WOODBURY一 A coach is one of the main ingredients to a functioning sports team, they contribute to the development and success of the team, but for NHS the 2025 school year brought some changes to its athletics, questioning whether its sports would have that stability.
This school year brought new coaches for many of Nonnewaug’s sports including football, soccer, girls cross country, swimming, indoor track, baseball, and track bringing change for all of the players involved and increasing stress on who will fill these positions.
Mykal Kuslis, Nonnwaug’s principal, is working hard to find the right fit for each team, but it isn’t all that easy.
“Everytime we hire people it is difficult because if there’s not a teacher in the building it’s very difficult to find the people who have schedules that match the needs of high school sports,” said Kuslis. “You have to be available at 2:30 and sometimes we have late games so you have to find someone who is available and somebody who meets all those requirements who also knows the sport and wants to work with kids.”
Vice Principal Declan Curtin has helped through the coach finding process, he is sure that when the right coach is found, the teams will be set.
“Change is always difficult for adults and kids,” said Kuslis. “however many of us who are in the athletic arena know people who coach and often word to mouth end up as candidates that have the want and believe in our ethics”
Fall Sports
As October nears, so does mid season fall sports, but some of these sports are experiencing major change in coaches. NHS students are excited and willing to learn from these new mentors.
New head coach of the football team Scott Lynch filled the open position for the Co-oped team.
Derek Chung a senior for NHS is excited to see how the season progresses especially with an experienced coach at hand.
“The new coach is great. He knows football inside and out. It’s different because he expects a lot more out of us to get every little detail right,” said Chung. “I think this season will go a lot smoother than last year because as of right now we’re a lot more prepared going into it this year compared to last year.”
Moving from just the boys coach Deborah Flaherty takes on both cross country teams merging them together for the better; Danielle Carroccio by her side.
Danielle Carroccio is taking on the open position for the team along with filling a position as one of NHS’ teacher staff, a math teacher. She originally taught for Region 20 and has since come to Nonnewaug to fulfill the empty slots.
Cross country runner and captain Grace Rubacha, a senior at Nonnewaug is experiencing lots of change at the start of the season but is willing to adapt to the good.
“I think it is a lot different as Flaherty has definitely merged the boys and girls more so we can learn from her tactics but we used to be very separate, and having Carroccio as a new addition to the team,” said Rubacha. “I think the season will go very well with both Flaherty and Carroccio as we are a very determined team.”
While NHS girls soccer and field hockey is experiencing a more minor change.New physics teacher and assistant coach for the soccer team Rebecca Pope and assistant coach for field hockey Jason Scozzafava take on new positions in the existing teams.
Because Adam Brutting was new to the team last year as head coach, and Rebecca Pope being the newest addition this year NHS girls soccer has been going through big changes as the coaching staff adapts to this year’s team.
Ella Quinn, a captain for the girl soccer team is ready to live up to the NHS girls soccer “standard” with her new coaching staff.
“I think the season is going to go really well this year with Brutting and Pope. We have been working really hard to push ourselves to the max so we can reach our goals this season. We also have such a good group of girls this year with so much depth and talent. We talked about how we’re really going to live up to the Nonnewaug Girls Soccer “standard” this year, and I’m excited to see where that takes us.”
Having an assistant coach gives a whole new perspective to the team’s drills and plays. Sophia Gargulio is happy to have new eyes looking down on the team hanging off even better advice.
“I really like having a new coach. He works with the defense a lot and it’s very helpful to hear different options than what I normally hear,” said Gargulio. “I think this season could be very successful as long as we keep working hard.”
Winter Sports
When the seasons start to change, so do school sports. Winter brings more than just snow and cold but indoor track, swim and dive, wrestling, and basketball for NHS. But for two of those sports more than just the weather has changed going into the season.
Tatum Kociszewski, a sophomore for the indoor track team, is aware of the open spot on the team and is excited to see who can step up to carry on the team.
“The new coach I hope will be nice and a good coach all around. I hope he or she will make sure everyone is in good shape at all times,” said Kociszewski. “I feel the season will go well because we have good runners. I think our former coach was a good fit for us but something new might also benefit us and have an effect on the team for the better.”
Along with the indoor track team’s dilemma of a missing coach, Nonnewaug’s swim and dive team is dealing with the same problem.
Connor Cabeleira, a senior on the swim and dive team, knows that his sport won’t be the same without former swim and dive coach Abby Walsh, but is excited and open to somebody new.
“It’s going to be hard going into my senior year with a whole new coach after having the same one for three years. It’s almost like walking into the sport the same way I did my freshman year,” said Cabeleira. “It’ll be sad because I bonded with Abby throughout the years she was my coach, but at the same time it’s exciting to know that I’m going to be getting advice and feedback from a new set of eyes.”
As the calendar approaches October, Region 14 has yet to pick a coach, Cabeleira is ready to take on the uncertainty and whoever it is he is ready to bond.
“I think whoever the new coach is will bond with me and everyone in their own way to make the season fun and effective, but it definitely won’t be the same,” said Cabeleira. “It’ll be different, but I think the season will be awesome.”
Spring Sports
Last but not least the spring sports. The time of the year when the flowers start to grow and the sports move from inside to out on the fields. Big changes have come to the outdoor track and baseball team.
A junior for the NHS Track and Field team Charlotte Davis is one of many on the team to experience these new coaching ways. As of right now Deborah Flaherty will be coaching but the question is, who will be alongside her?
“I think that having a new coach will definitely be a change for everybody with different coaching styles and new routines to get used to,” said Davis. “However, new opinions and advice could be helpful and overall I think it’ll be beneficial for the team. It might take some getting used to especially when learning everyone’s strengths and weaknesses through the season as well as changing meet strategies for in league teams.”
The baseball team has yet to know who will be leading the 2026 Chiefs baseball team and they are eager to find out. Henry Keil, a senior for the team, knows even though the coach is a mystery the team goal isn’t: winning the state championship.
“For baseball we don’t know our new coach yet so it could be a big change or an easy adjustment, but change can be good sometimes,” said Keil. “I think we have a great group with us and we will adapt well. We all want to win a state championship this season and I think with any coach we are willing to do whatever it takes, so we are hoping for the best.”
