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Strengthening
The Woodstock Academy strength and conditioning coach Brenden Ostaszewski demonstrates a weight training exercise to girls’ soccer players, left to right: Gillian Price, Lucy McDermott and Brynn Kusnarowis. At right, The Woodstock Academy junior football player Luis Miranda lifts in the fitness facility on the South Campus. Photos by Marc Allard.
WOODSTOCK — Summer may be a time for vacations, going to the beach, and hanging out with friends.
But not everyone is taking it easy as the dog days of summer approach.
Many athletes at The Woodstock Academy are getting ready for what lies ahead this fall.
Under the direction of strength and conditioning coaches Brenden Ostaszewski and Jeff Higgins, the Centaurs athletic teams have been working out in the South Campus fitness facility since school came to an end in June.
“It’s extremely important,” Ostaszewski said of the summer conditioning work. “We have to help build a foundation to help get them stronger, quicker, and prep them for the upcoming (fall) season. It’s not mandatory, but the athletes see the improvements and they keep on coming.”
To help them see those improvements first hand, Ostaszewski and Higgins are using an online software program from Volt Athletics, which was purchased for them by The Woodstock Academy Boosters Club.
“It allows athletes to track their progress and it gives them a good visual tool to use to check out their progression. It allows me to see the analytics and it’s easy to access. It also keeps them more accountable. I can see if they have completed their workout even if they are on vacation,” Ostaszewski said.
The Centaurs football program, boys’ and girls’ soccer, volleyball, field hockey and even a winter program, girls’ hockey are all taking part in the summer training sessions. For those not currently involved in a fall sport, there is also an open gym Monday-Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m.
“It’s very important to get ready for the football season and all the challenges we face ahead. We’re trying to get bigger for the season. Trying to come back and do better this year than last year,” said junior football player Luis Miranda.
Ostaszewski came to The Academy last summer and quickly set up a lifting program for the football team last August.
This summer, Ostaszewski opened that up to all the fall programs, girls’ hockey and prep basketball.
“We’re getting much better numbers now, probably twice the amount,” Ostaszewski said.
During the school year, the strength and conditioning program serves over 400 student-athletes a year, in addition to all the students living on South Campus.
Ostaszewski said he follows a periodization schedule with each individual athlete.
The athlete begins with very simple movements which Ostaszewski and Higgins monitor to be sure they can progress to the next set.
“Then, we make the lift more challenging,” Ostaszewski said.
Sophomore girls’ soccer player Gillian Price is just happy Ostaszewski is on campus.
“It’s fantastic. He does a great job, gives us great workouts. I don’t think I would have thought about them myself. It really helps,” Price said.
Price was happy not only with the strength regimen but also the running and agility drills that Ostaszewski employs.
“It helps with cutting on the field and just makes your movement smoother. It’s a good addition to just weight training,” Price said of the agility portion of the workouts.
Ostaszewski is also not working on his own any longer.
Higgins, a graduate of The Academy, has returned to his alma mater. Higgins graduated from UConn with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, went to the private sector and worked as a personal trainer in the Hartford area before coming home. He will be a full-time addition to The Academy in the fall.
Ostaszewski said with Higgins on board, the strength and conditioning programs can be offered at both North and South campuses.
“It’s unheard of, especially at the high school level,” Ostaszewski said of having two strength and conditioning coaches at The Academy.
“It’s good because one can work with the underclassmen and the other with the upperclassmen and make both groups better,” Miranda said. “It’s great to see a lot of underclassmen here. It will make the program grow and be better in the years to come.”
The girls’ soccer program became the first to be signed up for the Volt program July 19.
“I love it. When (Ostaszewski) first signed me up, I looked at it and said ‘This is cool.’ We like it,” Price said. “I think it will help keep me more motivated. I can compare the progress I made over the middle of the summer to where I am at at the end of the summer. I think that’s a good thing.”
It’s what Miranda is looking for forward to as well, seeing where he started and then looking at how he finishes.
Along the way, he expects some challenges.
“Sometimes, it does hurt. After a workout sometimes, you just want to lie down and take a nap for a few hours,” Miranda said with a laugh.
Fortunately, that’s also what summer is all about.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
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Signed Paddle
Lance Collins, second from right, and his wife Stephanie, third from right, with members of the DKH Oncology team holding a kayak paddle signed by participants from the 2018 Paddle for a Cure event, now in its 8th year and organized by Collins and his family to benefit patient care at the Rose Bove LaRose Cancer Center at Day Kimball Hospital. Courtesy photo.
PUTNAM — The eighth annual Paddle for a Cure raised $9,500 for the Rose Bove LaRose Cancer Center at Day Kimball Hospital. The funds will support the Cancer Center’s efforts to continually provide the most up to date facilities and technologies for the patients who receive care at the nationally accredited cancer center each year. Last year more than 5,700 treatments were provided in their infusion clinic.
Paddle for a Cure is a kayaking event founded and organized by northeastern Connecticut native Lance Collins, an avid kayaker who has lost five family members to cancer, most recently his uncle in 2010. His uncle’s passing prompted Collins to organize the first Paddle for a Cure in 2011. The annual event has now raised more than $74,000 in total for the cancer center at Day Kimball Hospital.
“We are so grateful and humbled by the generosity of Lance Collins and his family,” said DKH Director of Critical Care and Cancer Services Carolina Starr-Manning. “Year after year Lance’s dedication has continued to benefit the care of those fighting cancer in our community. The money raised at this year’s event will be used towards the purchase of three new, state-of-the-art patient beds that will deliver the most advanced standard of care to our patients and caregivers. We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this without all that the Collins family and team have done.”
DKH Director of Development Kristen Willis said: “Once again, we are so appreciative of what Lance and his family have done and continue to do to benefit DKH’s cancer patients. Raising nearly $10,000 for our Oncology Department at this year’s event is truly remarkable, and just goes to show that their loyal and steadfast commitment to DKH and our Oncology program is above and beyond!”
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'Music Man'
The Bradley Playhouse will present "The Music Man" starting Aug. 3. Left: Dan Healy (Harold Hill) and Chris Almonte (Marcellus Washburn) and right: Zane Baton (Winthrop Paroo). Photos by Chris Atwood.
PUTNAM — The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut at the Bradley Playhouse on Front Street will present “The Music Man” Aug. 3. It runs for three weekends.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5, 12 and 19. Tickets are $24 for adults and $21 for seniors and students. All seats are reserved. Reservations may be made with a major credit card online at www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or by calling 860-928-7887. Tickets may be purchased at the theater box office, either before the performance or at the door if available. Purchasing your tickets ahead of time is strongly recommended.
“The Music Man” is the story of a fast-talking salesman, Harold Hill, who vows to organize and equip a band, but plans to skip town with the money. His plans are foiled when he falls for Marian, the town librarian.
The TNECT performance of “The Music Man” is co-directed by Keri Danner and Joey Almonte. Danner is also the choreographer, assisted by Almonte. The music director is Edward Krauss. Dan Healy appears as con man Harold Hill and Courtney Contente plays librarian Marian Paroo. Jennifer Briere is Mrs. Paroo, Winthrop Paroo is played by Zane Baton and Savannah Bryer is Amaryllis. Mayor Shinn is acted by Roy Simmons, Bonnie Theriault is his wife Eulalie, their daughter Zaneeta is played by Cecilia Stallone and Jordan Renaud is her boyfriend Tommy Djilas. The barbershop quartet members are Martin Reiss, Mark Scribner, Jim Archambault and Brian Healy.
Book, music and lyrics are by Meredith Willson. The Music Man is based on a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, which was inspired by Willson’s boyhood in Mason City, Iowa.
The play opened on Broadway in 1957 and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The cast album won the first Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Robert Preston appeared in the original cast as Harold Hill and reprised the role in the 1962 film version. Eddie Albert, Bert Parks and Dick Van Dyke have also appeared on stage in the role.
The Music Man is an American institution with rousing marches, a barbershop quartet and sentimental ballads. Just a few of the songs you’ll remember are “Seventy-Six Trombones”, “Ya Got Trouble”, “’Till There Was You” and “Goodnight My Someone”.
By turns wicked, funny, warm, romantic and touching, The Music Man is family entertainment at its best. It is also brought to you by families – there are two sets of spouses, two sisters and five parent and children groups in the Bradley production.
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Theodore A. Bazinet,
Air Force vet
KILLINGLY — Formerly of Putnam, Theodore A. “Ted” Bazinet, 83, died July 23, 2018, at home. He was the husband of Lorraine (Lamoureux) Bazinet for 57 years. They were united together in marriage on Oct. 15, 1960.
Born in 1935 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Theodore and Doris (Favreau) Bazinet.
Ted served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954 to 1958. After basic training and schooling, he was transferred to Wiesbaden, Germany, where he was stationed at the Wiesbaden Hospital for one year. He then transferred to Evreux, France, for two years. His three years spent in Europe gave him the taste of Europe and vowed when he got married he would take his wife there. He kept his promise and took Lorraine to Europe on eight different trips traveling through 22 European countries with Paris being their favorite city as they visited there five times. They also embarked on 29 cruises covering most of the Caribbean Islands, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, Bermuda, South Pacific Islands of Bora Bora, Moorea and Tahiti.
When in the military, he was on the base softball team travelling to several countries to compete. Once back home, Ted enjoyed playing on the Putnam softball league for many years. His interest then went to landscaping his property, woodworking, and traveling. Buying a home in Sarasota, Fla., in 2004, they enjoyed their winters there for 11 years before Ted got sick.
After returning from the military, Ted went to Putnam Technical studying mechanical drawing. He then went on to work for 20 years at National Chromium in Putnam and then went to work at Kaman Aerospace as group leader in the process department, retiring after 18 years in 1998. Before retiring from Kaman, he was awarded the “Silver Snoopy Award” by NASA. This award was presented to Ted by astronaut William G. Gregory who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1995. The Silver Snoopy flew in space on STS mission 56 on April 1993. These awards are given to fewer than 1 percent of the aerospace program workforce annually. Ted was pretty proud of this award. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #13.
In addition to his wife, he leaves his sister, Rachael Morin of Putnam; his brother, Robert Bazinet of Woodstock; nephews and nieces; his long time best friends, Peter and Betty Aucoin and family. Ted is predeceased by his parents; and sisters, Theresa Staples, Florence Berube and Jane Mowry.
Visitation is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 27 in Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1 p.m. in St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam. Burial with military honors will follow in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: Day Kimball Hospital Oncology Department, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260.
Carolyn T. Kerttula
FOSTER, R.I. — Carolyn T. Kerttula, 81 of Foster, died July 7, 2018, at Woodpecker Hill Health Center,
She was born Oct. 5, 1936, in Foster, daughter of the late Ellis and Bertha (Kennedy) Bennis.
She worked at Foster Country Club, had a very active role with the Foster School Bus Transit. Carolyn Served on the Board of Canvassers in Foster, was a former treasurer of the Moosup Valley Volunteer Fire Company. She loved her time in Cooperstown when she was younger. Carolyn was an avid knitter, loved birdwatching and feeding and traveling with her daughter.
She leaves her children Kevin Kerttula (Janet Muscara) of Dayville, Cheryl Wahtera (Donald) of Foster; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A Celebration on her Life was July 11. Donations: Moosup Valley Volunteer Fire Company, 52 Moosup Valley Road, Foster, RI 02825. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Marjorie Palazini
WOODSTOCK — Marjorie A. Palazini, 84, of Woodstock, died July 21, 2018, at Matulaitis Nursing Home in Putnam. She was the wife of Norman Palazini. They were married Nov. 25, 1955, in Holyoke, Mass.
She was born Sept. 4, 1933, in Holyoke, daughter of the late Patrick and Lena (Langlois) Mackey.
She worked as an accountant for various companies. Marj enjoyed golfing during her retirement.
She leaves her husband Norman; son Chris Palazini of Fairfield; grandchildren Jason, Evan and Ryan; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her son David and eight siblings.
Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. July 26 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam. The Funeral will be at 10:15 a.m. July 27 from the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m at St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam. Burial will be at a later date. Donations: Matulaitis Nursing Home, 10 Thurber Road, Putnam, CT 06260
Orrin Thompson
ENFIELD — Orrin William “Tommy” Thompson, 84, a lifelong resident of Enfield and Ellington communities, went to “the great fishing hole in the sky” July 2, 2018.
Born to Mary Ruth Kowalski and Orrin W. Thompson, on a kitchen table in an Ellington farmhouse on Halloween night, Tommy spent his boyhood in mischief of fantastic sorts. His days were spent beside his friends teasing the meanest roosters, smoking woodpeckers from trees, tipping occupied outhouses, riding his beloved horse, fishing, and playing baseball. A voracious reader and gifted student with a genius IQ score, Tommy graduated from Rockville High School at the top of his class. Immediately following graduation, Tommy began working for the CT Dept. of Transportation, E. Windsor Branch, where he dedicated 38 years of exemplary service.
Tommy, alongside his then-wife, Marilyn Kelley, raised four strong daughters in their Enfield home, where their summer garden was bountiful. He continued to work after retirement from DOT, in security positions, until the age of 80 when he finally fully retired. Tommy was a teacher of many things: the care in holding pumpkinseed and perch fins while removing a hook, how to pet a bumblebee, the cruciality of learning to drive a stick on East Windsor Hill, the best skipping rocks are found just inside the water’s edge, the intricacy of gutting and cooking a fish, gently but effectively pulling quills from a pup’s muzzle, the patience in allowing a birch to drop her own dressings, the beautiful differences between CT’s trout, and the most important lesson his daughters are recalling now- the warmest swim always comes after a storm.
He leaves a daughter Elizabeth Strouth of Owens Cross Roads, Ala., son-in-law James, grandsons Christopher and Nathan ; daughter Melissa Levasseur of Enfield, son-in-law Tom, grandchildren Ben, Nick (Hillary), and Katie, great-grandchildren Liam and Amelia; daughter Caroline Chouinard of Woodstock, son-in-law Lee, grandchildren Joshua (Melanie) and Grace, great-granddaughter Ella; daughter Emily King of Winsted, son-in-law Chris, grandchildren Anna, Sam, Naomi, and Toby; his lifelong best friend and brother of his heart, Bill Guertin, and his family, of W. Springfield, Mass.
Donations: ASPCA of CT. Smith & Walker and Gagnon and Costello Funeral Homes.
Marie Duhaime
N. GROSVENORDALE — Marie E. (Caron) Duhaime, 75, July 19, 2018, at home.
She was born in Jaffrey, N.H., daughter of the late Hosanna Caron and Mary (Lafortune) Caron and lived in Thompson most of her life. She enjoyed cooking and building puzzles.
She leaves her husband of 55 years Roger D. Duhaime; two sons Randy (Karen) of Woodstock and Robert (Jennifer) of Belchertown, Mass.; a daughter, Pamela Duhaime Key of Putnam; six grandchildren. Marie was predeceased by a son Roger Duhaime Jr. and 9 of her siblings.
Services were private. Donations: Charity of donor’s choice. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
Walter A. Snow
WOODSTOCK — Walter A. Snow, 70, died July 17, 2018, at Day Kimball Hospital, Putnam.
He was born in Warwick, R.I., son of the late Reginald Snow and Della (Gagnon) Snow and lived in Woodstock for the past 48 years, prior to that living in Putnam. He was a general contractor.
He was a member of the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association.
He coached Little League, enjoyed fishing, gardening and woodworking.
He was the husband of the late Kathleen E. (Mooney) Snow who died in 2016. He leaves two sons, Scott T. Snow (Jean) of Dudley, Jason A. Snow of Woodstock; daughter Kelly M. Phar and her finance Michael McIntosh of Woodstock; six grandchildren; Kieley, Kalum and Nicholas, Trinity, Robert and Azurie; two brothers, Reginald and Robert Snow of Florida; five sisters; Arlene Boutello, Regina Sprague, Mary Ellen Balliere, Gladys Balliere all of Rhode Island. He was predeceased by two sisters, Roberta Wood and Ellenor Snow.
Services were private.
Donations: Woodstock Little League. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
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