Windham senior Freese first recipient of Pat Moody Foundation scholarship

By Matt Pascarella

During Windham’s senior awards night at Windham High School last month, the first Pat Moody Foundation scholarship was presented to senior Braycen Freese in the amount of $2,500. The Pat Moody Foundation was created after the passing of beloved Windham resident Pat Moody who loved this town and was a champion for the local sports community and its youth.

Members of the Pat Moody Foundation gather after awarding 
the first Pat Moody Foundation Scholarship at Windham High
School during Senior Awards Night on Thursday, June 5 to
WHS senior Braycen Freese. Back from left are Todd
Hamilton, Geoff Grigsby, Chad Pulkkinen, George McCrillis,
Jedidiah Merrill, Tyler Graves, and David Harrigan. Front
from left are Tracey Lydon, Braycen Freese and
Sherma Moody. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“He was like a second father to me,” said Freese. “When I saw the scholarship go up, it was an opportunity to be felt in his name again and he’s still around in my life. He was a mentor to me, through basketball, through life, through school – every part of my life, he was a role model. It’s a great thing to be the first one, just when I see his name and my name next to each other, it brings joy to my heart. If I was ever having trouble with sports, with school, he was always there to talk, he was always teaching me new things whenever I was struggling ... he would teach me new things to get through the humps. He always celebrated me more than I celebrated myself, so he made me feel special.”

Freese said he applied to honor Moody’s name. Freese consulted his basketball coach, Chad Pulkkinen, on what he should say in his essay; Pulkkinen’s advice to Freese was to just write what was in his heart.

“Braycen is a great kid, he’s top 10 in his class,” said Pat Moody Foundation Executive Committee board member Geoff Grigsby. “He graduated a year early; he had a real strong connection with Pat. As a board, our primary focus is to be an extension of Pat; live by the model ‘What would Pat do?’ Braycen meant a ton to him and vice-versa – someone who was instrumental to Braycen’s athletic achievements. There were such strong candidates, and we wanted to help as many people as we can within reason; we thought broadening (the scholarship) to three people was the right move.”

The Pat Moody Foundation was impressed with all applicants; they added two additional $1,000 scholarships; those winners were seniors Stella Jarvais and Lukas Hammond. It was very difficult for the Pat Moody Foundation board to decide on who the winner should be – everyone’s resume was so strong, and each applicant had done so much to meet the criteria. Each applicant got a “Moody’s Army” T-shirt, which is representative of people who’ve gone above and beyond in the community.

“We wanted civic-minded, well-rounded individuals, said Moody’s best friend and Pat Moody Foundation board member Tyler Graves. “We wanted student-athletes, just because that was kind of Pat’s medium in terms of connecting with kids. They all had amazing GPAs and cumulative scores, their citizenship and volunteerism were beautiful; they had to write an essay of how they were deserving and what Pat meant to them, plus a letter of recommendation from a coach or a teacher.”

Graves said Freese’s essay really stuck out because it delved into how much Moody affected him and shaped him over the past few years and that was really touching to Graves; this person knew Moody and the way they described Moody’s impact really tugged at Graves’ heart strings.

“I’m just honored to win” said Freese, who will attend the University of Maine Orono and major in mechanical engineering and then plans to attend law school. He is still deciding if he’d like to become a private attorney or mechanical engineer. <

Windham varsity basketball coach Pulkkinen earns 100 career wins

By Matt Pascarella

Before winning his second straight boys’ state basketball championship, Windham High varsity basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen notched his 100th career win during the state semifinal game against Portland on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, just 10 years after becoming the team’s head coach.

Windham High varsity boys' basketball coach is interviewed
after his team won the state championship defeating South
Portland on Saturday, March 1. Pulkkinen posted his
100th career victory earlier in the state playoffs 
during the state semifinals against Portland.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to coach and to play a small role in the success of the kids at Windham,” said Pulkkinen. “It (100 wins) means I’ve had the privilege of working with so many great young men who share the same passion for basketball that I do. Our culture has been a priority from the very beginning. The true foundation of our program is the people within it—starting with my assistant coaches. They are instrumental in shaping our culture, embodying the same character, work ethic, and attitude we expect from our players.”

Pulkkinen has always had a personal goal of giving back to the town where he grew up. He is grateful for the opportunity to do so.

After college, Pulkkinen got the opportunity to achieve a lifelong goal – to play basketball professionally. He was invited to several pro-camps where he was scouted internationally and selected by the Northampton Neptunes in England. He was involved in the team’s developmental program, working with nearly 400 kids from ages 8 to 16 teaching them basketball. It has become one of the most enriching experiences of his career.

“Working with Chad, and the rest of this staff, is one of the most rewarding parts of my life,” said Windham assistant coach Geoff Grigsby. “Chad, specifically, is why I wanted to join the program in the first place. Watching a couple years of him coaching at WHS showed he had a lot of potential as a coach. I appreciate the culture he's built and the relationships that will last a lifetime because of his leadership far more.”

In 2015, it was Pat Moody who recruited Pulkkinen for the WHS head coaching position. Pulkkinen and his wife had just had their second child and coaching wasn’t on his mind. Although hesitant, Moody could sense this and continued insisting he could excel in the coaching role. Eventually, Pulkkinen took the job and says that he’s glad he did.

“From the start, Pat set me up for success, including introducing me to two incredible assistant coaches who had already been part of the program: Peter Brown and George McCrillis,” said Pulkkinen. “They are two of the best people in this town. I was fortunate to have their experience and guidance in those early years.”

McCrillis is still coaching with him today alongside three other coaches including Grigsby, Noah Estey and Chris Sargent.

“It’s hard for me to explain what a big part (coaching) is in my life,” said McCrillis. “It’s more than just basketball; it’s the kids, it’s the relationships, it’s their families, the community – and that really starts with Chad. We demand high standards and good sportsmanship. To us it’s about the big picture ... it’s not just about wins and losses (for Chad) and trying to feed our own personal egos. He talked about this right from the get-go that he wanted to develop a culture in Windham that Windham would become known throughout the state as a basketball town.”

Pulkkinen was so intensely focused on the team’s success that McCrillis had to remind him the semifinals victory was his 100th win.

Basketball is a vehicle for life and Pulkkinen, along with his coaches, want players to leave the program feeling prepared for life’s challenges through basketball. The game teaches invaluable lessons about resilience, teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. It means a lot to him to know that he has played a small part in his players’ success, hopefully, has had a positive impact in their journey.

“The impact that he has on us is tremendous, he builds confidence in us on the court as people, students, children,” said senior AJ Moody. “He’s the best coach I’ve ever had; he pushes us through walls to make us the team we were during the State Championships.” <

Eagles’ summer basketball camp great opportunity to make friends, learn skills

Windham varsity senior and volunteer JC Chouinard teaches
basketball skills to students during the Eagles' summer
basketball camp on Wednesday, July 27 at Windham
High School. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

For as long as Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen can remember, Windham basketball has had a summer camp, where younger kids can learn the skills of the game as well as meet new people, who could one day be their teammates.

Pulkkinen has been running the camp for six years and next winter will begin his eighth year as the head boys’ basketball varsity coach. He’s had a tremendous response to his annual camp with almost 100 kids signing up.

Things are starting to come back to normal as far as kids’ camps go following the pandemic and Pulkkinen and his assistant coaches Geoff Grigsby and Noah Estey say that they were glad they could help the younger, aspiring players of the community out by hosting the K to 8 basketball camp at Windham High School during the last week of July.

“The No. 1 goal is to have fun,” said Pulkkinen. “It gives them an outlet to learn the game and have some fun.”

Every day of the camp there were themes like teammate, hustle, body language or coachability. Along with essential basketball skills, Pulkkinen and his coaches teach the kids the importance of being kind on the court and what it means to be a good teammate.

 

Basketball has given Pulkkinen a lot of life skills, so part of his goals for this camp is to teach life skills to the future group of varsity players.

“Overall basketball has been a tool for me to apply in all that I do,” said Pulkkinen. “Commitment, dedication, discipline, how to handle adversity, how to be a good teammate. It's shown me when you work hard at something and put the time in it pays off. You get what you put in.”

Players from freshmen to seniors volunteered their time and set a good example for the young athletes and participants appreciated the new skills they worked on at the camp.

“I’ve learned new ways to dribble and new ways to throw,” said Windham fifth-grader Kingston Mack.

Mack’s goal is to make over 1,000 shots in his lifetime.

Windham senior and varsity player JC Chouinard remembered attending this camp himself when he was much younger and how he looked up to high school varsity players.

“It’s pretty cool it’s come full circle now that I’m a senior here,” said Chouinard.

Chouinard has volunteered at the camp for the last four years and likes that it brings the community together. He likes seeing the younger kids learn the game.

Basketball has helped Chouinard out a lot in his life, so if he can use basketball to help another young athlete, that means a lot to him.

Chouinard said that his goal during the week was to have the kids remember the camp and the fun they had, skills they improved upon and new friends that they made.

Windham second-grader William Hanf had been working on making baskets and drills during the Eagles’ Basketball camp. He said he wanted to become better at playing basketball and has been having fun learning new skills and meeting new people.

“I just think it helps everybody come together and get to know each other. The camp shows you how to be a good teammate. And that really goes beyond the court in everyday life,” said Chouinard. <

Windham basketball falls short in games against Scarborough

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham varsity and junior varsity summer basketball teams walked off the court with losses at Scarborough on Wednesday, July 20, but both teams put in strong efforts.

Windham varsity senior Owen Combes rises toward the
hoop at Scarborough in a summer league basketball game
against the Red Storm on Wednesday, July 20. 
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

The Windham varsity team had a close game to start, but Scarborough pulled ahead. Windham was able to come back within two points of tying the game in the second half, but Scarborough held them off and secured a 41-35 win.

Windham’s JV team took a lead away from Scarborough early. Windham was able to maintain that lead for the entire first half. In the second half, Scarborough turned the tables and got a 47-35 victory.

Varsity

“Guys were playing hard, playing pretty well on defense,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “They’re a tight-knit group and it shows on the court; they’re pretty well connected as a team.”

Pulkkinen thought it was a close battle, but sometimes the ball just doesn’t go your way.

Windham took a small but early lead in the first half.

Scarborough was not far behind. Windham fought hard and worked to be first to the ball. At the half, Scarborough led 18-11.

The second half was a different story. Windham’s determination was there and as the clock wound down, the Eagles closed the gap. Windham freshman AJ Moody hit back-to-back three-pointers and

now Scarborough only had a two-point lead.

With two minutes left in the game, Windham was down by five. A short time later, Windham trailed by two points again.

Scarborough was able to expand their lead with less than 20 seconds on the clock.

“Our team did really good,” said Moody. “Our effort was there but we didn’t move the ball enough in the second half. Our defense wasn’t really collapsing as we wanted it to be, and Scarborough just had the better offense in the second half.”

Moody said pushing the ball in transition and getting back on transition defense and offense went well.

JV

It was a very close game early in the first half with only a couple points separating the teams. Windham pulled away. Windham had a significant lead at the half when they were up 24-14.

“We did a really good job in transition defense,” said Windham sophomore Braycen Freese who hit two three-pointers during the game. “I think we played better defense than we usually do.”

Freese said Windham struggled to find a way to get past Scarborough’s zone defense in the second half, which resulted in Scarborough taking the lead. Freese said the season has been solid and they’ve built a good foundation for the winter.

In the second half, Scarborough caught up. Windham tied the game at 27.

Scarborough pulled ahead, but a three-pointer and Windham trailed 33-32.

Unfortunately, Scarborough overtook the game and expanded their lead by 10.

“Against Scarborough’s man defense Windham did a good job of running their offense and getting good shots,” said Windham JV boys basketball coach Geoff Grigsby. “Defensively in the first half there was a ton of effort; guys did a great job of talking and identifying getting back.”

Grigsby said Windham got outworked in the second half. When Scarborough switched to zone defense it became harder for Windham, especially in the last 10 minutes. Windham worked hard but struggled to communicate. <

Rising Eagles basketball program prepares middle-school athletes for future

Seventh-grader Tyree James goes in for a layup 
during a Rising Eagles basketball practice on
Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Manchester School courts.
The Rising Eagles program seeks to teach
student-athletes about basketball as well as character, 
both on and off the court.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Youth Basketball Association’s Rising Eagles program has opened this fall for Windham and Raymond seventh- and eighth-grade students.

They practice behind Manchester School in Windham. The boys’ varsity basketball program felt more should be done to prepare younger players who wanted to make the transition from youth basketball to high school basketball.

The ultimate goal of this middle-school program, which is provided at no cost to parents, is to help kids learn and enjoy the game.

Windham varsity basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen, assistant varsity coach Noah Estey, junior varsity coach Geoff Grigsby, former varsity player and captain Ivan Kaffel and former president of WYBA, Pat Moody, are serving as coaches in the first year of this program. They are helping middle school kids learn what it takes to reach their full potential, on and off the court.

On a car ride back from a coaching clinic over the summer, Pulkkinen and Grigsby dreamed up the idea for the Rising Eagles program. The high school basketball program had been trying to bridge the gap from youth basketball to high school basketball and Rising Eagles was a way to do it.

Seventh-grader Tyree James said the program was a good opportunity to get better at playing the game he loves.

“We think it’s important to give back to the community, give a financial break to the parents, and give
kids that chance to have fun with their friends in a pressure-free environment,” said Windham junior varsity coach Grigsby. “We really don’t have any expectations of the kids as far as performance. It’s all about improvement and learning.”  

It teaches the fundamentals of basketball and helps the athletes understand spacing, timing, movement, and unselfishness. The program stresses the importance of good sportsmanship and character. It wants to give athletes an idea of what is expected of them on the high school court.

Eighth-grader Connor Janvrin wants to get better at basketball and Rising Eagles teaches him skills to get up and down the court.

“Our town has some incredible kids who are hungry, hard-working, respectful and talented,” said Pulkkinen. “Selfishly for us coaches it allows us to understand and gain relationships with young student athletes well before they reach the high school level.”  

In addition to practices, the coaches have been entering the athletes in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments. Windham has done extremely well; applying the lessons they’ve learned during practices. It’s not wins and losses that are important, but how they compete, fight through adversity and enjoy themselves on the court.

“It’s important for us to give back to our community to help be a small part in their athletic development ... as they progress through middle school into high school,” said Pulkkinen. “The
willingness of our staff to give back and volunteer their time has been incredible; it will really help start a foundation for our program and it will allow our youth an opportunity to work with former players and current coaches at Windham High.” <