NCISAA Division II Soccer Champions!!

Winning the NCISAA Division II Soccer Championship is a cause for huge celebration and rejoicing, and no one is more excited or proud than am I. Winning any state title is a remarkable accomplishment. We had previously done that only four times in my 19 years at Gaston Day: three in girls basketball and one in boys basketball. And it had been a long time since then. We have come so close in boys soccer on numerous occasions, including several runners-up finishes over the last few  years--one just last year. The same has been true in girls volleyball the last two years. The boys victory in the state championship this year was especially consoling because we had just lost the girls volleyball match earlier the same day.

The contest took place on Westchester Country Day's magnificent field against Hickory Christian. Gaston Day already was at a disadvantage because Nate Granetz, one of our best players, was unable to play. The first half ended with Hickory Christian up 1-0, and this was all the more disconcerting because we clearly outplayed their team. I tried to remain positive and not think the worst.

Perhaps with only five minutes elapsed in the second half, Davis Spencer, who was named to the all-state team, scored on a beautiful kick from the right side to tie the game. Perhaps 10 minutes later, Davis went down with an injured knee cap, and again I feared the worst. Davis was out for the rest of the game.

Then something profoundly unexpected and stirring happened. Coach Greg Lekavich moved Ben Spencer, a talented ninth grader up front, where he had played for much of the season. That made sense. But his second substitution was far more bold and unanticipated. He put Chase Owens at the other forward, an eighth grader, who along with Ben Nigbor has starred on the middle school team and only been called up the varsity for the playoffs.

What happened next still puts a lump in my throat and gives me watery eyes as I write this. Those two--one a ninth grader and one an eighth grader with no varsity experience--were able to pressure Hickory Christian's defense and keep the ball on their end of the field for much of the rest of the game. There was a moment during the game when I started crying as I watched Chase Owens dribble past and outrun several Hickory Christian defenders as he sped toward their goal. We did not score on that possession. But the sight of Chase Owens playing fearlessly and beyond his age and experience will always be an unforgettable GDS athletic memory for me. Chase and Ben Spencer were simply beautiful. They could have been--and maybe should have been--overawed, hesitant and timid. They had every right to be. But they were not. Instead, they rose to a moment of greatness and were bold, fierce and attacking. And they held Hickory Christian's team at bay and kept them penned on their own end of the field much of the time. The whole thing was totally moving and inspiring, and I shed more than one tear as I watched them.

Meanwhile Gaston Day's defense hung tough. I don't know how many headers David Efird made on defense, but it was lots and lots. Jack Dee, Jack D'Amore, and Ethan Horkey were also rock solid on defense. Payne Fulghum was great in goal.

With about six minutes left in regulation, finally, it happened on a corner kick. David Efird, who towers over everyone else, headed a perfectly placed kick from Jack Dee into the goal. And we celebrated wildly, but briefly, because there was still time left and Hickory Christian was dangerous. Somehow, the combination of tenacious defense and aggressive offense kept Hickory Christian from scoring. Our other eighth grader, Ben Nigbor, came in and played great defense. We had won our state championship with a final score of 2-1.

Our victory was gratifying at so many levels. First of all, Coach Greg Lekavich, who has led such an amazing soccer program at GDS, got his first, well-deserved state championship. I think his coaching and, in particular, his combination of Ben Spencer and Chase Owens was brilliant. It was also Casey Field, Athletic Director, first state championship and a tribute to him, the entire athletic department and its coaches and players. Let's not forget all the varsity boys soccer players who accomplished so much this season and who came through in the championship when it mattered the most.

I also want to note that Hickory Christian was a great opponent, and the level of sportsmanship during the game was unusually high. Congratulations to Hickory Christian on a great season.

Wow!! What a great day to be a Spartan!! What a fantastic victory!! State champions at last!! Congratulations to the coaches, the team, the parents, the fans, and the entire school. We are the champions!!

More Champions of Our Hearts

I realize that I have hesitated to write about the state championship our boys varsity soccer team won because I feel so badly for our girls volleyball team in their state championship loss. And I know how wrong that is at several levels. So to set things right, I am writing two separate blogs: the first to celebrate the girls' achievements and the second the boys' state championship. Both deserve our thanks and praise.

I am starting with the girls. Our team was seeded first in the state playoffs and advanced to the finals against the number two seeded, Davidson Day, whom we had beaten in the regular season and who is a perennial state power in girls volleyball. For the second year in a row from my perspective--and you all know how biased I am when it comes to Spartan athletics--so please consider the source--I thought the officiating in the final game was completely different than in the regular season or any of the previous playoff games. The difference involved a much stricter enforcement of double-hit rule. The lead official called both sides for double hits. Again in my prejudiced opinion--those calls had not been made in similar circumstances in any previous games. Importantly for the outcome of the match, the referee called more double-hit faults on our team than on Davidson Day. These penalties completely altered the GDS style of play as our players completely changed the way they usually play to avoid further double-hit penalties.

Do I think that this stricter interpretation of the rules cost us the championship? Truthfully, I am not sure, but I wonder. Although Davidson Day is a fantastic team, and they played exceptionally well, I guess I will always wonder whether the best team won or not. And I do not understand why the officiating was not more consistent throughout the year in girls volleyball. Why does the officiating become so much stricter as involves double hits only in the state championship game? Fair competition in a state championship game requires consistent interpretation of the rules.
The unprecedented strictness of the refereeing in the championship game made it much harder for me to accept that the best team had won. So now that I have gotten all of this off my chest, I want to congratulate Davidson Day and believe with all my heart that they are a fantastic team and so deserving of great praise. Congratulations Davidson Day on being the 2019 State Champions in girls volleyball!

My disappointment with our girls volleyball loss was magnified because of the incredible respect and admiration I have for Coach Derek Bing and the senior volleyball players. We have watched the GDS volleyball program grow into a state power over the last five years because of the dedication and talent of our players and coaches. I wanted so badly for them to win the championship! Guess what, our varsity girls do not need a state championship to validate their greatness. Night before last, I attended the girls volleyball program banquet and here is what I saw. All of our girls volleyball players are winners and "champions of our hearts"--a term I first used to describe the 2017 State Runner-Up boys basketball team. At every age, team and level, our girls volleyball players embody the best values of our school: team before self, tireless preparation, and fierce in competition. And they are totally dedicated to each other, their teams, their coaches, and their sport!!

The varsity girls volleyball team is simply the best. Our school celebrates both a fantastic season and the amazing careers of our seniors. You have made us proud and filled us with awe and joy as we watched you play. We will always remember how hard you worked and how much you loved your team, your sport and your school. On behalf of a grateful school, thank you!

We can't wait to watch our volleyball players next year!

FallFest, My Green Egg, and Big Thursday

Once again FallFest was a smash hit, surpassing all previous records for money raised, and making life fun for everyone. The weather cooperated with cool temperatures and overcast skies. I had two personal favorites that I watched. First was the smallest kids flying down the mammoth, inflatable slide. Especially Leo Perlman--Kim Perlman's two year old--who is absolutely fearless and who constantly stretches the limits of his mother's sense of caution. Leo rocks!!! Second were the middle schoolers confined in a padded, circular enclosure with a large, padded, mechanical arm that constantly swept around a central pivot, knocking down everything in its path. The participants tried to jump over the arms as it approached. As an observer, I could not decide whether it hurt worse to get bopped by the padded arm or nearly break your neck diving over it. The kids loved it. No one over twenty years old would dare to try it--you would have pulled every muscle in your body.

Did you hear that I won the Green Egg grill? I have never won any raffle in my life. Some years for FallFest, I just make a donation rather than buying raffle tickets. Why bother? I don't ever win. But this year I could not resist that gorgeous Green Egg, and I purchased five tickets for $20 and single shot them into the Green Egg basket. I told all the volunteers gathered in the lobby that I wanted to make sure that they knew if I won, I was keeping my prize.

Guess what? I WON!! I love my Green Egg and will grill on it for years to come!! I told one Gaston Day parent that I surmised that the law of averages finally caught up with me. I promise there was no honor code violation involved in my victory. I won fair and square. I am thrilled!!

Thank you, Parents Association, for bringing the entire community so much joy and for raising so much money for Gaston Day School. Michelle Kinsley, Elizabeth Blackburn, Susie Mark, Angie Acosta and all the other volunteers deserve our congratulations and praise. Thank you!!!!!

Turning away from FallFest to another topic, did you know that this coming Thursday is our Big Thursday, our annual Gaston Day Fund giving day? Our purpose is to generate enthusiasm and to establish momentum in giving to the Gaston Day Fund. Did you know that your tuition dollars only cover about 90% of the cost of a student's education? The Gaston Day School Fund is a tax-deductible, voluntary contribution that gives the school the resources it needs to provide great education. Since the majority of our budget is directed toward salaries, gifts to the Gaston Day Fund really do allow us to give fair raises and pay our teachers competitively. Please give generously, as able, to the Gaston Day Fund on Big Thursday so that Gaston Day can continue to deliver the highest quality education possible.

Have you bought your pumpkin yet? Halloween is just around the corner. As always, thanks for your commitment to Gaston Day.

More Random Thoughts and Musings

After roughly a month of school, let me share some early thoughts and reasons for celebration. First of all, the new entrance and fence is a tremendous improvement in the appearance of our campus. Thanks to an amazingly generous, anonymous donor, the new gates, fence and sign are all being paid for without any cost to the school. To my eye, the new fence ties in perfectly with the new bronze-colored window treatments that the 50th Anniversary Campaign funded. I really do think that Gaston Day School looks better than I can remember in all my time here. Don't you agree?

In a similar vein, my new office is so attractive, comfortable and inviting. I love it! It allows me to meet with families in a much more pleasant, professional environment. It allows me to host meetings of up to ten people in my office around my new conference table. And the space is so inviting and impressive to individuals who come to Gaston Day for the first time. Just yesterday, two University of Virginia representatives came to campus to meet with me and give me an update on my alma mater. Without prompting, both of them commented on how beautiful and attractive my office is. I told them that their timing was perfect: if they had come to visit me last spring, they would have been crammed into my old office! I could not help but conclude that they were more impressed with Gaston Day because of my attractive new space.

Both the UVA reps were recent university graduates, and both previously graduated from prestigious independent schools--one in Virginia and the other in Florida. As a part of our conversation, I mentioned our recent "Number 8" ranking among North Carolina independent schools by Niche. One of the UVa reps responded that our ranking was especially remarkable because North Carolina has so many strong independent schools, and then she singled our Ravenscroft School in Raleigh as an example. I was proud to tell her that Ravenscroft was ranked only one spot ahead of Gaston Day School in the Niche report. I believe the UVA duo left our campus impressed with Gaston Day, and they should be!!

The start of school has been smooth as all our new students and teachers are integrating themselves into our school culture. There are more than 100 new students this year, and so I am busy learning all the new names. My method is this. Rebekah Bing has gotten me pictures of all the new students from Pre School to 12th Grade, and I am studying the new faces and connecting their names. Please be patient with me as I work to know everyone's name. I think it is important.

We are so excited that our total enrollment is over 500 students again, and with 511 students, we are very close to the largest enrollment in all my years here. Hopefully, we will reach the 515 number some time this year and achieve that status as largest ever.

I have been to varsity golf, tennis, soccer and volleyball matches, and middle school and junior varsity soccer and volleyball games. All of our teams are strong and several will compete for state honors, I believe. The girls varsity volleyball was victorious over previously unbeaten Davidson Day School night before last, and it was a thrilling match. Those two volleyball programs are arguably the two best in state among 2A independent schools. So at least for the moment, we may lay claim to being the best  2A girls independent school volleyball team in North Carolina. If you haven't been to one of our varsity girls volleyball games, you are missing one of the most exciting, action-packed sporting events imaginable. Our girls are skillful and fierce! How in the world they hit the ball so hard and are able to return the high-velocity spikes from the other team is something to behold. I encourage you to attend any Gaston Day sporting event.

That's enough for now. What a great school we have the privilege of being a part of! Go Spartans!!

Random Thoughts on a Beautiful Day in May at Gaston Day

With less than two weeks left in the school year, I find myself considering how much we have to be grateful for at Gaston Day School. Walking around campus just a few minutes ago, I saw happy students working on a project together outside the Pamela Kimbrell Warlick Visual and Performing Arts Center. That incredible facility will be 20 years old next year, and it has been a driving force in creating our unique school culture. The fine arts enliven and enrich all aspects of a GDS education. Walk into the PKW lobby--just as I did--and look at the student art on display. It will inspire you and reveal the creativity of our student artists.

In that same PKW lobby today, the book fair is being held. Parent volunteers direct and staff the whole enterprise, and a significant portion of the profits go to purchase books for our library. Librarian Karen Ellison told me just this morning how essential the Book Fair proceeds are to maintaining an up-to-date library collection. Thank you Parents Association volunteers for making the Book Fair such a longstanding success.

On each of the last two mornings, Carolyn Senter, Director of College Counseling, has brought a senior to my office to inform her that she has qualified to be valedictorian and salutatorian. Annabelle Fulghum and Anna Claire Rhyne are the 2019 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Both have attended Gaston Day School for their entire academic careers, and it is a real point of pride to have two such outstanding young women achieve this honor. For me personally, to have been head of school during Annabelle's and Anna Claire's entire education here is especially gratifying. Both these young women represent the absolute best in our students.

Both the boys tennis and golf teams have returned from state competition. The tennis team in Goldsboro, and the golf team in Pinehurst. In both cases they competed hard and well. Congratulations to both teams and thank you to their coaches for investing so much time and hard work into the season. Overall, the athletic program has enjoyed a great year, and we rank in the top 10 in the Wells Fargo Cup standings for the best overall athletic program in our classification in state independent schools. Congratulations players, coaches, and athletic administrators!!

This is the testing season at Gaston Day. AP Exams have been given in the gym recently. Final exams are just over a week away. With high-stakes testing comes anxiety. We are all trying to walk quietly in the Henry Center and give reassuring smiles to everyone. If we don't, Mrs. Senter is on watch, and she will fiercely defend her test-taking domain. Thank you, Mrs. Senter for making sure that our test takers have the most conducive environment to achieve high scores.

Baccalaureate and graduation are just around the corner. The Rev. Joan Martin, Covenant Village Chaplain, and Wofford College President Nayef Samhat will be our leader and commencement speaker, again respectively. Hope to see everyone at these outstanding occasions.