Last week I wrote about how baseball is timeless: not only in the sense that the game is measured by innings rather than minutes, but also that it has the power to bring out the child within. There is no greater example of this than the annual Alumni Game. Last Saturday, Vassar baseball alumni from various generations gathered on Prentiss Field to recapture their college baseball days. The nostalgia for baseball was as thick as in Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days: “I had a friend was a big baseball player… but all he kept talking about was glory days.”
A lot has changed about Vassar baseball since some of the alumni played (a new field, for example). But what hasn’t changed is a love for the game, for the Vassar baseball program, and for the school. These passions have persisted throughout all the generations of Vassar baseball. They are what keep the alumni coming back year after year.
Alfonso Lopez, a Vassar graduate of ’92 hit a screaming line drive, which I jumped up and snared out of the air, robbing him of a base hit, and perhaps, a chance to relive his glory days. (He proceeded to shout: “I know your dad!” which is true, though I didn’t know at the time or I would not have been so unkind as to get him out.) But I imagine that getting a base hit was not necessary for Alfonso to rekindle his glory days. Because Vassar baseball is about more than just one base hit here or there. It is about the camaraderie we form with our teammates and coaches. And perhaps, the alumni are still basking in their glory days when they come back and see all their old friends and teammates, and marvel at how far the program they left behind has grown.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Baseball Transcends Time In A 50 Inning Game
Baseball is timeless. There is no set number of minutes to be played. A game could last nine innings or it could last 50, like it did last Saturday when we split into two teams and played a 50 inning game to raise money for our spring trip to Florida.
We began at 9 am. A pitching machine was rolled out to the mound and everybody on the team, including pitchers, came to the plate more than 20 times. We played different positions in the field; positions we had never played before but always dreamt about playing. Left-handed pitchers played shortstop and outfielders played infield. It was a day not only for us to raise money, but also recapture the youthful innocence of playing baseball.
Because, you see, baseball transcends time in another sense as well. As reclusive author Terrance Mann says in Field of Dreams, “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.”
Indeed, when we sit and watch a game at Wrigley Field on a warm July day in the year 2009, we may as well be watching the same game on that same July day in 1989. We can see our childhood heroes running those same 90 feet between bases that the players of today run. The game hasn’t changed. It has remained timeless. And it revitalizes the child within.
We began at 9 am. A pitching machine was rolled out to the mound and everybody on the team, including pitchers, came to the plate more than 20 times. We played different positions in the field; positions we had never played before but always dreamt about playing. Left-handed pitchers played shortstop and outfielders played infield. It was a day not only for us to raise money, but also recapture the youthful innocence of playing baseball.
Because, you see, baseball transcends time in another sense as well. As reclusive author Terrance Mann says in Field of Dreams, “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again.”
Indeed, when we sit and watch a game at Wrigley Field on a warm July day in the year 2009, we may as well be watching the same game on that same July day in 1989. We can see our childhood heroes running those same 90 feet between bases that the players of today run. The game hasn’t changed. It has remained timeless. And it revitalizes the child within.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Fall Ball Is Our Spring Training
Sometimes the first hit is the hardest hit for a batter to get. Whether it’s the first hit of the game, when you’re just getting your initial looks at the pitcher or the first of the season when you’re not quite comfortable at the plate yet. Or the first of a college career when you’re nervous and not quite sure what to expect.
Last Saturday, we played a double header exhibition against cross-town foe SUNY New Paltz. All the freshmen on the team that are primarily position players got their first college hits. It’s a sign that the program is growing, not only for this year, but for years to come. But the freshmen were not the only ones to write a new chapter in the book of their baseball careers. For us returning players, it’s time to turn the page and start fresh. The old adage about Spring Training is that teams renew themselves just as the plants come back to life after the cold winter. Fall ball is our Spring Training. The spirits of the players are high and new energy is flowing throughout the team. We’ve taken the first steps, we’ve gotten our first hits, and now it’s time for this team to reach the next level.
Last Saturday, we played a double header exhibition against cross-town foe SUNY New Paltz. All the freshmen on the team that are primarily position players got their first college hits. It’s a sign that the program is growing, not only for this year, but for years to come. But the freshmen were not the only ones to write a new chapter in the book of their baseball careers. For us returning players, it’s time to turn the page and start fresh. The old adage about Spring Training is that teams renew themselves just as the plants come back to life after the cold winter. Fall ball is our Spring Training. The spirits of the players are high and new energy is flowing throughout the team. We’ve taken the first steps, we’ve gotten our first hits, and now it’s time for this team to reach the next level.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Eager for the New Season
The Fall baseball season started at 5:30 am on Monday. It was supposed to start at 6 am, when we were to gather in the Varsity Weight Room for our first official team workout. But a half-hour earlier, we were already awake, standing outside the weight room, anxious and excited to start the season. The morning workout consisted of power-lifts, loud music, and team bonding. There is something about the weight room that seems to bring us together. Perhaps it is the common, but unspoken knowledge that we are all willing to work hard to improve on the years past. A team breakfast at the All Campus Dining Center and a mid-morning nap followed the workout and then it was time to reconvene at the most beautiful field in the conference for our afternoon practice.
The weight room may be where we get stronger as individuals, but the field is where we get stronger as a team. During intersquad scrimmages on Monday and Wednesday, it became clear that we have more options at different positions than we did during my previous two seasons. With eight new freshman and returning starters at every position in the field except one, there is competition for every starting job. Competition can bring out the best in players. It is human nature not to work as hard as you can when your job is secure, when there is nothing or nobody pushing you. That is not the case this year. With a team stacked with players at every position, it seems everybody is willing to work their hardest to win the starting job… even if it means showing up a half-hour early to 6 am team lifts.
The weight room may be where we get stronger as individuals, but the field is where we get stronger as a team. During intersquad scrimmages on Monday and Wednesday, it became clear that we have more options at different positions than we did during my previous two seasons. With eight new freshman and returning starters at every position in the field except one, there is competition for every starting job. Competition can bring out the best in players. It is human nature not to work as hard as you can when your job is secure, when there is nothing or nobody pushing you. That is not the case this year. With a team stacked with players at every position, it seems everybody is willing to work their hardest to win the starting job… even if it means showing up a half-hour early to 6 am team lifts.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Hail to the Seniors, All Teammates and Friends
In a fitting end to his career, Senior Tyler Bellstrom pitched us to victory in our last game of the season on Sunday. For us underclassmen, there’s always next year. But for the seniors, Sunday, which was also Senior Day, marked their last collegiate baseball game. And it is only right to dedicate the last blog entry of the season to the seniors, who were great teammates and friends.
Tyler finished his career on a high note. He was a work-horse and innings eater all year long. He led the team with three wins and 61.1 innings pitched. The co-captain threw three complete games this year, including back-to-back complete games against Skidmore and Rochester. And against St. Lawrence on March 11, he threw eight innings while allowing just two earned runs in the victory.
Senior pitcher Jeremy Pollack started the first game of our final doubleheader on Sunday. He led the team this year with 15 appearances, proving to be the go-to-guy out of the bullpen in the middle innings. A finesse pitcher, Jeremy allowed just 12 walks in 46.2 innings pitched and had the best strike out to walk ratio on the team.
Senior John Snyder was a leader in the dugout and will always be remembered as commissioner of “Two Ball,” a fun game we play during warm-ups. He made four appearances out of the bullpen and one start this year.
The only graduating position player, Co-captain Zack Miller had his best season as a Brewer this year. He hit .291 with an on-base percentage of .375. He was the team leader in home runs and was 12 for 12 stealing bases this year. He scored 20 runs and drove in 14 RBIs. And he concluded his career by going a combined 2-5 with three RBIs in the doubleheader on Senior Day.
We will all miss the seniors deeply. But we still feel that as a team we have a bright future ahead of us. We underachieved this year. We were a much more talented team than in years past, as shown by the fact that our team batting average went up 23 points from last season’s average. But we weren’t able to put our talent together to win this year.
Still, there were some individual bright spots on a very young team. Three freshmen: Liam Lee, Joe Coniglio and Sal Costanzo hit above .300 this year and freshman pitcher John MacGregor held the lowest ERA on the team. Junior Ari Glantz had another strong offensive year as well, hitting .336.
On a personal level, this year had its ups and downs. Baseball has a strange knack of working out exactly opposite of how you expect. Going into the year, I was extremely confident with my hitting and less so with my fielding, switching positions for the first time. However, as the year wore on, I hit some slumps on the offensive end while my fielding kept improving. Although I was hot at the plate for the first half of the season, I did not end up hitting as well as I would have liked. But I was very proud of the way I played the glove in my first year at a new position and ended up leading all infielders in the Liberty League in fielding percentage.
My goal going into the off-season last year was to work hard and earn a starting spot. And I accomplished that goal, starting every game this season. And for that, I am grateful. Yet, there is still so much more I want to accomplish as an individual, but more importantly, as a team. And I can’t wait till next year.
Tyler finished his career on a high note. He was a work-horse and innings eater all year long. He led the team with three wins and 61.1 innings pitched. The co-captain threw three complete games this year, including back-to-back complete games against Skidmore and Rochester. And against St. Lawrence on March 11, he threw eight innings while allowing just two earned runs in the victory.
Senior pitcher Jeremy Pollack started the first game of our final doubleheader on Sunday. He led the team this year with 15 appearances, proving to be the go-to-guy out of the bullpen in the middle innings. A finesse pitcher, Jeremy allowed just 12 walks in 46.2 innings pitched and had the best strike out to walk ratio on the team.
Senior John Snyder was a leader in the dugout and will always be remembered as commissioner of “Two Ball,” a fun game we play during warm-ups. He made four appearances out of the bullpen and one start this year.
The only graduating position player, Co-captain Zack Miller had his best season as a Brewer this year. He hit .291 with an on-base percentage of .375. He was the team leader in home runs and was 12 for 12 stealing bases this year. He scored 20 runs and drove in 14 RBIs. And he concluded his career by going a combined 2-5 with three RBIs in the doubleheader on Senior Day.
We will all miss the seniors deeply. But we still feel that as a team we have a bright future ahead of us. We underachieved this year. We were a much more talented team than in years past, as shown by the fact that our team batting average went up 23 points from last season’s average. But we weren’t able to put our talent together to win this year.
Still, there were some individual bright spots on a very young team. Three freshmen: Liam Lee, Joe Coniglio and Sal Costanzo hit above .300 this year and freshman pitcher John MacGregor held the lowest ERA on the team. Junior Ari Glantz had another strong offensive year as well, hitting .336.
On a personal level, this year had its ups and downs. Baseball has a strange knack of working out exactly opposite of how you expect. Going into the year, I was extremely confident with my hitting and less so with my fielding, switching positions for the first time. However, as the year wore on, I hit some slumps on the offensive end while my fielding kept improving. Although I was hot at the plate for the first half of the season, I did not end up hitting as well as I would have liked. But I was very proud of the way I played the glove in my first year at a new position and ended up leading all infielders in the Liberty League in fielding percentage.
My goal going into the off-season last year was to work hard and earn a starting spot. And I accomplished that goal, starting every game this season. And for that, I am grateful. Yet, there is still so much more I want to accomplish as an individual, but more importantly, as a team. And I can’t wait till next year.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Buddha Martin
April 14
There is a new addition to the team. Major League’s Cuban slugger Pedro Cerrano had JoBu. Vassar baseball has Buddha Martin. Named after our head coach, Jon Martin, Buddha Martin is a miniature Buddha figurine that rocks shades and a prime spot in the dugout. Rub his stomach for good luck, talk to him when you’re in a slump or press the button on his back to hear a recording of freshman pitcher Race Bottini imitate the coach’s favorite phrase, “Act as if!” Buddha Martin is guaranteed to get your team wins or you’ll get your money back!
Buddha Martin came with us on our trip to St. Lawrence this past weekend for four games in two days. And although we came away with only one victory, we are playing good baseball! Had we limited one big inning here or there, each of those losses could have been victories. There is definitely a new team attitude. We run on to the field to start the game not thinking we are going to win, but rather, knowing we are going to win. We all know that Buddha Martin has no actual bearing on the outcome of the game but it acts as a symbol of all of us coming together to form a team and believing in one thing. This transformation won’t happen overnight. But as was apparent in our victory at SUNY Purchase and then our road trip up to St. Lawrence, and last night’s win over SUNY New Paltz, we are taking large steps in the right direction.
There is a new addition to the team. Major League’s Cuban slugger Pedro Cerrano had JoBu. Vassar baseball has Buddha Martin. Named after our head coach, Jon Martin, Buddha Martin is a miniature Buddha figurine that rocks shades and a prime spot in the dugout. Rub his stomach for good luck, talk to him when you’re in a slump or press the button on his back to hear a recording of freshman pitcher Race Bottini imitate the coach’s favorite phrase, “Act as if!” Buddha Martin is guaranteed to get your team wins or you’ll get your money back!
Buddha Martin came with us on our trip to St. Lawrence this past weekend for four games in two days. And although we came away with only one victory, we are playing good baseball! Had we limited one big inning here or there, each of those losses could have been victories. There is definitely a new team attitude. We run on to the field to start the game not thinking we are going to win, but rather, knowing we are going to win. We all know that Buddha Martin has no actual bearing on the outcome of the game but it acts as a symbol of all of us coming together to form a team and believing in one thing. This transformation won’t happen overnight. But as was apparent in our victory at SUNY Purchase and then our road trip up to St. Lawrence, and last night’s win over SUNY New Paltz, we are taking large steps in the right direction.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Staying Young: A Look at the Local Basketball Scene
Just a few miles off the campus of Vassar College, Gene sits half-asleep on the bleachers along the baseline of the basketball court at Casperkill Health and Fitness Center. His hood covers his head and he rests his hands in the front pocket of his sweatshirt as he watches his two-year-old son, Evan struggle to dribble a ball.
“Wake up!” an older, white male with gray hair says and pats Gene on the thigh. “You look tired.”
“It’s my birthday, Bob,” Gene mumbles.
“Oh, happy birthday! How old are you?”
“Twenty-eight,” says Gene, his smooth, brown skin contrasting with Bob’s wrinkled face.
“Yeah, well, I’m sure you feel like you’re 85.”
Just then, a short black man named Shane walks over – no, more like skips over – to the bleachers. He rolls up the sleeve of his green shirt that is tucked into his shorts and flexes his bicep.
“I’ve been workin’ out!” he exclaims between puffs of his asthma inhaler. “Can’t you tell? 30 years old and I look great, don’t I?”
Age is the theme of the 11-o’clock Friday basketball games. That’s when the most diverse group plays. In the morning, at 6:00 am, it is mostly older white males. On Sundays at 8:30 it is the cream of the crop, the younger, predominantly black players. But on Fridays at 11:00, age is no barrier. The courts at Casperkill are where the old come to feel young.
Although Shane is the smallest person the court, he has the largest mouth. “He’s a big mouth,” says Gene. “He’s the only one you’re going to hear on the court.”
With the score tied at 10 points apiece, Gene goes up against Shane one-on-one along the left side of the three-point arc. From the way his body moves with the ball, as if it were attached to his finger on a string, it’s clear Gene once had potential. He was offered a full scholarship to attend Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and play basketball. But when he was 18, he had a daughter, who is now six-years-old and had to stay close by to take care of her. He often wonders what would have happened if he hadn’t had his first child so young. “I might have went somewhere,” he says. He attended Dutchess Community College for two years but didn’t get along with the coach. Last year he played semi-pro basketball for the Connecticut Thunder Bolts in a league started just two years ago and got paid 150 dollars per game. (“It cost 100 dollars to try out,” he says). And now, he plays about twice a week at Casperkill whenever he has time off from his job in produce at Price Chopper.
Gene is one of the only players on the court as quick if not quicker than Shane. And with the score tied, Gene dribbles the ball between his legs, sneaks past Shane and is hit on the arm as he goes up for a layup. He calls, “Foul.”
Shane can’t believe it. He throws the ball in the air and shouts back. “How are you gonna call that a foul?” he asks. Before long, everybody on the court is arguing, shouting, and laughing at how they always argue and shout. This is why the games take so long. This is one of the reasons why you don’t want to lose. It’s winner-stays-on basketball and if you lose, it might be half-an-hour with all the pausing and yelling before you get back on the court.
Then, in walks Sunny. The 64-year old has on a bright yellow basketball jersey and it’s as though he literally wears his name on his sleeve.
“Sunny’s got on the oldest Lakers jersey there is,” someone jokes.
Sunny is like a general on the court. He stands at the top of the arc surveying his players and calling out orders. He rarely shoots and he rarely talks trash. But he doesn’t exactly keep his mouth shut either. “Go to work,” he says to one of his taller teammates, telling him post up on his defender. Sunny then feeds him the ball and when he turns around and sinks the short jump shot, Sunny takes credit. “You see, that’s ‘cuz you were right where I told you to be,” he says.
Sunny has lived in Poughkeepsie, NY since he moved there when he was 10 in 1955. He is a semi-retired patrol officer. (“I’m retired but I haven’t given them my memo yet,” he jokes. “So they’re still paying me.”) So he comes to play basketball at Casperkill every other day. He has been playing there since he was 21 and has been a member since the age of 40.
On the court, a player goes down. “Time out! Time out!” the other players shout as the injured player hops off the court and lies down. “It’s the Starberries he’s got on,” someone laughs, referencing the 15 dollar shoes put out by ex-NBA player Stephon Marbury, who wanted to make a pair of decent basketball sneakers that were also affordable.
After about ten minutes the injured player moves to the bleachers to ice his knee and sits by Sunny. His name is Spike and he too has been coming to Casperkill since he was 10 years old and used to watch his father play on the same court. “I should get a free pass,” he says.
Sunny and Spike begin to remember the days when these courts were where “anybody who could play” would come. People from all over upstate New York would come to these courts in the 1980s and 1990s. Even guys who were playing in college would come to Casperkill during the summer to play against some of the best local competition and keep in shape.
But that was when IBM owned the gym. Then the Marriot bought it. And now a company called Bright Horizons owns it. “And they’ve let it go to waste,” says Sunny. “Look, they got a hoop over there that isn’t but eight feet. They got one right here that’s about 9 feet.”
“The floor is slippery, I’m surprised I was able to catch myself when I did,” says Spike.
“You know why that is though?” asks Sunny. “It’s because they don’t wipe the floors until after we play. That doesn’t make any sense. Why do they wipe it after we play and not before? It aint the bus, it’s us.”
Indeed, this used to be one of the best places to play in New York, according to Sunny and Spike. And it was free as long as you knew somebody who worked at IBM. But now, “When you’re good here,” says Sunny, “You aint good anywhere else.”
He calls it the Poughkeepsie Syndrome: Being the best player in Poughkeepsie but not being able to hold your own against players who have been coached. “Here it’s all about shaking and baking,” Sunny says and moves his body like he’s dancing to salsa music. “There it’s all about getting the ball to the big man.”
Spike agrees. He’s played all over Upstate New York, the city and all the way down the coast to Washington, DC. “Everybody’s jumping out the gym. Everybody’s got handles,” he says, “You have to find a way to stand out.”
Suddenly and without saying a word, Gene who had been guarding Shane, runs off the court during one of the games. He sprints into the hallway where the water fountain is located and looks around frantically. “Gene!” someone shouts. “Gene, he’s right here! He’s right here.” The player points to the bleachers where Evan is curled up asleep in a pile of jackets. “He’s camouflaged.”
Even at a gym filled with 20-year-olds, Sunny, at age 64, seems like the youngest person there. “How old are you?” he asks, to which Spike replies that he is 38. Sunny laughs. And in his laugh are 64 years of life and no sign of stopping. It’s a laugh that could brighten the entire gym. It’s a laugh that could make you feel young.
“Wake up!” an older, white male with gray hair says and pats Gene on the thigh. “You look tired.”
“It’s my birthday, Bob,” Gene mumbles.
“Oh, happy birthday! How old are you?”
“Twenty-eight,” says Gene, his smooth, brown skin contrasting with Bob’s wrinkled face.
“Yeah, well, I’m sure you feel like you’re 85.”
Just then, a short black man named Shane walks over – no, more like skips over – to the bleachers. He rolls up the sleeve of his green shirt that is tucked into his shorts and flexes his bicep.
“I’ve been workin’ out!” he exclaims between puffs of his asthma inhaler. “Can’t you tell? 30 years old and I look great, don’t I?”
Age is the theme of the 11-o’clock Friday basketball games. That’s when the most diverse group plays. In the morning, at 6:00 am, it is mostly older white males. On Sundays at 8:30 it is the cream of the crop, the younger, predominantly black players. But on Fridays at 11:00, age is no barrier. The courts at Casperkill are where the old come to feel young.
Although Shane is the smallest person the court, he has the largest mouth. “He’s a big mouth,” says Gene. “He’s the only one you’re going to hear on the court.”
With the score tied at 10 points apiece, Gene goes up against Shane one-on-one along the left side of the three-point arc. From the way his body moves with the ball, as if it were attached to his finger on a string, it’s clear Gene once had potential. He was offered a full scholarship to attend Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and play basketball. But when he was 18, he had a daughter, who is now six-years-old and had to stay close by to take care of her. He often wonders what would have happened if he hadn’t had his first child so young. “I might have went somewhere,” he says. He attended Dutchess Community College for two years but didn’t get along with the coach. Last year he played semi-pro basketball for the Connecticut Thunder Bolts in a league started just two years ago and got paid 150 dollars per game. (“It cost 100 dollars to try out,” he says). And now, he plays about twice a week at Casperkill whenever he has time off from his job in produce at Price Chopper.
Gene is one of the only players on the court as quick if not quicker than Shane. And with the score tied, Gene dribbles the ball between his legs, sneaks past Shane and is hit on the arm as he goes up for a layup. He calls, “Foul.”
Shane can’t believe it. He throws the ball in the air and shouts back. “How are you gonna call that a foul?” he asks. Before long, everybody on the court is arguing, shouting, and laughing at how they always argue and shout. This is why the games take so long. This is one of the reasons why you don’t want to lose. It’s winner-stays-on basketball and if you lose, it might be half-an-hour with all the pausing and yelling before you get back on the court.
Then, in walks Sunny. The 64-year old has on a bright yellow basketball jersey and it’s as though he literally wears his name on his sleeve.
“Sunny’s got on the oldest Lakers jersey there is,” someone jokes.
Sunny is like a general on the court. He stands at the top of the arc surveying his players and calling out orders. He rarely shoots and he rarely talks trash. But he doesn’t exactly keep his mouth shut either. “Go to work,” he says to one of his taller teammates, telling him post up on his defender. Sunny then feeds him the ball and when he turns around and sinks the short jump shot, Sunny takes credit. “You see, that’s ‘cuz you were right where I told you to be,” he says.
Sunny has lived in Poughkeepsie, NY since he moved there when he was 10 in 1955. He is a semi-retired patrol officer. (“I’m retired but I haven’t given them my memo yet,” he jokes. “So they’re still paying me.”) So he comes to play basketball at Casperkill every other day. He has been playing there since he was 21 and has been a member since the age of 40.
On the court, a player goes down. “Time out! Time out!” the other players shout as the injured player hops off the court and lies down. “It’s the Starberries he’s got on,” someone laughs, referencing the 15 dollar shoes put out by ex-NBA player Stephon Marbury, who wanted to make a pair of decent basketball sneakers that were also affordable.
After about ten minutes the injured player moves to the bleachers to ice his knee and sits by Sunny. His name is Spike and he too has been coming to Casperkill since he was 10 years old and used to watch his father play on the same court. “I should get a free pass,” he says.
Sunny and Spike begin to remember the days when these courts were where “anybody who could play” would come. People from all over upstate New York would come to these courts in the 1980s and 1990s. Even guys who were playing in college would come to Casperkill during the summer to play against some of the best local competition and keep in shape.
But that was when IBM owned the gym. Then the Marriot bought it. And now a company called Bright Horizons owns it. “And they’ve let it go to waste,” says Sunny. “Look, they got a hoop over there that isn’t but eight feet. They got one right here that’s about 9 feet.”
“The floor is slippery, I’m surprised I was able to catch myself when I did,” says Spike.
“You know why that is though?” asks Sunny. “It’s because they don’t wipe the floors until after we play. That doesn’t make any sense. Why do they wipe it after we play and not before? It aint the bus, it’s us.”
Indeed, this used to be one of the best places to play in New York, according to Sunny and Spike. And it was free as long as you knew somebody who worked at IBM. But now, “When you’re good here,” says Sunny, “You aint good anywhere else.”
He calls it the Poughkeepsie Syndrome: Being the best player in Poughkeepsie but not being able to hold your own against players who have been coached. “Here it’s all about shaking and baking,” Sunny says and moves his body like he’s dancing to salsa music. “There it’s all about getting the ball to the big man.”
Spike agrees. He’s played all over Upstate New York, the city and all the way down the coast to Washington, DC. “Everybody’s jumping out the gym. Everybody’s got handles,” he says, “You have to find a way to stand out.”
Suddenly and without saying a word, Gene who had been guarding Shane, runs off the court during one of the games. He sprints into the hallway where the water fountain is located and looks around frantically. “Gene!” someone shouts. “Gene, he’s right here! He’s right here.” The player points to the bleachers where Evan is curled up asleep in a pile of jackets. “He’s camouflaged.”
Even at a gym filled with 20-year-olds, Sunny, at age 64, seems like the youngest person there. “How old are you?” he asks, to which Spike replies that he is 38. Sunny laughs. And in his laugh are 64 years of life and no sign of stopping. It’s a laugh that could brighten the entire gym. It’s a laugh that could make you feel young.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Mohawks, Comebacks, and Spring Break
March 25
After years of not having a home field to compete on, the coaches decided to make the most of our new baseball field during spring break. So this past break we stayed on campus to practice, improve our skills, and play seven games. After going home for the first four days of spring break to see my parents, eat some home-cooked meals, and recuperate from the first half of the second semester, we were back in Poughkeepsie for the remainder of the break.
We practiced mostly on the turf field for the first few days leading up to our double-header against MIT, as the baseball field was still thawing after the cold winter. And as each day seemed to get progressively warmer, we could sense that baseball season was truly getting underway. But dropping both games to MIT showed us that we still had to shake the rust from the winter and start playing to our potential. As a reminder to play as a team with a never-say-die attitude, we decided to get team Mohawks. It was something the Tampa Bay Devil Rays did last season as they went from worst to first in their division. So we thought we would give it a try as well, at least during spring break, when most of the campus was away and wouldn’t see how ridiculous we looked.
Whether it was the Mohawks or the fact that we started feeding off each other’s intensity, our next game against Mt. St. Mary College featured one of the greatest comebacks I had ever been a part of. Down 10-0 heading into the fourth inning, we clawed our way back in the game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth and four runs in the bottom of the fifth. But just as things started looking up, we surrendered another eight runs over the next two innings and failed to score on the offensive side. Heading into the eighth inning, the score was 18-7. But as the sky darkened in the bottom of the eighth, the hits became contagious. One after another, we crossed home plate, scoring ten runs and cutting the lead to one. After finally recording three outs, we sprinted on to the field to begin the ninth inning, but the umpires convened and called the game on account of darkness, spoiling our epic comeback.
It was disheartening, but we took from the game a sense that no matter how bad things get, we can always come back. It was this attitude that propelled us to our first Liberty League win of the season against Clarkson the next weekend, when we scored the winning run on a walk-off single. But after dropping the next three games to Clarkson, it appears that we will need to conjure up this never-say-die attitude once again.
After years of not having a home field to compete on, the coaches decided to make the most of our new baseball field during spring break. So this past break we stayed on campus to practice, improve our skills, and play seven games. After going home for the first four days of spring break to see my parents, eat some home-cooked meals, and recuperate from the first half of the second semester, we were back in Poughkeepsie for the remainder of the break.
We practiced mostly on the turf field for the first few days leading up to our double-header against MIT, as the baseball field was still thawing after the cold winter. And as each day seemed to get progressively warmer, we could sense that baseball season was truly getting underway. But dropping both games to MIT showed us that we still had to shake the rust from the winter and start playing to our potential. As a reminder to play as a team with a never-say-die attitude, we decided to get team Mohawks. It was something the Tampa Bay Devil Rays did last season as they went from worst to first in their division. So we thought we would give it a try as well, at least during spring break, when most of the campus was away and wouldn’t see how ridiculous we looked.
Whether it was the Mohawks or the fact that we started feeding off each other’s intensity, our next game against Mt. St. Mary College featured one of the greatest comebacks I had ever been a part of. Down 10-0 heading into the fourth inning, we clawed our way back in the game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth and four runs in the bottom of the fifth. But just as things started looking up, we surrendered another eight runs over the next two innings and failed to score on the offensive side. Heading into the eighth inning, the score was 18-7. But as the sky darkened in the bottom of the eighth, the hits became contagious. One after another, we crossed home plate, scoring ten runs and cutting the lead to one. After finally recording three outs, we sprinted on to the field to begin the ninth inning, but the umpires convened and called the game on account of darkness, spoiling our epic comeback.
It was disheartening, but we took from the game a sense that no matter how bad things get, we can always come back. It was this attitude that propelled us to our first Liberty League win of the season against Clarkson the next weekend, when we scored the winning run on a walk-off single. But after dropping the next three games to Clarkson, it appears that we will need to conjure up this never-say-die attitude once again.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Opening Day: Outside For the First Time
March 4
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of opening day. It’s a combination of excitement and nervousness that kept me up the night before our season-opening double-header against Swarthmore, tossing and turning in bed for four hours, before I could finally fall asleep. And I wasn’t the only one. When I got on the bus Saturday at 7 am, I learned that the majority of players on the team couldn’t sleep either. Ah, the opening day jitters.
Perhaps contributing to this feeling was that these games marked the first time, because of weather, that we were able to play outside on a baseball field since the fall season ended. Talk about being thrown into the fire. During batting practice and pre-game warm-ups, the infielders tried to get a read on how the ball hops differently off the dirt as opposed to off the hard floor inside the Walker Field House while the outfielders took some of their first reads on fly-balls since the fall. Although at times we were a little rusty in the field, overall it was a good showing considering it was our first time outside. Even though we were used to playing inside, it’s still the same game we’ve been playing all our lives. We turned multiple double-plays at key moments in the games and hauled in some spectacular catches, one of which came from sophomore centerfielder Adam Murphy. Leading the second game by one run, Murphy tracked down a deep shot to the left-centerfield warning track and made an over-the-shoulder, falling catch.
At the start of the season it is expected that pitchers have an advantage over hitters, who haven’t faced real, live pitching outside since the fall. And on Saturday, the safe bet won. Senior pitcher Tyler Bellstrom kept us in the first game, allowing three earned runs over five innings. But we struggled, especially at the top of the order, to produce hits. Senior Zack Miller’s two hits and sophomore Devon Luongo’s three hits were some of the lone bright spots at the plate in the first game.
Our strong pitching continued in the second game, and we were able to pick up the bats as well to produce our first win of the season. In his first college start, freshman John MacGregor mowed down the Swarthmore bats, allowing just one run over during his complete-game outing. Pitching as though he had three years of experience under his belt, MacGregor showed an impressive amount of poise on the mound. At a critical point in the game - with us leading by two runs but with Swarthmore threatening to score with two runners on and the number three-hitter at the plate – MacGregor apparently struck the batter out and we all rushed off the field and into the dugout. But the umpire reversed the call, saying the hitter had foul-tipped the ball, and after a few minutes we were forced back onto the field where a hit surely would have cut the lead and turned momentum to Swarthmore’s side. But MacGregor was able to stay composed and induce a groundout. With our bats coming alive as well in the second game (seven of nine hitters had at least one hit) we grabbed our first win and ended the day with a split.
Personally for me, opening day had a little bit of everything. It was my first time ever playing first base in a non-exhibition game and I was happy with my performance in the field. Opening day also saw my first bloop hit fall between the shortstop, second baseman, and centerfielder and my first time getting picked-off. Even with mistakes and 30-degree weather included, being outside playing a game beats practicing inside any day.
But on Tuesday, after a storm dropped around five inches of snow on Poughkeepsie, we were back indoors. We have just less than two weeks until our home opener against MIT, which falls over spring break, and hopefully, we will be able to practice outdoors before then. Hopefully too, we will all be able to catch up on sleep.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of opening day. It’s a combination of excitement and nervousness that kept me up the night before our season-opening double-header against Swarthmore, tossing and turning in bed for four hours, before I could finally fall asleep. And I wasn’t the only one. When I got on the bus Saturday at 7 am, I learned that the majority of players on the team couldn’t sleep either. Ah, the opening day jitters.
Perhaps contributing to this feeling was that these games marked the first time, because of weather, that we were able to play outside on a baseball field since the fall season ended. Talk about being thrown into the fire. During batting practice and pre-game warm-ups, the infielders tried to get a read on how the ball hops differently off the dirt as opposed to off the hard floor inside the Walker Field House while the outfielders took some of their first reads on fly-balls since the fall. Although at times we were a little rusty in the field, overall it was a good showing considering it was our first time outside. Even though we were used to playing inside, it’s still the same game we’ve been playing all our lives. We turned multiple double-plays at key moments in the games and hauled in some spectacular catches, one of which came from sophomore centerfielder Adam Murphy. Leading the second game by one run, Murphy tracked down a deep shot to the left-centerfield warning track and made an over-the-shoulder, falling catch.
At the start of the season it is expected that pitchers have an advantage over hitters, who haven’t faced real, live pitching outside since the fall. And on Saturday, the safe bet won. Senior pitcher Tyler Bellstrom kept us in the first game, allowing three earned runs over five innings. But we struggled, especially at the top of the order, to produce hits. Senior Zack Miller’s two hits and sophomore Devon Luongo’s three hits were some of the lone bright spots at the plate in the first game.
Our strong pitching continued in the second game, and we were able to pick up the bats as well to produce our first win of the season. In his first college start, freshman John MacGregor mowed down the Swarthmore bats, allowing just one run over during his complete-game outing. Pitching as though he had three years of experience under his belt, MacGregor showed an impressive amount of poise on the mound. At a critical point in the game - with us leading by two runs but with Swarthmore threatening to score with two runners on and the number three-hitter at the plate – MacGregor apparently struck the batter out and we all rushed off the field and into the dugout. But the umpire reversed the call, saying the hitter had foul-tipped the ball, and after a few minutes we were forced back onto the field where a hit surely would have cut the lead and turned momentum to Swarthmore’s side. But MacGregor was able to stay composed and induce a groundout. With our bats coming alive as well in the second game (seven of nine hitters had at least one hit) we grabbed our first win and ended the day with a split.
Personally for me, opening day had a little bit of everything. It was my first time ever playing first base in a non-exhibition game and I was happy with my performance in the field. Opening day also saw my first bloop hit fall between the shortstop, second baseman, and centerfielder and my first time getting picked-off. Even with mistakes and 30-degree weather included, being outside playing a game beats practicing inside any day.
But on Tuesday, after a storm dropped around five inches of snow on Poughkeepsie, we were back indoors. We have just less than two weeks until our home opener against MIT, which falls over spring break, and hopefully, we will be able to practice outdoors before then. Hopefully too, we will all be able to catch up on sleep.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Q & A With Mike Mattelson, Vassar Men's Tennis
With three commanding wins to begin the spring season, the Vassar men’s tennis team is off to a soaring start. The Brewers shut out Baruch College on February 7, beat Manhattanville College 7-2 on February 14, and stomped over US Coast Guard Academy with another sweep last Saturday. Next Saturday, the team heads to Skidmore College for a rematch of last year’s Liberty League Championship, in which the Brewers lost, 6-3. Junior Mike Mattelson is undefeated so far at the number one singles position. Here is what he has to say on the season:
Q) What has been the key to success so far this season?
A) From what I can tell the thing that has been the most conducive to success on the court for us has been the effort everyone is putting in at practice. We are all working harder than ever right now and it's really showing in our results thus far. Everyone is determined to take back the Liberty League title from Skidmore. The reason we lost to them in the finals last year is because we weren't mentally tough and confident enough going in. The only way to be confident in the clutch moments is to be able to trust yourself to do what you know you're capable of. That will only happen through hard work and dedication in practice.
Q) Who do you look at as the key players on this year's squad? Have there been any that have played surprisingly well so far?
A) It's hard to pick out one or two guys as key players because every spot is so important for us. We have a smaller than ideal team so every person is so important…. This season really will be a complete team effort up and down the whole lineup. That being said, strong team morale is key and I would like to think that the reason we possess that is because of the leadership of our captain, Jeremy Rosen and our co-captain, myself. I take it upon myself to set a good example every day by working hard and having a positive attitude and I feel like that mentality has spread throughout the team. As far as guys who have been playing surprisingly well, I would have to say Shane Donahue. Last year he was near the bottom of our lineup, didn't start. After working hard over the summer and in France last semester abroad, he is not only starting for us, but winning convincingly in all his matches so far.
Q) What are your goals as a team?
A) Take back what we feel belongs in our possession: the Liberty League Championship!! That's our primary goal, but we also want to make it back to Nationals. Going last year for the first time in school history was a great experience, but we're looking to make an impact there this year, not just show up and be happy to be there. We've got a couple shots at redemption against teams we lost to last year, which is something to get fired up about for sure. I personally can't wait to put the crush down on Tufts after losing a devastating 5-4 decision to them last year.
Q) What are your personal goals?
A) Since freshman year, I've wanted to play in the National singles tournament in May. It's something that I have been working towards for the past two and a half years. Since playing competitively in juniors, I've always believed that I was capable of being really good, but I have lost to other guys that I felt I could have beaten…. When I came to college I really felt it was a chance for me to reach that next level that I've always known I could. With the help of my coach, Ki Kroll, as well as a lot of hard work, I feel like I'm so close to being a top D3 player. After I lost in the finals of ITAs in the Fall, a tournament where the winner gets All-American status, I have been even more determined to win. Entering into the bulk of the Spring Season, I believe that I can beat any player that I will face. While this does set me up for potential disappointment, I need to set high goals for myself to ensure that I continue to work hard and stay motivated. I want to make Nationals so badly. I figure if I don't lose a match I should have a pretty good shot of making the tournament. I will go into every match believing that I can win and hopefully I'll continue to have the success I desire.
Q) How has last year's loss in the championship affected what you guys want to accomplish this year?
A) It has only made us hungrier to win this year. Every match we play (and potentially win) is one step along the path for us to take back what's rightfully ours from Skidmore. We are so determined. We want it so badly. We are going to play them this Saturday (Feb. 28) for a dual match and we plan on making a big statement.
Q) What has been the key to success so far this season?
A) From what I can tell the thing that has been the most conducive to success on the court for us has been the effort everyone is putting in at practice. We are all working harder than ever right now and it's really showing in our results thus far. Everyone is determined to take back the Liberty League title from Skidmore. The reason we lost to them in the finals last year is because we weren't mentally tough and confident enough going in. The only way to be confident in the clutch moments is to be able to trust yourself to do what you know you're capable of. That will only happen through hard work and dedication in practice.
Q) Who do you look at as the key players on this year's squad? Have there been any that have played surprisingly well so far?
A) It's hard to pick out one or two guys as key players because every spot is so important for us. We have a smaller than ideal team so every person is so important…. This season really will be a complete team effort up and down the whole lineup. That being said, strong team morale is key and I would like to think that the reason we possess that is because of the leadership of our captain, Jeremy Rosen and our co-captain, myself. I take it upon myself to set a good example every day by working hard and having a positive attitude and I feel like that mentality has spread throughout the team. As far as guys who have been playing surprisingly well, I would have to say Shane Donahue. Last year he was near the bottom of our lineup, didn't start. After working hard over the summer and in France last semester abroad, he is not only starting for us, but winning convincingly in all his matches so far.
Q) What are your goals as a team?
A) Take back what we feel belongs in our possession: the Liberty League Championship!! That's our primary goal, but we also want to make it back to Nationals. Going last year for the first time in school history was a great experience, but we're looking to make an impact there this year, not just show up and be happy to be there. We've got a couple shots at redemption against teams we lost to last year, which is something to get fired up about for sure. I personally can't wait to put the crush down on Tufts after losing a devastating 5-4 decision to them last year.
Q) What are your personal goals?
A) Since freshman year, I've wanted to play in the National singles tournament in May. It's something that I have been working towards for the past two and a half years. Since playing competitively in juniors, I've always believed that I was capable of being really good, but I have lost to other guys that I felt I could have beaten…. When I came to college I really felt it was a chance for me to reach that next level that I've always known I could. With the help of my coach, Ki Kroll, as well as a lot of hard work, I feel like I'm so close to being a top D3 player. After I lost in the finals of ITAs in the Fall, a tournament where the winner gets All-American status, I have been even more determined to win. Entering into the bulk of the Spring Season, I believe that I can beat any player that I will face. While this does set me up for potential disappointment, I need to set high goals for myself to ensure that I continue to work hard and stay motivated. I want to make Nationals so badly. I figure if I don't lose a match I should have a pretty good shot of making the tournament. I will go into every match believing that I can win and hopefully I'll continue to have the success I desire.
Q) How has last year's loss in the championship affected what you guys want to accomplish this year?
A) It has only made us hungrier to win this year. Every match we play (and potentially win) is one step along the path for us to take back what's rightfully ours from Skidmore. We are so determined. We want it so badly. We are going to play them this Saturday (Feb. 28) for a dual match and we plan on making a big statement.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Respect the Game
February 10
It’s baseball’s version of Watergate. And although we may not be asking “Where were you when Alex Rodriguez was caught?” I certainly will never forget.
It was during our Saturday morning practice and I was hitting off a tee, waiting for my turn in the batting cage. That’s when head coach Jon Martin relayed the news that he had received through a text message from a friend.
“A-Rod took ‘roids’!” he shouted across the gym.
Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing. Shouts of “I knew it,” “No way,” and even some expressions of joy from Red Sox fans echoed throughout the gym. But team loyalties aside, as we talked the rest of practice about A-Rod, we all agreed that it was bad for baseball. The phrase “respect the game” seems to get thrown around in baseball more than in any other sport. It’s why you don’t just walk on and off the field instead of hustling, it’s why you don’t throw the ball on the rubber when the manager makes a pitching change, and it’s why you don’t spit on the umpire after a bad call. It’s why you don’t bet on the game, it’s why you don’t throw the World Series and it’s why you don’t take steroids.
More than any other sport, baseball seems to be bigger than the individual player. It’s bigger than one game or one season even. Baseball has history. And its history forever looms over the present. It’s so natural to have a conversation about baseball that evolves into a comparison between a player of today and one of the past. How often do you hear questions like, “Who was a better fielder? Willy Mayes or Jim Edmonds?” or, “Who had a better arm? Roberto Clemente or Vlad Guerro?” Baseball has stood the test of time, and it this transcendence of time that separates baseball from any other sport.
Everyone on the Vassar squad loves baseball. It’s why we practice six days out of the week and twice on Saturdays. And, baseball has been good to us in return. Baseball has enabled me to travel to different states, even different countries to play in tournaments. It’s enabled me to meet some of my best friends and to build my character. And so we play on. And so, we respect the game. It’s the least we can do in return.
It’s baseball’s version of Watergate. And although we may not be asking “Where were you when Alex Rodriguez was caught?” I certainly will never forget.
It was during our Saturday morning practice and I was hitting off a tee, waiting for my turn in the batting cage. That’s when head coach Jon Martin relayed the news that he had received through a text message from a friend.
“A-Rod took ‘roids’!” he shouted across the gym.
Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing. Shouts of “I knew it,” “No way,” and even some expressions of joy from Red Sox fans echoed throughout the gym. But team loyalties aside, as we talked the rest of practice about A-Rod, we all agreed that it was bad for baseball. The phrase “respect the game” seems to get thrown around in baseball more than in any other sport. It’s why you don’t just walk on and off the field instead of hustling, it’s why you don’t throw the ball on the rubber when the manager makes a pitching change, and it’s why you don’t spit on the umpire after a bad call. It’s why you don’t bet on the game, it’s why you don’t throw the World Series and it’s why you don’t take steroids.
More than any other sport, baseball seems to be bigger than the individual player. It’s bigger than one game or one season even. Baseball has history. And its history forever looms over the present. It’s so natural to have a conversation about baseball that evolves into a comparison between a player of today and one of the past. How often do you hear questions like, “Who was a better fielder? Willy Mayes or Jim Edmonds?” or, “Who had a better arm? Roberto Clemente or Vlad Guerro?” Baseball has stood the test of time, and it this transcendence of time that separates baseball from any other sport.
Everyone on the Vassar squad loves baseball. It’s why we practice six days out of the week and twice on Saturdays. And, baseball has been good to us in return. Baseball has enabled me to travel to different states, even different countries to play in tournaments. It’s enabled me to meet some of my best friends and to build my character. And so we play on. And so, we respect the game. It’s the least we can do in return.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Mixing Snowy Weather and Spring Sports
February 2
Four inches of snow fell last Wednesday, which could only mean one thing: the spring sports season had begun.
With the temperatures below freezing and the grass buried beneath the snow, spring sports teams started practicing last week but will be forced to do so inside the Walker Field House for quite a while. Spring training evokes all the images of a sunny day in Florida. But at Vassar, pre-season workouts begin and end with a trek through the snow.
There is nothing quite like the first day of practice: The nervousness about getting back into the groove, the excitement over playing the sport you love, and the confusion of seeing the ground covered in snow yet knowing that opening day is only one month away.
For me and the rest of my teammates on the baseball team, this season has a different feel and a different look from years past. While donning new, matching maroon practice gear, we boast a newfound confidence and high hopes for the upcoming year. The first few days consisted of taking ground balls in Walker Field House, hitting in the batting cage, conditioning, and talking of a successful season. We feel that we are going to surprise the other teams in the league. And it is this excitement about the season that keeps us motivated even while our field is covered in snow.
Surely it will get tough at some time in the upcoming weeks to stay focused during our indoor practices and to remind ourselves that we will be playing Swarthmore outside on March 1. But the temperatures have been rising, the snow has been melting and the first signs of spring weather are not too far off. And as a team, we feel that a winning season is not too far off either.
Four inches of snow fell last Wednesday, which could only mean one thing: the spring sports season had begun.
With the temperatures below freezing and the grass buried beneath the snow, spring sports teams started practicing last week but will be forced to do so inside the Walker Field House for quite a while. Spring training evokes all the images of a sunny day in Florida. But at Vassar, pre-season workouts begin and end with a trek through the snow.
There is nothing quite like the first day of practice: The nervousness about getting back into the groove, the excitement over playing the sport you love, and the confusion of seeing the ground covered in snow yet knowing that opening day is only one month away.
For me and the rest of my teammates on the baseball team, this season has a different feel and a different look from years past. While donning new, matching maroon practice gear, we boast a newfound confidence and high hopes for the upcoming year. The first few days consisted of taking ground balls in Walker Field House, hitting in the batting cage, conditioning, and talking of a successful season. We feel that we are going to surprise the other teams in the league. And it is this excitement about the season that keeps us motivated even while our field is covered in snow.
Surely it will get tough at some time in the upcoming weeks to stay focused during our indoor practices and to remind ourselves that we will be playing Swarthmore outside on March 1. But the temperatures have been rising, the snow has been melting and the first signs of spring weather are not too far off. And as a team, we feel that a winning season is not too far off either.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Fan Support Shows Its True Colors At Men's Volleyball
At basketball games, the crowd is called the sixth man. At football games, it’s called the 12th man. And at a rematch of the Molten Division III National Invitational Championship between Vassar College and Springfield, it’s called the dress-up-crazy and scream-your-butt-off Vassar fan section.
With the bleachers of the Kenyon Hall Volleyball Court so packed that students were forced to stand with their toes barely out of bounds, Vassar seemed to have all the makings of a true fan section. But this is Vassar, and in typical anti-mainstream form, some students dressed up as video game characters, wore spandex from the 1980s or put fairy wings on their backs. Nevertheless, the crowd certainly made an impact.
The Brewers, seeking to avenge a 3-0 loss to Springfield in last year’s championship, held a 10-6 lead in the fifth and final set. Then, Springfield fought back and took five straight points from the Brewers to take an 11-10 advantage. And with the Brewers facing two match points, at the 13-14 and 14-15 marks, the crowd rose to its feet with deafening noise similar to that of Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium. And both times, the visitors faulted on the serve.
This is certainly not to take anything away from Vassar’s AVCA 2008 All-American duo of seniors Phil Tully and John Kessenich, which tallied 20 kills to go along with 19 digs and 53 assists> Nor the three other Brewers who hit double figures in kills: Sophomore Evan Fredericksen had 13, seniors Greg Maier Steve and Steve Micucci each added 12. It is only to point out the benefit of having a crowd that truly gives its team a home court advantage.
Not often does one see a team (Vassar) applaud its fans for their support after a loss, unless it’s the last game of a season. And it is even less common to see the visiting team (Springfield) applaud the home team’s crowd. But such was the case on Friday. And with players from both teams waving to the crowd and giving thanks for being able to play in such a unique environment, Vassar students, spandex and all, let out one last cheer and showed just how unique they really are.
Dressing up does have its place in sports. Just look at the National Football League where grown men put on wigs and pig noses, dress like Ms. Piggy and call themselves The Hoggets while cheering for the Washington Redskins. However here's some food for thought from where I sit: What separates those fans from that of Vassar is that they have been there even during losing seasons.
Let’s just hope that the Vassar fan section will be cheering even if they aren’t watching a nationally ranked team.
With the bleachers of the Kenyon Hall Volleyball Court so packed that students were forced to stand with their toes barely out of bounds, Vassar seemed to have all the makings of a true fan section. But this is Vassar, and in typical anti-mainstream form, some students dressed up as video game characters, wore spandex from the 1980s or put fairy wings on their backs. Nevertheless, the crowd certainly made an impact.
The Brewers, seeking to avenge a 3-0 loss to Springfield in last year’s championship, held a 10-6 lead in the fifth and final set. Then, Springfield fought back and took five straight points from the Brewers to take an 11-10 advantage. And with the Brewers facing two match points, at the 13-14 and 14-15 marks, the crowd rose to its feet with deafening noise similar to that of Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium. And both times, the visitors faulted on the serve.
This is certainly not to take anything away from Vassar’s AVCA 2008 All-American duo of seniors Phil Tully and John Kessenich, which tallied 20 kills to go along with 19 digs and 53 assists> Nor the three other Brewers who hit double figures in kills: Sophomore Evan Fredericksen had 13, seniors Greg Maier Steve and Steve Micucci each added 12. It is only to point out the benefit of having a crowd that truly gives its team a home court advantage.
Not often does one see a team (Vassar) applaud its fans for their support after a loss, unless it’s the last game of a season. And it is even less common to see the visiting team (Springfield) applaud the home team’s crowd. But such was the case on Friday. And with players from both teams waving to the crowd and giving thanks for being able to play in such a unique environment, Vassar students, spandex and all, let out one last cheer and showed just how unique they really are.
Dressing up does have its place in sports. Just look at the National Football League where grown men put on wigs and pig noses, dress like Ms. Piggy and call themselves The Hoggets while cheering for the Washington Redskins. However here's some food for thought from where I sit: What separates those fans from that of Vassar is that they have been there even during losing seasons.
Let’s just hope that the Vassar fan section will be cheering even if they aren’t watching a nationally ranked team.
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