Dutchess Day School Fall 2010/11 Sports Program

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the start of a new school year and another exciting after school fall sports program. Once more we are offering three main sports for your child to choose from: soccer, field hockey and cross country. Remember, our aim is to teach and develop the basic skills and tactics of the game, develop a strong team spirit (win or lose) and foster a sense of commitment and sportsmanship. All this, we hope, will be reflected in the way we play on the field.

Soccer: The interest from the students is as high as ever and it looks like we will be fielding two good size squads once more.

Athletic Director Nigel Pink will be coaching the varsity team. Fran Rainsford and Amanda Ackers will once more be working together to prepare the junior varsity team..

Field Hockey: After last year’s highly successful season, field hockey coach Donna Fedele is looking to maintain the team’s high standard of play. Our squad is a good deal younger than last year, but there is still a great depth of talent to be found.

Cross Country: Coach  Krys Wasielewski returns this year to continue his sterling work with students keen to develop their running talents. Fourth grade students are invited to participate in this activity again this year. We hope to have at least six races this year! Cross country schedules will be available soon. Coach Krys will be training the team from 4 – 5 p.m. each day (no practice on Tuesdays of course). This means that cross country runners will be supervised in the resource room next to the library until Coach Krys arrives. (They are advised to bring snacks).

New PE, Health and Athletics Blog:  The sports blog in the past has provided parents and students with the opportunity to read reports of games, view photos of players in action and receive regular schedule updates and changes. My new blog will do this and much more. Accessible on the new Dutchess Day School web site under the heading PE, Health and Athletics, this blog will provide valuable links to schedules, directions to games and other important information. It can also access sports photos taken over the last three years.

Information and Waiting Area: This is located in the hallway of the Bontecou Gym. Some seating is available in this area. Sports schedules and other information are available, together with sports photographs from last year. Photographs from this forthcoming season will be added as we progress through the year. I am hoping that parents continue to take photographs at games and e-mail them to me as often as possible. Sending them in on a CD is great too! I will invariably include them on my blog and place hard copies in this year’s photo album.

Snack Parents: Once again, we will need a parent from each team to coordinate the provision of snacks. Please let me know as soon as possible. Your help is much appreciated.

Late Pick Up: Coaches are expected to wait around after practice is over to make sure that everyone has a ride and that no one is left alone at the pick-up point. If a parent has not arrived to pick up a child, at some stage the coach must decide whether to keep waiting at the pick-up point or take the student to study hall in the main building. This is one of the reasons that study hall exists. In most instances, coaches usually stay around with the student until the parent arrives. However, if a coach has an appointment or commitment somewhere else at a certain time, waiting for a parent to arrive may cause them a problem. If the coach needs to leave, once practice has ended, then the school policy is that the student will be escorted to study hall until the parent can get here. Taking students to the study hall is also ensuring their safety. Please remember that if practice goes on longer than expected, you are free to pick your child up at the time stated or even before. Parents often do that.

I would suggest that if you are late, and I can understand this happening from time to time, please go to the pick-up point first. This is most likely where your child will be. If there is no sign of life there, then you should go to the study hall in the main building.

Finally, I hope everyone is looking forward to the season ahead. It will be great to see you out on the fields supporting the teams. Please help us by watching the games from the opposite side of the field/court to the team benches. 

Best Wishes,

Nigel Pink

Athletic Director