John Taylor Babbitt '07 Memorial Field | alumni ... - Pingry School

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[ THE HISTORY OF PINGRY ATHLETICS ] 10 the pingry review Several current faculty members have been coaching at least one sport for many years and continue their dedication to the athletes and the sport(s): Tom Boyer: Football for 27 years (Varsity Head Coach, Varsity Assistant Coach, and Middle School Head Coach at different times) Miller Bugliari ’52: Varsity Soccer for 50 years Joe Forte: Golf for 24 years; Wrestling for 22 years (1982-2004); Middle School Wrestling and Middle School Football for 20 years Tim Grant: Girls’ Varsity Track for 19 years; Girls’ Varsity Cross Country for 13 years Brian LaFontaine: Freshman Soccer for 18 years (1982-2000); Varsity Hockey for 14 years; Freshman and Junior Varsity Lacrosse for 18 years (1982-2000) Judy Lee: Swimming and Field Hockey for 24 years Ted Li: Boys’ Varsity Fencing for 34 years; Girls’ Varsity Fencing for 32 years John Raby: Boys’ Varsity Cross Country for 14 years; Middle School Cross Country for 2 years (1993-1994) Bill Reichle: Varsity Swimming for 22 years Manny Tramontana: Junior Varsity Soccer for 44 years; Varsity Baseball for 31 years (1976-2007); Basketball for 13 years; Baseball for 11 years Mike Webster: Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse for 21 years; Assistant Coach for Upper School Football for 13 years (1987-2000); Varsity Football for 5 years (2001-2005) Directors of Athletics since Coach Les George Christow – 1973 to 1981 Tom Johnson ’59 – 1981 to 1984 Frank Antonelli – 1984 to 1990 Paul Kennedy – 1990 to 1995 Mike Webster – 1995 to 2001 Jo Ann De Martini – 2001 to 2005 Gerry Vanasse – 2005 to present more sports offerings (skiing, water polo, girls’ hockey, girls’ golf), more teams (35 Varsity and JV teams; 80 combined Middle and Upper School teams), and more gear (including team sweatshirts, practice uniforms, game uniforms, alternate jerseys, and hats). As of the 2008-09 school year, under Director of Athletics Gerry Vanasse, there are almost 150 coaching positions, and boys and girls at Pingry can choose from among 20 different sports, almost all of which are offered at the varsity, junior varsity, and Middle School levels. Fall teams include cross country, field hockey, football, soccer, girls’ tennis, and water polo; winter teams include basketball, fencing, ice hockey, skiing, squash, swimming, track and field, and wrestling; and spring teams include baseball, golf, lacrosse, softball, boys’ tennis, and track and field. The seasons are also longer—traditional spring sports such as baseball and lacrosse have leagues that play in the fall and compete for athletes playing in-season sports such as football and soccer. The increased importance of athletics at Pingry mirrors the fact that sports have taken on a heightened significance in the larger society. For better or worse, sports on all levels—high school, college, amateur, professional, Left: NJISRA Slalom Championship, 2008 Trophy First place, girls Right: NJISAA Girls Cross Country “A” Division Champions, 1999 Trophy Above: Former Athletic Directors Reese Williams, left, and Vincent L. Lesneski and fantasy—are more important to more people today than ever before. However, even with the continued expansion of Pingry athletics, the emphasis remains on academics with an ultimate goal of a healthy balance between academics and sports. There may now be “more” of everything sports-related at Pingry, but, ironically, there are fewer traditional three-sport athletes. The growth of sports camps, the development of speed and strength training, and the competitive nature of high school and college admissions have contributed to some Pingry students choosing to specialize in one sport. There are still many multi-sport athletes, but, in addition to playing for their Pingry teams, some athletes specialize in one sport for the whole year through various club/league teams and private training programs. Sports specialization and the growth of club teams have improved the skill levels of many Pingry athletes and teams. With 23 years of coaching experience at Pingry, field hockey and swimming coach Judy Lee has noticed that, with more athletes playing at a younger age and playing more often, she now spends less time in field hockey practice on skills development and more time on teaching advanced skills. “Soccer
and swimming used to be the only sports with grass-roots programs that developed experienced athletes before their arrival at Pingry, but, now, other sports are doing the same through the availability of year-round teams and programs,” Coach Lee says. As a result, the unfortunate overuse injuries that used to be limited to soccer knees and swimmer shoulders have now spread to athletes in other sports. The history and growth of the athletics program through several generations of Pingry students is one way of measuring how the school has evolved since its founding in 1861. The success of Pingry athletics cannot be measured only in terms of wins, trophies, and banners— even though there are a lot of each of them at Pingry. The true history and success of Pingry sports rest on the lessons learned: practice, dedication, camaraderie, character, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Its success is also measured by the lifelong influence that players and coaches have on one another as a result of sharing their Pingry years together. The Pingry tradition of excellence and honor exists not only in the classrooms and hallways, but also on the fields, on the courts, on the track, and in the pool. Stop and watch—you will see Pingry at its best. Above: 1996-97 Girls Swimming (14-1) Parochial B State Champions Prep Overall State Champions Pope John XXIII Invitational Champions The Pingry Spirit Flag: A Source of Pride and Inspiration Freshman Dan Keller carries the Pingry Spirit Flag Invented thousands of years ago as a practical means for identifying different groups of combatants on the field of battle, flags quickly became appreciated for lifting spirits and boosting morale in the midst of struggle and hardship. These symbols have provided inspiration and encouragement by evoking feelings of loyalty, honor, and community. These emotions are woven into the fabric of the new Pingry “Big Blue” Spirit Flag, which is now unfurled at “Flag Days”—all of the major sporting events. Director of Athletics Gerry Vanasse, the driving force behind the effort to adopt the new flag, knew that such a symbol would ignite the spark of “Pingry Pride” that can help lead the school’s teams and athletes to victory. “Each time the Pingry Spirit Flag unfurls, I’m reminded of the exceptional pride and passion that the athletes and coaches, as well as the entire Pingry community, share for our school and its sports teams,” he says. Mr. Vanasse and the coaching staff are aware that Pingry students must transition from an intense academic schedule during the day to a highly competitive athletic environment during the afternoons and evenings. The Pingry Spirit Flag is designed to be a rallying point around which the athletes, student body, and loyal fans can get “pumped-up” before, during, and after each competition. Pingry’s colors fly when points are scored, big plays are made, and victories are won, or any time the athletes and fans need that extra jolt of energy. The athletes are especially encouraged by the intimidating message that is delivered to a tough opponent each time the flag is unfurled. The visual symbol of “Big Blue,” combined with inspirational music at the beginning of each event, has been shown to create excitement among the Pingry faithful. The prestige associated with the honor of carrying the flag also creates a high level of interest among the students— in fact, those who carry the flag often earn their own identity based on their flag-waving skills and ability to energize the crowd. One such person is freshman Dan “The Flag Man” Keller, who has carried the flag at two soccer games and two football games and takes pride when wielding the Pingry standard aloft. “Your whole school should be a part of big games because [school spirit] definitely goes a long way for the players on the field. By carrying the flag, it’s like I’m doing my part to promote school spirit and get people excited about the game,” he says. In the face of intense competition, it is reassuring for the athletes to know that the school stands with them, united under the Pingry Spirit Flag in the tradition of excellence and honor. 11 winter 2009
Page 1 and 2: John Taylor Babbitt ’07 Memorial
Page 3 and 4: PINGRY THE PINGRY REVIEW 6Winning i
Page 5 and 6: A Letter from the Headmaster In add
Page 7 and 8: A Message from the Chair I am delig
Page 9 and 10: Spirit and Sportsmanship Shape Athl
Page 11: college freshman teams. In 1959, Ri
Page 15 and 16: On the night of Sunday, February 26
Page 17 and 18: The family of John Taylor Babbitt
Page 19 and 20: From left: Conor Malloy (II), Fenci
Page 21 and 22: Cornwall Field Cornwall Field, the
Page 23 and 24: Williams Field and generosity to th
Page 25 and 26: William D. Ju, M.D. Donna Kreisbuch
Page 27 and 28: 7 6 6 Honorary Trustee Fred Bartens
Page 29 and 30: AED + CPR = Pingry Saving Lives For
Page 31 and 32: means the university gives him proj
Page 33 and 34: Faculty and Staff New to Pingry in
Page 35 and 36: Scene Around Campus 5 5 Students we
Page 37 and 38: May 14-16, 2009 50th Reunion for th
Page 39 and 40: 3 1 Headmaster Nat Conard, Coach Bu
Page 41 and 42: [started coaching] to help Coach [T
Page 43 and 44: Lindsay Holmes ’99 Lindsay Holmes
Page 45 and 46: The Hall Awa it s the Greats The an
Page 47 and 48: 7 Alumni/ae Soccer Games on Septemb
Page 49 and 50: Class Notes 1945 Bob Nutt: “I sho
Page 51 and 52: 1979 From left: Genesia (Perlmutter
Page 53 and 54: 1995 BIRTHS Kimberly (Vormschlag) W
Page 55 and 56: [ in memoriam ] Union Carbide analy
Page 57 and 58: Elizabeth Frazier; father of Ava an
Page 59 and 60: pingryl alumni calendar of upcoming

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