BOBCAT NATION RISING

Determination, teamwork, strength, and spirit all helped Brewster’s student-athletes excel in the fall and winter seasons.

BY KARA McDUFFEE

Asoccer goal kicked in with 10 minutes left on the clock after 80 scoreless minutes. A basketball 3-pointer sunk in the fourth quarter that decisively seals the momentum of the game. A golf putt dropped into the hole for a birdie to take the lead. These are the moments that athletes remember, because these are moments that we feel. They’re the culmination of hours of practice, countless conversations, and years of dedication converging into one ultimate goal set at the beginning of a season: a championship.

In the last year, Brewster’s teams have racked up a number of championships. In the Winter 2022-23 season, both our top Boys’ Prep teams and Girls’ Varsity Basketball team won the Class AAA and Class C New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Championship, respectively. We earned two more championships this fall with our Girls’ Varsity Soccer and Varsity Golf teams. And that’s not to mention the many other successes in Brewster Athletics, including huge achievements by our growing Varsity Crew program and the inaugural interscholastic season of Mountain Biking.

However, any athlete who played at Brewster knows that the magnitude of these victories goes beyond achieving one goal. Playing for your school creates a beautiful alignment among individual pursuits, the relationships we form through sports, and the school name we wear proudly on our chest as we compete and cheer each other on. It’s also the tiny moments in between––the practices, the bus rides to games, the daily opportunities for growth and leadership––that foster unbreakable connections.

“It’s about knowing, ‘I’m part of this sport, of this team, of Brewster, of this culture, of the Lakes Region, and I’m representing all of these parts on a daily basis. There’s a lot of pride that comes with this understanding,” Athletic Director Connor Wells says. And while Wells is proud of the teams’ accomplishments, he knows how much personal growth takes place through athletics.

“The biggest win for us as coaches is getting that text message or phone call that says, ‘Thank you, because my experience on your team has improved my life. And I feel better, stronger, and more equipped for the world ahead of me because of that experience,’” he says. “To really hear that their athletic experience helped them in their life, whether professionally or personally––those are the biggest pieces of pride that we can have.”

WINTER 2022-23