Tower School's Athletic Season Recap

The Athletic Program at Tower is an important part of Tower School’s culture. The lessons and values taught by our coaches are integral to our students’ education. Our coaches support and encourage our athletes, and foster a desire to work hard, to practice good sportsmanship, and to have fun. Our athletes show great school spirit as they proudly wear their uniforms.

As the 2012-2013 athletic season came to a close, it was wonderful to reflect upon the accomplishments of Tower’s athletes. Whether this success revealed itself in a student’s first-ever goal in lacrosse, a comeback victory in basketball, a runner’s improved time in a cross-country meet, a goalie’s crucial save in soccer, or in a student’s courage in overcoming fear of climbing the rock wall, I enjoyed seeing all of our students find tremendous personal and team success this year.

Our coaching staff had the pleasure of helping Tower athletes reach for success in a variety of areas. Here are a few of our memorable coaching experiences from this year.

Girls’ JV Basketball
It was the seventh game of the girls’ JV basketball season. The team was relatively new to the sport of basketball, yet full of energy, hard work, and team camaraderie. They enjoyed their time together on the court, playing and practicing. Although we’d had some hard-fought and close games, we had yet to be victorious, which would have left most teams feeling defeated. But this group of seven girls went into every game more excited than the last.

As the game started, everything they had worked on so hard all season seemed to come together. They played as a team, passing the ball around the perimeter, driving to the hoop, rebounding with enthusiasm, and sinking their shots. As the game went on and they got closer to their first victory, their excitement and team spirit grew. I remember talking to one player who was on the bench at the time, congratulating her on all of the baskets she had scored, as she was the leading scorer on the team in the game. Her first response was to give the credit to her teammates for working to pass her the ball at the right time. I was amazed by her selflessness. As the final buzzer sounded and the girls congratulated one another and the other team on a game well-played, I remember thinking that this is what middle school sports was all about. The team had learned the rewards of hard work, had played as a team rather than as individuals, were supportive of each other, won the game with class and sportsmanship, and had fun doing so.

Girls’ Lacrosse
It was the second game of the season, and the coaches decided a particular player should play center. When playing center in girls’ lacrosse you “take the draw”, which starts the ball in play. This is often seen as an intimidating task to undertake. This brand new player to the sport was called to the sideline and given one minute to learn the draw process. The coach asked, “Are you ready?” The athlete replied with a smile, “I’ll try.” The athlete returned to the field to gain control of the next three draws.

Willingness to try something new to better the team is a valuable skill.  The confidence in yourself to execute the new skill with a team and fans watching is what athletics is about.

Cross-Country
At the end of each season, cross-country teams compete in an invitational meet with over 1,000 other Massachusetts middle school runners. During the invitational, Tower’s runners challenged themselves against other runners, many of whom seemed bigger and more experienced. But at the end of each race, our runners realized that their efforts throughout the season had prepared them for this competition.

During each event, instead of hanging out at the group tent area, there was a noticeable presence of Tower kids running up and down the course cheering for their fellow teammates. By the end of the afternoon many parents and coaches approached me to ask where Tower was, and how big our team was because they had been seeing them all afternoon, all over the course, and they were so impressed! Afterward, the coaches heard phrases like, “That was amazing! I ran my fastest yet.” This was an extremely proud moment for Tower’s runners. The team gained a new respect and appreciation for the sport of running.

JV Boys’ Basketball
JV Boys’ Basketball is a great place for young men to learn about the game of basketball, themselves, and their peers.  Our season was one long success, but it’s not measured by a record alone (8-3). Their success can’t be quantified, really, but every player on the team grew tremendously and learned how to complement the other players on the team.

JV Girls’ Soccer
Developing team spirit was a self-driven focus for the eighth graders on the girls’ JV soccer team. They dedicated their season to being leaders and mentors, whether they had the label of captain or not. Welcoming sixth graders to the athletics program for the first time, cheering on a teammate from the field or sideline, or crashing on a teammate after a significant play.

Congratulations to all Tower athletes this year on all of their personal and team successes.

Go Tigers!

Webb Thompson
Athletics Director, Tower School