Winter Athletic Season: A Preview
With temperatures in the Boston-area at a chilly 30 degrees in early December, the ski team hopes that their dry-land practices will soon be a thing of the past. With no snow on the ground, the ski team will make use of the weight rooms and frosty fields to get in shape for the ski season. Led by captains Emily Oatis and Scott Motejunas the ski team looks forward to a stellar season on the slopes.

The boys’ squash team returns to the Williams Squash Courts this week hoping to serve up another spectacular performance in its 38th season. The squash team ended the 2002 season with an 11-2-0 record, an ISL championship and a 5th place finish in the New England Tournament. Captains Jonathan Barry and Andrew Burmon hope to lead the team’s 17 returning players and a few new recruits to the ISL championship again this year.

With a 2nd place finish in the ISL last year, the girls’ squash team is back and ready to fight for the top spot this season. Co-captains Cristina Ros and Liz Berylson have lofty yet attainable goals for their squad—not only to win the ISL, but to rank in the top five at New England’s this season. On hand to help them reach their goals is head coach Jack Wyant. New to Milton, Jack was once ranked number three in the US men’s professional league. With seven returning varsity players, the girls squash team looks strong early in the season.

Just around the corner from the Williams’ Squash courts in the ACC Rink, the boys’ hockey team is planning its attack for the 2003-2004 season. The team hopes that the addition of a fall training program will ready them for the more than 20 contests in which they will compete over the next few months. Head coach Paul Cannata will use his experience at both the national and collegiate levels to help the team rebound from last year’s 2-24-1 season.

The girl’s hockey team led by coach Lisa Stirling and captains Elspeth Macmillan and Anna Ghublikian are looking for a shot at post-season play this year. Nine of last year’s squad members return to the ice this year. The team will open its 18-game season against New Hampton, Exeter and Brooks.

It will be a building year for the boys basketball program. With only one returning player, this year’s varsity hopes to bounce back after graduating 12 seniors from the 2002-2003 team. A number of last year’s JV contingent will make the jump to varsity this year. Those players combined with several faces from last year’s third team hope to contribute to early season success for the Mustangs. Coach Jeff Jackson will look for ultimate effort from each and every player. The team will open the season against Groton and Thayer.

Down the street at the UMass Boston pool, the boys’ and girls’ swim teams are hoping to make quite a splash this winter. Coaches Bob Tyler and Jamie Larochelle and captains Courtney Fitzpatrick and Jon LaRochelle are hopeful this season will even surpass last year’s successful run; the boys’ finished 8th at the new England tournament last year while the girls’ finished 11th. The graduation of three sprint freestylers will leave big gaps in the boys’ relays but a combination of returning underclassmen and some new blood will fill those positions. The girls' squad will miss departing captain and three time record holder Krista Nylen ’03, and although the remaining team members will need to work hard to fill that void, the team has the speed and versatility to power through and finish big.

The wrestling team led by captain Brooks Diehl is hoping to improve upon last year’s successful season. Coaches Chris Hales and Bill Hamel will work the boys hard in practices so that they are in top physical shape. The wrestling team will open the season against Thayer and NHS. Making their way into the top three at the ISL tournament, the top 10 at the New England’s, and first at the Northern New England’s are among the team’s greater goals this season.

The volleyball team has its hopes set on a repeat of last year. The 2002-2003 team won the New England’s tournament and ended the regular season with a remarkable 18-1 record. Led by coach Marijke Alsbach and captains Tiz Mogollon and Chrissy Hobbs this year’s team will open the season against Concord, Lawrence and Bancroft.