Bobcat Nation: The Return of Interscholastic Athletics!

Moving to Wolfeboro this summer and taking up residence on Brewster’s campus in Lamb Dorm with my wife, Katy Varga-Wells (and our dog, Mr. Finn!), has been an exhilarating experience.  This new beginning for our family was not without its challenges, but as new faculty (Katy teaches English) and community members, we have been elated by the genuine acceptance, welcome, and helpful hands that have greeted us.

Much the same theme has been tangible in the Athletics Department. Brewster’s longtime Associate Athletic Director Kate Turner said these words to me during our first summer meeting: “Connor, I am here to help you with whatever you need, whenever you need it this summer, in order to get settled in this new position.” Our Athletic training staff, Kirsty Ridings and Bethany Roun, and new full-time equipment manager, Drew Bridgeman, have been equally passionate about their work as a cohesive team, and above all else have a noticeable love for our student-athletes, their well-being, and Bobcat Nation.

Summer preparations like equipment inventories, uniform updates, facilities maintenance, schedule confirmations, and travel plans are just a few of the many necessary behind-the-scenes tasks for our Brewster Athletic Department. But the absolute best part of our jobs came on September 1, when we were able to welcome our pre-season athletes back to campus! Brewster Athletics is in the business of serving its students. A move to campus and getting my footing in a new role had their bumps, but that is nothing compared to the extended turmoil faced by our student-athletes, who have been mostly sidelined from interscholastic competition for the past two years.

This fall, though, Bobcat Nation has become whole once again. Robust fall competition is in place for all teams and programs, and games have been played (as scheduled!) in our first weeks of school. The spirit and energy on the fields at our early fall games have been tangible. And that competitive and passionate play—while always displaying the utmost sportsmanship—is the Bobcat method of operation. As I’ve said in my messages to our community about games, “Work hard. Compete. Have fun!” and it seems our teams take that message to heart. 

Our tradition of Bobcat of the Week and Alumni Bobcat of the Month will continue (our first two Bobcats of the Week have already been awarded from early season competition!). Brewster Academy has been a special community to join. Its coaches, faculty, staff, and students care about one another, and they care about Brewster. Bobcat Nation, which also includes the greater extended community of Brewster fans and constituents, is strong and passionate. I am eager to get to work every day to try to make our Bobcat Nation even stronger—to try to direct our students toward greater lives of purpose with our athletic programming. My family and I are proud to call Brewster home. We are proud to be Brewster Bobcats.

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