From: Laura Blair (sometimes known as the Wreckers #1 Fan)

To: SHS Sports Teams’ Coaches

I need your help by publicizing the Annual Star Walk, Roll & Stroll on May 6th. You can help by passing the information below on to your team’s Web Master:

Our own Laura Blair is at it again, working for a great cause, “STAR, INC.” The 7th Annual STAR Walk, Roll & Stroll will take place on Sunday, May 6th at Sherwood Island Park.

STAR serves more than 500 area families. Of those, more than 130 families receive early intervention services for their infants and young children. STAR supports 11 group homes and 16 apartments, assisting 87 individuals with independent living. STAR provides training and job placement to 236 adults.

For more information, visit the Star webpage.

To donate, please go to: Active.com

Last year, I raised $5,500 for this worthy cause. The SHS community led the charge with $4,000 in contributions! So, let’s get going Wreckers and support this worthy cause.

The voting is now open with your team as finalists for the Overtime FCIAC Team of the Week. Click to go to the Hearst News blog to vote. The ballot is open until noon on Wednesday (1/19).

Staples finished the year with a 4-5 record based on the large number of boys coming out to play during the coed spring season. Two of the losses werenail-biters that came down to the final seconds with a one goal differential against Loomis and Brunswick, both teams with a long tradition of water polo. They also have substantially more pool time and training options than the Wreckers.

In addition, Staples had wins against teams such as Hopkins, Horace Mann, Greenwich High School’s B squad and the Hudson Valley Club that were out of reach a few years ago. Another big first for the Wreckers was their winning the Hopkins Invitational tournament, an event that typically caps off the water polo season.

Water polo has grown in size and accomplishments over the course of four years at Staples in becoming a thriving and competitive team. With approximately 35 players each year, the team has a full varsity and JV squad.

As a non-FCIAC sport, Staples water polo plays against the New England prep schools as well as other clubs and YMCA teams. They also compete with Greenwich, the only other public school in Connecticut with a water polo program. The Staples team is coached by head coach Theo Sullivan assistant coach Brandon Arias.

Awards for the season include:

* Senior Dan Haroun — Block S Coach’s award

* Senior captain Daniel Nussbaum — Block S MVP (received MVP last year as well)

* Senior captain David Katter — Offensive MVP

* Senior Jacob Epstein — Defensive MVP

* Senior NickYu — Most steals

* Freshman Max Wimer — Rookie of the Year

Junior Rory Siegel was also notable for his strong presence in goal and fellow juniors Angus Armstrong and Robert Deluca are 2012 captains.

Reprinted from the Westport News

Don’t forget: the photos used in the slideshow — plus hundreds more — can be viewed on the team’s SmugMug photo gallery, where you can download copies and order prints. SmugMug also sells photo items, which are great holiday gifts. (And no, neither I nor the team get a cut of the sale.)

See you next year.

- Ronald Wimer

Elizabeth Fry

Westport resident and record-shattering open water swimmer Elizabeth Fry has been nominated for the 2011 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

The nomination recognizes Fry, 52, for “her dynamic spirit in helping others realize their open water dreams while she realizes her own potential in some of the most difficult swims in the world,” according to the sponsor of the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) awards, Open Water Source. In particular, the nomination recognizes Fry for the two “double crossings” she swam in 2011.

Last June, she set the double crossing record and became the only person to complete the unprecedented 35-mile Ederle Swim, swimming from Manhattan Island to New Jersey, and back. Her time of 11 hours, 5 minutes set the standard for both men and women, young and old. She then became the oldest person to complete the 42-mile double crossing of the English Channel in 24 hours, 39 minutes, with her return journey faster than the outgoing swim from England to France. This was her third attempt to complete the two-way crossing of the iconic Channel, having previously accomplished five successful one-way crossings. She wrapped up her 2011 season with a 13 hour, 25 minute, 25-mile crossing from Vermont, U.S.A. to Québec, Canada.

In addition, Fry has served as the long-standing director of the 25K Swim Across the Sound, one of the nation’s largest open water swimming events, which has raised millions of dollars for the St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation.

Fry trains with the Westport Swim Club, a Connecticut Masters team, which is coached by Staples Girls Swim coach Michael Laux. She began her swimming career in Long Beach, New York and attended Camp Akomak, a swim camp in Canada. As a teen in Westport, she swam for the Westport Weston Family Y Water Rats and Staples High School swim teams. Fry attended college at the University of Connecticut, where she was awarded the John Squires Award for the most improved swimmer as a freshman while earning a degree in Chemistry, and earned graduate degrees at Fordham University.

About the WOWSA Award

According to Open Water Source, the WOWSA award is meant to honor not necessarily the best athlete, but the individual who best embodies the spirit of open water swimming; possesses the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance for which open water swimmers are known; and has most positively influenced the world of open water swimming in 2011. This year’s award nominees include twelve women from nine countries. Awards also are given for Man of the Year and Performance of the Year.

Voting takes place online at Open Water Swimming from November 1 to December 31. The winner will be announced and honored on January 1 at the Global Open Water Swimming Conference.

For more information on Elizabeth Fry, visit here.

Click to cast your vote.

 We have one more pasta dinner to go:

 This Friday, November 11^th at the Siegel home, 13 Burnham Hill Road.

 Many thanks to the Siegel family for hosting!

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9  –  Last home games vs. Brunswick, varsity and jv,  5:30 pm warm up.  Please be there a bit earlier to set up the pool. 

 SENIOR DAY to follow the games.

 There is also a concession stand on Wednesday.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12  – Last away game, varsity vs. Hudson Valley,  8 am warm up.  Bus to be announced.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBE 13 – BANQUET, 5:30 pm, Red Barn Restaurant, 5:30 pm, 292 Wilton Road, Westport.

END OF THE SEASON

 As a result, there will be three teams and it will be a round robin format:

Game #1 3:00pm  Hopkins v Eaglebrook

Game #2 4:10pm  Staples v Eaglebrook

Game #3 5:20pm  Hopkins v Staples

Each game will be played with 6 minute periods. 

The first team listed will be the home team.

 Bus time to be announced.

The bus is still scheduled for 9:15. We will try to push it back once Dattco opens in the morning and aim for a 9:30 bus but please stay posted. The bus can just wait if we leave later.

Also, because the schedule was different in its original format, we have not ordered sandwiches for tomorrow. We will bring bagels and water but players should pack their own snacks as needed.

Revised Sunday Schedule for Greenwich Tournament

8:00 a.m. Navy AC vs Greenwich YM Aquatics

8:55 a.m. GHS A vs Hudson Valley

9:50 a.m. GHS B vs Gonzaga B

10:45 a.m. Navy AC vs Gonzaga A

11:40 a.m. Staples A vs Hudson Valley

12:40 p.m. Staples B vs Gonzaga B

1:40 p.m. GHS A vs Navy AC

2:40 p.m. GHS A vs Staples A

Greenwich High School also cancelled its homecoming game.

The school has not determined what to do for tomorrow. We will let you know as soon as we hear anything.