroline Owens

Allison Paliotta

Samuel Parks

Katherine Parry

Sierra Petrocelli

Abigail Pickup

Pearson Ridgley

Blake Roberts

Zachary Rogers

Amelia Rolighed

Julia Rood

Thomas Rousseau

Tyler Roussel

Cory Sanders

taboracademy.org/magazine 37

Jackson Schumaker

Nariah Scott-Whitted

Harrison Seeley

Paulina Serowik

Daniel Shannon

Abigail Shields

Charles Simmons

Nicholas Skillman

Kiley Smith

Kathryn Sparks

Marie-Dennett Sterrett

Ross Stewart

Alexandria Strand

Katharine Strong

Sean Sullivan

Pasidth (Gene) Tanchanpongs

Tangjain (TJ) Tangparimonthon

Patis (Pat) Tarasansombat

Madison Taylor

Nathan Terski

Lauren Torres-Rivera

Caroline Usman

Stephane Voltaire

Gunnar von Hollander

Griffin Walbridge

Rex Ward

Jahmeir Warfield

Hannah Watt

Kai Watts

Lilah Way

Noah Welcome

Matthew Wiig

Scott Witkos

Carson Zanella

38 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

taboracademy.org/magazine 39

CAMPUS

SENIOR WEEK & CE L EBR AT I O N S With the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Class of 2021 was able to partake in some much loved senior traditions in recognition of their accomplishments and celebration of their achievements. Over the course of two days, 21 seniors presented their Independent Study projects, sharing their inspiration, challenges, successes, and outcomes. Color Wars was up next, followed by Prize Day, which was in-person with the school meeting in two locations on campus. During this event, Tabor Academy inducted 25 members of the Class of 2021 into the Tabor chapter of the Cum Laude Society. Prom, Baccalaureate, and Commencement followed, rounding out the week of festivities. Get all the end of year details, including the full list of Cum Laude inductees, links to livestreams, and lots of photos, all available online at taboracademy.org/commencement.

40 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS The work of the Alumni Relations Office continues, and in fact thrives, during this unique year. In the previous issue of Tabor

“

Today, we reported on the early stages of our Forecasters Series.

“Tabor’s Forecasters Series has been a phenom-

Built from scratch as an alternative to traditional in-person pro-

enal way to keep alumni of all ages connected to

grams, Forecasters has offered meaningful engagement opportu-

Tabor and one another. I’ve been impressed by the

nities for a cross-section of interested alumni to network around

breadth and relevance of subjects the series has ad-

shared personal and professional interests. And in the middle of a

dressed – from cryptocurrency to returning to a post-

global pandemic, this series has allowed alumni to come together

COVID workplace to the future of the sports indus-

socially, albeit virtually.

try. The presentations have been a great reminder of

Now, at the close of its inaugural season of ten episodes, we couldn’t be happier with the results. To date, over 1,000 alumni from 29 states and 5 countries have registered for the series–nearly 15 percent of our alumni base. Compared to 2019-20, our last year with a full slate of in-person programs, Forecasters has nearly tripled our event registrations, resulting in a 21 percent increase in alumni engagement, and extended our institutional and geographic reach. We have been pleased to see “new” names on the attendee roster and faces on our Zoom calls. In short, by going virtual, we have reached more alumni in more places than we did prior to the pandemic.

the strength of the Tabor alumni network, and I’ve been encouraged to see so many new and familiar faces joining the episodes. At a time when it’s so difficult to feel connected and when many are suffering from Zoom fatigue, Tabor’s Forecasters Series has stood out for its ability to educate, entertain, and connect alumni.” – Kelley Newman ’12

“Forecasters has brought me closer to Tabor and provided me with new ways to give back. I have extended my network with like-minded alumni to

And despite all the planning in the world, we wouldn’t have

learn together and share my knowledge of and pas-

achieved such an overwhelming response to the initiative without

sion for blockchain technology and cryptocurrency.

our remarkable lineup of hosts. The talented and accomplished

I am very grateful for the new experiences that the

alumni who shared their wisdom and time with their fellow

Alumni Relations Office has created for us and look

alumni are central to the success Forecasters has had in bringing

forward to Season 2!”

alumni closer to Tabor and one another.

– Alec Parsons ’89

If you’ve missed an episode of the Forecasters Series, you can

“I loved being a part of the Forecasters Series.

catch up by visiting taboracademy.org/forecasters. Over the

First and foremost, it gave me a way to give back

course of nine months, the series has examined COVID-19 and the

to the Tabor community leveraging the talents I

road ahead, explored the pandemic’s impact on higher education,

have developed since my time on The Waterfront.

discussed developments in professional sports, provided an out-

Second, through the prep and conversation, I was

look on American foreign policy, demystified cryptocurrency, sur-

able to meet some “new to me” and very talented

veyed the shifting realities of office culture, assessed residential

Seawolves. And lastly, I have had some wonderful

and commercial real estate markets, identified trends in venture

follow-up conversations with alumni. It reinvigo-

capital, and investigated the state of cybersecurity.

rated a connection to all alumni even in this virtual

the months ahead, but there is little doubt that the Forecasters Series has a permanent place in our alumni engagement arsenal today, tomorrow, and forever. The lessons are obvious–when possible, strip away the limitations of geography, offer interesting, insightful, and compelling programs, and rely on your alumni to tell their own stories.

“

We obviously look forward to being with each other in person in

world we are operating in.”

– Nicole Greene ’95

taboracademy.org/magazine 41

THE ROAD TO THE GOLD: CONVERSATIONS WITH FORMER OLYMPIANS AND FUTURE COMPETITORS Over the years, Tabor has helped to shape many aspiring and

Charlie Ogletree ’85 is well-acquainted with the thrill of Olym-

future Olympians, nurturing the bodies and minds of fierce

pic competition. A sailor and member of Tabor’s Athletic Hall of

competitors in rowing, sailing, and ice hockey. Alumni have

Fame (inducted in 2018), Ogletree competed in four Olympics—

left the Academy and gone on to claim gold, silver, and bronze

Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004, and Beijing in

medals in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Nagano, Sydney, Athens, and

2008—as a member of the men’s US Sailing Team in the Tornado

Beijing, contributing to a rich legacy that continues with current

class. At the 2004 games in Athens, he served as team captain

students and recent graduates.

and brought home a silver medal.

While each has their own unique story,

Ogletree looks back on the games with

they all enjoy certain commonalities

great fondness. “It’s hard to ignore

including a dedication to their sport

the thrill of winning a medal I spent 20

and a conviction that the road to the

years of my life pursuing,” he confesses.

Olympics is a singular experience that,

“Competing with the best in the world at

through victory or defeat, never loses

a high level was incredibly rewarding.”

its allure.

And Ogletree credits Tabor, in part, for Olympic Sailing Duo John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree ’85

42 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

ALUMNI his success. “Toby Baker, my sailing coach,

ships. He was rewarded for his efforts, earning

helped this boy from a small North Caro-

a seat in the US team’s 8-oared boat for the

lina town find a sport I could embrace. He

Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984. “I was

taught me about sailing, and about life.”

the only guy from the ’81 team who was also in the ’84 boat,” he notes.

Ogletree continues to race to this day, acting as a project manager and tactician sailing

The team was strong and logged many wins in the

J-class yachts for Svea Racing and serving as a

months leading up to the Olympics, giving rise to hopes for

team member for Jason Carroll’s MOD70 trimaran

gold. Unfortunately, a gold medal eluded their grasp. The

Argo. He says the key to his success, at the Olympics and beyond, is perseverance. “You have to have a

Americans claimed silver, losing the race for gold to the Canadians by three-tenths of a second. It was a

single-minded focus on the goal at hand,”

disappointing conclusion to an exciting run,

he observes, “particularly in the US,

Clapp concedes, but he harbors no re-

where programs are open, and some

grets. “I made many terrific friendships

contestants are maintaining jobs and

and traveled the world and I continue

families at the same time they’re

to race today.”

pursuing their Olympic dreams.”

His Olympic journey imparted many

Charlie Clapp ’76 knows the many

lessons, Clapp continues, not the

challenges associated with training

least of which is the importance of

for the Olympics while simultaneously

setting a goal and pursuing it tire-

continuing life as an everyday citizen.

lessly. “I know I can go in a straight

After serving as a member of the 1981

line with a repetitive motion for a long

men’s US Rowing Team that took bronze in

time,” he quips, “and some of life is like

the World Rowing Championships in Munich,

that—sometimes you’ve just got to grind it out.”

Germany, Clapp departed for graduate school at what

Making it to the Olympics requires a mix of hard work

is now Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global

and good luck, he notes. “You can have hope, but it’s a step-

Management.

by-step process. And certain things broke my way—you have to

While in Arizona, Clapp continued to train by himself, returning to Wisconsin for the national team’s summer training camp in 1982. A year later, he finished graduate school and returned to rowing in numerous regattas and that year’s world champion-

Charlie Clapp ’76

be conscious of forks in the road and make decisions carefully.” Unfortunately, says Clapp, a lot of people defeat themselves. “It’s hard enough as it is—it does no good to beat yourself up— and there’s a lot of pride in trying, even if your efforts don’t end in a medal.”

Charlie Clapp ’76

taboracademy.org/magazine 43

ALUMNI

Thad Lettsome '20

Thad Lettsome ’20 fervently hopes that his dreams will end in

cut before the Games. “The coaches can change the composi-

an Olympic medal, but the first order of business is making the

tion of the team right up to the Olympics.”

team. The gifted young sailor and Tulane University student is currently working to qualify for this year’s Summer Games in Tokyo, representing the British Virgin Islands in the men’s Laser class. “I’ve got my eye on the 2024 Olympics as well,” he quickly adds.

Browne certainly has raw talent and experience on her side. While at Tabor, she was recognized as the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Division I Player of the Year and named to the ALL NEPSAC First Team. She was also named Most Valuable Player in the Independent School League

For now, however, Lettsome is consumed with the task at hand.

and played on the U-18 Women’s National Team that took gold

His days are structured to match the pace of race days. He’s up

at the 2018 Women’s World Championship in Dmitrov, Russia.

every day at 8 a.m. for a short run and stretch before breakfast, attends a pre-sail briefing, spends three to four hours on the water, then returns to shore to watch films, discuss strategies, eat dinner, and retire in preparation for the next day of training. Asked what guidance he might seek from a seasoned Olympian like Charlie Ogletree, Lettsome doesn’t hesitate. “On the sailing side, I would love to know what his routine was like leading up to his event, for example, in what stages would he like to work on specific things, and what things would he like to work on? And practically speaking, I would love to hear about how he handled his campaigns.” Olympic ice hockey hopeful Kelly Browne ’18 is similarly consumed with the race to qualify. The Boston College junior has her sights set on the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. The road to that goal, however, is a protracted one. Browne was invited to attend the Olympic tryouts in early June and hopes to qualify for residency in October to continue her quest. And even if she makes it through these phases, she explains, she could still be

44 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

She would love to test her mettle on the Olympic stage but remains focused on the basics. “I’m doing everything I can to prepare myself, but at the same time, I want to remember why I started playing, and it was to have fun. When I’m tired or dis-

Colleen Coyne ’89 with Elizabeth Hagemann ’38, both members of the inaugural class of the Tabor Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.

couraged, I remind myself that I love playing and that it should

In the years since winning gold, Coyne has continued her

never be a chore.”

involvement with the sport. In 1999, she was named to the Mas-

Preparation is key, confirms Tabor Athletic Hall of Fame member (inducted in 2016) and Olympic gold medalist Colleen Coyne ’89. “That’s the thing that quells the nerves.” Coyne speaks from experience; she was a member of the famed team that defeated

sachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame and from 2005 to 2011 served as Athletic Director on USA Hockey’s Board of Directors. And in late April of 2021, she was named president of the National Women’s Hockey League’s (NWHL) Boston Pride.

Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, winning

“It wasn’t lost on me how lucky I was to attend Tabor—the

the first gold medal given in women’s ice hockey.

beauty of the school, the dedication of the faculty, the ability

The win was yet another stepping-stone in Coyne’s athletic journey. “Hockey has driven me to most of the interesting things in my life,” she observes. “It seems like opportunities have continuously rolled out ahead of me over the years.” Indeed, Coyne says, the sport led her to Tabor. “I grew up in Falmouth playing hockey

to play hockey regularly—it made a tremendous difference in my life,” she observes. The opportunity to compete in world championships and the Olympics was also formative. “Teams were composed of 20 people who held different values, perspectives, and approaches to preparation,” she explains. “Playing with individuals from so many different backgrounds taught me that there are many ways to

with the boys because at the time there weren’t many girls

achieve the same goal. As you move through life, you realize

teams around,” she explains. “But at 13 years old, I was small,

the same dynamics apply.”

even for a girl, and the boys were getting bigger and rougher.” In the spring of 1986, Coyne’s parents heard that Tabor was starting a girls’ ice hockey team. “By the fall of 1986, I was enrolled,” she says. That move made all the difference, Coyne continues. “Tabor had its own rink, so I could skate five to six days a week, which allowed me to strengthen my skills and become more competitive for college scholarships.” And she did. Coyne ultimately landed a scholarship to the University of New

Talking to this collection of Olympic medalists and hopefuls, it’s clear that despite their different sports and varied journeys, the passion and quest for Olympic immortality runs deep. It’s also obvious that the qualities that pushed them to the front of the pack—determination, grit, a belief in self, and an appreciation for the importance of relationships—have served them well, at the Games and beyond. 

Hampshire, which in turn opened the first of many doors that eventually led to the ’98 Olympics. taboracademy.org/magazine 45

ALUMNI

46 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

GOING TO THE GAMES Congratulations to Gia Doonan ’13, USA Women’s Eight Olympic talent runs deep at Tabor, with yet another former athlete qualifying for the Games. Gia Doonan was named as one of 30 rowers selected to represent the United States at the 2020/2021 Tokyo Olympics, according to the United States Rowing Association. She will row as part of the three-time defending Olympic champion women’s eight. If the US wins again in Tokyo, it would set a record for most consecutive Olympic gold medals in the event. Currently, the US and Romania are tied with three golds. Doonan, who discovered the sport at Tabor, follows in the footsteps of other great Tabor rowers, including fellow Tabor Olympian Charlie Clapp ’76. Read more about Clapp’s Olympic career, which earned him two medals, on page 43. Read more about Doonan’s career online at www.taboracademy.org/magazine We wish Doonan and her team well in their pursuit of the gold!

taboracademy.org/magazine 47

ALUMNI

OLYMPIC SAILING: The passionate pursuit of excellence across generations

The Olympics—a competition that conjures thoughts of patriotism, athletic prowess, and the passionate pursuit of a dream. These elements are undeniably part of the formula that makes the Games so compelling. But for those who have coached and competed in this vaunted sporting event, another equally important factor is relationships—with oneself, one’s coaches, one’s teammates, and one’s competitors. And nowhere is this more evident than in elite sailing.

48 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

“Sailing is all about relationships—with yourself as well as

While the brothers were already accomplished sailors when

with those you sail alongside and against,” observes Rob

they set their sights on the Olympics, they admit they did not

Hurd, Tabor’s sailing coach for the past 34 years, the last 25 as

fully appreciate the demands inherent to the campaign until

head coach. Personal interactions are particularly important

they were in it. “Our dad taught us to sail when we were kids—

to athletes pursuing Olympic gold, he continues. “In order to

I was racing by age 12 and Jesse was at it by age 8,” says Zan-

chase a medal, you’ve got to finance a training campaign and

der. In fact, he notes, Jesse was such a natural that he became

keep people interested in your efforts, so you need to be smart

something of a child prodigy in Bermuda sailing circles. Still,

about relationships. Your reputation is critical. You need to be

learning to sail the 49er competitively was humbling. “We suc-

someone others want to hang out with, on and off the water.”

ceeded because we’re stubborn and gritty and possess an inner

To illustrate the point, Hurd cites the observation a competi-

belief in ourselves,” says Zander. “You’ve really got to want it

tor’s coach once made about Tabor’s sailing team. “He said our

and no one’s going to give it to you—you need tenacity.” Jesse

guys were ‘politely vicious,’”

concurs. “You’ve got to let

Hurd recalls with a chuckle.

the passion carry you for a

“I took it as a great compli-

while—that’s what fuels the

ment. We wanted to win,

discipline and the sacrifice.”

but we were going to do it the right way.”

But the brothers also realized that grit alone wouldn’t

No one embodies the ideal

carry the day. To fund their

of winning the right way

Olympic dream, they needed

better than Zander ’02 and

to generate excitement

Jesse ’06 Kirkland. “Tabor

around their venture, secure

has attracted a great many

sponsors, and convince oth-

gifted Bermudian sailors

ers to believe in their dream

over the years, and the Kirk-

and join them on their

lands are outstanding examples,” remarks Hurd. Student sailors

journey. So, they treated their campaign like a start-up. “We

from Bermuda have a good sense of their sailing skills and a

wrote a business plan, secured seed money, got a boat, and set

good sense of self, he explains. “They know what they’re good

milestone goals,” recalls Zander. They sought advice from oth-

at and what they need to improve, they accept coaching, and

ers who had done similar campaigns and got creative to secure

they exude a leadership quality.”

world-class coaching. “When you’re starting out, you have a

The Kirklands exemplified the Bermudian sailing tradition during their time at Tabor, and in 2008, they decided to extend their commitment to the sport and make a bid for the 2012 Games together in the 49er, a two-person racing dinghy and the newest boat in the Games. “It was an exciting boat—cuttingedge and at the time—and given our size and desire to compete, it worked well for us,” Jesse explains. “The 49er was the Ferrari of the Olympics,” agrees Zander. “It was very athletic,

bit of a chicken-and-egg problem—you need the best coaching you can get to improve your skills and prove yourself, but you can’t afford a coach without having a campaign budget to draw upon and you typically don’t get that until you get results, so it’s tough to break through in this regard. Biggest advice here is to be a sponge when hanging out with your competitors in the boat park and prioritize coaching for every spare dollar you don’t desperately need for the boat or logistics,” says Zander.

went fast, and had lots of crashes.” Indeed, the boat’s charac-

The brothers got creative, sharing a top-tier coach with a Mexi-

teristics prompted the brothers to dub their Olympic campaign

can team for a time to reduce costs, and trained relentlessly,

“Taming the Beast.”

qualifying for the Olympics with a top-10 finish in the 2012 World Championship in Croatia. “Getting to the starting line

taboracademy.org/magazine 49

ALUMNI of the 2012 [London] Games was a huge battle,” adds Zander.

ing smart, and he knows firsthand the extended benefits of a

“I had never been tested so hard,” Jesse concedes. “Everything

life spent on the water. “Sailing offers all kinds of life lessons,”

is stressful—the workouts, the fundraising. You’ve really got to

he asserts. “The sport is an instrument of broad self-expres-

dig deep and lean into the passion.”

sion—you must master yourself before you can master the part

In the end, the brothers didn’t have the Olympic event they

of nature that is sailing.”

would have hoped for, but both insist they wouldn’t trade the

Miller has spent decades sharing the knowledge and experi-

experience. “Losing was tough at that event, but our crescendo

ence he has gleaned from countless hours on the water. A coach

in that lead-up in late March through May of 2012, which

spanning eight Olympiads, he has taught sailors from 49 coun-

secured our qualification, were (some) of the best months of

tries and all the Olympic and Pan American classes except the

our lives. To say we got top 10 at the world championship in

49er. He is legendary in the Finn Class—a notoriously demand-

an Olympic class in an Olympic year was a huge achievement

ing boat—taking first in the 1992 Finn Gold Cup race at the age

for us,” says Zander. “We

of 57. Now in his 80s, he still

were sailing great and re-

sails regularly.

ally in sync. We saw some

“My father was very involved

high highs and low lows,

in sailing and introduced me

and we came away with

to the sport at the age of

some incredibly special

three, teaching me to steer

shared memories.” Jesse

by wading along the beach

echoes that assessment.

pulling a small punt that had

“Being able to compete in

steering ropes attached to

the Olympics with Zander

a yoke on top of the rud-

was very special—from

der,” shares Miller. “I quickly

here on out, everything is a breeze for us.”

graduated to a punt with leephoto: Robert Deaves

boards, a small Sliding Gunter

The brothers also note that the lessons they learned while sail-

rig, and a tiller, but on my first solo sail, I had to beach the punt

ing have transferred handily into their post-Olympic lives. “The

and walk back so an adult could show me how to sail upwind,”

ability to articulate your mission and evangelize for your cause

he recalls with a chuckle.

is a valuable skill, whether you’re running an Olympic campaign or pursuing start-up capital,” observes Zander, today a strategic partnerships manager, working with key relationships in the small business lending industry for Funding Circle. “And in business as in sailing, you learn that although things don’t always go to plan, you keep your head down and keep working.” Jesse agrees. “As an underwriter at Chubb, I need to stay poised while managing my responsibilities as well as work effectively in a team environment. Our Olympic run gave me the experience necessary to succeed in my career—I learned the importance of staying calm and continuing to execute, even in the face of adversity.” Sailing legend Gus Miller ’53 is also intimately familiar with the importance of building relationships, training hard, and work-

50 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

This ability to explore, experiment, and learn is one of the things that has kept the sport fresh all these years, says Miller. “You develop an intense intimacy with the sky, wind, clouds, waves, and landforms,” he observes. “I grew up in a culture of seamanship where acceptance was being called a good seaman who was able to take care of the boat and himself.” Sailing a Finn is very physical, but you must also be alert to what’s going on around you with the weather, he explains. “If something needs to be taken care of, you must address the situation immediately or you could be in real trouble. It’s like a deep meditation—you let go of everything else and exist in the moment.” Relationships are also an integral part of the sport of sailing, Miller continues. “I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the shared intimacy of sailing with many exceptional people around the

photo: Finn Class Archive

world.” The sport offers common ground and demands that participants get down to basics very quickly, he explains. “The Finn has a highly evolved hull, with a powerful, sophisticated rig that races well in anything from a whisper of air to rough water and high winds; an awful lot of smart, good sailors get in the boat. We race hard, but we’re very friendly and open with one another on shore. At the end of the day, we’re really competing

MILLER’S LIST OF SUGGESTIONS TO OLYMPIC HOPEFULS: Learn to keep centered whenever obstacles occur and find a way to achieve the mission or task.

against ourselves rather than each other.”

The Olympic chase inspires people to do Asked what advice he would offer young Olympic hopeful Thad

and say stupid things—don’t get sucked in.

Lettsome ’20—currently working to qualify for the British Virgin Islands Laser class team at the 2024 Summer Games—Miller doesn’t hesitate. “Enjoy the journey you’re on for all it’s worth, regardless of the numerical result,” he counsels, “because that’s what you will remember.” In the end, the biggest challenge

Be willing to train with those who are better than you are so you can rise to their level.

Lettsome or any other competitor faces is himself, Miller concludes. “To succeed, you must stay well-motivated, train yourself

Practice your weak points much more

to accomplish excellence, and share the joy of your experience—

than your strong points.

you can’t do it without others.” 

Learn to be your own coach by keeping a detailed written training log and reviewing it often. Have a clear goal for what you want to accomplish after the Olympic journey.

photo: Robert Deaves

taboracademy.org/magazine 51

ALUMNI

Steve Downes

SQUASH IN THE Perusing the World Squash Federation’s historical timeline, it’s evident that the sport enjoys a long and august past. Invented in the 1850s by boys at the Harrow School outside London, England, the game was initially referred to as baby racquets, soft racquets, or squash racquets. In 1884, St. Paul’s School teacher, James Conover, introduced the sport to the United States, and in the ensuing years, squash courts began to spring up around the globe. Ireland built its first in 1902, followed by Canada in 1904, and South Africa in 1906, and in 1921, Harvard College created the world’s first university team.

In the decades since, the sport has continued to gain in popular-

STEVE DOWNES

ity. 1966 saw the formation of the International Squash Rackets

Squash Coach, Tabor Academy

Federation, which became the World Squash Federation (WSF) in 1992. Athletes have played matches around the world, including in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. Yet they have never played in the Olympic Games, despite the sport’s bids for inclusion in London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024.

As a squash coach at Tabor for the past 35 years—varsity boys’ head coach for the past nine—Steve Downes has seen the sport’s many benefits firsthand and would welcome its addition to the Olympics. “Squash offers players an intense, one-to-one competitive experience and requires a great deal of physical conditioning,” he observes. “And, I think any student you spoke

Curious about these continued denials, we asked members of

to would comment on the terrific friendships they’ve formed

Tabor’s squash community their thoughts on why the sport was

playing the game.”

meeting such resistance from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and their hopes for the future of the game.

Squash has been played at Tabor since the 1960s, Downes says, and continues to grow in popularity. “The sport attracts a lot of students to the school, accomplished players as well as those

52 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Aly Hussein

OLYMPICS who wish to learn the game.” This past term, for example,

dominate the sport, so there wouldn’t be widespread competi-

Downes notes that despite the restrictions imposed by the pan-

tion among countries,” he says candidly. Squash is also played in

demic, 20 percent of the student body selected squash as their

a court that doesn’t allow many spectators, he points out, which

preferred winter sport.

somewhat hampers its ability to attract attention. And finally,

Downes admits that the game continues to struggle for wide-

he adds, the sport doesn’t presently enjoy the large roster of

spread recognition in the United States but cites its broad ap-

sponsors that soccer and tennis do.

peal in the rest of the world as a strong plus for adding it to the

Nevertheless, Hussein remains a dedicated student. “Squash is

Olympic roster. “We’re seeing an increasing number of Chinese

good for your health—you have to move—and it’s had a posi-

students coming to Tabor with squash experience and we have

tive effect on my personality as well,” he observes. “After 10

a number of accomplished players from Egypt and Columbia,”

years of playing, I’ve learned to be tough mentally. When I’m

he observes. “And urban programs like SquashBusters and

down a match on the court, I have to think and act for myself,

CitySquash are introducing a whole new generation to the fun

which is helpful when facing life’s challenges, too.”

and benefits of the game.”

ALY HUSSEIN ’19 Competing in the 2020-2021 PSA World Championship in June 2021 Quarterfinalist at the World Squash Federation World Junior Championships; finished seventh in the world, 2017 National High School champion, 2018 & 2019 High School All-American, 2017-2019 Squash rank: 150th in the world

NICK LACAILLADE ’03 Member of four National Championship teams, Trinity College, CT. Nick Lacaillade was an avid squash player during his time at Tabor and later at Trinity College, where he ranked as the #2 American on the team. Lacaillade and his teammates took the national championship all four years. “We didn’t lose a match

University of Virginia sophomore and Olympic hopeful Aly

my entire time at Trinity,” he recalls.

Hussein would love to see squash added to the Olympics, but

It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that Lacaillade finds squash’s

he doubts it will happen anytime soon. “Egyptians currently

lack of widespread popularity in the US somewhat mystifying.

taboracademy.org/magazine 53

ALUMNI

Ellie Pierce

54 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

“It’s played in many other countries around

American Games, held in Argentina that same

the world and it’s quite popular; in Egypt,

year. “Those are our Olympics,” she observes.

for example, professional squash players are

Pierce maintained a presence in the sport for

big heroes,” he observes. He also confesses

decades, twice claiming the title of British

to being somewhat baffled by the IOC’s continued refusal to allow the game into the Olympics. “Squash is a game of athleticism, finesse, and creativity that requires coordination, strength, and endurance, and in my opinion, it should be in the Olympics. Hopefully, someday it will be.”

Open 40+ Champion and coaching for 25 years. And although she would love to see squash admitted to the Olympics, she no longer holds out much hope. “Gaining admission to the Olympic Games is an extremely competitive process and very political, so a lot of decisions have to fall your

GUILLERMO MORONTA ’02

way,” she explains.

Director of Squash, Tabor Academy

The fluid nature of the sport’s history has also handicapped its

Guillermo Moronta has loved squash since discovering the sport

bids, Pierce continues. “Unfortunately, I don’t think our sport

through SquashBusters in the 6th grade. He leveraged the disci-

is organized enough around the world to mount an effective

pline and structure he found in the game to pursue his educa-

campaign for inclusion,” she says, her voice filled with regret.

tion, first at Tabor and then at Bates College. He coached the

“Our game has been through massive changes over the years—

sport at Portsmouth Abbey, SquashSmarts, The Cynwyd Club,

the type of ball, the scoring system, the size of the court. And

and Belmont Hill School before returning to Tabor in 2019.

the rules for college play are different than professional play. I

“Squash is a great game,” says Moronta. “It’s one of the healthiest sports you can play, it’s a lifetime sport, you don’t need a bunch of people to play, and the cost of entry isn’t

think this lack of consistency keeps the sport from gaining traction. I’d love to see squash in the Olympics, but I just don’t think it will happen.”

high.” Unfortunately, despite these benefits and the fact that

CHRIS SMITH ’93

the game is played by people from a range of socio-economic

and we struggle to attract sponsors that are widely recogniz-

Associate Athletic Director and Head Boys & Girls Squash Coach, St. Paul’s School US Squash Top 50 Coaches, 2015, 2016 Former Men’s & Women’s Assistant Squash Coach, Director of Recruiting, Harvard University Former USA Jr National Team Head Coach

able to a big cross-section of people.”

Asked his opinion as to why squash has repeatedly been denied

backgrounds, Moronta admits the sport remains unknown to many. And that makes a successful Olympic bid a tough nut to crack. “I don’t think enough people have a vested interest in it,

ELEANOR (ELLIE) PIERCE ’84 1995 Women’s National Champion Two-Time British Open 40+ Champion Tabor Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, 2016 Ellie Pierce has been involved in squash long enough to witness many important changes. For her first two years at Tabor, there

entry into the Olympics by the IOC, Coach Chris Smith hesitates. “There’s a lot to unpack,” he concedes. “The IOC’s decisionmaking process is complicated, and even though the World Squash Federation (WSF) has worked very hard to get the sport admitted into the Games, they’ve consistently been outmaneuvered by other sports.”

was no girls’ team, so Pierce played with the boys. “I was in the

Although Smith would love for every squash player to have

first class of girls at the Academy after it went co-ed and there

the chance to compete in the Olympics, he believes that at

weren’t many sports for women yet,” she explains. Pierce soon

this point the WSF’s money could be better spent by putting

rectified that. Two years after arriving at Tabor, she founded a

the sport in people’s living rooms through streaming services,

girls’ team, then was recruited to play in college at Trinity, “a

YouTube, etc. “The sport has modernized itself in an effort to

powerhouse for squash.”

win entry into the Olympics and is now more exciting than ever

Pierce ultimately made the game her profession, playing extensively in the US and abroad. A member of eight US national teams and the Women’s National Champion in 1995, Pierce was also on the first squash team to represent the US in the Pan-

before,” he observes. “The Olympics would be great, but honestly, we don’t need that platform. The world championships for squash would be bigger than the Olympics and it already exists, so let’s put that in front of people.” 

taboracademy.org/magazine 55

CLASS NOTES

10s JUNYAO SHI ’17 I just accepted a PhD in Computer Science offer at University of Pennsylvania—will start in the fall, super excited!

KARAN TANDON ’16

Since graduating from Skidmore College in January 2020, I have been working at a biotech company in the Greater Boston area in protein synthesis. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was one of the first essential workers to return to the research lab. In September of 2020, my group started a project on determining the best conditions to produce synthetic anti-Covid antibodies, originally studied and taken from early COVID-19 patients. Rather than a preventative measure such as the vaccine, the antibodies are to be used as treatment to prevent serious illness or fatality from COVID-19. This treatment is currently in clinical trials. Since this project finished for my group in 2020, I have been spending these early months of 2021 volunteering at vaccine clinics in the Boston area and doing my best to impart public health knowledge to my community. I am currently working on a MS in Biology from Tufts University in hopes to further my expertise in my field and communicate it to the general public.

MAURA WOODS ’16

1 The Born to Run Foundation announced today it has named Maura Woods of Duxbury, Mass. to its board to help further the mission of the foundation, to help

56 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

5 young amputees and limb different individuals lead active and fulfilling lives. “We are excited to welcome Maura onto our board,” said Noelle Lambert, Founder of The Born to Run Foundation. “Maura has been a great supporter of the foundation, has helped out at events, assisted with social media and has a depth of experience in

a few hundred COVID-19 vaccines to some very excited patients in Nashville, which was definitely a highlight of my spring!

working with nonprofit organizations. She will be a real asset to the board.” Maura Woods is an associate commercial property manager on the South Shore of Massachusetts for JEI Ventures, a real estate development company. She is a recent graduate of Boston University class of 2020. At Boston University, Maura was an active member of her sorority Alpha Phi, where she served for one semester as the External Events Chair and actively fundraised throughout all four years as a member.

ALEXANDER O. BROWNING ’10 AND KATHRYN FAUCHER BROWNING ’09

JILLIAN HOBAN MORALES ’11 My husband and I welcomed our first child, Heather May Morales in December 2020. 3

Proud parents of Theodoric Ambrose Browning, Born April 14, 2020

00s ARIEL LEITAO LEONELLI ’08

Ariel married Gregory Leonelli in an intimate wedding ceremony in Poland, Maine this past February. She wore a borrowed veil from Kenly Hiller-Bittrolff ’07. 5

LAURA ALLEN ZILEWICZ ’07

BRYLEE MCLAUGHLIN ’15 Graduated in 2019 from UConn with Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies, and graduated this May with a Doctor of Pharmacy. Starting July 1, 2021, I will be a Medical Information and Review Fellow at Takeda Oncology!

ANNE WALKER ’13

I finished medical school at Vanderbilt this spring and am moving from Nashville, TN to Durham, NC to start my residency in anesthesiology at Duke. My angelic rescue dog, Tiller, is already getting outfitted for her role as Duke’s newest Blue Devil! Between finishing up classes and my upcoming move to Durham, I have been able to give

My husband, Jay, and I are thrilled to share that we welcomed our daughter Emilia on July 18, 2020. She joins her big sister Louisa (2).

WHITNEY E. GREENE ’06

Whitney accepted a position as the first veterinary fellow at Walt Disney World. The position is focused on clinical medicine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Seas at EPCOT as well as leadership training and development. Whitney and her husband welcomed daughter Aspen to the world last fall in the middle of the pandemic.

7 SARAH MADISON PENNINGTON ’06

8 7

In addition to the COVID pandemic, we welcomed Holden Baird Pennington into our family in May 2020. I am not sure if Grayson (7) and Winnie (4) were more excited for Holden’s welcome to the world. Their Uncle BriRye (Brian Madison ’03) purchased his first home just 400 feet away from ours! After 2.5 years learning the industry with one of the largest homebuilders in the country, I started 2021 with a move to a second-generation, family-owned homebuilder whose focus is just Northern Colorado. It has been such a relief to find a company whose priorities and values align with my own. With the surge of transplants moving to Colorado, it has been fun to see an increase in how many people recognize my Tabor keychain!

CURTIS EDENFIELD ’05 I am the CEO of a private Jet Charter company headquartered out of Las Vegas, NV. We have 80+ employees and own 12 airplanes. We operate all over the country and fly international as well. Today, we announced a partnership with Textron Aviation to expand our fleet. I thought it would be great to share exciting news about Tabor alumni in a difficult year like 2020. Tabor is such an important part of my life. I certainly would not be here today, if it wasn’t for everything I learned at Tabor. https://txtav.com/en/newsroom/2020/11/multiaircraft-cessnacitation-business-jet-delivery-announced-by-textron-aviation

GALEN BREW BROWN ’04 Welcomed a baby girl, Maren Louise Brown on September 9, 2020.

EMILY SCHNURE ’04 AND ALEX LANSTEIN ’03 We live in South Boston with daughter, Alice, and we’re expecting a second daughter this summer. We’re surviving the pandemic quarantine by seeing fellow Seawolves, Maura (Walsh) McGuinness ’03, Beth (Lucas) Higgins ’04, Matt Sloan ’03, Sara DiPesa ’04, and Lauren Folino ’04—safely, of course!

BONNIE DUNCAN PUNSKY ’04

Jay and I welcomed Grace Lenore on September 2, 2020 - 8 lbs. 6 oz. and 19 inches. Everyone is healthy and we are so in love!

MOLLY KOCH BECHTEL ’03

Big sister Caroline (3) and big brother Whit (2) are smitten with the newest addition to our family, Hugh. Named after his grandfather, Gary Wallace, and a nod to his German heritage, Hugh means “bright in heart, mind, and spirit.” Hugh Wallace Bechtel, born January 11, 2021, weighing 8lbs 14oz and measuring 21 inches.

TAMAR KINGAN ’03

What a year! I got married to my best friend from college, Andrew Paxton, in a tiny backyard (COVID-19 friendly!) wedding in October of 2020. While it was not exactly what we had planned, it was absolutely lovely to have our close family there to celebrate. In January, I sold my company, Tails and Trails LLC, and took a couple

months off to enjoy married life. I recently started working as a Special Projects Consultant for ShineOn.com and we adopted another rescue pup last month. We should have a couple of *vaccinated* Tabor grads at our “second wedding” celebration this upcoming October!

SHANTE AGARD ONIYIDE ’02 Shante and her husband Olumide welcomed their 4th child, Kayin Isaiah Oniyide, into the world on March 12, 2021. Both mom and baby are doing well!

KRISTEN K. CADY-SAWYER POULIN ’01 Kristin and her husband, Robert Poulin, welcomed daughter, Lenore Fontaine Cady-Poulin on December 27, 2020, granddaughter of Cyrus Cady ’62.

90s MELISSA PRESS DE LA VEGA ’97

My husband, Marcus, and I welcomed our third child, Margaret “Maggie” Joy, last summer. She was welcomed with lots of excitement by big sister and brother, Ben and Rebecca.

JENNIFER MIYASAKI ’97 After seven years of living in Oakland and working for the Public Policy Institute of California in San Francisco, I moved to Los Angeles in January 2020 to work as the Digital Content Manager for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, cofounded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson. The museum is currently

taboracademy.org/magazine 57

under construction in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park and will open in 2023. I have a dog, Miles, and two cats, Sebastian and Olive.

HILLARY SHUGRUE PAQUETTE ’96

My family and I relocated to Vancouver, BC last fall. We love it here! Enjoying our most recent family addition, our daughter, Delphine Miriam Paquette, born February 10, 2020.

IAN MALIN ’95 Ian recently founded “Cooking for Community” a Portland, Mainebased, grassroots, volunteer-run organization that raises money to hire local restaurants to prepare healthy meals for people in need. So far, they have delivered 70,000+ meals and helped restaurants stay in business during the pandemic.

KATHERINE SULLIVAN SAUNDERS ’94

Kate and husband Matt just bought a new home in NH! They recently celebrated 22 years of marriage.Their kids Isaiah (21), and Mackenzie (18), are both seniors this year. Isaiah will be graduating from Bates College and Mackenzie from Tilton. Mackenzie will be headed out to the University of Denver this coming fall. Kate is still living and loving the boarding school life now completing 14 years at Tilton, currently, the Assistant Head of School for Enrollment.

TERRY MILLER JR. ’93 Terry Miller and husband Neil Austriaco, along with their son, Zeddock, welcomed daughter Grace Hollis Austriaco Miller on July 8, 2020.

58 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

JOHN BUCKLEY JR. ’93

GRACE BACON GARCIA ’90

I gained weight and clients. Mostly stayed sane. I am looking forward to splashing the sailboat for the first time in 2 years and my son Guy’s first year of sailing lessons. On a personal note, I am extremely thankful for my Tabor experience. Of all the places my education took me, I believe Tabor had the biggest impact on shaping a resilient character (not my nature) which was much needed this past year.

Grace has been elected vice president of the Massachusetts Bar Association for the 2020-21 year, which begins on September 1. She will serve as a member of the MBA’s leadership team alongside incoming President Denise I. Murphy, who will emphasize the MBA’s role as an ally to lawyers from diverse backgrounds and build upon efforts to develop the MBA into a wellness resource for all Massachusetts attorneys.

ELEANOR CROW ’92 AND ERIC MINO ’92

80s

Eleanor Crow and Eric Mino got married this past summer, after reconnecting at their 25th Tabor reunion in 2017. Despite COVID-19’s best efforts, they had a small, beautiful wedding in Newport, RI (where back in ’92 they went as dates for their senior prom!). They now live in Wilmington, NC with Eric’s 11-year-old son, Vance, and Eleanor’s 4-year-old black lab, Willa. Eric has been with GE for over 15 years, and Eleanor recently joined Intracoastal Realty as a fulltime broker.

HANNAH AMON SEXTON ’92 This past October was Breast Cancer Awareness month. In celebration of being a Breast Cancer survivor, I ran the virtual Race for a cure! I hope you got to join me in doing a 5k,10k,15k, etc. run, walk, bike, or crawl in the celebration! I also hope you said a cheer at the end for all breast cancer survivors! Stay safe! Stay strong!

JENNIFER SHERBROOKE PALMER ’86 I am living in Cohasset, MA with my husband and two children, ages 15 & 11. I coached girls’ lacrosse for 20 years for the Town of Cohasset Youth Team and for the High School until last year when I retired after winning the Division 2 State Championships twice in 3 years.

KIMBERLY GAREY ’85 I am still living in Austin, Texas where I am the Head of Upper School at St. Stephen’s. We have lived on campus for the last 25 years. My oldest graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy last spring and is now stationed on a 420-foot national security cutter out of Alameda, California. Our middle child is a field hockey player at Trinity College in Connecticut and our youngest is a junior in high school at St. Stephen’s and is hoping to play lacrosse somewhere on the East Coast. We just can’t escape those New England roots!

17 CRAIG KULAS ’85 After thirty plus years in the Washington, DC region, my wife Corey, our two sons and I relocated to Richmond, Virginia two days before COVID-19 shutdown the world in March 2020. The two teenage boys are still adjusting to the new location since school has only recently returned to in-person operation. Corey and I are approaching our 14th marriage anniversary this fall. We are all making the best of our new life in Richmond.

THOMAS KIRK ’85 Kathy and I are living in Portsmouth, RI and have been back on campus regularly in recent years with our boys: Ryan ’18 and Drew ’20 as recent graduates and Griffin ’23 a current student. I encourage all classmates to come back and visit the campus and see all the wonderful new facilities. A typical winter Saturday afternoon in the Fish Athletic Center is a beehive of activity with hockey, basketball, wrestling and squash events all under the same roof. It is very fun to watch the student spectators run from event to event to cheer on Tabor. Yes, students, not just parents actually attend and cheer for their fellow Seawolves now!

MICHAEL MIELE ’85 All is well. I am living in Reading, Massachusetts, with my wife Kara and 2 of my children, Mikey a sophomore at Reading Memorial High School and Charlie who is a senior and headed off to study and play lacrosse at St. Lawrence University in the fall. My oldest, Kristina graduated from Trinity class of 2019 and now lives and

18 works in Manhattan. My son Nick graduated in May with a mechanical engineering degree from UNH. All are healthy and weathering the COVID-19 storm. Miss and love TABOR forever!

JENNIFER NOERING MCINTIRE ’84

The best thing that happened in 2020 is getting our puppy Prince. Andrew continues to work at American Research & Management with Eric Strand ’84. I have been teaching art history at Stonehill College. Our children have adapted well to COVID-19 life. MK ’16 works remotely in sales for Turbonomic. Thomas is a sophomore at the College of the Holy Cross. He attends classes remotely from his mostly windowless apartment and he plays lacrosse. Brendan ’22 spent his junior year at Old Rochester Regional High School and is returning to TA for his senior year.

R. GREGG NOURJIAN ’84

Greetings fellow Seawolves! Surviving the COVID-19 era and fortunate to live in Marion and enjoy a fairly safe and laid-back pace of life, with the exception of a lot of driving because my daughters are in middle school at Moses Brown. Work on the Tabor Alumni Council is really rewarding and it’s great to have ’84 represented so well with Dave DeFilippo ’84, Jenn McIntire ’84, Andrew McCain ’84 and Tom Mottur ’84 helping engage all of our fellow alums! I recently started a new clean energy company and will share more about that next time. Looking forward to a great 2021 Summer! Come visit us in Marion once we are all vaccinated!

DAVID DEFILIPPO ’84 On the professional front I have been running my consulting practice where I focus on executive coaching, leadership development and talent management with clients globally. Personally, Lisa, our two dogs and I have been splitting our time between our Boston-area and Berkshires homes which has made the past year of the pandemic more tolerable. I have also enjoyed getting to know alumni like David Barker ’72, Lex Browning ’10 and Kelly Newman ’12 through our work on Tabor’s Alumni Council (TAC) where we are focused on alumni engagement across the decades.

THOMAS R. MOTTUR ’84 All is well in RI. I started a new job @ UNFI in May - so I have not met my co-workers in person yet—and am enjoying the new challenges. We have a full house with our oldest (Nate), youngest (Ryan), plus Kiki, a friend of Nate’s who moved in with us in March of 2020. Andrew ’21 finished his senior year at Tabor and had a great 4 years. He loves the school, has a great group of friends, was busy as Head of School, worked on the Winter Drama production and was especially excited about being able to play baseball as last year’s season was cancelled. Might make the end of his time as a student feel a bit more “normal.” While I have missed the ability to visit for sporting, drama, parent or alumni events, I have been lucky to stay involved with the school through various Zoom meetings. We had another strong showing for Day of Giving, a time that is a great

opportunity for our class to reconnect. I also have really enjoyed the Forecasters Series and hope those continue!

EDWARD BRESNAHAN JR. ’83 It was great to see several 1983 TA classmates and football teammates on Zoom calls including Coach Mike Silipo back in June. Hope we can see some new faces and do it again soon!

CHARLES RUSSELL ’82 Still Working in Real Estate in my hometown NYC.

70s JAMES HUTTON ’79

James reports that classmate Matt Twomey ’79 is currently sailing aboard the USNS Big Horn and reports, “You might like to see what it looks like when I am maneuvering with 40,000 tons of fun. The crew of the good ship Big Horn is in good spirits but has not been ashore since December 2.” The 667-foot, 40,000-ton, Big Horn is a US Merchant Marine vessel that replenishes naval vessels with fuel, while underway. If you have never seen this conducted, it is truly an intense operation conducted under very tight quarters.

KELLY K. LYDON ’77 Practicing law on Cape Cod. Also, my book, U-boats of World War 1 has sold well over the years. It is available for alumni. Ask for the Tabor discount at Klydon@netzero.net.

taboracademy.org/magazine 59

19 WINTHROP SARGENT ’75

20 19

Happy to say that we’re all safe. As you can imagine, acquiring a commuter transit company (Plymouth and Brockton) has been a challenge. In my free time (Ha!) acquired a 32-lot community within the Bay Club in Mattapoisett.

ROBERT BOON ’73 Still working as Managing Director of Mascoma Wealth Management in Hanover, New Hampshire. Looking forward to retirement in a few years but Cape Cod real estate values may keep me working! Three daughters live on the Cape while daughter Kara ’05 lives in Boston. Very sorry to hear of Class President Dave Stevens ’73 recent passing as we both grew up in Falmouth, Massachusetts and I have many memories of our younger days.

JAMES POTDEVIN ’72 Retired! 1977-2000 US Coast Guard, 2000-2020 State of Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. Future plans? Travel and boating (Southeast Alaska & New England).

KENNETH LEGLER ’72

MICHAEL WALKER ’68

Joanne and I have finally decided to return to MA to be closer to our daughter and her family after being away since 1995, working in Ohio at the Cleveland Clinic and recently for the last 6 years in Charlotte, NC. I officially retired from orthopedic surgery in October 2020 and look forward to spending time with our family and getting acclimated to New England life again. We are excited to be living in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and have reunited with Wiley Wakeman ’68, Will Fisher ’68 and Raider Blake ’68. Hope all my classmates are well and look forward to our next reunion at Tabor.

CHARLES TODD ROBERTSON ’67 2020 was quite a year for everyone. My wife passed away after a long illness in 2020. This getting older is not quite what it is made out to be! I am fine though. I have a strong faith and good friends and family not to mention my church to support me.

WALTER PARKER ’65

Still enjoying coaching sailing at Tufts, now in my 41st year. Planning to retire in 2023. Looking forward to our 50th at Tabor in 2022.

FITZHUGH READ ’71

60s

After many years of living in the northeast, my wife Joan and I have opted to move south and enjoy the easier pace and milder weather of coastal North Carolina. Best wishes to all from the class of 1971!

Adrienne and I are enjoying Venice, Florida even in a pandemic. Lots of sun and beaches to enjoy. We also enjoy golf, tennis, swimming, and boating, which fill many days. Working with Sotheby’s Real Estate in Venice and have been far too busy. Our sons, Austin, who was recently promoted to Vice President by Moody’s, and Edward, who has a thriving home inspection business in Wilmington, NC.,

60 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

21 often ask me how Tabor has made its way through COVID-19? From what I can read, I tell them “very well.”

chipped beef on toast once in the real world and it was terrible, but in Lillard Hall in 1963 it was a beige badge of courage.

THOMAS WOLFF ’64

FORDYCE BLAKE III ’62

I was kicked out in my sophomore year, so if you do not remember me, that is why. I recently was

Saw on Facebook a photo of a shell being loaded onto a ship that was going to Henley. It looked quite

thinking Tabor should have a reunion for the people who got kicked out. I can put a face to almost every name in the In Memoriam. I can hear Bear (Richard Wickenden) calling the 400 names roll call. He seemed to like saying William Tchakirides ’64 name more than anyone else’s. My first day at Tabor started at Grand Central Station. My father and I were the first to arrive. John Mazzuto ’66 and his father were next. I sat with John riding up to Marion. Normally I would have been chasing him around with a sharpened bamboo stick as in Lord of the Flies. I googled John and his mug shot looked like the man he grew to be. I went to 3 high schools and 10 colleges. I did not get a degree but I did get to teach at Shepherd University. Yesterday I shot photos of Dumbarton Oaks (Garden) for The Washington Post Magazine. I have wanted to do this for 30 years. Over the last 40 years, I have shot pictures for every magazine, except Wired. I have a 15-year-old son who is 2 inches taller than I am, and a 41-year-old daughter with whom I had tea with this afternoon. I have such fond memories of Tabor; assembling in the big hall to watch the Cuban Missile Crisis, Ed the barber, movies in Hoyt Hall, chipped beef on toast. I had

old. My father was the stroke of the Tabor crew that went to Henley in ’33 or ’34. At the time competition was open with high schools racing against colleges. I have a photo of Tabor losing to Yale by one foot. Tabor set what would have been a course record if they had won. So close. My father was a trustee at Tabor. I went there as did my two Brothers - Raider Blake ’68 and Jon Blake ’65. I am in almost daily contact with Dave “Tex” Mason ’62. We email a great deal. Survived the cold winter, having COVID-19, and looking forward to traveling again and warm weather!

50s PETER H. GLAUBITZ ’58 This past year was spent “holed up” at home in Eagles Mere, PA. Fortunately I had a garden to attend and huckleberries in the forest. Time inside was spent working as a Trustee and Treasurer of a nonprofit Tandana Foundation, serving communities in Ecuador’s remote mountains and Mali, Africa. This was a challenging year for the Foundation as we had to shift gears to help meet new needs and issues. In Ecuador we have a good-sized traveling pharmacy as our USA volunteer providers visit the remote villages and identify

BIB NOTES We welcome these children of alumni into our community with joy! Terry Miller ’93 Girl, Grace Hollis, July 2020 Hillary Shugrue Paquette ’96 Girl, Delphine Miriam, February 2020 Melissa Press De La Vega ’97 Girl, Margaret “Maggie” Joy, August 2020

Kristen Cady-Sawyer Poulin ’01 Girl, Lenore Fontaine, December 2020 Shante Agard Oniyide ’02 Boy, Kayin Isaiah, March 2021 Molly Koch Bechtel ’03 Boy, Hugh Wallace, January 2021 Galen Brew Brown ’04 Girl, Maren Louise, September 2020

Bonnie Duncan Punsky ’04 Girl, Grace Lenore, September 2020 Whitney Greene ’06 Girl, Aspen, September 2020

Jayson Megna ’09 and Taylor Craig Megna ’11 Girl, Hadley Mae, February 2021

Sarah Madison Pennington ’06 Boy, Holden Baird, May 2020

Alexander Browning ’10 and Kathryn Faucher Browning ’09 Boy, Theodoric “Theo” Ambrose, April 2020

Lauren Allen Zilewicz ’07 Girl, Emilia, July 2020

Jillian Hoban Morales ’11 Girl, Heather May, December 2020

medical needs. Also, we helped our scholarship students who were cut off from on-site classes and worked to provide internet access including equipment. In Mali we temporally curtailed the women’s literacy classes for a while to develop water/hand washing stations and COVID-19 avoidance training

son; the 4 of us (her husband David died in 2015) were good friends for 35 years. I am in Florida this Winter but live in Chestnut Hill! Have two fabulous daughters: Robin, COO of Children’s Trust of Mass., and Michelle, a religion reporter for the Washington Post. Three times Outstanding Religion

In Memoriam

to a large number of communities.

Reporter in The USA and A Nieman Fellow at Harvard! Swim, Piano, Travel, Book Clubs, Charities: West End House - Children’s Trust - Fellow at Brandeis. Love to hear from and see any classmates from and near 1955!

Mr. Richard L. Bushman ’54

ROBERT O’BRIEN ’57 My days are devoted to projects: Environmental projects in Jamaica and human rights in Cuba. No way I could describe them all so I picked the Jamaica Trails Project; to restore historic trails in a UNESCO World Heritage Area, using Jamaican & International volunteers, in hopes that some younger alumni may be interested. This link has interesting pictures much better than mine. www.Jamaicatrailproject.org

HARVEY FELTON ’57 I am still working as a sales rep in New England, as I have been since my college graduation from Boston University selling to the sporting goods stores, shoe stores, and ski shops and still living in Newton, MA. Waiting for the spring and summer weather to get back on the outdoor tennis courts 3-4 times a week…and a little golf!

SIDNEY BOORSTEIN ’55 Celebrated my 84th birthday March 2021! My roommate and best friend is John McGrath ’55! My first wife Hon Beverly Boorstein died in 2016; she was remarkable! I remarried two years ago to another wonderful woman Caryn Mofen-

HENRY HASKELL ’52 My wife, Pat and I decided to winter in Maine this year. Writing my 10th book—this one about the small fishing village we live in. Miss those Tabor get-togethers in Portland, Maine.

Mrs. K. Julie Weeks Race ’42 Mr. Richard J. Pollard ’46 Mr. William H. Sargent ’46

Prof. Louis Michael Falkson ’55 Canon Richard T. Nolan ’55 Mr. Robert Mugar Yacubian ’55 Mr. Richard R. Blackinton ’58 Mr. John D. MacBain, Jr. ’59 Dr. James B. Calvin ’61 Mr. Richard Barry Swain ’61 Mr. Richard G. Littlehale ’69 Mr. Peter A. P. Plimpton ’69 Mr. Douglas S. Magee ’69 Mr. Benjamin C. Suddard ’70 Mr. Robert E. Hebden ’72 Mr. David H. Stevens ’73 Mr. Reid A. Hoover ’74 Mr. G. Robert King II ’74 Mr. Andrew J. Julian ’74 Mr. Dennis M. White ’83 Mrs. Abigail Goodchild Trotman ’90 taboracademy.org/magazine 61

ALUMNI

2020 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees In fall 2020, Tabor Academy inducted three individuals, two coaches, and one team into its Athletic Hall of Fame, marking the fourth class of inductees since its inception in 2016. To date, 27 individuals, 12 coaches, and 12 teams have been awarded Tabor’s highest athletic honor.

1947 Henley Crew Team

Coach Roderick Beebe

After much time, deliberation, and consideration, the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is proud to welcome: Spencer Gray ’57, Jean Roy ’80, Loren Milhench le Gassick ’85, Coach Bruce Cobbold, Coach Roderick Beebe, and the 1947 Henley Crew team into Tabor’s hallowed halls. Congratulations to our inductees on this well-deserved achievement! Learn more about these talented new inductees, as well as our previous inductees, online at

www.taboracademy.org/halloffame.

62 TABOR TODAY | Spring 2021

Loren Milhench le Gassick and her brother, who served as her caddy

GOING TO THE PSA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SQUASH TOURNAMENT!

Aly Hussein ’19 played in the Odense Open, a qualifying squash tournament in Denmark this June, upsetting the top-eight ranked players to win the men’s tournament. As a result of winning the tournament, he earned a place in the PSA 2020-2021 world championships squash tournament in Chicago, starting July 15. Congratulations to Aly — we wish him well in the tournament!

taboracademy.org/magazine 63

WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU? The most extraordinary gift to Tabor Academy is the one that is most meaningful to you.

A charitable gift from your estate is a thoughtful way to ensure that the part, or parts, of Tabor you care most about will endure. For example, a bequest in your estate plans can provide: • Financial aid to help students • Support for faculty benefits and professional development • Academic or athletic program support A bequest enables you to achieve your financial goals and benefit Tabor Academy. A bequest is simple to make and easy to change should you ever need the assets during your lifetime. A bequest may be right for you if: • You want to make a gift to Tabor Academy • You want the flexibility to change your mind • You want continued access to your wealth, should you need it

Tabor’s Office of Planned Giving would be happy to answer your questions about bequests or other planned gifts that can support Tabor in the way that best suits your personal and philanthropic goals. In collaboration with you, and in consultation with your legal or financial advisor, our office can help you plan, provide, and preserve an enduring future.

Contact us for TODAY more information on how to make more possible for the future. | Spring 2021 64 TABOR Amy Duffell, Director of Planned Giving • P: 508.291.8583 • E: aduffell@taboracademy.org

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TABOR B E C A USE O F YO U, TA BOR CHANGES L I VES D O W N THE STREET A N D AROUND T HE GL OBE

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TABOR July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022

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Parents of Alumni: In the interest of sustainability, we are now sending one issue per household. If this magazine is addressed to a family member who no longer maintains a permanent address with you, please e-mail us at alumni@taboracademy.org with a new address. Thank you! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE OR PASS IT ON TO A FRIEND

Tabor Today Magazine Summer 2021

Articles inside

A Salute to Salit

Letter from the Editor: Change.

View from the Bridge: Believe.

The Road to the Gold

Squash in the Olympics

Athletic Hall of Fame

Going to the Games

Olympic Sailing

Alumni Connections

The Tip of the Sword

Meet the New Head of School

The Miracle Before the Miracle on Ice

The Joy of Sports and Service

The War Torn Games

Global Citizens & Spectators

Along Front Street

Anchors Aweigh