Summer heat did not deter 4 rising juniors, and 2 of their mothers, from working hard to give the Loeffler Field terrace a facelift.
Jake Krosse, Luke Yeager, Brendan Lesch and Mikey Scott (from left in photo above), and parents Lisa Krosse and Debbie Yeager, washed the wooden and granite seating. Still to come: staining and weeding.
THANKS to all for helping keep The Hill the best spot to watch high school soccer in at least the state.
With recent schedule changes, more than half of this fall’s 10 Staples boys soccer away matches will be played at night.
Brien McMahon (Wednesday, September 23, 7 p.m.); Danbury (Friday, September 25, 7 p.m.); Norwalk (Tuesday, October 6, 7:30 p.m.), Ridgefield (Friday, October 16, 6 p.m.) and Central (Wednesday, October 28, 6 p.m.) have all asked the Wreckers to play under the lights.
Brookfield (Saturday, October 10, 6 p.m.) had previously been scheduled for after dark.
“It’ll be fun,” said Staples head coach Dan Woog. “Night matches let plenty of fans see our games who otherwise couldn’t. There’s a special atmosphere — and because so many post-season games are at night, it’s a good way to prepare.
“We’ll be traveling a lot this year, but we’ll be going to some great spots. Danbury and McMahon recently upgraded their facilities. Norwalk’s got nice new turf, and because we’re so close and such rivals, that game will definitely pack them in. And Tiger Hollow in Ridgefield is a very classy stadium.”
“Of course,” Woog added, “there’s no place like The Hill.”
(For a complete schedule — including varsity and junior varsity — click on the “This Season” tab at the top of the www.StaplesSoccer.com home page.)
Fairfield Ludlowe High School -- under the lights -- was the site for last fall's FCIAC semifinals. A large and boisterous crowd cheered the Wreckers on to victory.
Posted in General news
Driver ed is a rite of passage — and always tough to schedule, especially during soccer season.
Top Driver — a national driving school — has come up with a novel way to help.
If there is common interest among 10 or more student-athletes, they’ll create a special class to work around team schedules.
In addition, for every player who signs up through this referral, Top Driver will contribute $20 to the Staples boys soccer program.
Click here for more information on the Westport Top Driver school, and here for the sign-up form.
Sean Milligan
The former Staples and Dartmouth goalkeeper earned an international start for Greenock Morton FC, a Scottish Football League First Division club.
(UPDATE: Morton lost 3-1, but Milligan is enjoying his time with the club. The biggest differences at that level, he says, are physicality and speed of play. Click here to read more from the Dartmouth website.)
Currently on a trial with the team, Milligan was given the nod when the team’s starting keeper was injured. Milligan’s match — a friendly — came against Unirea Urziceni, 2008-09 Premier League of Romania Champions.
At Dartmouth, Milligan played on 2 Ivy championship and 3 NCAA tournament teams. He earned first team All-Ivy honors as a junior and senior, and NSCAA All-Northeast accolades both years. He graduated as Dartmouth’s all-time leader in career goals-against average (0.824), and tied for career shutouts record with 18. He set a school record with 9 shutouts in 2007.
To follow Greenock Morton — and Milligan — click here.
The 2009 Staples boys soccer calendar is online. All tryout, training and game sites and times for all 3 boys teams are there — along with special events like the car wash, Quiz Night and varsity pasta dinners.
Click here to access the calendar. It’s also available from the “Calendar” tab at the top of the www.StaplesSoccer.com page. Either way, be sure to bookmark it. And remember to check often: Sites and times often change!
The owner of Geringer Global Travel in Westport has designed a special 14-night, fully escorted luxury tour with great hotels and sepecial events. Limited to 16 people, it is set for January 14-30, 2010.
Susan’s tour will cover Mumbai, Aurangabad (with the Ajanta and Ellora caves), Delhi, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Included are most meals; dinner with a local family; cave excursions; horse, camel, elephant and boat rides, and a visit to the Taj Mahal at sunset.
“India is extremely rich in art, architecture, history, culture, customs and its people,” Susan — who 1st visited the country in 1980 — says. “It is a country of extreme contrasts. But what is constant is the warmth and hospitality of the people. Visiting India will make you view life differently. India has touched me deeply, and will always have a special place in my heart. I hope you can join me on this exciting trip.”
Geringer is also an executive board member of the New York chapter of the Pacific Asian Travel Association. For information, call her at 203-216-7106 or 877-255-7438; email her (susan@geringerglobaltravel.com), or click on www.geringerglobaltravel.com.)
The email came Tuesday, June 30.
“Apologies for the late notice,” the National Security Council press aide wrote. But could Paul Baumann ’69 meet with President Obama a few days later, prior to his meeting with the pope in Rome?
Baumann said he’d rearrange his schedule. No apology necessary.
Paul Baumann
The former Staples and Wesleyan University soccer star — now editor of Commonweal, the nation’s leading lay Catholic opinion journal — had no idea what to expect. Arriving at the West Wing of the White House last Thursday, he found 7 other religion journalists. Each would ask 1 question. They divided topics, to cover as much ground as possible.
After they were ushered into the Roosevelt Room, next to the Oval Office, the president entered. He greeted each person with a handshake, then sat at the middle of the conference table directly across from Baumann.
The intimate meeting lasted 45 minutes. During his turn Baumann asked how he could get an invitation to play basketball with the president. Obama laughed, and said Reggie Love — his assistant who won a national championship at Duke — would have to check out Baumann’s game.
Turning serious, Baumann asked about a group of pro-life and abortion rights activists that the administration has brought together to find common ground. Obama reiterated the key points of his Notre Dame commencement speech, saying that despite one level of “irreducible difference,” both sides can work together to reduce the number of abortions.
Baumann found the president to be “friendly, responsive, articulate, thoughtful, and eager to put people at ease. He was very comfortable talking about Catholic stuff, and very sincere when talking about religion generally. Aside from abortion and a few other issues, he ‘speaks Catholic’ well, especially when discussing social justice teachings.”
Baumann — who has a master of the arts of religion degree from Yale — adds: “He is quite aware that he has become something of a proxy figure, as either a villain or a hero, in the long-running battle between so-called liberal and so-called conservative Catholics.”
And, says Baumann, “I’d be happy to return to the Roosevelt Room any time. On even shorter notice.”
…of Rylie. She’s 6 pounds, 1 ounce.
Rylie, Darin — and, of course, mother Jenny — are all doing fine!
Posted in Alumni
Alan Reiter and Brendan Lesch’s Beachside U-17 team went 3-0 in US Youth Soccer Region I championship group play in West Virginia — and did not give up a goal. But their run at the national Final 4 ended with a 2-1 semifinal defeat, to Seacoast United. Lesch scored on a volley from 20 late in the match, after a penalty kick and keeper error gave the Maine side the lead. Seacoast lost 2-0, in overtime, in the regional finals.
The U-14s, featuring rising sophomores Aaron Liu, Jake Malowitz and Taylor McNair, lost to reigning champ Dix Hills Thunder (3-2) and drew with Western New York’s Empire United (1-1). Their final 1st round match was rained out.
Beachside’s U-12 squad — with future Staples hopefuls Griffin Garner, Jordan McNair, Johnny Osorio and Kyle Zajec — brought home the club’s 1st regional title ever. They were 3-0 in group play — outscoring opponents 12-1 — before dispatching nearby rival FC Westchester 3-1 in the semifinals. The final, played this morning, was a thrilling 1-0 victory over Manhattan Kickers.
Congratulations to all 8 Westporters, and to Beachside Soccer Club!
Kyle Zajec, Jordan McNair, Griffen Garner and Johnny Osorio pose with their U-12 hardware. (Photo by Carl McNair)
The tryout schedule for the 2009 Staples boys soccer program is set. The revised schedule below includes an additional tryout for 9th graders.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No one will be allowed to try out unless a physical form (with a physical conducted within the past year) AND parent permission form have been sent to the Staples nurses’ office. These are forms A, B and C — they are downloadable from the Staples High School website (click here), or at the Staples nurses’ office. Please also send copies of these forms to: Dan Woog, 301 Post Road East, Westport, CT 06880.
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10th, 11th, 12th Grades — All tryouts at Wakeman B
All candidates please bring water, and a soccer ball
Saturday, August 29: 7:30-10 a.m. AND 5-7 p.m.
Sunday, August 30: 8-10 a.m. AND 5-7 p.m.
Tryouts for select candidates will continue:
Monday, August 31: 10 a.m.-12 noon; 5-7 p.m.
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9th Grade — All tryouts at Wakeman B
All candidates please bring water, and a soccer ball
Saturday, August 29: 12-2 p.m.
Sunday, August 30: 12-2 p.m.
Monday, August 31: 12-2 p.m. (as needed)
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All candidates are expected to attend all tryout sessions. Tryouts will continue as long as necessary to determine varsity, junior varsity and freshman squads. Freshman candidates may be invited to try out for varsity after 1st trying out for the freshman squad — all freshmen start with the freshman tryouts.
Questions? Email head coach Dan Woog: dwoog@optonline.net, or call him at 203-227-1755.
Every team in the state will be gunning for the FCIAC champion, state semifinalist Staples squad in 2009. Players who train the hardest in the off-season have the best chance of making the squad.
