overview

The following awards were given this winter by coaches recognizing individual players for their contribution to the team:

Varsity Girls Basketball
Defensive Player of the Year - Jessie Couture
Dedication, Desire, Discipline - Krystal Barr
Offensive Player of the Year - Jenna Goodall

Gymnastics
Coaches’ Award - Ami Curtis, Sarah Corp
Unsung Hero Award - Jenny Sturgis

Nordic Ski
Coaches’ Award - Larissa Kehne
Most Dedicated Skier - Charlie Hoffert, Becca Coryell
Most Outstanding Skier - Noah Comen, Chelsea Evans
Most Valuable Skier - Kelcie Bean

Alpine Ski
Most Valuable Skier - Robert Thompson, Melanie Hoermann
Most Determined to Finish - Brittany Miracle
Rock of the Team - Ken Koonz, Mary Beth Clay

Boys Ice Hockey
Academic All*Star - Ethan Marshall
Playmaker Award - Steven Gonyaw
Most Valuable Player - Corey Johnson

Girls Ice Hockey
Most Valuable Player - Kelly Whitcomb
Academic All*Star - Brittany Clark
Playmaker Award - Jyneva Pickel

JV Boys Basketball
Defensive Player of the Year - Jack Shea
Most Valuable Player - Trevor Cote
Most Valuable Player - Carter Austin-Bradley

JV Girls Basketball
Most Valuable Defensive Player - Kirsten Lawson
Most Improved Player - Sophie Puleio
Most Improved Player - Brittany Roberts

alpine skiing
Alpine skiing (or downhill skiing) evolved from cross-country skiing when ski lift infrastructure was developed at mountain resorts to tow skiers back to the top of slopes, thus making it possible to repeatedly enjoy skiing down steep, long slopes that would be otherwise too tiring to climb up.

Competitive skiing is broken up into two disciplines: Freestyle and Racing. Racing involves making fast turns around gates in an attempt to get the fastest overall time down a course. Slalom, GS, Super-G, and Downhill are the 4 racing disciplines, with Downhill being the fastest event and Slalom being the most technical. Freestyle skiing incorporates events such as Moguls, aerial acrobatics, and skiier cross.  A typical high school meet in Vermont combines Slalom and Giant Slalom (GS).

varsity schedule (PDF)

basketball
A Canadian, James Naismith, takes the credit for inventing the game of basketball. As a new faculty member at the YMCA's International Training School (later Springfield College) in Massachusetts, Naismith was challenged by his physical education director to develop a new recreational game "that would provide relief from all the calisthenics and drills." He was set on using a ball and didn't want the players just to run with it. Then he thought it would be more fun if the goals were raised. Eventually, Naismith came up with 13 basic rules, hung peach baskets up in the gym and hoped his students would play. He wasn't disappointed. Hundreds joined in. He didn't make a penny from his invention, but he got to see his new game introduced as a new Olympic sport in 1936 (Berlin) just three years before he passed away. Today basketball is arguably one of the most popular sports. It has grown to become a game not for a specific culture or nation or ethnic group, but for an entire planet to share and enjoy.

boys' basketball schedule | girls' basketball scheule | freshman boys' schedule | freshman girls' schedule

middle school boys' basketball schedule A | middle school boys' schedule B | middle school girls' schedule A

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gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings and handstands. It developed from fitness exercises used by ancient Greek soldiers, including skills for mounting and dismounting a horse, and circus performance skills. It is often considered a dangerous sport, as the difficult acrobatic maneuvers often performed on equipment high above the ground puts the athlete at risk of injury.

Girl Gymnasts in Vermont compete on Floor, Uneven Bars, Vault, and Beam. Though routines performed on each event may be short, they are physically exhausting and push the gymnast's strength, flexibility, endurance, and awareness to the limit. Vault: Gymnasts sprint down a runway, usually about 75 feet long, before leaping on a springboard and holding their bodies straight while punching (blocking using only a shoulder movement) the vault and flipping over to a standing position. In advanced gymnastics, twists are added before landing. Uneven Bars: Women competing on this event must hold themselves in a series of dares while leaping and even flying between two bars. Beam: The balance beam is an event which pushes balance, awareness especially. The beam itself is about 125cm high, 5m long and 10cm wide. Routines include tumbling, turns, upside down feats and a leap series. Floor: The floor is a carpeted area, 12m x 12m, usually springed. Gymnasts perform a series of tumbling and dance moves to music in a routine that lasts between 60-90 seconds.

our teams
Gymnastics is a sport that involves balance, strength, concentration, confidence, persistence and dedication. The U-32 junior high and varsity teams practice at the North Stars gym in Berlin, VT. This team has continued to improve each year!

U-32 has a strong group of young gymnasts. We know that you will continue to see great things from this group in the future. They work very hard and are full of potential. If you are interested in joining this team, sign up next year and give it a try!

high school gymnastics schedule | middle school gymnastics schedule

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ice hockey
The history of ice hockey is one of the most contested in all of sports. The city of Montreal had been traditionally credited with being the birthplace of hockey, but early paintings contest this claim; a 16th-century Dutch painting shows a number of townsfolk playing a hockey-like game on a frozen canal. The origin of the word hockey is officially unknown, but may derive from the Old French word hoquet, shepherd's crook.

The rules of modern ice hockey were devised by Canadian J.G.A. Creighton. In 1875, the first game of ice hockey with Creighton's rules was played in Montreal, Canada. Today, ice hockey is an Olympic sport and the most popular team sport played on ice. Ice hockey is played with two opposing teams wearing ice skates. Unless there is a penalty, each team has six players on the ice at a time. The aim of the game is to knock the hockey puck into the opposing team's net. The net is guarded by a player called the goalie.

Ice hockey is one of the fastest growing women's sports in the world, with the number of participants increasing 400% in the last 10 years. The chief difference between women's and men's ice hockey is that bodychecking is not allowed in women's ice hockey. One woman, Manon Rhéaume, appeared as a goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a preseason game hosting the St. Louis Blues, and in 2003 Hayley Wickenheiser made history by becoming the first woman skater to play in a men's ice hockey league when she signed with a team in the Finnish league.

our teams
boy's varsity ice hockey 2009-10
“The strength of the wolf is in the pack, and the strength of the pack is in the wolf.” --Rudyard Kipling

“Play every game like it’s your last game.” Good sportsmanship, perseverance and integrity are the cornerstones on which this team is built. The Raiders play for the love of the game, every game.

Good goaltending is a must for any successful team and luckily for the Raiders they have an experienced tender in Joey Carriveau. Mikey Bresette will be a first year varsity tender and looking to push Joey and steal time whenever possible. Returning “D” a.k.a “Men in Black” are Connor Myer, Trevor Lamberton, Jordan Sarracco, Stuart Laperle, Kyle Elliot and MHS Tranfer Derrick Chapin. All six are experienced “D” men who prefer the “North American” style of hockey.

The Raiders will be returning 5 of their top 6 forwards with seniors Corey Johnson, Caleb Brabant, Elias Lacount, Kenny Bresette, and junior Joey Nailor. Look for Brinton Parker, Isaac Beaupre and freshman Cole Mugford to battle it out for a spot on the top two lines as they are all capable of “lighting the lamp.” Newcomers and first year varsity players Brock Allen, Kyle Ferguson, Cooper Hatch and Forrest Smith round out the team and will be relied upon to give the Raiders a little extra something in the tank come crunch time.

This blue collar team will be punching the clock all they way to the “GUT.” Be prepared to be outworked opponents because this year’s squad in unionized and they want to taste the dividends of their blood, sweat and tears!

boys' hockey schedule

girl's varsity ice hockey 2009-2010
If the Raiders are looking to improve on last year's 11-8-1 record they will have to do so without any seniors. All though they lack seniors, they certainly do not lack leadership. The Raiders return 6 juniors, all of whom are incredible athletes and very capable leaders. Up front Esther Peterson and Jyneva Pickel look to continue their chemistry by picking up where they left off last season. Both Esther and Jyneva are capable playmakers and goal scorers. The defense will be anchored by juniors Katie Kreis and Gabby Coletti. This dynamic duo is “rock” solid. Opposing forwards “beware,” because you will be shut down. If for some chance there is a momentary “lapse of reason” and an opposing forward gets around the Raiders “D” you will meet the anchor of our “D,” junior goaltender Ashley Vincent. Ashley is a wall between the pipes and her glove hand is still hot from softball! Due to a season ending injury in soccer our 6th junior, Abi Staab, will be “Captain of the Managers” and offering lots of support from the bench. Her ability to play both forward and defense will be sorely missed; however, her positive “can-do” attitude will fuel our team.

After a successful freshman season sophomores Emily Aylward and Alicia Danyew are looking to make as large of an impact as possible. Freshmen Zoe Myers, Erika Gonyaw, Kasey Donna, Mindy Sterling and Caroline Pettinato are ready, willing and able to log serious ice time this season. The Lady Raiders also welcome, and are grateful for, newcomers Metta Sairs, Paige Schneider, Claire Puleio, Brianna Breer and Tara Fitzgerald.

The Raiders proved they have heart, stamina and discipline by winning the longest playoff game in Vermont girl’s history last season. Now let’s see if they have the persistence, courage and confidence to take the next step….A State Championship?!

girls' hockey schedule

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nordic skiing
Nordic skiing (also known as cross country skiing) is a winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields. There are two basic techniques practiced in high school nordic skiing.

classical
Cross-country skiers use a running-like action to move when on level ground or uphill. When full bodyweight is placed on the ski to flatten it against the snow, the center section of a classic ski will either have "fish scales," or ski wax that will stick to the snow. This gives the skier grip with which they can propel themselves forward. Skiers also use poles to assist with balance and propulsion, in varying amounts depending on terrain, fatigue and speed. The arm opposite the leading foot is reached forward and the pole is planted. During races in the classic technique, flat and very slight uphill terrain will be double poled, where the skier keeps their legs together and pushes simultaneously with both poles. At intermediate speeds, a "kick-double-pole" technique is sometimes used when the skier is still moving too quickly to diagonal stride, but is having difficulty double poling. Some long races in reasonably flat terrain will see racers double poling almost exclusively for the majority of the race. The classical style is often performed on prepared trails that have pairs of parallel grooves cut into the snow, one for each ski, and consequently a special long, narrow and light ski is usually used.

free
Free technique, or skating, involves the skier pushing one ski outward with the ski angled, so that the inner edge of the ski is driven against the snow, much like an ice skater. It is also important to balance on one ski to be efficient. Skis tend to be shorter than those used in classical technique, and poles longer. There is also no fish scale or sticky wax applied and no kick area. There are various combinations of ski and pole movements to suit the terrain and conditions. The technique is only suitable for use on prepared trails or those with firm, smooth snow. In some places where the snow melts slightly at the beginning of spring a person can ski on the crust. The distinction between Classic technique and Free technique is made in competition. In the case of the former only those propulsion techniques that are considered 'classic' are allowed whereas in the latter the competitors are free to use any technique although the majority of competitors will opt to skate since it is marginally faster than the traditional classic technique.

our teams


high school nordic ski schedule | middle school nordic ski schedule

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wrestling
Scholastic wrestling is the style of amateur wrestling practiced at the high school and middle school level in the Vermont. In wrestling, great emphasis is placed on one wrestler's control of the opponent on the mat, usually by controlling the opponent's legs or torso. When a wrestler maintains restraining power over an opponent, as seen here, he is said to be in the position of advantage.

Scholastic wrestling is regulated by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Each state high school association has adopted its wrestling rules, with each making some modifications. The NFHS generally sets the standard for weight classes for high school-level dual meets, multiple duals, and tournaments. In Vermont, high school wrestlers can compete at 14 different weight classes, ranging from 103 lb to the Heavyweight division of up to 285 lb. Weight classes for junior varsity, and middle school teams may differ from state to state. Each state high school association that sanctions wrestling also has a defined weight-control plan that prohibits excessive weight loss and dehydration during the season. The plan would include at least a minimum seven percent body fat for males and 12 percent body fat for females. These weight control plans include provisions for weight assessment by the school's athletics medical staff, and certification of the lowest allowable weight class with the team's head coach and the person that performs the weight assessment. All of this is done in order to protect the wrestler's health.

our team
Wrestling is back on the athletic agenda of U-32 as a club sport. Built around a core 6 experienced wrestlers, the 14 men and 1 woman create the framework for a solid team. Soon we will soon add 8 to 10 middle school students for a separate team at that level. Daily the wrestlers learn what it takes on the mat. The lessons of wrestling are being quickly absorbed. Watch us as we lay the foundation for a strong program in the coming years.

Wrestling is a sport for people of any size. With 12 weight classes to divide the sport, you get to compete in matches with someone your own size--from 103 pounds up to 285 pounds. The only variables are skills and experience, both of which can be gained in practice and matches.

The team is coached by John Kuske with the help of Rick Gordon. (Rick, at one time, coached a wrestling team at U-32. Other experienced help is being sought as well). Both have 4 years of experience in high school with some college wrestling and enjoy sharing their love of the sport with the young people on the team.

Our purpose is to teach the fundamentals of wrestling, learn to enjoy the total, intense physical dimension of the sport. Each individual will contribute to the team effort. Our theme for the year is: Compete, Improve and Finish Strong

Parents who have questions can contact John Kuske at the numbers below. Home/office: 802-223-6878 Cell: 414-339-6487

wrestling schedule

coaches

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