Fall is in the air. The leaves are slowly turning crisp yellow and bright red. Greenwich always seems excited to see this time of season. The sidewalks along Greenwich Avenue are busier than usual, the parks are full of dog walkers and joggers, and it’s not uncommon to see men, women and children fishing along Long Island Sound.
Another thing about Greenwich in the fall is its sports. People don’t have to travel far to see children of all ages kicking a soccer ball, smacking field hockey sticks, running around tracks or in Greenwich Point, passing a football or doing laps in a swimming pool.
The Greenwich Academy field hockey team is looking this year for its 33rd straight Fairchester Athletic Association championship, something unheard of in the world of high school sports.
The Greenwich High School girls’ volleyball team had a magical run last year to the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference class LL championship game and hasn’t lost a match this season. And that’s including a thrilling 3-2 victory over perennial power Darien High School.
The Greenwich High School girl’s swimming and diving team, fresh off its Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, CIAC class LL AND state open championships, is undefeated as of this writing. Staying in the pool, the GHS boy’s water polo team travels the region playing the best competition possible, even playing some college junior varsity programs.
Sacred Heart Greenwich has seen an abundance of success with its soccer and volleyball programs during the fall season.
On the gridiron at GHS, head coach John Marinelli is in his second year with the Cardinals and is turning around the football program to the point where Greenwich High can hope to be in the postseason come December.
Brunswick School athletics this fall has plenty to cheer about. Their football program is one of the best in the region. They won a bowl game last year, have appeared in three straight bowl games, and are undefeated this year heading into Saturday’s game. In the pool, the Brunswick water polo team can’t be more dominating. Last year they completed the back-to-back New England championships and are poised to make it a three-peat this season.
And there’s much more to talk about just for the fall season. Throw in the winter and spring seasons and there won’t be enough room in the editorial section of this paper to discuss all the talent up and down at the high school level.
High schoolers, whether at Brunswick School, Greenwich Academy, Sacred Heart Greenwich or Greenwich High School, are stepping up their game to make the town proud. So now it’s your turn to return the favor.
For too long, these teams have showcasing their talents in front of a handful of people and a lot of bleachers, trees and grass. There have been games played in front of a dozen or so people. Football bleachers are sometimes half empty during games.
This needs to end.
We need to go to support these athletes and show them how much they mean to the community. We need to make a commitment to these athletes and attend the games, and give the Cardinals, Bruins, Tigers and Gators a true home field advantage, just as they make a commitment to their respective sports with the countless hours of practice and honing of their skills.
Greenwich High girls’ swimming and diving will be battling fellow undefeated Ridgefield High School today at 3:30. Brunswick water polo will host two matches at their home pool on the Edwards Campus tomorrow starting at 10 a.m.
On Thursday the GA field hockey team will be home for a conference match against Greens Farms Academy at 4:15. On the other side of town, Sacred Heart Greenwich’s field hockey will host FAA foe King School today at 4.
The GHS football team will be home next Saturday for a big game against Trumbull, with possible playoff implications on the line.
Let’s pack the pool, line the sidelines and fill the bleachers with fans and cheer on the teams as they look to reach some great heights this season.
These coaches and athletes make us proud every day they take the field; now it’s our turn to make those coaches and athletes feel proud to defend their house.
