Blue and Gold Teams Battle for Field Day Supremecy
By Andrew Ricardo ’10
News Reporter
Last Wednesday, Choate students and faculty gathered for a competition in the school’s annual field day. Divided into two teams, Gold and Blue, and then further divided by form, students were pitted against each other in events that challenged their bodies, minds, and egos. The activities took place both inside the WJAC and out under the bright sun on the athletic fields.
Field Day was a day of friendly competition and fun. The proceedings were planned by a committee of four people: James Yanelli, Michael Lavigne ‘03, Lily Ackerman ‘08, and Matthew Sanger ‘07. “The four of us met a couple of times and worked out the basic framework [of the event], and then we each had our own specific responsibilities,” says Mr. Yanelli. “[For example], the two students were charged with decorating for the dance prior to Field Day, among other things.” Mr. Yanelli also stresses that “Field Day only worked because we had faculty members who volunteered their free time. They helped manage the events, take attendance, and tally up points. We wouldn’t be able to have the day without them.”
Students participated in four events to score points and bring glory to their teams. The aptly titled “Ultimate Relay Race” had contenders race in pairs through an expansive inflatable obstacle course, run to a table for a saltine-eating contest, shoot three consecutive free throws on the basketball court, and more. Spectators cheered and laughed as their classmates stumbled through the large and bouncy maze, watching the competitors experience both joy and frustration as they persevered to the end. Capture the Flag had the teams matching wits as they determined strategies to get their opponent’s flag back over the line.
The field events consisted of various races and contests, including the always popular water balloon toss, which left more than a few people soaked. Finally, Dodgeball had students battling to have the most players left on the court after time was up.
The final event, which was cancelled due to rain, was supposed to be the class of 2007’s softball game. The game would have taken place during the also-cancelled post-Field Day picnic. There will be a make-up game, and the results of the game will most likely decide the winner of Field Day. Though the scores of the other Field Day games have not yet been completely tallied, Mr. Yanelli says that they are “pretty even.” The pressure’s on for the senior teams to do their best and pull out a win.
Field Day was relatively successful with students, who found it to be a good alternative to a day of classes. Caleb Johnson ‘10 remarked, “Field Day was a fun way to break up the week and relieve the stress of preparing for end of the year tests and final exams.” The fact that the events happened while the day was warm and sunny also helped the participants to enjoy the day more. “It was great not to be stuck in class on such a nice day,” says Janell Boone ‘09. Some students, however, feel that there’s room for improvement in the scheduling of Field Day events. Many Choate athletes who had games on Field Day found the concurrence of physical activities on the same day to be bothersome. Christian Keggi ‘10 explains “Lots of sports conflicted with Field Day. Many people in crew and track couldn’t participate [in the games], including me. It was a good idea, but a bad day to have it.” Other students, like Sam Craft ‘10, simply wished that the events had been delayed a little bit: “I thought it was a good idea, but it would’ve been better if it had started later so we could have gotten more sleep.”
Overall, Field Day was a hit with students and faculty alike. The day should only get better in future years of occurrence as any suggestions or minor problems are taken into consideration. In the end, a little bit of competitive spirit can keep students forever true to gold and blue.
Participants in Choate's annual Field Day take part in a three-legged race PHOTO/Bob Mellon
