Summer 2010 - The Out-of-Door Academy

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Summer 2010:Banyan 6/28/10 1:21 PM Page 3 Reflecting on the 2010 Tennis State Champions Conversation Every coach struggles with that dreaded moment of determining athletic awards for the annual sports banquet. When it came time this year to determine awards for the varsity women’s tennis team, quite frankly it was impossible to separate two young women in particular and their overwhelming contributions to the tennis team, each other, and the Out-of-Door community. Therefore, the Most Valuable Player Award was shared between freshman Caroline Dailey and senior Michelle Ramos. I could dazzle you with stats, scores, rankings, and, in Michelle’s case, six years of contributions to the varsity tennis team, but what really makes Caroline and Michelle so valuable is their commitment to the concept of TEAM. While going into districts, we felt pretty confident ~ until a major illness for Michelle quickly diminished our hopes (she played #3 State Champions Caroline Dailey ’13 (left) & Michelle Ramos ’10 (right). singles and #1 doubles). Hospitalized the day before districts with flu-like symptoms and dehydration, she had a difficult decision to make concerning the tournament and withdrew from the singles tournament in an attempt to save herself for doubles with Caroline. Everyone on the team made it perfectly clear that Michelle did not need to compete, but Michelle, with tears in her eyes, insisted. In an amazing effort, Caroline and Michelle won their first match. Through sheer determination, Michelle held on, and Caroline covered the court like she was sporting a jet-pack. It also helped that Caroline dealt out an extraordinary number of aces. Wednesday morning, Michelle still struggled with symptoms, but in a team effort, Caroline and Michelle made in through their semifinal match against Canterbury, who was overpowered by Caroline and baffled by Michelle. That afternoon, the overall team scores had ODA trailing St. Stephen's by a point, with two matches left in the tournament: #1 doubles with ODA against St. Stephen's and #2 doubles with ODA against Cardinal Mooney. In a three-set, come-from-behind match, Jinny Rostarchuk ’13 and Savannah Sleight ’13 defeated Cardinal Mooney to tie the team point count, leaving the #1 doubles match to determine district champion. In all honesty, there was no reason to believe that Out-of-Door could pull it off. For as strong as Caroline was, Michelle was physically weak, suffering with the flu for three days. Yet in a colossal three-set match, Michelle performed where she could, and Caroline was a poetic beast on the court, demonstrating why she has the #1 backhand in Florida. The two conferenced between every point to talk through the match and instill hope and strength in each other. Their victory in this one match not only secured the district championship for The Out-of-Door Academy, but also earned Michelle and Caroline a trip to the state tournament, where they played beautifully. Caroline rolled through the singles tournament, winning her quarterfinals 6-1, 6-0; semifinals 6-2, 6-1; and finals 7-5, 6-0. She then played the overall finals and won 6-3, 4-3 (retired) for the overall state championship title. Caroline followed up her individual title by joining doubles partner Michelle for the state doubles championship, which they won easily ~ dropping no more than five games in any match. The girls were great ambassadors for The Out-of-Door Academy and generated a lot of conversation among people off the court. People assume that because our school is in Sarasota, we are some sort of tennis academy. While people liked to talk about Caroline's tennis, it was nice to be able to say she was an exceptional student as well. Of course, it was just as enjoyable to tell people Michelle was going to Johns Hopkins next year and was currently taking five AP classes. Finally, I have to say I learned more about athletic desire, drive, compassion, and sacrifice from these young women, particularly in districts, than I have in over 25 years of playing and coaching. And I am proud to say that in a sport that is infamous for generating isolated individuals, Caroline Dailey and Michelle Ramos have broken the mold by demonstrating that camaraderie and companionship have a place in the world of tennis. ~ Varsity Girls’ Coach Noel Dougherty Complete results for the 2010 District Championship Lady Thunder: Caroline Dailey ’13 ~ district champ at #1 singles Jinny Rostarchuk ’13 ~ district champ at #2 singles Cheyenne Kerekes ’13 ~ district runner-up at #4 singles* Michelle Ramos ’10 & Caroline Dailey ’13 ~ district champs at #1 doubles Savannah Sleight ’13 & Jinny Rostarchuk ’13 ~ district champs at #2 doubles* *pictured at left (Sleight, Kerekes, & Rostarchuk) The Out-of-Door Academy 3
Summer 2010:Banyan 6/28/10 1:22 PM Page 4 ALL-SCHOOL NEWS Ron Clark Presentation During the summer of 2009, Lower School teachers Cheryl Lenz and Renee Pitts attended The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, and were spellbound by the exciting classrooms complete with dramatic themes. The school’s philosophy that teachers and parents should raise their standards to expect the best from their students has created an extraordinary academic record and inspired teachers around the globe. While our very own Out-of-Door faculty members enjoyed their thoughtprovoking and stimulating weekend, nothing quite compared to their winning ticket ~ the prize being a free trip for Mr. Clark to visit The Out-of-Door Academy and talk with the students and teachers. On the last night of the conference, Delta Airlines sponsored a raffle drawing for two free tickets to anywhere in the United States to which Delta flies. Our teachers both purchased tickets (which raised money for The Ron Clark Academy) and soon found out that they won. Mr. Clark suggested that they hold on to their tickets, then offered personal visits to two schools ~ one which included Out-of-Door. So on March 2, Mr. Clark visited the Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch and shared his passion and excitement with The Out-of-Door Academy. By following his Essential 55 rules, teachers and parents alike can discover and unleash a successful student in every child. Teachers from as far away as Orlando came to hear Mr. Clark’s talk on “Raising Test Scores and Student Achievement.” Our Lower School teachers use The Essential 55 everyday in their classrooms and find it quite useful and inspiring. Ron Clark has been called "America's Educator." In 2000, he was named Disney's American Teacher of the Year. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose book, The Essential 55, has sold over 1 million copies and has been published in 25 different countries. He has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, and Oprah, and Ms. Winfrey even named him as her first "Phenomenal Man." His classes have been honored at the White House on three separate occasions. Ron's teaching experiences in New York City are the subject of the uplifting film, The Ron Clark Story, starring Matthew Perry (from www.ronclarkacademy.com). 4 The Banyan (Top) The winning ticket holders, third grade teacher Renee Pitts and fifth grade teacher Cheryl Lenz, along with Head of School David Mahler, welcome Mr. Ron Clark to The Out-of-Door Academy. (Middle) Ron Clark meets some of Mrs. Pitts’ third grade students before his presentation in the Petrik Thunderdome. (Bottom) Book signing and reception in the lobby of the new Arts Center.
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Summer 2010 - The Out-of-Door Academy

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