As I announced last week, I am adding a new feature to the blog this spring: we are going to have 6 guest bloggers file weekly reports that I am sure will take you deeper inside the world of high school sports and complement the analysis and news that I try to provide.
The hardest part was narrowing down a list of so many strong candidates. In the end, I have found an extremely talented group of bloggers who bring with them a lot of experience and enter this spring season from different vantage points that will provide for compelling commentary. I also know everyone involved and can attest that, from a deep pool, I have brought together Stamford’s best and brightest.
I wanted to get a male and female athlete, coach, and a parent-athlete combination.
Here are the people who will be taking you inside the world of Stamford high school sports:
Female athlete: Emily Powers (Stamford High). Emily was a starting defender for the Black Knights’ two-time state championship field hockey team and this year is playing lacrosse for the first time even though she has never played the sport, the program is at the JV level and as a senior most would expect she would not attempt something so daring and instead try to slide by the rest of the year.
Male athlete(s): Steve Rivera and Bobby Horn (Westhill): Steve and Bobby were standout starters for the baseball team that won the state championship last year. Besides general insight, they will be able to talk about what it is like to play for a team trying to defend a title.
Coach: Fred Kelly (Stamford High): Fred was a highly respected assistant coach who this year is taking over the head position with Bobby Augustyn retiring. He will be able to talk about the challenges and pressures of being a first-year coach at a highly successful program.
Parent-athlete: Sammi and Mike Nemchek (Trinity Catholic): Sammi has been a starter and key member of Trinity’s softball team who also played on successful youth teams growing up. Mike has coached many youth teams, including Sammi’s, and many players not just at Trinity but Stamford and Westhill, which will offer an interesting dynamic when Trinity plays the other city teams. You hear so much about parental involvement in youth sports and this will offer an interesting dynamic both from the view of a parent and, in this case, his daughter.
Their entries will begin next week and I’ll have a little bit more news later in the week as we finalize the remaining details.
Until then, feel free to drop any questions you have for them to me and I will be sure to pass them along to the bloggers.
