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Part one discussed how superstitions guide many athletes, and the coach of the Southwick-Tolland Regional High School girls’ soccer team is no different. Coach Downie “generally [has] a song or a theme…and this year [he had] a good luck charm.” He didn’t divulge the identity of the charm, but it is certain to be replaced by next year. He added that “as a player, I always made sure that I put my uniform on the exact same way—shirt, shorts, right shin pad, right sock, left shin pad, left sock, right cleat, left cleat, tie right cleat, tie left cleat.”
These songs, charms and rituals emerge often times because it focuses athletes and coaches and give them a sense of power and control. They emerge because we try to duplicate the patterns that emerged when we were highly successful. What do you think? Please send me your songs, charms, rituals and superstitions for next week’s blog.
So what about Southwick?
First, let’s understand its geography and history before we look at its soccer from the perspective of former players and Coach Downie. It’s a small Hampden county town that juts out of Massachusetts into Connecticut. According to Maud Etta Gillett Davis:
“Many wonder why the otherwise straight-line boundary between Southwick and Connecticut is broken by one small pocket. In fact, about one sixth of Southwick’s entire territory is bounded on three sides by the State of Connecticut. Various legends explain this odd fact. Perhaps the most plausible one claims that he surveyors made a mistake in running the state line a bit too far north. This mistake was discovered by the time they reached Congamond Ponds. Rather than go all over the route again, Massachusetts was compensated by giving it the ‘jog’ into Connecticut. “
According to the Reverend Edward R. Dodge, some people believe “…that the jog was there for the express purpose of holding Massachusetts in place, lest it slide into the sea.” Whatever the reason, because of the “jog” and its close proximity to both Hartford and Springfield, Southwick has always been a community broiled in border disputes and caught between two distinct cities and states in New England. (For a complete history check out this.
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Westfield St.'s Kelly Gonet |
SO WHAT’S SOCCER LIKE IN THE “JOG”?
Since Kelly Gonet (sophomore forward for Westfield State College and resident of Southwick) helped decide the subject of this blog, I thought it best that she and Jill Raney (another forward for Westfield State College and Southwick legend) contribute to the story. What follows are descriptions of Southwick Style in their own words:
Kelly’s Southwick Story…
“Even though my old high school has students from three towns (Southwick, Tolland and Granville), we are a small community with a limited amount of sports. There’s no swimming, football, lacrosse or volleyball. The number one sport this town loves is soccer. EVERY soccer game, whether it’s a regular season game or playoff, has the same huge number of fans.
Watching the girls play with such heart and love for the game is what makes Southwick so enjoyable to watch. Also, Southwick girls tend to play together from a very early age.
A couple weeks ago I watched Southwick play Easthampton. They ended up winning 4-0 and were led by two senior captains—Kaitlyn Gonet and Kelsie Bowe. Gonet set up scoring opportunities for her forwards and controlled the ball and pace of the game from the middle. Bowe, a defender, shut down her opponents and took several blistering free kicks. These two have played together since they were six, and it showed! At the time of this game Southwick’s goalie, Megan Levitt, had recently broken her jaw saving a goal against Chicopee Comp, which put the team in a pickle while trying to fill her spot. But that is what is also something special about Southwick players—their complete understanding of the game and their willingness to fill different positions when needed.”
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Westfield State's Jill Raney |
Jill’s Southwick Story…
“Soccer is the biggest sport in my town, and I think this will continue to be true. For those who are willing, you can start playing at age 3 or 4 in the town’s Instructional League. This is when many children learn to be comfortable with the ball at their feet. The in-town leagues were available for those who did not make the youngest travel teams, and the Pioneer Valley Junior Soccer League consisted of traveling teams from neighboring towns that all played each other. My mom coached me in the Instructional League all the way up to the many years I played on my town's travel team, around age 13. We have more soccer fields in my town than any other sport. That's how important soccer is! A lot of good soccer players have come out of Southwick, and I feel a lot of that has to do with the availability of teams and coaches for those of all ages.
“The Southwick girls high school team has 8 seniors, all of whom I played with for two years, with the exception of a new goalie on the team. The senior sweeper, Kelsie Bowe, is very fast on and off the ball, and is a solid and highly reliable defender. I also ran track with her. She was on my 4x4 team and we set the school record at States! Kaitlyn Gonet, Kelly's sister, is strong in the midfield with a solid shot and good foot skills. Chelsea Blair has a nice left foot and is a quick left wing forward. These girls are the three captains of the team, and have been on varsity all 4 years.
“The boys’ high school team has 10 seniors, and I believe only 2 have been on varsity all 4 years. These boys are Adam Teich and Matt O'Neill. My brother is a senior on the team, but was only on varsity for the last two years. The starting goalie, Tyler Tersavich, is a very strong, agile, and alert keeper. He didn't play much of his junior year due to an injury that was later discovered to be a torn ACL. After surgery last winter, he's back for his senior year and doing great. Matt O'Neill is a quick senior forward who scored many of Southwick's goals, especially his junior year. Adam Teich is a lightning fast center midfielder who is always determined to get the ball and never backs down. Max Peterson, who transferred to Southwick for his sophomore year, immediately made varsity and earned a spot as a defender for the team. I believe Adam Teich and Matt O'Neill are the two seniors of the boys’ team.”
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What seems very apparent from viewing these two players over the past two years, from watching Southwick girls and boys play on various club teams around the area, and from watching Southwick play this year is that individual knowledge of the overall game and individual comfort with the ball are very important. These players ask questions and want to feel the same comfort they have developed technically with the team’s tactics.
What does this say about Southwick in general? What do the voices of both players show about the enthusiasm and culture of this town? If you are from Southwick, could you write in and add to this conversation? If you are from another town throughout New England, do you have an issue you’d like to see covered or comments you’d like to make? Email me. Also, be ready for the final part of this series on Southwick, an interview with ten year Southwick-Tolland high school girl’s coach Todd Downie.
This is part II of a three-part series. For Part I, click here.
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