WHS Varsity Football shows skills against Kennebunk in preseason scrimmage

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity football took the field against Kennebunk at Kennebunk High School on Saturday, Aug. 23 in preparation for the upcoming regular season.

Windham sophomore Jordan Pastore makes his way around
Kennebunk opponents during a varsity football preseason
controlled scrimmage at Kennebunk High School on
Saturday, Aug. 23. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

This was a controlled scrimmage, which is more of a practice session, than a game. Players and coaches improve skills and techniques through various plays, while evaluating performances as the Eagles worked in a competitive environment to be the strongest they can when it comes time for the start of the regular season. While no formal score was kept, Windham crossed into the end zone a significant amount more than the Rams did.

“I think (these scrimmages) help us a lot,” said Windham sophomore and quarterback Patrick Davenport. “Being able to see defenses and just getting live reps is definitely great. I got a lot better at reading defense today. I’m making reads off, handing the ball off from my running back. Defense (needs work), getting hats to ball, breaking down trying to make tackles better – we had too many missed tackles today, myself included and we got to fix that.”

WHS varsity head football coach Matt Perkins said the team had good speed but needed to continue to work on tackling and getting off the ball up front. While he was pleased with the team’s offense speed, he said they need to do a better job sustaining their blocks. Perkins said Windham made a lot of good plays.

Last year, Windham lost 10 seniors, but few were starters, and a lot of last year’s team have returned this year, so they’re having no problem reallocating senior-led positions.

“We all surprised ourselves,” said Windham junior Parker Sperry. “Coming into this season, no one really knew how we were going to be, but I think after this scrimmage we’ve definitely shown massive improvements and I’m very excited about the season. What went well was our team comradery has gotten so much better compared to last year. I think we’re all just working so hard as a team in practice; the whole offensive line and everyone on the offense and defense is just giving everything they have in every play.”

Junior Colin McKenna said these scrimmages are a good opportunity to put what they work on in practice into play. He felt like everybody put in a lot of effort and every play meant a lot to everybody – they didn’t take any plays off.

Davenport, Sperry and McKenna each agreed it’s going to be a good season; and Windham can go out there and beat anyone they want.

“Got to finish tackles and got to finish blocks,” said Perkins. “We got to continue to break down, but I thought our pass game was pretty good, quarterbacks did pretty well, receivers did a good job on the routes finishing. I saw a lot of productive things for sure.”

Windham will play an exhibition game at home with the kickoff at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29 against Sanford. The Eagles will face Portland in the regular season home opener on Sept. 12, with kickoff at 7 p.m. <

Candlepin bowling group fun for all ages

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Parks and Recreation began a candlepin bowling group earlier this year that is open to everyone and meets once a month. This group is a great way to meet new people. It’s not competitive and the participants are very encouraging of one another. The group had their monthly outing at Westport Bowling Lanes in Westbrook on Tuesday, Aug. 26.

Windham resident Cindy Moxcey gives the ball some speed
and centers it during a Windham Parks and Recreation
candlepin bowling outing at Westport Bowling Lanes in
Westbrook on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

“I like it, it’s good exercise,” said Windham resident Jean Lake. “It’s fun, we all enjoy each other’s company. Being out with people and getting exercise. Windham Parks and Recreation have a lot to offer – it’s just a matter of choosing what you want to do.”

The candlepin bowling group began in May of this year and is without a doubt a success. Windham Parks and Recreation’s Adult Recreation Coordinator Maria Goodstein said she was trying to think of different activities that the program could do that incorporated exercise with socialization. The program already has a fitness class, so this was a natural progression.

“Everybody can enjoy it; I think it’s fantastic,” said Goodstein. “I’d like to grow the group a little bit more ... (Windham Parks and Recreation) have something for everybody, it doesn’t matter your ability, we’re just here to have fun; I don’t want people to stay away because they are intimated, or they feel they’re not as good as everybody else.”

Candlepin varies from 10-pin bowling in that you throw three smaller bowling balls instead of two large bowling balls. Candlepin pins are narrower than the 10-pin ones.

“I used to bowl a lot when I was a kid ... used to bowl 10-pin too,” said Windham resident Rick Varney. “I’ve been retired for eight years, being around people, getting to know different people around town ... I like to be as active as I can be. We’re a very friendly bunch, we’re only here to have a good time, nobody takes it real seriously. Try any of the activities (Windham Parks and Recreation offer), you might find out you like it; I’d encourage anybody to try it – we’re just here to have fun, that’s all.”

Some participants bowl to improve their game, while others bowl for exercise and socialization. Windham resident Cindy Moxcey is trying to get better and learn more about the game.

“I love to bowl; when I was younger, I used to bowl all the time,” said Windham resident Claire Cressey. “(This group) makes us laugh and get together. It’s just for fun, just being good friends. This is the best thing for an older person to do, because it gets you out of the house, make friends and have a lot of good times.”

Beverly Miller, a Windham resident, said she joined the group because she needed exercise. For her, what’s fun about the group is cheering everybody on. Miller said she used to bowl candlepin when she was in high school. She encourages anyone to join; it’s great exercise and nice to be around people.

While candlepin bowling session I has ended, the group’s Session II begins on Sept. 2 and runs through December. For more details, call 207-892-1905. <

Soccer remains a passion that provides opportunities for WHS grad Thornton

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School graduate Abbey Thornton truly loves the game of soccer and has continued to excel on the pitch at the University of Maine in Orono while earning her degree in nursing. Now a junior in college, Thornton is succeeding on and off the field, maintaining a 4.0 GPA her freshman year and made Dean’s List during her sophomore year.

Windham High graduate and University of Maine Orono
junior Abbey Thornton passes the ball during a conference
semifinal women's soccer game against the University of
Massachusetts Lowell on Nov 7, 2024.
PHOTO BY SETH POPLASKI 

"It is a huge adjustment from playing high school soccer to playing Division I soccer,” said Thornton. “I remember freshman year everyone felt so much bigger, stronger, and faster than myself. I was no longer playing against teenage girls, but adults. This adjustment required me to build mental toughness and belief in myself. It required me to always work hard and to earn everything.”

When she was 3 years old, her parents enrolled her in Windham Youth Soccer. Thornton grew up with an older brother and an active family and soccer has been an escape for her and has opened so many doors. She’s made lifelong friends and has traveled across the country to play.

“Windham High Soccer really taught me what soccer was all about,” said Thornton. “On long days, after school, when I was stressed and had a million little things to be doing, I was able to put that on hold. Instead, I got to kick around a ball with some of my best friends, do something I love and have fun. Soccer really is an escape for me and a place I can focus my energy.”

In her two seasons so far at UMaine, Thornton helped the Black Bears to win its first America's East Conference Championship in 2023 and then repeat that title in 2024.

For Thornton, this felt like a movie. She said the team had set out to win the Conference Championship in 2023 and followed through. The 2023 game was a nailbiter that went into overtime. That win made the long days and early mornings worth it. The team set out to be back-to-back champions in 2024 and accomplished that goal, too.

“(Abbey’s) constant commitment to give it her all pushes the people around her to match her energy and go one step further,” said UMO junior teammate Grace Johnson. “Vocally Abbey is constantly providing positive reinforcements to her sounding teammates who are on and off the pitch because Abbey’s support is not dependent on minutes but solely stems from her true compassion for others. Abbey is the teammate who is always reaching out to all the first years after their first game, and the teammate who shows up every day ready to contribute as a player, as a teammate, but most importantly as a friend. You can see the joy radiating off her, that exact energy is something that can’t be taught but a true gift to our program.”

Her advice to athletes who may be interested in continuing to play sports after high school is that hard work beats talent; even if you’re not the most skilled on the field, you can always be the most hardworking. College sports take discipline and sacrifice but are also beyond rewarding, she says.

Being a UMaine Black Bear has allowed Thornton to build relationships that will last a lifetime.

“Abbey leads by example (and) is extremely self-disciplined; her work habits are extraordinary,” said UMO women’s soccer coach Scott Atherley. “Abbey epitomizes the true meaning of student-athlete as she excels at the highest levels academically and athletically. Integrity is a word that immediately comes to mind when I think of Abbey. She is one of our most creative and technical players. In our system, we rely on skillful players who can problem solve and make decisions under pressure. Abbey has great vision and composure. She will assume an important on-field role this season and will continue to have a massive presence in our locker room.” <

Youth Soccer fifth grade girls’ travel team prepares for season

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Youth Soccer Association’s fifth grade girls’ team will begin their season on Labor Day Weekend with a tournament in Cumberland. Until then, they’ve been practicing hard and are looking good. They held a practice at Gambo Field in Windham on Monday, Aug. 18 showing that they are communicating well and coming together as a team.

Windham fifth grader Addesyn Salazar, left, maneuvers by a
teammate during a practice for the Windham Youth Soccer
Association's fifth grade girls' travel team at Gambo Field 
in Windham on Monday, Aug. 18.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“I like running and I like playing defense,” said Windham fifth grader Charlotte Brown, who’s in her second year of playing soccer. “It’s fun playing defense and trying to score goals even though I don’t like offense that much. (I’d like) to get more into offense this season. I’d like to play in high school and still like the game as much (as I do now). I’m looking forward to the new season. It’s fun practicing with all my friends.”

This season will be a little more challenging as on-field players will increase to nine players-on-nine players where previously games were seven players-on-seven players. This season will also include new field formations and new rules, like offsides.

WYSA’s fifth grade girls’ coach, Geoff Sparrow is now in his fourth year of coaching the team. When he first began coaching, he had a few years of soccer experience but really dug into being a good coach and the research and studying necessary to make sure the kids have good, productive practice sessions.

“It’s so much fun, just seeing the kids develop over the course of the season,” said Sparrow. “To set up an environment where they are learning, building their personal relationships and developing their soccer skills in the game is pretty rewarding. My goal is to coach them to compete well but also make sure they are developing that love for the game and building their bonding relationships with their teammates.”

It is important to keep the game at a fast pace. Sparrow said If the players are idle for 15 seconds, you risk losing their attention. One theory of good coaching for kids is maximizing touches on the ball and not standing in line, doing drills, it’s also important to make sure everyone is involved.

Ridley Fulton, a Windham fifth grader, said she’s been playing soccer since she was very little. She wanted to learn the game so she could improve her skills. Fulton really likes scoring and playing scrimmages. Her goal for the season is to get faster and score more goals; she’d also like to improve her footwork. Fulton says that she likes her teammates and she’s played with a lot of them for a while.

Dorothy “Dottie” Sparrow, a Windham fifth grader, said she has been playing soccer since she was 3. Her sister played, and it seemed like it would be really fun, so she wanted to try it. Sparrow has learned how to pass better and play new positions she’s never tried. She is the team’s goalie and her aim this season is to improve her skills as goalie. Sparrow is looking forward to the season and her long-term goal is to play on the varsity team one day. 

The Windham Youth Soccer program is a great way for kids who are into the game to develop more than they might otherwise with a recreation soccer program; there’s a higher level of coaching that comes with it and it’s a great opportunity for the kids, with not as much travel as people think. For the fifth grade girls’ team, the farthest they travel is 45 minutes away, with most games in neighboring towns.

After the practice Coach Geoff Sparrow gets feedback from his players on what they thought went well, or didn’t go well. He asks them what they learned and uses that feedback to improve future practices. <

Windham seventh- and eighth-grade youth football team off to promising start

By Matt Pascarella

While it was only the seventh and eighth grader’s second Windham Youth Football practice of the season at Windham on Monday, Aug. 11, the team is coming together and getting ready for their upcoming season which begins later this month. For the seventh and eighth graders, their regular season runs through October and has the potential for playoffs.

Windham eighth grader Luke Russell catches a pass during 
a Windham Youth Football seventh- and eighth-grade
practice at Windham High School on Monday, Aug. 11.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We’re looking good,” said Windham Youth Football seventh and eighth grade coach Lavon Mckoy. “(The team is) understanding, they’re seeing the expectations. I have a great group of other coaches with me, so we set the tone and expectations right from the start. All the players have adapted and accepted what the responsibilities are.”

Mckoy has been a coach for the program for nine years and wanted to get involved to help the kids and give back. He was fortunate to have a good high school career and played in college, so what made him get into coaching was his passion for football when he was playing as a kid and through his high school career. He says that he wanted to give back to his son and his son’s teammates and friends and help them excel in the sport.

The challenge is what keeps Mckoy coming back. His coaches and he are dedicated to helping their team succeed. They’ll start the season with a group of kids that come from all different backgrounds. For Mckoy and his coaches, what they strive for is seeing their team excel and building confidence in themselves. When you give a player that little bit of confidence and they take it not just from the football field, but they might be able to gain confidence when they’re out in the real world.

For Windham seventh grader Kody Freese, this is his fifth year playing football. He likes scoring touchdowns; he likes all the players and coaches. Freese said it doesn’t matter if you lose, because there’s always the opportunity to come back and win. His goal is to one day play varsity football. He said his team is already like a family, he’s been playing with most of the guys for a while. He’s looking forward to the season.

“Windham Youth Football is a great program from start to finish,” said Mckoy. “From the flag all the way up to eighth grade and a good feeder program into the high school to excel. We’re all out here, a group of parents, who just volunteer their time because they have a passion for the game and want to see groups of young men and young women build their confidence and get the abilities of the game to excel. I think we’re doing a great job; our numbers are not where we want them to be, but we’re going to do with what we have. Hopefully we build up players, so that when they get to the high school level, they are well-rounded individuals ... and potentially excel in college if they decide to go that route.”

It's less about wins and losses for Mckoy. His focus is more on character and confidence building. At the end of the season, he wants any one of his players to feel like they’ve accomplished something; not only physically, but seeing they have a lot to give mentally.

Lewis Walker, a Windham eighth grader, has been playing football since he was in fifth grade. He wanted to play because the teams are like family. Football has taught him that you’ve got to keep pushing, even when things get hard, you got to keep going. His goal is to make it to the National Football League. What’s fun for Walker about playing is you get to build connections with people, you get to hit, everything about it.

Windham Youth Football is always looking for volunteers; if you are interested in getting involved with the program, you can email Wyf.eagles@gmail.com. <

Pickleball delivers a low-impact way to get exercise, have fun and socialize

By Matt Pascarella

Whether you’ve heard of pickleball, played it or just been curious what it’s all about, it’s grown in popularity in recent years. Pickleball is a paddle sport with parts of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s easy to learn and a great way to get exercise and meet new people.

Windham resident Laura Page gets to the ball in time during
a Windham Parks and Recreation pickleball lesson at the
Pat Moody Courts in Windham on Saturday, Aug. 9.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Windham’s Parks and Recreation Department is currently offering a four-week summer session and the group met at the Pat Moody Courts in Windham on Saturday, Aug. 9.

“I’ve been playing for four months now,” said Gorham resident Lisa King. “It was really just to meet people, to get out of the house and do something a little different, that engages with the community and maybe meet people that I have something in common with.”

Norma Ewing, a Windham resident, said pickleball is something she really looks forward to. She said it’s a good workout. She chose to play because it was about doing something for her; Ewing was busy with work and loves sports; pickleball gives her a break to do something fun.

The objective of pickleball is to serve the ball, similar to a wiffle ball with a paddle similar to a table tennis paddle, return the serve, make sure the ball bounces twice and be ready, because depending on skill levels that ball can come at you really fast.

Windham pickleball coach and Gorham resident Dave Cousins started playing pickleball in the early 1990s. Prior to that he had coached tennis. He said he always had pickleball as a base in the back of his mind. Cousins first began coaching pickleball in South Portland, but with low attendance.

Something happened around 2018 when his classes jumped from three or four people to 10 people. His attendance numbers continued to increase month after month; he was able to add another pickleball session and then another.

“I decided to play pickleball because I go to a resort in Florida and my friends played pickleball the last two times I went” said Windham resident Laura Page. “I want(ed) to learn to play. It’s a low-impact sport and it’s good for me. Everybody you play with is pretty understanding and nice.”

During the pickleball lesson, Cousins is a very patient teacher and allowed his players to learn at their own pace, while having fun at the same time.

“It doesn't take a lot of classes to get pretty good at pickleball pretty fast,” said Cousins. “One of the reasons I got into pickleball was I found folks could pick the game up that much faster. My goal as a coach is to be coaching everywhere in Southern Maine and New Hampshire. I want to expand the territory out a little bit, but the bigger over-arching goal is to get as many people into a racquet sport as possible. All it takes is that first hour. In that first hour you start to discover ... there’s strategy to this game. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s social. What’s the selling point – socialization and low-barrier to entry. Easy to pick up, and then it makes you want to play more.”

Windham resident Darlene Haskell said pickleball is great. She wasn’t going to play because she thought it’d be too intense, but it doesn’t have to be intense. Anybody can play, have fun and not get hurt.

Cousins said his group has improved a lot over the weeks of the session. The class gets a chance to play but then has someone who is looking out for them to tell them what they’re doing great and what they can improve upon.

There is a place for everybody to play, and Cousins said he wants to be the one who introduces pickleball, or another racquet sport, to as many people as possible.

Windham’s Parks and Recreation Department will also offer fall and winter pickleball sessions; for more details, call 207-892-1905. <

WHS basketball wraps up successful summer schedule

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity summer basketball team wrapped up a successful season with their final practice at Windham High School on Thursday, July 31. For the final week of practices, the varsity team had Windham’s seventh and eighth graders join them. This was a great opportunity for seasoned players to teach younger players and younger players to learn from potential teammates and role models. The varsity team finished their summer season with an impressive 12-2 record.

Windham sophomore Boston Krainis is about to tip the ball
in the basket during a scrimmage in the final practice of
the summer prep basketball season at Windham High
School on Thursday, July 31.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“Right now, we’re just focusing on each other, and coaches are getting us better,” said Windham senior AJ Moody. “We appreciate them (helping) us in the gym and bringing us together. We’re not afraid of anything (as a team). I can’t wait to face the teams we’re playing; it’s going to be a great (winter) season.”

Moody said mentoring the younger kids gave them a preview what it’s going to be like playing on varsity; it’s not easy, so it’s best to learn and begin to make that transition to the program’s expectations and playing style now instead of later.

The younger kids get mixed right in and learn the skills of the game from high school players. The development of both younger and older players emotionally and skill-wise is incredible.

"It's been a great group of guys,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “We’ve had an extreme level of commitment ... they’re motivated. One of our things this year is ‘entitled to nothing’ - we don’t deserve anything yet; we haven’t earned anything yet. It was a great group of hungry guys that make good decisions on and off the court. It starts with our top guys, Tyrie (James) and AJ and we got some junior leaders in (Luke) Drottar, Landon Wyman and Colin Janvrin plus Boston (Krainis) and Sean (LeBel). They are the ones that are most committed, they’re picking guys up, they’re trying to help those young guys because they’re going to need guys to come and help them (on the court) and step in to have success with this team. Our pace of play is really good, and our defense is outstanding, I really love what our guys can do on the defensive side.”

During the summer the team traveled to East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania for a team camp where they could connect with each other and play the game.

Pulkkinen said he saw a lot of growth, maturity-wise, but also connection-wise, and that’s the biggest question for the team, can they connect together? The varsity guys are focused and want to work for it every day and that’s the mindset coming off two championship wins.

“It helps me learn what to expect from them, because our offense is a lot of anticipation, learning how they play,” said Windham sophomore Krainis about how the summer season helped him prepare for the winter. “Playing with Tyrie and AJ ... learning how they play. We’ve gotten hungrier – just because we’re the state champs doesn’t mean we deserve anything. We’ve got to keep working. The offense has been running really well. Everybody’s getting open shots, we’re scoring a lot of points, defense is great.”

Players will stay ready for the winter season by hitting the gym or the weightroom, or by playing a fall sport. The team will be around each other this fall, and they’ll keep working and cheering each other on.

While it’s too early to give a forecast of the varsity boys’ basketball season, Pulkkinen said they’ll be playing hard come winter; the team will be fun to watch and you’ll see the two determined seniors, James and Moody setting the tone. <

Windham High varsity field hockey preparing for 2025 season

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity field hockey team has been preparing for the fall season all summer long and they are ready and excited to start their preseason on Aug. 18; with the regular season beginning on Sept. 5. The team has a new coach this season, Maddy Perfetti, a graduate of Colby College.

Windham sophomore Mia Kri, left, goes after the ball in a
prep field hockey game against Noble at Windham High
School in August 2024. The WHS varsity field hockey
team has been establishing their skills over the summer
as they prepare for the start of a new season.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We’ve done a lot of basic stick work and talked through a bunch of field awareness so I think coming into the fall we can focus more on strategic and elevated things,” said Windham senior Abby Trainor. “Our team will definitely be very young; I think it helps with the majority of our team being underclassman; there’s a lot of room for growth through the season.”

Trainor said Perfetti brings new skills and ideas to their play. Perfetti has helped elevate their play because she’s very knowledgeable. Perfetti has introduced new stick work drills through the summer that helps their stick work in tight spaces and short distances. They will definitely have success this season and Trainor can’t wait to start competing.

“Being a young team, and losing a strong class of 2025, I am learning what gaps we need to fill–whether that's a leadership role off the field or in the backfield, all roles are up for redefining,” said Perfetti. “Through the summer I saw girls trying out these potentially new roles while also being open to my coaching style and approach to the game.”

The summer was an opportunity for the players and its new coach to bond as well as the players to start to coalesce on the field. They’ve made some good progress.

“Getting the team together early in the summer, definitely helps bond the team and get us more comfortable before the regular season,” said Windham junior Sarah Smyth. “It is important to get to know ... players before jumping into the season. It also helps us get well conditioned and in shape before preseason week and the regular season. I have seen the team’s overall skills improve with every practice and summer game. Communication is a big part of the game, and at the beginning of the season it was difficult to communicate with new teammates, but the more games we played we got more comfortable with communicating and learning how everyone plays.”

According to Smyth, it is really cool to experience different coaching styles. Since Perfetti played at Colby College, a lot of the drills they do are unique from past seasons and very effective. Smyth said she realized she (wants) to be a leader and is happy to step into that role and be a good example for the underclassmen.

“The team improved a lot over the summer,” said Perfetti. “There are a group of committed members to the team that showed up to three sessions a week for the whole summer. This progress will only continue through the fall season. The summer is an opportunity for the girls to prepare for the fall season, and it is up to them how much they utilize that. We spent time playing together in a low-stakes environment this summer in an effort to build relationships between the girls that were there. I would say this was a success. Preseason will take on a new energy with very intentional team building. My goals as a coach are to create an environment where players can be themselves, compete with intensity, and care about winning.” <

Despite narrow loss WHS boys’ soccer looks strong for fall season

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham High School boys’ summer soccer team played York at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday, July 29 and the Eagles battled hard for two halves, but at the final whistle York got by with a 2-1 win. However, summer soccer is more about fine-tuning players for the fall and figuring out what is going right and what needs improvement.

Windham senior Daniel Hancock, center, keeps possession
of the ball away from York during a boys' summer soccer
game at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday,
July 29. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I think our possession play is what people have come to expect from the program,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “The quality of our midfield play is very good and will continue to be a strength for us. We’ve got some younger players that need to step into some big roles and some players that maybe haven’t been tested in the big game stuff. I think if we had a full roster of 18 kids, that game leans more in our favor. I 100 percent feel that we’re going to be fine. This is about building blocks for what we want down the road.”

Windham took the field ready to go. Their defense didn’t allow York any scoring opportunities early on, and Windham went hard after the ball. Partway through the first quarter, Windham senior Dylan Crockett scored.

Moments later, York scored and tied the game, 1-1.

There were several shots on goal from various Windham players, but nothing got by.

“This game showed we got to work on our shots quite a bit; but our movement was good,” said Windham junior Caleb Hayman. “Our physicality was decent, and I think our chemistry was top notch, we’re doing pretty well with that. I’m very happy (with how Windham played). It showed how our team’s doing and how our chemistry will be there in the season. We’re also missing a few players tonight; getting touches on the ball and getting out here with the team (during the summer season), gets us prepared and kind of shows us what it’s going to be like.”

The game remained tied 1-1 at halftime.

In the second half, Windham did a good job communicating; they started the half aggressive, though got tired toward the end of the game. York scored again in the top of the fourth quarter.

“My takeaway from this game is we played well, we played hard,” said Windham sophomore Isaac Bernier. “There definitely some things we can work on like communication can always get better. We’ll work on it and once we get that down, I think we’ll be one heck of a team. We had a lack of subs as well, with only three or four players; had we had more subs, the outcome might have been different.”

Daniel Hancock, a Windham senior, said there were a lot of good things about the game, they moved the ball well. Throughout the whole summer they’ve been possessing well. It’s not the result they wanted, but the chances are there. Hancock said he thinks playing together more as they prepare for the season, everything’s going to come together and they’re going to be a great team.

“In the summer with the lack of numbers at times, people play different positions where they’re not used to and that can lead to breakdowns, but it can also be positives,” said Windham assistant varsity boys’ soccer coach Nick Dubay. “Today we had three defenders playing out back that aren’t really defenders. They had never seen varsity minutes and held their own.”

Neal said the summer season is an opportunity for the kids to show the coaches what they’ve got. They’re all vying for spots. They’re all trying to get better. You’re trying a bunch of things and seeing what will work and that’s what summer play is all about. <

Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp teaches skills and sportsmanship to younger students

By Matt Pascarella

In the third year of Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp, campers are taught skills of the game from the WHS boys’ and girls’ varsity teams, along with help from Windham High School graduates, soccer coaches and community members. The money made from the week-long camp held at Windham from July 21 to July 25 goes back to the varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer programs.

Windham sixth-grader Makayla Swander, right, holds back
opponent Trent Richards going after the ball during a 
scrimmage at the Eagle Soccer camp at Windham High
School on Friday, July 25.
PHOTO BY MATT PASACRELLA

“The motivation for me has always been to try and create a soccer family and bring that across multiple generations of former players, current players and future players. It’s all about relationships,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach and Eagle Soccer Camp organizer Jeff Neal. “I was super fortunate as a young player that I had coaches that tried to foster and instill that sense of community and family. When I started it, that’s what I wanted to try, but this has exceeded my expectations and that’s because of the people – this doesn’t happen without a lot of people. That’s the drive; to make something that people feel a part of but at the same time, it’s as much community building and relationship building. I want kids to know how to play the right way.”

The goal of the camp is to improve soccer skills for both the campers and high school players; this helps keep the programs competitive.

“I like doing soccer and I thought I would improve,” said Windham sixth grader Makayla Swander. “We learned how to dribble better and how to make it so (an opponent) can’t take the ball without fouling. It’s fun working with the bigger kids, they make it fun, and they teach us a lot.”

At the very end of the week the counselors give each camper an evaluation form with feedback; it had something good they’d done, something they need to work on, but remaining positive. Hopefully, this helps to incentivize the campers and shows that this camp is a place where they can come to get better and every player, regardless of age, is always trying to get better.

Landon Carey, a Windham sixth grader, wanted to participate to get skills and have fun. He had fun doing the activities and learned that leaning over the ball drives it down and leaning back drives it up. Carey made a lot of friends and wants to come back next year.

“I love helping kids,” said Windham graduate Josh Hancock. “I love seeing them enjoy it and have a good time. It’s awesome to get out here and help them however I can. They love to learn, but most important they love the game and they’re building foundations and just enjoying it, which is the important part; being here to watch them play and asking myself what I can do to help them is really important and helps me in the season and really for the rest of my life.

Girls’ varsity soccer coach Deb Lebel said the camp gives coaches a peek at what the future holds, and it gives the younger kids a chance to work with possible potential future teammates.

Lebel said the goal for the week is to get the kids as many touches on the ball and even if they picked up only one skill that improved their game to also have a lot of fun with a variety of different people. Some of these kids have built a connection here and they won’t miss a varsity game. There’s high energy in the stands which turns into high energy on the field. The younger kids know all the players and that connection makes the varsity players work harder.

"I’ve been working at it since it started, and I always have a really fun time teaching the kids how to learn to do stuff,” said Windham graduate Devan Kennie. “Once (the kids) are motivated they get really into it and really excited. Sometimes during the demos I’m still learning stuff, too; it’s not only them learning, I’m learning too. It has been a very positive week.” <