Eaglebrook School, Deerfield, MA 01342

TK Lee ’25
The 2024 Holiday Concert was held on December 18, and it hosted the String Orchestra, Band, Jazz Band, Piano, Chorus, and Ad-Libs. The String Orchestra had performed two pieces on their own, “Last Christmas” and “The Night Before Christmas.” “The Night Before Christmas” was unlike any other performance as Ms. Luker, our piano teacher who is now also working on the admissions team, narrated a storybook while the String Orchestra accompanied her with sound effects and beautiful songs.
The String Orchestra then proceeded to play the iconic Christmas soundtrack, “White Christmas” along with the Eaglebrook Band. When summed up, there were around 80 musicians in the Assembly Area, which sounded magical. The Eaglebrook Band then played “Christmas Swings” and “Christmas Light Fanfare.” “Christmas Swings” is a medley of Christmas carols that have a touch of swing added to their melody and “Christmas Light Fanfare” is a fun, exciting song, with the horns showcasing their beautiful sounds.
Following the Band was the Jazz Band. The Jazz Band performed two famous Christmas carols, “Winter Wonderland” and “Frosty the Snowman”. Both of these pieces required great pitches to create harmony and the Jazz Band did a great job in achieving that.
After these performances, the pianists Liam Kim ’26, Daniel Park ’26, and James Lin ’26 performed the iconic carol, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. Titan Tanihaha ’25 and Kyle Zhou ’25 performed “Carol the Bells”. Both songs needed great collaboration amongst the pianists considering that they weren’t performing by themselves.
The Chorus sang two great Christmas Carols, “Let it Snow” and “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”, where they showcased outstanding harmony among the different parts. The Ad-Libs sang a unique version of the carol “12 Days of Christmas”, that was in a medley format. The song was a combination of the original carol and several other famous Christmas carols.
Prescott Zee ’25
At Eaglebrook, tradition is an integral part of our community that has always been apparent in my two years on the Hill. Winter Carnival is a beloved tradition that began a long time ago, making it one of the oldest of its kind in the country. The 100th Winter Carnival will kick off on January 31st, offering a variety of contests, races, and winter sports for students and their families.
The winter spirit doesn’t take long to show itself. Students have started weeks before, building cardboard sleds right after vacation. Students put pride and hard work into the making of these sleds. They are then placed side by side, and the best-designed sleds get to race the famous “Eddy the Eagle” sled, which Mr. Andrew Chase ’73 will ride. Last year, we witnessed cardboard sleds resembling a piñata, a tank, and a minion. I am excited to see what will come up this year.
Festivities will begin on Friday, with parents and friends visiting their student’s classes on a fully-scheduled class day. Following that will be lunch,
where the real fun will start, with the lighting of the large bonfire, snacks, and a collection of games. Dorms will compete with each other to get the most points in order to win the Winter Carnival Cup. Points are gained through the various games throughout the huge festival. Dorms will play in games such as the three-legged and Klondike races, which will be the day’s highlights. We are all wondering who will win the Cup this year; Halsted House has been victorious for the past several years. The night of the 31st will end in tranquility, with the Evening of the Arts performing at 6:45 pm.
On February 1, parents meet with teachers for parent-teacher conferences after the fun and games. Parents will then follow their children to sports, where they can watch the practices or games scheduled on that day. The students will be able to leave after sports for a well-deserved break to catch up with their parents. Students will return to Eaglebrook on February 3 before 8:00 pm to finish the winter term on a strong note.
Kaden Song ’27 and Micah Tishman ’28
This year’s winter play is an immersive and amazing experience that has everyone talking. Written by Mr. Jodka and Ms. Syers, the play was based on a school-wide survey, making it relatable for every student.
The play takes place at a radio station located in Mayer basement that only broadcasts to students. Our “DJs,” Grant Fan ’25, Nikita Duncan ’25, and James Dorian ’25, run the station, starting their broadcast and receiving calls from Henry Callahan ’28, Ethan Bu ’27, and Minkyu Ko ’28, as ChatGNP Nathan Pang ’25 is booted up. As the story progresses, a series of reports starring Max Newman ’25, Alex Wang ’25, and Jonathan Jiang ’26 accidentally awaken the winter beast, Kaden Song ’27.
Although the actors shine bright on the stage, let’s not forget the rest of the crew members who laid the foundation for the play. Working behind the scenes in crucial roles like sound and lights are Charlie Hutchinson ’25, Alex Wendle ’26 and Austin Yeong ’27. The backstage crew includes Max Fortin ’26, Xavier Berube ’27, Monty Vanderwilt ’28, Adrian Li ’27, Alonso Jurado ’26, and Harvey Syers ’27. Costume design is led by Jack Mahoney ’25, Jack Shaw ’26, Peter Fermelia ’27, Austin Yeong ’27, and Kaden Song ’27, while Titan Tanihaha ’25, Harvey Syers ’27, and assistant director Jeppard Xia ’26 have managed props. The musicians are Kyle Zhou ’25, Chris Jeong ’26, Andrew Hu ’26, Alan Zhao, ’25 Howard Ng ’25, Alex Zhehan Li ’25, Tony Zhu ’25, Sebastian Chen
’26, Evan Chen ’26, James Lin ’26 and Louis Liu ’26. The signers include Siaki Crenshaw ’25, Danny Chu ’26, Grant Fan ’25, Minkyu Ko ’28, Matthias Choi ’28, Tony Zhu ’25, Micah Tishman ’28, and James Dorian ’25.
These students, along with the actors, help bring the play to life. One of the most impressive aspects of the winter play is how it has brought everyone together working toward the same goal. It isn’t just a play: it’s an example of teamwork and creativity at its best. Everyone, whether onstage or backstage, has played a key role in making it a unique and fun experience for the whole school. This year’s winter play has been a huge success, and it shows just how hard work and creativity can make something truly amazing.
Eaglebrook School
Deerfield, Massachusetts
Volume 96, No. 2
January 31, 2025
Hearth Committee Members:
Ronnie Eustace ’25
Mateo Gil ’25
Jaewon Lee ’25
Nicholas Park ’25
Jacob Shin ’25
Alex Wang ’25
Alvin Wang ’25
Editors:
Jonathan Jiang ’26
Liam Kim ’26
Tony Zhu ’25
William Wu ’25
Daniel Park ’26
Jacob Shin ’25
Alvin Wang ’25
Charlie Hutchinson ’25
Ronnie Eustace ’25
Mateo Gil ’25
Jaewon Lee ’25
Nicholas Park ’25
Alex Wang ’25
Manato Tanaka ’25
The Hot Chocolate Run is a fivekilometer race running through Northampton, Massachusetts. There are three events in the Run: A 3K walking event, a 5K casual running event, and a more competitive 5K road race. All proceeds from the road race are donated to Safe Passage, a non-profit that provides housing, counseling, and support for domestic abuse survivors. This year, over 6000 participants helped raise nearly $840,000, surpassing the goal of $800,000.
On December 8, students participated in the 21st Annual Run. Despite the grey and wet weather, many wore elaborate costumes, spreading their festive spirit; a crowd favorite was Santa hats. Thirty minutes before the race, the starting line was already filled with people. Due to the sheer number of people, crossing the starting line took several seconds. It was truly a humbling experience being passed by someone who had a heavy costume on. After the race, runners were treated to a mug of hot chocolate, a much-needed source of heat and refreshment.
Eight students participated in the Run: Johnny Chen ’27, Joey Holland ’26, Alonso Jurado ’26, Luigi Murphy ’26, Manato Tanaka ’25, Ülla Williams ’26, and Tony Zhu ’25, accompanied by Mr. Runk, Ms. Inch, and Mr. Keane. People of all ages filled the roads and streets of Northampton to either spectate or participate in the event, all gathering to raise awareness of domestic violence.
Daeho Kim ’26
Eaglebrook’s Debate Club creates a venue for students to share their different thoughts about social issues in a formal manner and is open to debaters with distinct skill sets.
The Debate Club aims to create an open learning environment during weekly meetings. In these meetings, the club takes part in many different activities that vary from debate exercises to actual debates that focus on building fundamental debate and public speaking skills. The team also participates in multiple competitions. The most notable one is the St. Sebastian’s Debate Open at St. Sebastian’s School, where the team competes against multiple high school teams in an extemporaneous
two-versus-two debate format.
The team also participates in Model United Nations (MUN), which is a speech competition where students represent nations and debate about possible resolutions to global issues in different committees. The most recent Model UN event the team has gone to was at Northeastern University where three pairs of underformers debated in three different committees.
The Debate Club is an exceptional opportunity to share each other’s knowledge and ideas for both new and experienced debaters. If you are interested in joining the club, contact Ms. Pleasant or talk to any current members
Jonathan Jiang ’26 and Max Yao ’26
The Eaglebrook elective programs offer a large variety of classes every term. During the winter, the school provides Chess, Prop Making, Relax and Read, Speaker Building, Paper Maché, Gym Games, Robotics, Stone Carving, Design Thinking, Fitness and Weightlifting, New Media New Forms, Ceramics, Printmaking, Stained Glass, Yearbook, Stone Carving, Comic Book Art, Making Stuff, Digital Photo, Woodworking, Ceramics, 2D Art, Sports, Entrepreneur, Film Appreciation, Story Slam, Video Game, Band, and Mindfulness.
The main reason students have so many options at Eaglebrook is that the school wants them to explore and develop new hobbies, learn interesting techniques, and join activities that can help them develop interests outside of academics and without the pressure of skill levels. For instance, one fun and useful elective is Making Stuff. Two faculty members teach this class, Mrs. Lakey and Mr. Sadnytzky, and, just as
you would expect from the name of the class, we “make stuff.” There are no restrictions on what we make, but we do learn how to use different tools on the computer such as Adobe Illustrator and the laser cutter or the 3D printer to design and print out the things we want to make. This class trains your ability of open-mindedness and creativity on how to design something usable with high quality.
To add on, another good example of an elective is Band, a whole-year elective. We put up a Christmas theme during the winter term, and during the Holiday Concert, we played a lot of Christmas songs such as “Last Christmas.” In Band, you get to practice playing instruments with a whole group of students, exercising your cooperative skills, not just worrying about how well you play by yourself, even if you are an experienced player. Even if you are a beginner, you are still welcome to join the Band to get good practice on your instrument.
Our oceans cover more than 70% of Earth and are crucial in maintaining life on our planet. People tend to underestimate the importance of oceans mainly because they are so used to their existence. However, oceans face several daily threats from humans, and there are various actions we can take to combat these threats.
Oceans account for 20% of global animal protein consumption, which is important in our daily food (Marine Conservation Institute). In addition, about 90% of global trade is carried out by sea, which means most of the packages we receive are transported through our oceans. Finally, oceans have a great impact on our environment and climate change. They are the largest heat sink on the planet, absorbing 90% of the excess heat caused by climate change, and storing solar radiation. They also distribute heat around the globe through their currents. Oceans are also a very efficient carbon sink, absorbing 23% of human-caused CO2 emissions, considerably mitigating carbon dioxide emissions.
Oceans assist us in regulating climate and supporting biodiversity, and they are extremely vulnerable to human
actions such as plastic pollution and overfishing. Near the end of the 20th century, several plastics had been constantly found to be polluters of several environments, from the bottom of the sea to even Mt. Everest. Since most plastics today are synthetic and largely nonbiodegradable, they do not degrade in our natural environment. They are mostly improperly disposed of on the ground or even in our oceans, causing serious problems for ocean animals. In addition to plastic pollution, overfishing is also a big threat to our oceans, reducing many species to such low numbers to the point that they can become endangered or even extinct.
How can we fight against plastic pollution and overfishing to preserve our oceans? First, we can address the issue ourselves by using fewer materials composed of plastic, primarily singleuse amenities such as plastic bags, cups, straws, water bottles, utensils, and more. Another way is to reuse singleuse plastic appliances such as zip-loc baggies. By reusing these materials, less plastic litter is made. In conclusion, our oceans need us more than ever. Plastic pollution and overfishing rates have been their highest, and oceans continue to face new threats every year.
Jonathan Jiang ’26 and Alvin Wang ’25
At Eaglebrook, there is a group of students who enjoy organizing different committees and clubs, each providing opportunities to learn and talk about a specific subject or topic. The Innovation Club is one of them, and it focuses on designing new apparel and merchandise for the school community.
We produce items like clothes, bobbleheads, and memorial coins. We are in charge of everything, from the ordering to the selling of these items. We also work on community projects like measuring carbon coin resources and calculating how much carbon our trees absorb into a type of online economy.
The club members meet in the Boardroom every Sunday morning and we talk about our latest progress on projects with some of the senior
members in the school. The Innovation Club helps us exercise our marketing mindset and educates us on the importance of planning ahead, along with teaching important lessons on how to sell our products effectively. The club also helps members exercise their confidence when it comes to pitching to other classmates about ideas that can be considered as well.
The Innovation Club has an array of projects for new members to do once they join. Students can also suggest innovative and interesting project ideas to the other club members. If you would like to join the Innovation Club or learn more about it, contact Eric Zhang ’25 at eric.zhang25@eaglebrook. org or Branden Zhang ’25 at branden. zhang25@eaglebrook.org. We all look forward to seeing new members join us in the Boardroom to discuss innovative topics.
Tim Chen ’25
Cöntrabänd is Eaglebrook’s student rock and roll band. It was first created and founded by Mr. Townsend ’88 in 2010 when he started working here at the school as a teacher. He had already started jamming music on the guitar back when he was a student here at Eaglebrook. Some of his favorite memories were playing Led Zeppelin with Mr. Brad Becker in the old Bryant building and then having to use a stale Dorito chip in the talent show when his guitar pick went missing. Another funny memory was at the first-ever Friday Night Lights football game. The amplifier sounded like it was about to explode (despite a successful soundcheck) on the first note.
After Eaglebrook added some power outlets to the turf field, tennis courts, and hockey rink, Cöntrabänd started performing at sporting events. Mr. Townsend ’88 said, “While stressful at the time, those are actually quite teachable moments that in the grand scheme of things are actually hilarious
and classic middle school”.
My favorite memory was my first performance during EBS talks. It was with Chase Wise ’22, Nielsen Kasser ’22, and Nick Karpovich ’22 on the guitar, Bobby Wu ’22 on the bass, Tim Chen ’25 on the drums, and Mr. Faulstick as the lead singer. We performed Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock’ n Roll” on the stage which the crowds enjoyed very much. I fondly remember Bobby telling me not to be nervous and that it would be a fun time.
In Cöntrabänd, we mostly play classic rock songs, such as “Jailbreak,” “Good Times Bad Times,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and “Cat Scratch Fever.” The Cöntrabänd is a fun and energetic group of people who play around with music that you could join even if you just purely enjoy music. If you play the guitar, bass, drums, or keyboard, or if you are a vocalist, please email Mr. Townsend ’88 or join the “Cöntrabänd” WEA.
Eason Li ’26
New York is a city full of people from all over the world. As a foreigner visiting New York, there are many fun things to explore, especially during Thanksgiving when the Macy’s parade takes place. You can see different cartoon characters and everybody seems to have a lot of fun. There are so many restaurants from different countries. For instance, there is an Italian shop that my mom and I went to, where a great cook taught my mom how to make the best Italian pasta ever. Another shop that my mom and I went to was the M&M shop. There is a special machine that can tell what your favourite color is. Also, there are a lot of M&Ms in giant containers. I really enjoy walking the streets of New York.
There are so many famous buildings and statues. For instance, The Statue of Liberty was a friendship gift from France. We went to see it and took a lot of great pictures. This was the best part of staying in New York. Another fun thing I did was to watch an NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic at the Barclay Center in New York. Although the Nets lost to Magic 123-100, I really learned a lot by watching. I noticed their passion for winning, and even though they were losing by a lot, they never complained and still tried to make a comeback. And I, being a basketball player, really need to have the passion that they do so I can make sure I try my hardest in every single game.
In the end, I absolutely loved my time in New York. Not only was it fun spending time with my family, but New York also allowed me to see the world in a different way, refreshing my perspective.
Eric Hsu ’25 and Tony Zhu ’25
The squash club has been incredibly active this year. Since the club fair, we have been growing in size, increasing from our preexisting 20 members to now over 30 players.
Normal meetings happen bi-weekly and act as a space where squash players can congregate for extra practice outside the season. In the different meetings, they are not as formal, but there would usually be two courts filled with players playing three-quarters or full court.
Another activity that the squash club sponsors is morning squash. Since last year, morning squash has also been offered on Fridays, a trend that we have continued and plan on extending into the springtime. During these practices, scheduled for 6:00 - 7:00 AM, Mr. Parsons will lead everyone in a warmup. Then we usually have 40 minutes to play against each other or on our own. To wrap up, we have a conditioning and cool-down session. From doing sprints in the gym to push-up sets in the courts, there is always something to challenge us.
The squash club also participates in many clinics throughout the year. Clinics are another way that we hone our skills, and we have invited Vijay Chitnis Sr, the father of Vijay Chitnis Jr, a former professional squash player, to teach what he learned to upcoming players. So far we have had two different clinic sessions, one last year during the spring, and one during the fall of this year. During these sessions, Mr. Chitnis taught many players basic skills as well as correct footwork and racquet swings, if needed. Throughout these past two years, the squash club has helped dozens of players improve their skills.
Howard Ng ’25
The Eaglebrook Third Form Committee is an excellent opportunity for Sixth Formers to take on leadership roles and contribute to the school community. Members of this committee are responsible for proctoring the Third Form study hall, ensuring that the environment is productive and focused. Each Sixth Former is assigned a specific day of the week to serve as a proctor and provide consistency and support for the younger students.
The responsibilities of a proctor go beyond simply supervising study hall. Proctors assist Third Formers with their academic work, whether it’s helping them understand a challenging math problem, reviewing a writing assignment, or answering general questions about their studies. They also play an important role in helping Third Formers establish good habits, like staying organized and managing their time effectively.
More importantly, proctors act as mentors and role models. They help
we all take ten free throws. Finally, the coaches have us do drills that differ from day to day, enforcing our plays or inbound plays.
create a welcoming and supportive atmosphere so the Third Formers feel comfortable asking for help and seeking guidance. This interaction helps build strong connections between grades and reinforces Eaglebrook’s sense of community.
Being part of the Third Form Committee is not only beneficial for the Third Formers but also for the Sixth Formers involved. It gives them a chance to practice leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills while making a meaningful contribution to the school. It’s a rewarding experience to know that you’re helping younger students succeed academically and feel more confident.
In summary, the Third Form Committee is a unique and valuable way for Sixth Formers to give back to the Eaglebrook community. Where they grow as leaders, and leave a positive impact on the students they mentor.
This year’s Eaglebrook Varsity basketball team is truly unique. The team prides itself on perfection; however, it’s not only on the court but as student-athletes, and as Eaglebrook community members. The culture enforced by the coaches helps each member of the team to be engaged, thoughtful, hardworking, and uplifting. Coach Bedell often tells us “When I hear the other team arguing with each other, I smile because I know the game is over.”
During tryouts, we ran through various drills emphasizing conditioning, shooting, playmaking, and, most importantly, consistency. On a regular day of practice, we start with three laps around the gym and then go straight into numerous stretches focused on lower body mobility.
Then we do a drill called Eleven Man during which we set up many threeon-two fast-break scenarios. After that,
Every week, the coaches split us into two teams, blue and white. Both teams compete against each other throughout the week. The losing team runs more sprints and the winning team gets to choose where we eat on away games. So far our competitive team record is two wins and three losses. However, as of writing this, we have two games coming up this week against Andover and Exeter where we hope to come out with two more wins and start 2025 strong.
Our roster includes Bodie Burke ’25, Marcus Fraser ’26, Reid Harrison ’26, Xavier Lake ’25, Briggs Leary ’26, Andrew Moore ’26, Caden Nunez ’26, Rasmus Ricci ’25, Sangho Sun ’25, Winslow van Reesma ’26, Lemuel Vigo Catala ’25, Alexander Wang ’25, Leo Zhang ’25, and Anthony Zhao ’27, and our coaches are Mr. Bedell, Mr. Goodrow, and Mr. Lakey.
Navon Li ’26
The JV1 basketball team had a strong start to the season, winning the first game against Westminster School, 3732, at home with great support from the watching students. In our second game, the team was able to keep its pace and beat Bement School, 44-25. However, feeling overconfident, the team faced Franklin County Tech School and suffered our first loss, 29-39. This setback made the players realize they needed to put more focus and effort into their games and put more effort into training.
With the help of our coaches, Mr. Colby Runk, Mr. Spencer Bell, and Mr. Jack Faulstick, the team started to work even harder during the practice. Coach Runk always emphasizes the importance of
“an extra fitness opportunity,” pushing the players to run sprints up and down the court. Even though it was not very fun, this intense training paid off when the team defeated Valley View School with their biggest win of the season, 5428, just before winter break.
As the team enters the second half of the season, we will continue to focus on conditioning and teamwork. The players are excited and ready for the upcoming games in the season. The JV1 team is determined to keep improving and win games. Let’s go, JV1!
Our players are Duncan Bedell ’27, Kodey Camp ’25, Vijay Chitnis ’26, Brody Cross ’26, MacLean Hessler ’25, Navon Li ’26, Beckett Long ’25, William Neary ’26, Max Newman ’25, Jaewook Rim ’25, Henry Stevenson ’26, and Caden Washburn ’26.
Grant Fan ’25
Eaglebrook’s JV2 team has fostered a strong sense of companionship and camaraderie through our exciting practices and first few basketball games. Our exciting practices are coached by Mr. Carlos Rios, Mr. Tyler Wool, Mr. Spencer Hill, and Mr. Bennett Pitcher, starting with warm-up laps, and then getting into practicing our free throws and lay-up lines. After the initial warm-up, our team moves on to more focused drills, involving fastbreaks, inbounding, shooting, and more. As practice progresses, we incorporate more game-specific scenarios through scrimmages, building an environment of mutual support. Moreover, our coaches constantly encourage us,
driving us to collaborate together on the field. Our scrimmages are often a mix of fun and drills. For instance, we’ll incorporate passing several times before shooting and practicing twothree defense and man-to-man defense.
As we translate our strategies into our games, we’ve noticed improvements in our game, being able to go undefeated through our first three. Moving forward, Eaglebrook’s JV2 team plans to extend our undefeated season and continue to improve our game.
This year, our team consists of Anderson Aihie ’27, Grant Fan ’25, Ryan Han ’27, Ryan Kang ’26, Travis Kim ’26, Jaiden Lapointe ’25, Colt Leslie ’25, Eason Li ’26, Enhua Liu ’27, Pres Petrizzi-Richmond ’27, Jason Sim ’26, and Paco Zhang ’26.
Eric Hsu ’25 and Tony Zhu ’25
The Varsity squash team is coming into the season strong, with a schedule packed with matches ahead. Even though many of our seniors from last year graduated, this will not be a major setback for our team. This year, we have many new players who are as good as last year’s players or even better.
Looking to continue our strong 8-1 record from last year, we consistently strive to improve and hone our shots in each practice. Currently, the team is focusing on playing the “deep game.” With a combination of drills and condition games, we are working on consistently burying the opponent in the backcourt, giving more control and potential for offense in our gameplay.
Challenge matches are also frequent, and the ladder is consistently flowing with changes in ranking and competition. With Mr. Drew Parsons and Mr. Rob Trimback-Rios’s
Teague Washburn
’28
The Thirds basketball team had a solid start to the year with a record of two wins and one loss. The two wins were against Bement (33-10) and Charlemont (14-11), and the team had their first loss against a strong team from Turners Falls.
A normal Thirds practice day starts off with running four laps around the court, then doing some dynamic stretches followed by sprints. Occasionally Mr. Terry joins us, which the team always appreciates! After warming up, the team practices layups and shooting drills before moving on to the five-out drill. This is a drill where the players play five-on-five and practice passing and cutting in order to get open for their teammates. Players take turns playing offensive and defensive positions. This drill often becomes competitive and turns into a half-court scrimmage
that players enjoy. At the end of every practice, the team has a huddle or meeting where they talk about what went well during practice and the things each player can do to prepare for upcoming games. Throughout the season, the players have built great friendships with each other, leading to excellent team dynamics and trust between teammates. The team is looking forward to having a great rest of the season and improving as both individuals and as a team.
This year’s Thirds basketball team consists of a fun, high-energy group led by Coach Brittney Inch, Coach Mia Bellafante, Coach Cormac Hinchey, and Coach Annie Thompson. The players include Ethan Bu ’27, Allen Chen ’26, Jasper Chen ’28, Ryder Davis ’27, Brian Dong ’28, Jacob Kang ’26, Michael Kao ’27, Jaden Mok ’27, Logan Oh ’27, Fede Piedrahita ’26, Teague Washburn ’28, and Rintaro Yokokawa ’27
Steve Lee and Danny Chu
Squash is a very competitive racket sport that requires endurance, speed, and quick thinking. Every game has 3 to 5 sets, with each set played up to 11 points, and the person with the most sets is crowned the victor.
expertise, we play squash and do many conditioning activities like Battle Ropes, Core, and running drills.
So far, we have played against Suffield and Westminster, beating both teams 9-0. During all of the matches, we showcased our superior skills throughout these 18 matches. So far, no one has lost a game. During our first road trip against Westminster, our team synergy was shown when everyone on the team supported each other during their matches. As our squash season continues, not only will everyone improve their skills, but also create a new family with each other. After we return from winter break, we will have two games back-to-back against Berkshire and Hotchkiss. We will strive to beat these two schools despite the more challenging opponents.
Current returning players include William Frith ’25, Eric Hsu ’25, Alex Li ’25, and Tony Zhu ’25, while our new members are Yuzu Emoto ’26, Leo Feng ’25, TK Lee ’25, Louis Liu ’26, and Dima Pikarskyi.
On November 15th, our season kicked off with tryouts. Tryouts were stressful, with lots of movement between teams and several days of non-stop playing. Each match was a best out of 7 points with the person earning 4 points first moving up the ranks. The top 9 players went up to Varsity while the rest went to Junior Varsity and Thirds.
On the first day of JV training, we met our coaches, Mr. Mariani and Mr. Morganis. Our usual practice begins with 10 laps around the court, stretches,
push-ups, and other conditioning exercises as a warm-up. After warming up, we split into different courts to play challenge matches against each other to climb up the ranks or practice in kingof-the-court style with more than two people in each court. Recently, we have been working on our backhand, volleys, and strategies. One of the key things that we work on is hitting good shots to make our opponent run.
Our first game was a match against Deerfield. After a tough battle, we eventually won 5-4. Our next game is on January 14 against Bement. Our team players consist of Jay Cho ’26, Andrew Choi ’25, Danny Chu ’26, Jonathan Jiang ’26, Dylan Kang ’25, Steve Lee ’27, Rowan Muzzy ’25, Charlie Pachios ’26, Nathan Pang ’25, and Alex Xi ’25, Our coaches are Mr. Mark Mariani and Mr. George Morganis.
Rex Wang ’28
Hi, my name is Rex, and I’m part of the Thirds squash team. It’s a fantastic and fun environment where I get to work on improving my squash skills. Our practices are always engaging, and every session helps me get better at different aspects of the game.
We begin every practice with a warmup. We start by running ten laps around the court, then we do a series of stretches to increase our flexibility and prevent injury. Once we’re fully warmed up, we move on to the main part of our training. We focus on our services and returns. A strong, accurate serve can give you a huge advantage in the game, so we spend time practicing different types of serves, as well as how to return our opponent’s serve effectively. We also practice volleying, which is a critical skill to have, especially in fast-paced rallies. Being able to control the ball in mid-air can
give you more control of the match.
Next, we do a drill called “rails,” where we practice hitting straight lines on both sides of the court. This is important for keeping control of the game and placing shots where our opponent is least likely to reach them. To finish up the session, we have some free time to play fun games like “King of the Court” and “Heaven and Hell.” These games are not only enjoyable but also help us build endurance and keep our energy up. Overall, each practice is a great opportunity to learn new skills, get better at the game, and have fun with my teammates.
The team consists of Port Cameron ’28, Johnny Chen ’27, Tim Chen ’25, Eric Choi ’28, Max Fortin ’26, Chris Jeong ’26, Ryan Kim ’25, Jun Lee ’26, Jeremy Liang ’26, Jack Mahoney ’25, Jamie McGee ’27, Manato Tanaka ’25, Rex Wang ’28, Max Yao ’26, and Jangwon Yoon ’26. Our coaches are Mr. Alex Bogel and Mr. Jeff Lamb.
Jacob Shin ’25
The 2024-2025 season has been successful for the Eaglebrook swimming team. The team has competed in a total of two swim meets so far, with many more to come soon. In both meets, the team faced and overcame several challenges.
Every practice is a rigorous routine of combatting fatigue and discomfort. We start with five minutes of warm-ups and a few drills ranging from kicking workouts to underwater exercises. We then move on to the most difficult part of practice, when the team swims sets of 1,000 or more yards, after which we end our practice with a cool-down.
Our first meet was at Suffield, where, after a thirty-minute warm-up workout, we each swam four events. Often, each swimmer is assigned two individual events, and two relay events to compete in. The team found a lot of success, with Saxon Girodet ‘25 breaking the school record for the 100-yard
Mateo
Gil ’25
The Varsity hockey season is already shaping up to be one for the books. The team kicked off the season with a trip to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a journey that was about far more than just hockey. We played three games, but it was the moments off the ice that truly defined the experience. It became a chance to forge bonds that will carry us throughout the season.
The chemistry we built during this trip was formative, helping us grow not only as athletes but as a unified group. It was a time for us to connect on a deeper level, strengthening friendships, and building trust that proved invaluable as the season progressed.
We are looking forward to what promises to be an unforgettable home game against long-time rivals, Cardigan Mountain School, in January. It’s more than just another game—this match has the potential to set the tone for the rest of our season. Captain Jackson Sheehy shared his excitement for the upcoming rivalry, saying: “This game has the true
potential to set the tone for the rest of our season, and keep some momentum going for this great group.”
As we prepare for this highly anticipated game, we are fueled not only by the adrenaline of the competition but also by the camaraderie we built during our formative experiences earlier in the season. The hard work and chemistry we’ve developed both on and off the ice are sure to play a pivotal role in games to come.
The Varsity hockey team includes Dominic Coccia ’25, Drew Davine ’25, Samuel Rivet ’25, Jackson Sheehy ’25, Jake Thompson ’26, Chris Berry ’26, Cam Chagnon ’25, Brady Chase ’25, Zach Davine ’25, Chase Everett ’25, Reese Ewell ’26, Camdyn Foster ’26,Colin Galli ’26, Mateo Gil ’25, Liam Heselton ’26, Derek Kelly ’26, Dax Lafoe ’25, Michael Mickiewicz ’27, Eli Myers ’26, Cam Riva ’25, Walker Sventy ’25, and Nick Woodward ’26
Liam Kim ’26 and Chase Lee ’27
backstroke, and Luca Guerra ’26 breaking the record for the 500-yard freestyle.
Our second meet was against Phillips Academy Andover, who were tough opponents. Although this was a difficult challenge for the team to surmount, it was still a great experience for every member of our team.
The Eaglebrook swimming team is led by Head Coach Mr. Russ Yarworth along with assistant coaches Ms. Brianna Harnden and Mr. Nick Jodka. The members of the team are: Charlie Bucci ’27, Evan Chen ’26, Sebastian Chen ’26, Saxon Girodet ’25, Dante Guerra ’27, Luca Guerra ’26, Kevin Hong ’26, Charlie Hutchison ’25, Fritz Keber ’27, Daeho Kim ’26, Edward Kim ’26, Sangwon Lee ’27, James Leung ’25, Alex Li ’25, Howard Ng ’25, Daniel Park ’26, Jacob Shin ’25, Riley Smith ’27, Oscar Wang ’26, Prescott Zee ’25, Eric Zhang ’25, and Charlie Zhen ‘28.
Our JV Hockey team has had a very successful season thus far. We have amassed a 5-2 record, with our team improving considerably throughout the course of our season. Our roster includes Jed Amstein ’25, Jack Boron ’25, Felix Cui ’25, Michael Dorrian ’25, Alex Fortier ’26, Lane Fuller ’27, Liam Kim ’26, Chase Lee ’27, Chris Lee ’26, Daniel Pang ’27, Henrik Pang ‘25, Jisung Park ‘27, James Purcell ’26, Ari Seol ’26, James Shaw ’25, Bear Sventy ’26, Logan Tyler ’25, Mason Vassar ’26, Alan Zhao ’25, as well as our passionate and dedicated coaches Mr. Luke Williams and Mr. Wiley Robinson.
Our season kicked off with a huge two-day home tournament before Thanksgiving Break. We started the season with great success, beating the Springfield Thunderbirds 4-3 in overtime. It was an intense game, but a clutch goal by Felix Cui ’25 managed to send us into the next round. On Day
2, we managed to scrape a 4-3 win against the Tampa Crunch, but sore legs and a short delay between games led us to an unfortunate 4-3 loss to Carolina Premier. Despite our team’s heavy fatigue from our previous game, we worked until the end and fought hard. After the Break, we bounced back, beating the CT Capitals, the Greenfield Green Wave, and our rivals, the Western Mass Wizards. Our one loss since Thanksgiving was against Pope Francis, where the physical gap proved to be a big impediment. Overall, our team’s season has been off to a great start.
We believe that the biggest factor in our success has been our encouraging and supportive team. Our hard work in practice every day, in combination with our dedication and strong chemistry, really make us who we are. As a team, we support each other when one of us feels down, and push each other to be the best versions of ourselves we can be. Our team isn’t just a team; it’s a special community both on and off the ice.
Jaewon Lee ’25
The Thirds hockey team began practicing as a full team in midNovember, and we improved not only as individual hockey players but also as a team. Practice consists of a short warm-up drill, then we dive into more specific drills. Our captain is Stokes Bostwick ’25 and the role of assistant captain alternates among Teddy Cashel ’25, Julien Berube ’25, Minsung Kang ’25, and Jaewon Lee ’25. Our first game was scheduled in mid-December against Holy Name. The game was intense, but we lost 7-6. Despite the loss, we kept a positive attitude looking ahead to our next game In our second game, we grabbed our first win, winning 6-3 against Franklin County. After returning from winter break, we have been practicing drills to generate more opportunities. Our first two games were scheduled against the Western Mass Wizards and Rumsey Hall.
In the game against the Western Mass Wizards, we were leading 2-1 during the first two periods. However, our team started to fall apart during the last period, and we lost the game 2-5. We picked ourselves up for our next game, at Rumsey Hall. As we expected, they were a tough opponent. We scored in the first period, and had to stop Rumsey from scoring. Although Rumsey had some close opportunities, our goalies, Derek Kang ’27 and Julien Berube ’25, were able to block all the shots and prevent them from catching up. The players gave full effort, and I believe that was the key factor in getting another win.
We look forward to the remaining games of the season and our improvement. The Thirds hockey team this year consists of Julien Berube ’25, Sequoia Borek ’25, Stokes Bostwick ’25, Teddy Cashel ’25, Andersen Chang ’27, Finn Coffin ’28, Chris Desrosiers ’27, Joey Holland ’26, Derek Kang ’27, Minsung Kang ’25, Travis Kelly ’28, Jaewon Lee ’25, Sungbin Lim ’27, Dominic Malzone ’28, Geonhee Park ’27, Harvey Syers ’27, Fischer Williams ’28, and Adam Xu ’28.
Ronnie Eustace ’25
As the winter sports season begins, many teams have emerged, one of which is Development hockey. Development hockey was created last winter as a means to create a team for beginner-level hockey players. Last winter the team had eleven players, this season it has almost doubled with nineteen players. For most hockey players, getting dressed can take a long time around ten or fifteen minutes. Our practice begins at 2:30, but most players try to head down to the rink after classes in order to get dressed and maybe get a short pre-practice on the ice before the actual practice. Practice begins with a short stretch, followed by various skating
drills in order to warm up our skates. This is followed by some drills of the coach’s choice, usually shooting drills or a mini scrimmage.
During practice, in order to simulate a real hockey match, the coaches include one-on-one drills. These drills are when two players go against each other in a mini-game, their goal is to score first and defend the goal.
On Mondays and Wednesdays in order to give the whole rink to Thirds hockey, our team is usually at the ski hill. This season we will have around six games. Our coaches Mr. Sean MacPhee and Mr. Evan Cummings are committed to preparing us for our first game, on the sixteenth of January, against Franklin County Tech. We will also have a game on the eighteenth against Cardigan Mountain School.
Our roster consists of Ali Liddle ’25, Alex Wendle ’26, Gabo Rodriguez ’26, Santi Rivero ’26, Santi Gutierrez ’26, Iñaki Olivares ’25, Mateo Mieres ’25, Ronnie Eustace ’25, Monty Vanderwilt ’28, Minku Ko ’28, Alonso Jurado ’26, Chase Greene ’26, Chris Chun ’28, Xavier Berube ’27, Eric Berube ’26, Iago Cors ’26, Sam Hunter ’26 Charlie Shirmang ’26, and Nicolas Martinez ’25.
Kyle Zhou ’25
The Eaglebrook Ski Team has had, without a doubt, a brilliant start to the winter season.
The season started with the “infamous” dry-land training, which occurred when there was no snow to ski on. Instead, the team gathered at the track and prepared for skiing. We would run, complete abdominal exercises, or do other drills that would improve our performance later in the season. Dry-land is undoubtedly tiring work for the team, but the accomplishment and fulfillment after a one-mile run are unforgettable.
We are extremely fortunate to have the Eaglebrook maintenance crew this year making snow on our mountain. As a result, we were able to enjoy the ski
hill as soon as we returned to campus. Both ski trails, Amy’s Run and Langley, were open for use. Gates were set up daily along Amy’s Run for practice. As a new member of the team, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of skiing on the team and every interaction I had with my new teammates. Everybody welcomed me and helped me improve my skills.
Something special about the Eaglebrook Ski Team is that every Wednesday the team travels to Berkshire East Ski Resort for a ski race. Everybody gets to go and I am certainly hyped to compete alongside my peers.
Our coaches are Mr. Noah Harrison, Mr. Conor Hawkins, and Mr. Ryan McClure and the team consists of Lucas Alvarez ’26, Gray Boron ’28, Christian Chandler ’27, Matthias Choi ’28, James Chun ’25, Nikita Duncan ’25, Wes Evans ’25, Maddie Fay ’27, Kijun Hwang ’28, Bea Lakey ’27, Guille Lauria Nunez ’26, Henry Lee ’26, James Lin ’26, Mojo MacMillan ’25, Luigi Murphy ’26, Victor Oudin ’26, Caden Park ’27, Andres Seal ’26, Ashton Van Epps ’25, Ülla Williams ’26, Edward Yates ’25, Matthew Yoon ’25, Max Yoon ’27, Frank Zhang ’26, and Kyle Zhou ’25.
Nicholas Park
Recreational snowsports started their season with hopeful individuals waiting for the snow. During dryland practice, when the temperature was not cold enough, recreational snowsports enjoyed a plethora of activity options. These included soccer, hiking, rock climbing, ultimate frisbee, and pickleball. Students could also experience a new program of short routine stretching and endurance training to ensure they were ready for the snow.
After the refreshing break, students were able to finally enjoy skiing or snowboarding. This was thanks to the cold weather, which allowed the snow machines to make artificial snow. The frosty mountain was filled with joyful students merrily enjoying their snowsport mediums on both Langly’s and Amy’s run. For individuals new to the sport, coaches were able to guide them to find fun when skiing on the hill. The Ski Patrol team has also been excellent with keeping fellow students safe from icy boulders to cliffs and ensuring everyone on the hill is in safe hands. With more signs of the genuine arrival of snow, the students could not be more delighted by the fantastic news.
As a student who has seen all the aspects, I find this season to be as intriguing as ever. I have enjoyed the various activities given to me by my fellow friends, and the warmup
routines felt rejuvenating instead of cumbersome. After the break, I found myself captivated in the snow, skiing down the hill that looks best when covered in snow. Skiing down with friends is a true joy I will never forget after my time in Eaglebrook ends. Every time I go down the slopes, I feel a small sense of gratitude to go to a school with its own ski hill. I cannot wait to continue this season with high hopes for more snow, and I look forward to skiing more often with my friends in Eaglebrook.
Roster: Lief Abramson ’28, Xin An ’27, Trevor Bao ’27, Julian Brennan ’26, Roger Callahan ’28, Marco Campos Moreno ’26, James Chun ’25, Siaki Crenshaw ’25, Jero de la Fuente Lopez Negrete ’26, Dash Dermont ’25, Lane Faison ’26, Peter Fermilia ’27, Blaine Gagne ’27, Antonio Holguin Vallejo ’26, Henry Hornblower ’27, Adrian Li ’27, Mauricio Llaguno ’26, Miguel Margáin Benavides ’26, Jasper Mok ’27, Pablo Olivares ’26, August Ostroff ’25, Nicholas Park ’25, Maxx Qin ’27, Kaden Song ’27, Ziyu Song ’28, Titan Tanihaha ’25, Toby Teng ’27, Micah Tishman ’28, Eduardo Trevino ’26, James Wang ’27, Jesse Wooster ’26, Lucas Wu ’27, Diego Xacur Garces ’25, Jeppard Xia ’26, Austin Yeung ’27, Ryan Yuan ’28, Yishi Zhang ’26.
Alvin Wang ’25
The Eaglebrook Ski Patrol keeps the Easton Ski area safe and secure throughout the winter season. The team is comprised of dedicated students and faculty who strive to protect the safety of our skiers. Current team members include Oleh Lahoda ’25, Jacob Kaufelt ’25, William Wu ’25, Eason Xu ’26, Jack Shaw ’26, Andrew Hu ’26, Whitney Bedell ’25, Branden Zhang ’25, Jett Roberts ’25, Alvin Wang ’25, Eric Cho ’25, and Sultan Shawwaf ’25. Our coaches are Mr. Jim Fay and Mrs. Shappy LaPointe.
This Ski Patrol team is devoted to the jobs of being guardians and custodians of the many students who ski on the hill regularly. The patrollers are equipped with foundational first aid skills, using structured methods to assess the injuries that can put lives in peril. In recent times, the Patrol team has learned to rescue skiers off of a lift in case of an emergency involving lift malfunction. For each chairlift, an evac-chair is sent to it, and a small group of patrollers helps lower them down with precision. My experience in getting evacuated from a ski lift as part of the training was remarkable. Within 5-10 minutes, I was safely lowered to the ground, and not once did I feel scared as I was always reassured by fellow ski patrollers. Remember, you can have fun on the ski hill enjoying the exhilaration of going downhill, but always pay attention to your surroundings and ski safely.