Piercy Wins Eight Golds at Maccabi Games in Brazil

Swimmer Nicole Piercy, of Hampton Roads Academy and the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins team, took advantage of the opportunity to represent the United States in her first international meet, winning a staggering collection of hardware at the 12^th annual Pan-American Maccabi Games. In all, Piercy earned eight gold and two silver medals over the course of the three-day meet, which was held just after the Christmas holiday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Maccabi Games is an international competition for Jewish athletes and its purpose is stated in their motto, “Building Jewish Pride through Sports.” In all, 18 countries were represented at the Games, making the nine-day trip even more rewarding.

Although the workload was grueling for Piercy, 14, it was typical of her normal meet routine.

“Usually, for a three-day meet, I’ll compete in eight or nine events,” said the high school freshman. “In fact, I was originally signed up for 15.”

Taking advantage of the long course pool (50 meters), outdoor atmosphere and enhanced competition, the swimmer also registered best times for the 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter breaststroke. “I was very close to best times in every event… maybe a second off,” added Piercy.

There were some unexpected moments during the competition.

“I haven’t had many chances to swim outdoors. The surprising thing is the climate in Brazil. It changes so rapidly. One minute it’s sunny and then in the next minute it may start raining in the middle of your race. It was tough to get used to.”

The organization of the meet caused another bump in her plans. The Games are held in a different country each year and with different coordinators at each event, changes are sometimes made on the fly. A last minute change to the swimming schedule was one example.

“On the first day we swam, we didn’t even know we were even competing. The schedule was suddenly changed.”

Acclimating to her new surroundings included getting used to the pool and the local food, as well as her new teammates and fellow competitors.

“The swim team stayed together (at the hotel which served as the athlete compound). On the first day, it was kind of awkward because we didn’t know each other. But by the second day, everybody was comfortable. We were together every morning, every minute, every day. I got to know everybody very well and met people from all over -- South America, Australia, Israel, Canada.”

Her experiences with the Brazilians during the six non-competition days were also interesting as the swimmer came to the South American country loaded with Team USA and other American collectibles, ready to barter.

“The Brazilian marketplace was fun. It was where the locals go, but there were people from everywhere. We tried hard to bargain with them, but sometimes there was a language barrier where the person didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak… for example, Portugese.”

The learning opportunity will stay with Piercy forever.

“The whole experience was the most amazing thing in the world. There is so much more to this meet than swimming. I learned a lot about myself, because you see people from other cultures and realize that everybody is different and believes in different things.”

Nicole Piercy’s medals at the Pan-American Maccabi Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Gold – 200 backstroke

Gold – 200 individual medley

Gold – 200 freestyle

Gold – 400 freestyle

Gold – 1500 freestyle

Gold – 50 breaststroke

Gold – 100 breaststroke

Gold – 200 freestyle relay

Silver – 50 freestyle

Silver – 100 freestyle

Full results from the Maccabi Games can be found at the Maccabi USA website, which can be found at http://www.maccabiusa.com/2011-pan-american-games-results.html

Body By D Gym - Fitness With A Message

In just a few short years, Body By D Gym in Yorktown, VA has developed a faithful following on the Peninsula. I had an opportunity recently to meet with L. D'Shawn Wright and Peter Castaldo, the driving forces behind the five principles. Some great work being done here!

Based on simple core principles and word of mouth advertising, the Body By D Gym in Yorktown is quickly becoming the go-to spot for young athletes on the Peninsula. Spurned by the success of several of its younger members, the gym has become a supplemental training facility for high schoolers looking for the extra edge needed to compete at the collegiate level. With a growing number of Division I signees in several sports as members and a newly formed Hall of Fame, the buzz surrounding the gym is hard to ignore.

Tucked into the side of a pale non-descript building off Route 17 and Dare Road, there is nothing special about the locale, aside from the block letters of the “BODY BY D” logo which hover above the entrance to the gym. But once inside, it is strictly business. Athletes of all ages are seen working with a variety of free weights, treadmills, medicine balls and other exercise equipment. However, there is more to Body By D, according to gym president and owner, L. D’Shawn Wright.

The 5 Principles of Body By D Gym



“We’re also teaching them life lessons,” says Wright, himself a national champion bodybuilder, youth motivational speaker, radio host (his “Man in the Mirror” radio talk show can be heard on WYRM 1110 AM), and sometimes featured movie extra. “Our program is based on five principles.”

Indeed, the principles are listed on the website (www.bodybydgym.com) as well as on the back of the business cards provided by Wright, vice-president Peter Castaldo, and instructors Brian Hammons and Morgan Cannon. Looking at the testimonials from parents and athletes on the website, these values have been implemented well.

“We want them to understand that it’s not always about making the big play. It’s the play after that matters,” adds Wright. “We want to prepare them for the next level.”

Castaldo reinforces the supplemental aspect of the training program. “We’re not trying to take them away from their coaches,” says the New Jersey native. “We want to provide something extra.”

In the age of specialized training becoming a part of high school sports, sometimes the extra boost is necessary. Ethan Carter was one of their first members. Already a star pitcher as a sophomore at Denbigh HS, Carter could throw a baseball, but lacked other athletic abilities.

Peter Castaldo (L) and L. D'Shawn Wright

“Wow, he could pitch, for sure, but he couldn’t jump rope or do a good push-up,” recalls Wright, half-jokingly. A look at Carter’s testimonial on the website seems to give credence to this reflection as the future University of South Carolina signee writes, “we set and reached many goals including being an Aflac Baseball High School All-American. I could not have done this without training with D’Shawn.”

The list of clients serviced since its 2009 opening reads like a “Who’s Who” of Peninsula athletes. Along with Carter, there are fellow pitchers Cameron Roth (Longwood) and Jared Lyons (Liberty), as well as other local diamond standouts such as Adam McConnell (U. of Richmond – drafted by Dodgers) and Chris McDougal (Liberty). Softball all-stars Jordan Hanna and Maggie Tyler have trained at the gym, alongside soccer prodigals Brittany Hammons and Sydney Omweg. The list of notables is rapidly approaching 30 names and now includes two NASCAR series and one motocross racer. In all, 18 members have earned college athletic scholarships.

Very impressive, considering that the training sessions began with ten kids. The connection with baseball started early.

“This used to be a batting cage and training center,” recalls Wright. “Rusty Ingram (York HS baseball coach) would bring his players here. I used to run the fitness department. Eventually, they closed and the landlord asked me if I was interested in the area.”

At the time, Castaldo was a gym member, but signed on with Wright to “run fitness.” Since the gym appeals to all ages, there is a process that any incoming athlete will go through to determine which trainer is best for his or her needs. “There’s a different type of flavor with each of us,” notes Castaldo. “We have our own style and when it comes to working with athletes, it usually doesn’t take long to make a connection.”

Sporting a 20% growth in revenue over the past year, the future looks bright for “Body By D” gym, a point emphasized by its owner with the following comparison.

“They have always had something like this on the Southside, a place where the young baseball players could go. We (the Peninsula) are like that now. Something’s really happening here.”

Body By D Gym is located in Grafton at 106 North Constitution Drive, at the intersection of Dare Road, one block east of Route 17. The phone number to the gym is 757-369-8479.

Yorktown Skater Sees The Power of Gold

For Olympic hopeful Michael Johnson, it’s hard to find free time.

Skaters Caitlin Pair and Michael Johnson aim to represent the US
at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The pair is coached by
Chris Pottenger.

Sure, he made it home to Yorktown for Christmas on the evening of the 23^rd. After a night of sleep, one of the first orders of business for Christmas Eve Saturday was to meet with a local reporter for an interview. After spending the rest of the day and most of Christmas with family, the 17-year old was on his way back to Delaware, where he has been training and attending boarding school for the past 16 months. When asked how often he does make it home, the initial reply was short. “Not often…“

Such is the life for Johnson, who along with 15-year old partner Caitlin Belt, is preparing to compete for Team USA as our country’s only figure skating pair at the 1^st ever World Youth Olympic Games, which is currently being held in Innsbruck, Austria until January 22. The event, hosted by the International Olympic Committee, is the young skaters’ first foray into international competition, and a sure sign that it is acceptable for the pair to continue working with realistic aspirations of competing for America in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“If I was a singles skater, 2014 might be more realistic, but it’s harder with pairs,” says Johnson. “You need more time to develop.”

One apparent reason for the prolonged growth and development process comes from the fact that the male skater of a pairs team has to lift and throw his partner on numerous occasions, while skating. Belt is fairly tiny, at 5 feet and 95 pounds, but still, she is a 95-pound person that must be lifted over his head, with one arm.

So how often do you get to practice the lifts? You must get tired after a while?

“We usually have 10 lift reps on the ice per practice. Of course, we also do lift work in the gym.” With the help of a pulley and harness, Johnson is occasionally relieved of his duties. But at 5’10” and 175 pounds, with a firm handshake not expected from a teenager, he is sturdy enough to ably handle the physical aspect of his sport. In fact, the lacrosse coach at West Nottingham has taken notice of Johnson and asked about his availability. Surprisingly, the lifting isn’t considered the hardest part of his sport.

“I think the biggest time commitment is training,” adds the skater, who attended York High School for two years before transferring to West Nottingham Academy in northern Maryland in September of 2010. “I skate about four hours a day and I’m in the gym for about an hour a day as well.” His typical day begins at 6:30 in the morning with breakfast, followed by classes that last until lunchtime, Next is a 30-minute drive to the training center at the University of Delaware in Newark. After five hours of practice, it’s back to West Nottingham for dinner and two hours of study hall before lights out.

So, how did Delaware become a hub for American skating?

“Mr. Ludington,” replies the skater without hesitation, referring to his coach Ronald Ludington, best known for training many American Olympic skating pairs, including 1984 silver medalists Kitty and Peter Carruthers. As a skater, Ludington and then-wife Nancy Rouillard Ludington won the U.S. Figure Skating Pairs title four times, from 1957-1960, and also scored a bronze medal for pairs in the 1960 Winter Olympics. Upon retiring in 1960, Ludington turned to coaching and found success, eventually coaching athletes in nine consecutive Olympics, up to 2010. The University of Delaware took notice early on and built a rink to house its Skating Club, looking for Ludington to stay as its coach. The facility soon turned into an Olympic breeding ground, rivaled by the nearby Skating Club of Wilmington where the coach also works.

“He’s just an excellent coach and he’s really good at what he does,” adds Johnson.

There is another Olympian who helps with the pairs’ training. Irina Romanova, an Olympic ice dancer for Ukraine at the 1994 and 1998 Winter Games, works with Johnson and Belt as their choreographer. Others have helped without even knowing. Asked about his favorite pairs skaters, he recalled recently watching current Japanese pairs champions Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran as they performed and trained at a New York City competition that Johnson and Belt were also competing in. “They’re amazing.” With an eye toward the past, Johnson also admires the style of the pairs from the late 1980’s and early 90’s, most particularly two-time Olympic champions Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (1988, 1994).

Looking at this winter, Johnson and Belt will be busy through the end of March, competing in regional and sectional events on the way to the Junior Nationals and another international competition in the early spring. Then there will be a two-week break. A well-deserved one.

Menchville HS Swimmer Signs With Tennessee

For Menchville swimmer Amanda Carner, December has been an especially busy month, and not just because it’s the season to be jolly.

Menchville swimmer Amanda Carner recently signed with
the University of Tennessee.

On the first day of the month, the 18-year old had traveled to Atlanta, GA, and was participating in the AT&T Swimming Winter Nationals at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. In the process, Carner was photographed in the 400-meter freestyle preliminaries for a picture that was broadcast nationwide to many daily newspapers and news outlets. Less than two weeks later, her name was again distributed to news organizations across the Southeastern region, this time in a press release from the University of Tennessee announcing its Class of 2016 female swimmer recruits, of which Carner is one of six.

In the press release, Volunteer women’s coach Matt Kredich noted Carner’s potential because of her proven ability as a high school swimmer in events such as the 200 fly, 200 back, and 500 free. While mentioning that she has the distance versatility to be a top 400 individual medley swimmer (Tennessee lost their best IM'er, Aleksa Akerfelds, to graduation last year), Kredich also commented on the untapped potential that Carner has in the 100 back and fly, events that she doesn’t compete in often, a potential based solely on her rapid 200 times. In fact, the Monarch senior currently holds the Virginia state record in the 200 back with a time of 1:56.72.

So, the 200 back is your best event?

“Actually, it’s probably the 400 medley,” says Carner, a young woman who is easily noticeable with her “light up a room” smile and long red hair. She may have a point. In August, at the Junior Nationals in Palo Alto, CA, Carner qualified for the 2012 Olympic trials in both the 200 back and 400 medley. With this accomplishment, her plans for celebrations after graduating from Menchville next June have been drastically altered. “The Trials are right after graduation.” Asked about her goals for the event, Garner remains realistic. “I’m just looking forward to the experience. It’s going to be strange to see all those people,” While a reporter was thinking that the term “people” referred to stars such as Michael Phelps and Dana Torres, Menchville swim coach Katherine Dowdy provided the proper clarification. “Usually, at a lot of our meets, it’s Mom and Dad and not too many other people.” Indeed, the Olympic Trials will draw several thousand fans on a daily basis to the festivities at the pool.

Fortunately, Carner is getting to know more of her competitors. In September, based on her summer accomplishments, she was selected to a junior national NCSA (National Club Swimming Association) all-star team, one which competed in a dual meet against the countrywide All Itoman Swim School for an event labeled the “Duel in the Pool,” a competition which was held in Osaka, Japan. Carner especially enjoyed traveling in Japan, mentioning visits to the Osaka Castle and Golden Temple.

Several of her current competitors will soon be teammates at Tennessee, and Carner is counting down the days to her arrival at the Knoxville campus. “I’m super excited. I signed my letter-of-intent in November. I took my trip in September. It was great. I knew it was the school.” In fact, The Swimming World Magazine five-star recruit only took two of her five allowed college visits before deciding to become a Volunteer, but it wasn’t for a lack of interest. Coach Dowdy recalls, “since the beginning of high school, Amanda has probably heard from at least 30 schools.” Carner plans of majoring in special education, with a possible second major in math, at Tennessee.

But there is unfinished business in Newport News to tend to first. In 2009-10, the Menchville girls were undefeated Peninsula district champions at 9-0 and Carner is the reigning Daily Press female swimmer of the year. Both are goals worthy of repeating for both coach and swimmer, along with the development of a relay team with the ability to qualify for the Virginia state meet. Concurrently, Carner also swims with the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins, a team which she has now been with for 10 years.

The best is probably yet to come. In a final thought, Dowdy, now in her fifth year as head coach, added that her star’s hard work ethic and ability to accept feedback are notable, but then turned to the topic of peaking. “Some swimmers peak during the season, or over the course of a career. With Amanda, I haven’t seen any sign that she’s close to peaking."

HRA Swimmer to Compete in Brazil

Nicole Piercy of Hampton Roads Academy and the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins swim club was recently selected to represent the United States at the 12^th Pan-American Maccabi Games, which will begin on December 26th in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Nicole Piercy (L) with Coast Guard Blue Dolphin teammate Leigh-Ann Clark

The Maccabi Games is an international competition for Jewish athletes and 13 countries will be represented. The purpose of the meet, as stated in the motto, is “Building Jewish Pride through Sports.” Although Piercy, at 14 years of age, did not meet the minimum age requirement for athletes in the junior category, she was selected based on her best event times, which do meet the standards.

Her introduction to the meet came last year when Dolphin coaches, led by Steve Hennessy, mentioned the idea of aiming for qualification in the near future, perhaps as a motivating tool to help the swimmer reach the necessary standards. The plan worked as it took only a year to earn the right to compete at the high-level meet.

For the high school freshman, it will be her first experience of competing outside of the United States. To date, the farthest she has traveled for a meet is Rochester, NY.

Says Piercy, “It will be a weird experience being out of the country.” She does look forward to meeting new people and should have many opportunities to do so, as all of the athletes will be staying together at the same hotel for nine days. In anticipation of bartering opportunities, her mother, Wendy Drucker, has helped the teenager find plenty of Team USA materials along with other tradable knick-knacks. The hope is to come home with a treasure trove of collectibles from other countries.

For the young swimmer, her first opportunity to compete at the international level is the result of years of hard work.

Now beginning her seventh season with the Blue Dolphins, Piercy maintains a grueling training schedule. Her weekly workout regimen consists of nine practices over a six-day period (three two-a-days and Sundays off). A number of the practices occur during the wee hours of the morning before school and even after seven years, she openly admits that “getting up early never gets easier.” Like many elite swimmers, she competes for both her club team year-round and with her school team at HRA during the winter.

The hard work is paying off. On December 1^st, Piercy earned her a major victory, capturing the 14-year old girls 200-yard backstroke at the RSA Reindeer Invitational in Cary, NC.

There is a price to pay for athletic success. Connections with school friends have been lost over the years because of her sport obligations. School games and dances have been missed. Numerous weekends have been spent at swim meets, which have been known to last from early morning to late in the evening for several days in a row.

The "Fab Five" -- Jillian Breeger, Piercy, Peyton Baldwin,
Kate Maw & Katie Brewer

Not to suggest that Piercy is without friends. During an interview, a cry of “I’m her best friend!” erupted from the other side of the pool at the Ft. Eustis Aquatic center, where the Dolphins practice. Eventually, it was learned that there are other best friends; in fact, Piercy and four other teammates have formed a bond, one which has developed into a coalition known in swimming circles as the “Fab Five.” While one of the Fabs is a classmate at HRA, the other three are from Menchville and Kecoughtan.

Her friends have helped to alleviate the stress of training and school. In fact, working through such a demanding schedule has its advantages. “There’s no drama in swimming,” she says, referring to her social life with teammates outside of the pool. “Not like school drama.”

With graduation not arriving until June of 2015, it may be early to start picking colleges. But, Piercy has some ideas in mind for life after high school. She “definitely” wants to swim in college. While undecided on schools, she notes that she is a “huge Duke fan” and that she possibly wants to major in pre-med.

Peninsula Catholic Girls CC Wins VIS States

Going with a double dose today. Both of these articles appeared in the Town Square sections of the DAILY PRESS on Dec. 15. The first describes how the Peninsula Catholic girls cross-country team captured the school's first state title since the school changed names from St. Vincent, whose girls basketball team won a title in 1946. This appeared in the Newport News edition. The second article is about their coach, Susan Bender, who is from Yorktown. This article is more personal and deals with triumph after loss. It appeared the same day, but in the York County edition.

After over 100 years of existence, the female distance runners of Peninsula Catholic earned the school its first girls’ athletic state championship ever, taking first place in the Division 2 section of the 47^th annual Virginia Independent Schools state cross-country meet, held on November 11^th over the challenging hills of the 5,000 meter course at Woodberry Forest in Orange, VA. (Note: Editor Lynn Burke, who has written for the DAILY PRESS for quite a few years pointed out that the school’s other girls championship from 1946. How he knew that is way beyond me!)

The VIS meet is run in two divisions, and each school is entered according to the total number of males or females that are enrolled. Any school with less than 161 students of either gender is slotted in the Division 2 section. For the female harriers, a state title may have been won a couple of years before. Says Susan Bender, now in her 17^th year as the PC girls coach, “we had a strong team several years ago (2008) and had a great chance to win. It turned out that our school had one too many girls (161) enrolled, so we were entered in Division 1.” In that race, the Knights placed 4^th, ahead of larger schools such as Paul VI and Bishop Ireton.

Freshman Martine Hunnicutt finished an amazing rookie campaign, winning the race in 20:12, a full 13 seconds faster than runner-up Bethany Barclay of Norfolk Christian. For Hunnicutt, it was her second state championship. Two weeks before, she captured the individual title at the Virginia Catholic Schools meet in Newport News Park, running over the pancake flat course in 19:00.

At Woodberry Forest, Hunnicutt performed like a veteran, holding her ground among the top ten runners during the early stages. Bender noted her steady progress through the race saying, “She started out in sixth, and then moved up to third. But once she let loose and took the lead, that was it.”

Bender is impressed by her ace runner’s attitude toward the demanding sport of cross-country. “She’s a natural. But she is humble. Martine is the type of runner who works hard and doesn’t take her natural talent for granted.”

Newport News runners took the next two spots for the Knights. Sophomore Molly McKenna, figuratively following in the footsteps of her brothers who ran for boys coach Chris Peterson at PC, placed 11^th with a time of 21:39. McKenna has been hampered with breathing problems this season. Says Bender, “Molly went out there with gusto, even though she was hurting.” Teammate Jessica Armstrong was the third PC runner, taking 28^th place (22:42), just ahead of fellow co-captain, senior Celia Pincus, who was 33^rd (22:52). Freshman Emmy Bennick rounded out the team scoring, placing 64^th out the 193 runners that finished.

Bender attributed the team’s closeness, in races and among each other, as reasons for their culminating achievement. “The girls are close knit and have always supported each other. Our captains (Armstrong and Pincus) have experience. They have been there before.” With reference to their close races through the season, a one point loss to New Kent, as well as razor slim victories over TCIS conference rival Bishop Sullivan were pointed out as motivating factors. “We had a lot of close races through the season. It kept the runners on their toes. We realized that we had to give it our all, in races and at practice.”  The close calls helped, as the margin of victory at Orange was three points over Trinity.

The opportunity to repeat as state champions looks bright for the Knights, who are graduating only one of the top eight runners who finished at Woodberry Forest.

Led by sophomore Madison Strickland, the Denbigh Baptist girls placed fifth in the Division 2 race. Strickland placed third in 21:17, just ahead of freshman Keavy Baylor from Hampton Roads Academy, who was fourth in 21:24.

VIRGINIA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS – DIVISION 2 GIRLS

Team – 1. Peninsula Catholic 112, 2. Trinity 115, 3. Walsingham 116. 5. Denbigh Baptist 171.

Local Individuals – 1. Hunnicutt (PC) 20:12, 3. Strickland (DB) 21:17, 4. Baylor (HRA) 21:24, 11. McKenna (PC) 21:39, 28. Armstrong (PC) 22:42, 29. Hernandez (DB) 22:48, 33. C. Pincus (PC) 22:52. 45. Thomas (DB) 23:15, 51. Kane (DB) 23:29, 64. Bennick (PC) 23:48, 69. M. Pincus (PC) 24:11, 78. Ti. Groulx (DB) 24:37, 81. Stewart (PC) 24:42, 85. Alvesteffer (PC) 24:47, 93. Miner (PC) 25:05, 140. To. Groulx (DB) 26:56, 142. Graham (PC) 27:04, 155. Yu (PC) 27:56, 179. Madril (PC) 32:02.

A Mother's Wish

On November 11, 2011, local sports history was made. For the first time in over 100 years of the school’s history, a girls team from Peninsula Catholic High School won a state title, as the cross-country team defeated 22 other teams to win the Division 2 section at the Virginia Independent Schools meet at Woodberry Forest in Orange. For the runners and the school, it was a proud moment in the sun, a chance to bond and reflect on the hard work required to achieve such a lofty accomplishment. In a sense, on that serene fall day, holding the first place trophy in the winners circle amid the hilly terrain of central Virginia, a group of athletes could look back down the road that led them to the championship.

If only someone knew how rocky and bumpy that road was.

Coach Susan Bender knew. Bender, a Yorktown native, is in her 17^th year as the girls cross-country coach at Peninsula Catholic. Her journey down that road started soon after the completion of school last June as she tried to cobble together a group of runners for summer workouts. The numbers were low and the coach was concerned by the prospect of not having a well-trained team put together in time for the team’s first meet in late August. With worry on her mind, Bender turned to her influence and guiding light, her mother Catharine.

Mom’s initial response was short and to the point. “Don’t worry, they’ll come.”

Catharine spoke with experience on her side. Three days after graduating from York High School in June of 1958, she had gone to work for York County. After 53 years, Mrs. Bender still worked for the county, most recently as the Chief Deputy Circuit Court Clerk. In fact, she was employed by York County until July 15, 2011.

That was the day she passed on.

In spite of the grief that comes from losing someone so close, Bender remembered her mother’s words which were now ingrained in her mind. “I used a lot of what my Mom said and she was right…. it worked!”

The coach found that she was not alone during the time of caring for her mother. On days when she had to miss workouts, former runners, such as Megan Foley, came to practice to put the team through its paces. Team co-captains Celia Pincus and Jessica Armstrong took on added responsibilities. Looking back at the reasons for her team’s successful season, Bender said, “the girls have always been close knit and have always supported each other.” Certainly, a good part of this bond was developed during long distance runs in the sweltering heat of June and July, as the team forged ahead without their leader, an avid road racer who is known to “hit the trails” with her team.

In her own moment of reflection, Coach Bender, who is also an elementary school teacher at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School in Newport News, drew on her religious background while giving thanks. “We praise God for our wins and losses. Our blessing came from God and our girls knew where their success came from.”

Somehow, it’s easy to imagine that there was a particularly bright light shining over the Peninsula on the evening of November 11^th,  a light beaming from a star named “Mother’s Wish.”

A Closer Look at the School Life of the ESL Teacher

Now that the pilot study on ESL teachers is complete from the assignment standpoint, I will spend some time over the Christmas break reviewing my findings, while transcribing the fourth interview. Including appendices, the report should end up at 41 pages -- not a bad start for a potential dissertation topic. Still, there is a long way to go with this study as even noted in my implications (not included here). I'm looking for commentary, particularly from any educator who has done research on this topic. The next post will show on December 27th, so a big Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Thank you for reading!!

In the Classroom

Interviews with all four of the teachers provided worthwhile information into the everyday existence of the ESL educator. Like many regular teachers, no day is the same as another. However, with ESL teachers, change is part of the normal equation.

The ESL teachers in this district had no set classroom, no set schedule, and worked with students of different comprehension abilities throughout the day. They also spent portions of the day pulling students from classes, pushing others into class, changing lesson plans on the fly. Their typical day is a juggling act, short on order, but full of surprises.

It is understood that the students are going through a major life change as a new student in America, so the teachers look to provide order and routine to their students who are living in a strange, chaotic world. Part of the attempt to provide order is to consistently draw up stable lesson units with strong lesson plans, attempting to bring predictability to the students who are developing their English speaking skills in an unfamiliar world.

Despite the attempt to provide structure, lesson plans are changed “on the fly.” Part of the adaptation process required of the teacher is being able to adjust lesson plans based on what methods are working to teach the students. Because of the uniqueness of the ESL students, it is not always obvious which method or technique will work in the classroom. The teachers have found that using references to pop culture are helpful. Students seem enamored by American television shows, commercials, celebrities and books. In several instances, teachers mentioned a popular commercial or book as a lesson tool, sometimes prompted by accident in the classroom.

This art of improvisation is also important to the ESL teacher. The ability to add or subtract an element to a lesson is a key to conveying the message of the lesson. The interests of the ESL student can be unpredictable. In one interview, a teacher mentioned having a lesson on New York City interrupted by a student who began to speak of a close relative who was killed in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The lesson suddenly changed from geography to history and other students shared personal stories of that day.

It is important to find common threads with the students because of their varying abilities of English comprehension. The level system is used as a quantitative measurement of linguistic ability and teaching students who are Level 1 (lower-level) the same lesson as a Level 3 (mid-level) student is commonplace. Just like in a regular classroom, lessons must be differentiated to accommodate students of all abilities. But with the added consideration of English as a second language to all of the students, this skill must be sharpened. The language barrier encompasses the teaching of every lesson and the teacher has to be aware of verbal and non-verbal cues from students to gauge the comprehension level. Two of the teacher subjects spoke of the coping skills of their ESL students, meaning that a teacher had to look for the student who could pretend to understand the lesson, but was truly having difficulty. This is probably a skill honed by the student in the outside world.

Lessons

Each teacher has a favorite lesson. There are similarities in the favorite lessons. References to pop culture, television commercials and celebrities were previously mentioned, but there are others. Regardless of the subject or method used, the important element is to reach the student at their level, making the lesson relevant and meaningful.

Part of this goal is achieved in the difficulty of the lesson. The 7^th grade teacher spoke of students who are embarrassed when they feel that a lesson is “too easy.” Even if they cannot comprehend the easy lesson, the student does not want to look “dumb” among classmates.

Making Connections

Teachers spoke about the importance of social language. This term deals with making the necessary connections with students and finding a common bond. The connection piece, just like with regular classroom teachers, is an important element to ESL teachers. However, one teacher spoke of the connection process. It can take a couple of weeks with one student and a whole school year with another. Another teacher spoke of “rolling over” with her students , in order to strengthen the bond with her students. By rolling over, the ESL moved up with her 3^rd grade students, allowing her to continue working with them as 4^th graders. While this may strengthen the bond, there is a potential drawback. Said the teacher, “I have to be aware to change up,” referring to her teaching style. “What I used last year may not work with them again, so I have to remember to use a different approach.”

Sensitivity to the students needs is important to the ESL teacher, but has a two-pronged approach. While showing empathy toward their own students, there appears to be an unwritten rule among the ESL teachers to make other, non-ESL teachers aware of the special needs of the students. A 7^th grade teacher talked of providing professional development to her colleagues, in the form of a lesson presented during a faculty meeting – a lesson which discussed the special needs of the ESL student. Addressing the issue of teaching the teachers, she remarked, “I understand that the normal teacher has five classes, over 100 students and may have so many things to deal with that they don’t have time to consider the needs of my students. But, it is important for me to reach out and make them aware.”

Another way that ESL teachers bond with their non-ESL colleagues comes in the form of co-teaching lessons. Because the ESL student has the eventual goal of becoming accommodated with their English speaking classmates, they are “pushed into” regular classes for most of the day. To help ease the burden, when possible, harmony is reached by including the ESL teacher as part of the lesson. This is a common job requirement of all four teachers.

Induction to ESL Teaching

None of the teachers interviewed started their career as an ESL teacher. One was a probation officer who enrolled in a career switcher program to gain teacher licensure, while the other three started as regular elementary teachers. Their induction into the program, and their new career could be due to the newness of the program in the school system. One teacher spoke of attending college in Florida and having to earn an ESL endorsement, by virtue of state requirements. Still, she started her career as a regular elementary teacher.

Two other teachers were asked by the school system to complete training to acquire the endorsement. This request was made by the building administrator because of the initial need for ESL teachers.

In spite of their unlikely paths into teaching ESL students, each teacher loves what she is doing and commented that she would not change into another teaching job, preferring to stay with the ESL program. Their love for the program and their students is infectious.

Working with Resources

Each teacher was resource challenged from the beginning. A cursory look at each work area noted resources - books, posters, boxes of miscellaneous items, to have been gathered from different places. In a reflective moment, the 7^th grade teacher noted, “If one of the teachers is throwing out an old science book, I might take a look and grab it because there might be a lesson, a picture, something that I can use later.”

Funding for the ESL program in this district appears to have been scant. However, with recent funding from the government in the forms of Title I and Title III grants, there are now more resources available for the ESL teachers.

However, old habits are hard to break and teachers will still scour through the building to find more teachable materials. However, to a person, each ESL teacher commented that their current funding and availability to resources is sufficient for them to do their job. There is some concern about how long these funds, which are renewable and not guaranteed, will be available.

Challenges

There are three notable challenges which emerged from the teacher interviews. The first, making other teachers aware of the special needs of the ESL student has been mentioned.

The second challenge emerges as result of the state and federal expectations of each student. The third grade teacher shared thoughts on standardized testing. “The kids, actually, the students in general are tested too much. It creates a drawback to the learning process.” Thinking of her own students, she added, “the problem is that one of my students might get a 40 on a standardized test and be upset with the score. In that case, I may have to sit down with the student and look at the progress. It might be a matter of saying, yes, you earned a 40… but look, the last time you took this exam, you scored a 20. I don’t think that any other students actually doubled their score.”

The other challenge is the expectation for the ESL student to keep up with their American classmates. Because of the constant testing, precious classroom time is lost, adding additional pressure to the teachers. While students are improving and becoming more acclimated to the regular classroom, the complaint from the teachers is that too much is expected of them too soon. Says one, “They are expected to earn the same scores as the students who have been here (in America) their whole life. It isn’t very fair.”

Harris Finishes Sixth Year of HRA Tennis with 89-3 Record

For Shelby Harris, the game of tennis started as a diversion to keep her busy.

“My mom got me into tennis when I was about seven years old. After school, she would take about five or six of us to James River Country Club to play. It was something to do after school,” recalls the Hampton Roads Academy senior.

However, the youngster showed promise immediately. Within a year, she was working with coach Eric Christensen and developing the physical talents and mental aspects of the sport needed to succeed at a high level in the ultra-competitive arena of youth tennis. Aside from a foray into basketball, tennis has been the focus of Harris’ athletic career, one that boasts a long and growing number of titles and accomplishments.

The high school chapter of her story was recently completed as the Lady Navigators dropped a tough decision to rival Cape Henry at the Virginia Independent Schools Division II final. Earlier in the season, HRA had defeated Cape Henry to win the Tidewater Conference crown.

For Harris, it was the end of an extraordinary career, one which cannot be replicated, at least in terms of longevity. The Newport News native started playing for the HRA varsity squad as a seventh grader. Since then, the rule within the Tidewater Conference has been changed so that players must now be in eighth grade before joining the varsity.

In spite of her early arrival to the team, Harris finished her HRA career with a sparkling 89-3 record, and a #5 ranking among all seniors in Virginia. Among her achievements are five all-Tidewater Conference selections as both a singles and doubles player and three TCIS tournament MVP awards (one singles, two doubles). Also on the horizon are a probable fourth selection to the Virginia Independent Schools All-State first team and third selection as a Daily Press All-Star. The Navigator teams also won three VISAA state championships (2006, 2009, and 2010) during her tenure.

Harris likes the team element of tennis.

“I like individual sports, but it (tennis) can be a team sport.” Indeed, HRA has boasted many great tennis teams in recent years. This year’s squad included former Daily Press player of the year, junior Maureen Slattery, giving the Navigators a powerful 1-2 punch at the top of their lineup. Although, Harris will graduate next June, she notes that this year’s team, which finished with a 14-2 record, also had two freshmen among their top six players. “They will still be competitive next year.”

Harris will continue playing tennis, competing in various USTA (United States Tennis Association) events through the winter and spring before beginning her collegiate career next year at Mary Washington University. While the athletic side of her college choice was important, the honor roll student says there is another reason for her decision.

“I want to major in psychology and become a sports psychologist. Mary Washington is one of the best schools for that. Part of what I like about working with Coach Christensen is how he understands the things that I have had to overcome. I’d like to work with other athletes because I know how it feels.” Harris would also like to eventually coach at the collegiate level.

For Ray Smith, her coach at HRA, it is Harris’ mental toughness that separates her from other players.

“One thing about her is that since seventh grade, when she plays, she has no fear. Other players who hit with (velocity) tend to make adjustments. She doesn’t change her game.” Smith notes her maturity and leadership skills as assets and in no uncertain terms adds, “She is one of my last six year players. I’m going to miss her.”

Her initial interest in the Fredericksburg college came from an event last summer. “I was playing on the ITA (International Tennis Association) circuit and one of the events was open to juniors. It gave me the opportunity to play against college players, which was completely different from anything I’ve done.” During the tournament, Harris became acquainted a several of the Mary Washington players. “That’s how I got interested. Choosing Mary Washington is the best decision I’ve ever made.”

But she will miss her experience at Hampton Roads Academy.

“I always wanted to go to HRA. It is a great community and students and parents showed up for our home matches. I love it there.”

Shelby Harris Highlights

Career Record: 89-3
Accomplishments: Varsity Tennis since 7th grade
Tidewater Conference First Team All-Conference in Singles and Doubles: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Tidewater Conference First Team All-Tournament in Singles: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
All-Tournament MVP in Doubles 2008 and 2011
All-Tournament MVP in Singles 2011
Virginia Independent Schools All State First Team: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Daily Press First Team All-Star: 2009 and 2010
Won State Championship with HRA: 2006, 2009, 2010.
Runner-Up State Championship with HRA 2011 – Cape Henry won
Academic Honor Roll (3.5 GPA)
Ranked #5 in Virginia out of all seniors

Pilot Study Update - Part Deux

Sorry for the delay between posts. It is nearing the end of the Fall semester at William and  Mary, and I am waist deep in two projects. I did complete a project for Intermediate Statistics, but feel like I would feel better retaking the class and moving on to Advanced Stats. Being that I have not taken a Math class in 27 years, it was just difficult to re-grasp some of the concepts. Of course, a solid knowledge of Stats is necessary to conduct any research project (ahem..dissertation) that includes any quantitative data and Uncle Sam only funds quantitative projects.
The other project is my pilot study of the successful methods and pedagogical techniques used by ESL teachers in the classroom. My four interviews provided a treasure trove of useful information and I am looking forward to tonight's class presentation, as well as the completion of my study next week. For today, I wanted to share a bit of that project, basically, the answer to the question, "Why Study This Topic?"

Research Problem

            Classrooms across the United States are becoming more diverse. While a number of cities, such as Miami, Los Angeles, El Paso, and Phoenix have enjoyed a long transition into diversity, some areas of the country are only in the infancy stages of diverse demographics. One such area is the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. While other northern regions in the state enjoy diverse learning communities, the percentages of Hispanic and Asian students in Hampton Roads schools are still low. For example, the most recent demographic of the Newport News school system shows only 9.9% Hispanic students, and 2.9% Asian (2010). By comparison, in the city of Alexandria, these percentages are 30.7 and 5.0, respectively (2010).

 However, the percentages of minority students in the Hampton Roads region are rising and will continue to do so. To continue preparing for this change in demographics, school systems in southeastern Virginia will need to hire more ESL teachers in the near future. Currently, there are very few ESL teachers in the area. An inquiry to one school system with four high schools, seven middle schools and 24 elementary schools elicited a response that there were less than 10 ESL teachers currently employed in the entire system – and only one at the high school level.

At this time, it is not believed that any research has been conducted on the expected growth of Hispanic and Asian students to this region. There is also little evidence of any planning for this shift in demographics at the regional level. The intention is to examine the situation in one school system. By examining a locality with only several teachers, I intend to capture the essence of what is working. These results will be compared to results in a larger study, which will be conducted in a larger school system, probably in Northern Virginia. By identifying the successful methods and techniques which are brought into the classroom by ESL teachers in more diverse regions, the objective as a researcher is to make comparisons to the methods and techniques used by teachers in the Hampton Roads community and determine which ones are working successfully. This information can be presented to school administrators who will be in the position to seek and retain successful ESL teachers over the next several years.