Medway and Millis January 2018

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Page 24 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com January 2018 Sports Norwood’s Entrance into The Tri Valley League Is Official By KEN HAMWEY, Staff Sports Writer A new year often comes with some change and that’s what schools in the Tri Valley League will experience when their sports schedules will include a new member. The athletic directors and the principals of the 11 schools in the TVL voted unanimously to accept Norwood as the 12th member of the circuit. Starting in September, Norwood will compete in the TVL’s Large Division and no longer be part of the Bay State Conference. “The addition of Norwood to the league is a win for both Norwood and the TVL,’’ said Mike Grimes, the Ashland athletic director. “This will not only strengthen the TVL, but also continue to increase the opportunities for our student-athletes in Ashland and throughout the league. “While coaching in Natick, I had the opportunity to compete against Norwood every year. I truly enjoyed traveling there because they were always gracious hosts and had well-kept athletic facilities. I look forward to working with their A.D., Jon Longley. He will be a great fit and a great addition among the other A.D.s within the league.’’ Holliston’s A.D., Matt Baker, also regards Norwood’s entrance as a major plus. “Lots of positives with Norwood entering the league,’’ he said. “This gets us back to an even number of teams with a perfect split for the Your Vision; Our Mission Michael T. Damon Financial Adviser* Damon Financial, LLC** 45 Milford Street, Suite 3 Medway, MA 02053 (508) 321-2101 Mike@DamonFinancial.com DamonFinancial.com Registered Representative offering investments through NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), A licensed Insurance Agency and wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Insurance and an agent licensed to sell insurance through New York Life Insurance Company and may be licensed to sell insurance through various other independent unaffiliated companies. *Financial Adviser offering investment advisory Services through Eagle Strategies LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. ** Damon Financial, LLC is not owned or operated by NYLIFE Securities LLC or its affiliates. TVL Large and Small Divisions. I think they’re a good fit geographically and competitively. I’m looking forward to the future of our league with 12 teams and to start new rivalries and traditions with Norwood. Norwood’s School Committee got the ball rolling to leave the BSC when it voted, 3-2, for its athletic director to file an application for entrance into the TVL. The school’s enrollment was 957 for 2016-2017 and, with Dedham’s departure from the BSC and subsequent entrance into the TVL, Norwood became the smallest-enrolled school in the BSC. When the move to the TVL became official, Longley expressed delight that the Mustangs will be developing new relationships and new rivalries but he also noted that Norwood was leaving a first-class league. “We’re going from one excellent league to another,’’ he said. “The Bay State League is top-notch but our student-athletes now will have an opportunity to compete against schools that are similar to our size. We’ll be a good fit for the TVL, in terms of geography and enrollment.’’ Norwood’s relationship with Dedham will remain intact, especially in football where the two schools have been Thanksgiving rivals for decades. “Dedham has been our main rival in so many sports and now it’ll be exciting to reunite with them in a new league,’’ Longley said. “Dedham and Norwood will stay well-connected. Change often is accompanied with apprehension but a majority of our community supports the move. Once we get involved in competition, it should be a good fit.’’ Longley previously said that Norwood was outmatched in the BSC and could not compete with schools the size of Newton North, Wellesley, Needham and Natick. He also indicated that a poll of Norwood coaches revealed that 70 percent of those responding favored moving to the TVL. The TVL athletic directors invited Norwood officials to make a presentation for admission last September. Norwood will be the third largest-enrolled school in the TVL, trailing Hopkinton and Westwood. Norwood’s entry now gives the TVL 12 members, six in the large division and six in the small division. The TVL Large Division includes Holliston, Hopkinton, Westwood, Norton, Medfield and Norwood. The Small Division is composed of Millis, Medway, Bellingham, Dover-Sherborn, Ashland and Dedham. “Norwood provides great balance to the Tri Valley, particularly in light of Dedham’s addition,’’ said Bellingham A.D. Michael Connor. “Norwood will nicely round out the Tri Valley’s large-school division.’’ Medway High A.D. Rob Pearl, was on board as the TVL president when Dedham applied for entrance into the league and he’s pleased Norwood will round out the membership to a dozen participants. “To get to 12 schools is truly a benefit,’’ said Pearl. “It will make scheduling easier and also streamline it. Norwood seems like a good fit, both in terms of size and competitiveness.’’ Another A.D., Chuck Grant of Millis, also expressed a welcoming sentiment. “Norwood brings a state of the art facility coupled with a level of competition commensurate with our league. Their addition will enhance our scheduling as it will afford us two six-team divisions. We look forward to their entry into the TVL.’’ Lucas Giguere, Bellingham High’s principal, was pleased with the addition of Norwood. “We’re excited to welcome Norwood into the league,’’ he said. “Their community mirrors the other outstanding communities we have in the Tri Valley League.’’ Our Ad & Editorial Deadline is the 15th of each month, for the following month’s issue.
January 2018 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com Page 25 Sports Alex Olmsted Gives His All in Three Sports and in Studies By Christopher Tremblay With colleges looking much more closely at a student’s academic record as well as coaches looking for that specific athlete that has excelled in their sport before offering scholarships, it is not as likely to find that many three-sport athletes on the high school level as it has been in the past. Millis’ Alex Olmsted continues to give it everything that he has in three sports for the Mohawks. Olmsted has played wide receiver and corner back for the football team, power forward for the basketball team and left field for the baseball team over the past 5 years for the Mohawks. Originally, football was at the bottom of the list and a sport that Olmsted did not enjoy, but since he started playing on the high school level it has risen to the top. And although football is now his favorite of the three, Olmsted feels basketball is where he best excels. Growing up in Walpole Olmsted took to the three sports in town because his dad (Dale) was a coach, and it gave the two time to bond while on the playing fields. With his father being the head coach of the Millis football team Olmsted first decided to give football a chance when he was in elementary school, but it was not his idea of fun. “I tried playing football in the fifth grade, but I was just not thrilled with the game and didn’t really like it, possibly because I was much smaller than the others,” he said. “My dad never pushed me to play football; he just explained the game to me and allowed me to make my own decision and was supportive of whatever I decided to play.” Despite despising football as a fifth grader, Olmsted decided to give it another shot three years later. Although living in Walpole, Olmsted decided to attend Millis High School as a school choice, because his father coached there. “Once I got to Millis, I decided to give football another try, because my dad was the coach there,” he said. “The first time around I was not thrilled, but at Millis it was different. I was not Millis High’s three sport athlete and senior Alex Olmsted shows quiet poise and depth as a student and athlete. all that social, but Millis was a small school with a big family, and the football players accepted me.” Playing on the football team, Olmsted got to know all the football players before school started, which gave him a bit of an advantage once September rolled around. As an eighth grader, he played on a freshman team that didn’t win a single game, but the following year, the same team went undefeated. After playing for the junior varsity team as a sophomore, Olmsted was part of back-to-back Super Bowl Championships on the varsity level. “It’s crazy how we turned things around so quickly. It only goes to show that you should never give up and keep on fighting,” Olmsted said. “The only thing I regret is not getting the chance to play for my father (who had left to take a job with Nichols College); it was the main reason I decided to go to Millis.” Although he never got that chance, Olmsted feels grateful that he was part of the football team and what they achieved and the brotherhood of friends he now has. Unlike football, Olmsted enjoyed basketball and baseball right from the beginning. While the two sports have not had the success that the football team has achieved over the past few years he still enjoys playing the sports with his friends and teammates. As an eighth grader, Olmsted was still playing basketball in Walpole for the Metrowest team, but when he got to high school he joined the basketball team there in Millis. He played for the freshman team and junior varsity squad before getting moved up to the varsity team mid-way through his junior season. While he considered himself too small to originally play football, Olmsted had a growth spurt in high school which was definitely to his advantage on the court. “Basketball is probably my best sport, as I have been playing it the longest, and when I grew (Olmsted is 6’3”), it helped me with my game,” he said. “Finally getting the chance to play on a competitive level was great.” Last year, the Mohawks went 13-7 and advanced to the Division 4 Central Tournament where they were got as far as the Quarter Finals. It was here they were sent home by neighboring Hopedale. Olmsted is hoping that once he is cleared to play, he’ll be able to help the team get back to the tournament. “Having broken my collarbone in the first football playoff game, I’m hoping that I’ll be cleared to get back onto the basketball court soon, “Olmsted said. “I’m more of a 6th man at this point, but this year I’m going to be relied on for more rebounds and put-backs.” Having won the Super Bowl in football, and basketball looks to get back to the play-offs once again, baseball is up in the air. According to Olmsted, the team was not that strong last spring and he is unsure of how good they will be this year, but as a senior he’s not going to let that bother him. He’s going to go out and play the sport no matter what happens. “I’m not sure how this team is going to be this upcoming year, but I just want to go out and play,” he said. “I had primarily played the infield before being moved to the outfield, but I don’t care as long as I’m playing.” As his high school career is in its final year Olmsted looks to be having fun playing all three sports, despite the outcome of the seasons. “Alex has been a role player in all three sports and should be a main factor in both the upcoming basketball and baseball seasons,” Millis Athletic Director Chuck Grant said. “He’s a quiet senior that leads by example by staying active in school and earning honor roll grades. He is a clear example of someone enjoying every bit of his high school experience”
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