Spring 2013 - Manlius Pebble Hill School

and who teaches 11th grade English.“She brings a real enthusiasm to theclassroom says English teacher Mr.Preston. She’s someone who enjoysreading and talking about what she’s read.She’s a real intellectual, and I like to gether perspective on literature that I haven’tread. She also has a big sense of humor.”Furthermore, as this past season washer 18th at the helm, Mrs. Bentley haslearned about coaching from teaching.“When I first started, there was a bigdistinction between my teaching style andcoaching style. I think this has changed asI have become more comfortable andconfident in coaching and teaching,” shesays. “I do learn a lot of teaching throughcoaching and vice-versa and being ateacher is very valuable for coaching.”Specifically, she says that over the yearsshe learned how to balance realistic praisewith constructive criticism and to identifystrengths and weaknesses of individualplayers and students and figure out howbest to communicate with each one.Students also take great pleasure inidentifying the idiosyncrasies that serve ashallmarks of Mrs. Bentley’s personality.When asked, players from the soccer teamenjoy talking about “Mrs. B.isms”M R S . B . I S M S :Here is a list of some of the girlsoccer players’ favorite ones.“It’s not going to be a cake walk.”CHRISTY MURPHY ’13”You’re such a goober.”VICKY GREGORY ’13“It’s a game damnit.”TERRY NETUSIL ’13“Shut up and let me finish thedirections.”SAMMY APPLEBY ’13“Fill your partners emotionalbuckets.”KATIE BLANFORD ’13common expressions that she uses as acoach and teacher (see sidebar forexamples) – although Mrs. Bentley claimsthese do not exist. She also is famousamong students for her diverse taste inmusic, including her love of the Wu-TangClan, the rap group from Staten Island,N.Y, which she discovered in college. “Igot into the Wu-Tang Clan from a friendof mine who liked them in college,” saysMrs. Bentley. “But overall I listen to a lotof different stuff. I listen to rock, hiphop.Ska is also a favorite of mine.”Music even helped conclude her team’ssuccessful season. As the final minutes ofthe game against Bishop Grimes wounddown, Mrs. Bentley stood nervously onthe sideline with her hands rappedbehind her head, pleading with her teamto clear the ball. The final whistle blew,and all the players rushed to the middleof the field to celebrate. Many of theplayers – especially the seniors, many ofwhom Mrs. Bentley has known for mostof their careers at M.P.H. – rushed toembrace her. Walking off the field, asmile began to stretch across her face.Later, on the bus, the players sungQueen’s We Are The Champions. Butbefore the final verse, Mrs. Bentleyinterrupted the victory anthem with aquestion. “Do you guys want this extrapizza?” she yelled. The players respondedwith a loud “no.” Mrs. Bentley shook herhead in disbelief, plopped back down inher seat and took a moment to relax.Then and Now... COACHESCoaches have long been an important part of our School. Leaders on and offthe field/court, they are role models and mentors. Manlius coach, Jack Lewisstopped by the Kreitzberg Family Alumni Lodge recently and followed up onhis visit with the below letter about his days as a Manlius coach.Dear Alumni Lodge:You asked about the “water bucket” and I think I can stillfeel the pain and remember the incident like it was yesterday.I coached the Red Squires which was the high school level footballteam and I scouted for and helped coach the Red Knights whichwas the college freshman level team.The Red Squires were on the road playing a team which I cannot remember but I do remember that the game was one of thosewhich we would need to grind out because nothing was goingeasy. It was just before half time and we were up by a touchdownwith a few minutes to go. The ball was on about our own 35 witha fourth down and we needed to punt the ball and go into thelocker room with a lead. I sent our punter in to kick the ball andthe next thing I see is him tucking the ball under his arm andtrying to run for a fist down. He was an excellent punter butnot a runner and naturally didn’t make the necessary yardage.In my frustration, I turned around andkicked the water bucket. The opposing teamwas filming the game from a tower behind ourbench and the water from the compressedbucket flew into the air and soaked them.They were not pleased with being wetand proceeded to insult my ancestry.I was sure that I broke my foot but I couldnot show the guys on the tower or my playersThe “bucket”that I was in severe pain because of mystupidity so I walked around like nothing hadhappened and tried to run to the locker room at half timewithout a limp. We did win the game but with more difficultythan necessary and the punter told me after the game that hewanted to be a hero and run for the first down.The next time I saw the water bucket was hanging in themiddle of our locker room where it remained till the end of theseason. At the awards ceremony after the season the teampresented me with the bucket with the writing you see in thephoto. Through time I have lost track of the bucket but ampleased that it is recoded for posterity in the Haversack. By theway I did not break my foot (although I should have).Best regards,Jack Lewis, Manlius Coach 1959-1963MPH REFLECTIONS 2013 9