My name is Casidhe Madsen, and I’m a proud member of Hebron’s Class of ‘26. This is my third year here, and I’m a Field Hockey captain, as well as a ski racer and lacrosse player. In my free time, I love reading and writing. I can’t wait to see where the blog takes us this year!
Hi there! My name is Ceci Ross and I am in the class of 28′ at Hebron. This is my second year and Hebron! I enjoy singing, am an avid writer and poet! I love experiences and adventures and I can’t wait to hear about yours in the Hebron Blog!
This year, we’re looking for a variety of different pieces, and we’re also hoping to find more consistent writers to join us. Plus, we’re planning to post every other week! We’re both super excited about this new opportunity to bring our community together and make it even better.
Music is something that influences our wellbeing much more than we realize. It has been scientifically proven that the tempo, timbre, lyrics, pitch, and key of the songs we listen to significantly influence our mood. Our mood influences our thoughts, and our thoughts influence our actions. Therefore, it is critical to be aware of the effect your choice of music has on you. Personally, my choice of music in the past has negatively impacted my life. I have listened to dark, depressing songs that cover pessimistic topics for far too long. This summer, though, I consciously made a change. Here are the top three songs I listened to on repeat that made my experience more positive and how each of them impacted me differently:
3. Club Bizarre—U96
The first time I heard “Club Bizarre” by U96 was when I stayed at Artem’s house in Žilina, Slovakia in June. The first time I heard it, I was intrigued by the uniquely hopeful and uplifting synth melody, its ambient, colorful background chords, and catchy beat. When I listen to it, I feel any previous anxieties slip away.
The first half of the song is very positive and happy, however in the middle it suddenly shifts to include a sad woodwind melody. Through this new melody, though, the beat continues.
The instrumentals of this song resonate with me deeply, helping me to remember the dualistic nature of life. The contrast between the first half and second half, yet the constantly returning beat, reminds me that life has ups and downs, success and failure, yet in its entirety is both enjoyable and meaningful. I’ve listened to “Club Bizarre” in both the good times and the bad, and it has helped me through. That’s how it impacted my summer.
2. Фраер—михаил круг
I cannot understand a single word of Фраер by михаил круг. Despite this, I know all the lyrics and pronunciations by heart because of the sheer amount of times I’ve listened to it and how much of an influence it has had on me.
I was originally introduced to this song by my close friend Nazar in 2023 when we were spending our Friday night together in Atwood listening to music and chatting with some of our other football teammates and friends. Right away, with the good memory, and its upbeatness and catchiness, it became one of my favorites.
The actual story of Фраер is about a police officer falling in love with a girl, only to later find out that she’s a criminal. This story means very little to me, however, and I don’t speak the language anyway. One would wonder, then, why I love it. The thing is: that’s why it’s so important to me. In a world full of responsibilities, pain, love, and deep thought, this song allowed me to briefly escape it into a world of positivity when I began listening to it once again this summer while Nazar stayed at my house. The instrumentals—face-paced drums, spontaneous, cheerful, diverse brass instruments, and the traditional Russian folk feel bring my mood up in a way no other song can do. That’s how Фраер made my summer just that much more positive.
1. Free Bird—Lynyrd Skynyrd
As is obvious from the name, “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd is a song about freedom. The message is about a man who leaves his woman in pursuit of independence and travel, but much like with Фраер, this means little to me.
I first came across this song in July when putting my Apple Music playlist on infinite mode, letting the app find similar music that it thinks I would like. Once I reached the guitar solo, I instantly knew that I would listen to it more times than I can count. It motivated me and gave me energy in a truly unique way to the point where I made it a habit to listen to it every single day on the way to work.
The reason this song resonates with me personally is because of the reminder of freedom. When I listen to it, I remember something essential: I truly am free. If I so choose, I can act however I choose as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences. This freedom isn’t about acting out my selfish desires, however. Instead, it’s about remembering that my circumstances and output are almost entirely in my control. That realization, while intimidating, is essential to living a meaningful life, and that’s why “Free Bird” made my summer all that much better.
My favorite activity I did this summer was playing hockey. Hockey in the summer is one of my favorite times to play as well since it’s more about having fun with friends but also it’s the time to get better and develop your play. Over the summer I did a lot of camps and tournaments with the Swanalonians, and my coach, who is super funny and his name is Ray, admitted to me that I was one of his favorite players. Which, I was pretty proud of because his opinion of me is very important. One of the camps I did with the Swans was around three days of working out and skating and then the last day we did a mini tournament in which one of my games led to a shootout which we won so that was a lot of fun. Also, at this camp there were a lot of college coaches that ran the practices from all around the country, there was the D1 Holy Cross coach and a bunch of other college coaches. It was a fun way to get noticed by colleges and see what their coaching styles would be like and what their expectations are. I sadly didn’t win any Swans tournaments this year but I had so much fun at the tournaments and with my teammates and saw a lot of people that I hadn’t seen in months.
I went to this 5 day sleep away camp called Elite Hockey Camp that is ran at the New Hampton school with no technology. Everyone broke those rules though almost all of us had their phones, including me. But, I went to this camp last summer with my friend Caylee as well and it was so much fun so we went back again. The first two days always go by so slowly and they are the hottest and worst conditioning days, but me and her had so much fun and we bonded with everyone so well. We were all complaining about the conditioning and the hot sun the entire time but it was very worth it. This camp has helped me realize all of the work I really need to put in to keep getting better and the dedication hockey takes. I learned a lot of new conditioning techniques and nutrition ideas that I took home with me and am still following them and it has helped me a lot. How they said it up was that a bunch of girls were grouped onto a team like the Lightning, which I was on, and we would play New York the whole time. We had games every single night and on the last day we would have a “championship” game where all you got was bragging rights. We sadly didn’t win the championship game this year but also most of our team had to leave camp before the game because of the Beantown tournament. I had the two best counselors in my opinion and they were really relaxed and basically let us do whatever we wanted. When I left the camp I missed it for about a week, it was probably the most fun I had all summer.
I can’t forget about the Lumberjills! We didn’t have too many tournaments this summer and I couldn’t play in every single one since I was already committed with the Swans but it was definitely a lot of fun seeing my friends from Hebron during the summer and being able to still bond with them and not lose that connection with my team. It was also a very fun and good way to bring the new girls in and have them see what the team was like and create friendships before they came to Hebron. It was also great being able to meet Coach Carnes. She was a lot of fun during these tournaments and I even earned my new nickname “nugget” from one of our coaches who was a former NHL goalie. So now everyone calls me nugget which is fine with me it makes it a little more fun!
Hockey brings a lot of light into my life and this summer I had so much fun playing and seeing all my old friends and meeting new people. I am very grateful for the friendships I have made in hockey especially this summer and hockey means the world to me so I love that I have the privilege to play all year round, even in the summer.
Snow is gone, and the grass is back here on campus! Spring has finally sprung, so say goodbye to winter coats and snow pants and say hello to our recent fashion looks on campus. Here are some popular spring looks that are seen around campus and some ideas to add to your outfit:
Now that our spring clothes are out, I’ve seen a popularity of light colors like yellows, pinks, and blues, with cool patterns. Including designs such as floral and stripes are simple to find in shirts, pants, and shoes. Some easy ways to add a pop of color to your outfit can be with accessories like earrings, a cool pair of sunglasses, a necklace or a bracelet. Why not get a pair of shoes that’s not all one shade? Add some color to your feet as well!
Another big trend in spring shirts has been babydoll tops. This is one of our blog editors herself, Casidhe! In this picture, she has a floral-pattern, light pink babydoll tank top. These kinds of shirts look super summery, fitting loosely during the perfect sunny weather and goes perfect with any outfit, adding a nice burst of light colors.
Next, we have jeans. Yes, jeans can be worn through every season, but there are so many styles of denim. Specifically, low-rise baggy jeans or jean shorts have been a popular choice on campus. Jean shorts are definitely great for the warmer weather, and baggy jeans are a comfortable fit in this heat. And if you’re not so into jeans, why not try a jean jacket?
Lastly, an option that is perfect for spring is linen! Pants, shorts, or a blouse, linen has a loose, comfortable fit for this pretty weather. You can get these pants or button-up shirts in all kinds of patterns and colors that you can easily style.
In the end, what you wear is all your choice. So if you’re stuck on some ideas for your spring outfits, have some fun and maybe add a bit of color or trendy patterns.
After finishing Kafka’s classic novella The Metamorphosis, World Literature students were asked to reimagine the iconic opening sentence. Guilhermo Felis’ fantastic take on Kafka’s dilemma has a message for all of us.
When Guilhermo woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he transformed into a monstrous Golden Retriever. The sunlight warming his furry body, the missing hands replaced by paws, and the alarm ringing in the background all confirmed it: this wasn’t a dream. Panicked and sloppy, he fell out of bed, still learning to balance on four legs like a newborn. Alone in the dorm room, he tried to call for his roommate, Philip, but only a bark echoed back at him. Dizzy and confused, Guilhermo’s mind went crazy. Why me? Is this permanent? He pawed at his laptop, barely managing to email his teachers with a fake excuse: “Flu. Can’t come to class.” Just as he hit send, the door opened. It was his roommate and, without thinking, Guilhermo hid under his bed, holding his breath as Philip muttered something in Swedish about being late and rushed out, never noticing the oversized dog.
After an hour, Guilhermo crawled out, opened the door with his snout, and, without knowing why, driven by some new instinct, he turned and lifted his leg, peeing right on his door. A strange, primal satisfaction was released and he knew that he was changing, not just in body, but in ways he could no longer fully control. He sniffed the hallway, going to doors and picking up scents that told him far more than he ever wanted to know. Who skipped class, who had food, who needed a shower. He followed it down to the bathroom, looked into the mirror, and saw himself fully: a large, golden dog with the same anxious eyes. Horrified, he rushed back to his room and curled up in bed, hoping sleep would change it. But when he woke, nothing had changed. It was lunchtime. The door opened. Philip walked in and froze. “Whose dog is this?” he said aloud. But as he stepped closer, he noticed the Brazilian jersey around the dog’s neck. His eyes widened. “No way…”
The days that followed were strange and lonely. Guilhermo stayed hidden most of the time, sneaking around the dorms and only going out when it was quiet. Philip eventually figured out that this dog was Guilhermo, but there was little they could do. Guilhermo watched from the sidelines as life moved on without him. Classes, practices, and friendships all passed through his dog’s eyes while sitting quietly. Then one morning, after a nap filled with barking and strange dreams, he opened his eyes not in his dorm, but in a sunny backyard. The air was different with warness and the smell of cut grass. He blinked in disbelief. This was his home in Brazil. And standing across from him, was his childhood dog, Zeus. Another Golden Retriever. Guilhermo stepped forward, heart sped up. Somehow, in this place, they could understand each other. “You’ve finally made it,” Zeus said, his voice calm, almost human. “I brought you here for a reason.”
Guilhermo stared at him, stunned. “You… what? How? Why would you do this to me?” Zeus sat down in the grass, looking up at the sky. “Everyone thinks being a dog is easy. That we don’t worry, don’t stress, don’t think. But that’s not true. We feel everything, loneliness, fear, boredom. We just can’t tell anyone. You always said you wished you could be a dog, remember?” Guilhermo’s ears drooped. He had said that before. On rough school days or when the pressure got too high, he’d joke, “Man, I just wish I could be a dog: eat, sleep, play, and that’s it.” Zeus continued.“So I gave you a chance to see life from my side. You think it’s freedom, but it’s a different kind of cage. You don’t choose your schedule, your food, or even when you can go outside. You sit by the door, waiting. You sit by the window, hoping. You learn patience because you have no other choice.” Guilhermo looked down. The memory of those quiet hours at school, lying curled in his dorm, suddenly felt heavier. He hadn’t been free as a dog. “But why me?” he asked. Zeus gave a small, kind bark. “Because you needed to understand. You were starting to forget how lucky you are. To think for yourself, to learn, to speak, to dream. So I chose you to live like me. Just for a while. So you could come back grateful.” The words hit hard. Guilhermo felt tears in his eyes, even though his body couldn’t cry the same way anymore. Zeus stood and walked closer, nose to nose. “It’s time to go back now. Remember what you’ve seen. And never wish to be anything other than yourself.”
When Guilhermo woke up the next morning, he was back in his human form. His hands, his voice, his body. Everything had returned, but his thoughts were not the same. That summer, he flew back to Brazil. The moment he stepped into the backyard, Zeus came running. They embraced, man and dog, and in that silent hug, there was no need for words.
After finishing Kafka’s classic novella The Metamorphosis, World Literature students were asked to reimagine the iconic opening sentence. Emily Finch’s chilling take on Kafka’s dilemma resonates with everyone shivering through spring in New England and waiting for the summer Sun.
When Emily woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, she found herself changed in her bed into a monstrous moth. She looked around her room, which now seemed a tinge more red and purple than before. That’s when she looked down at herself to see her body, fuzzy and gray with six separate legs tucked into it. Her wings shot out to either side spontaneously, one slamming against the wall and the other toppling various cans of sparkling water from her nightstand to the floor. She jolted, fluttered, and spurred about until she fell from her lofted bed to the clutter of clothing and random objects strewn across her floor. She stirred around the contents of her floor with her wings, sending wrappers, pencils, paper, clothing, and coins flying around to cover even more ground than before. “Stop! Stop! Stop!” she told herself, but she couldn’t keep from spiraling and spinning about. She finally was able to settle onto her legs, but she still felt the continuous unease and panic inside as she’d had. Her body still felt prickly and had a chill as always; at least some things never changed.
It must’ve been around 8:20 a.m., the time she usually woke, because Emily’s roommate, Aiva, was absent from the small room. It was a relief to her, as she never wanted anyone to see her in such a low state. It was almost as if her feelings from the night before had multiplied tremendously and manifested in her sleep. It panicked her, but dually was a blessing as she would certainly not be attending any classes for as long as she’d be like this. She always avoided missing school no matter how badly she wanted to at times, but now she had gotten to such a state that maybe she could excuse herself until she got things together and turned back.
Another chill tore through her body. She couldn’t stand the persistent chill, so she scampered over to Aiva’s lamp, which never turned off whether night or day. She clung to the light, trying to absorb any heat that she could, but the chill still troubled her unbearably. She scuttled to the door and fluttered her wings until she hit the handle and sent it ajar. She pushed herself out into the hallway, her wings dragging across either side of the doorframe. Crawling up along the wall to the ceiling, she sat upon every light, but none could fill the chill in her core. She began to fret in search of a cure or a solution or something to numb the chill until she came to the dorm door.
She got a running start and spread her wings as she jumped into the door and slammed it wide open. She tumbled down the stairs, crashing against the pavement and scraping up her delicate body. That’s when she looked up to the sky and saw it: the Sun. And in that moment, she knew that her chill would persist until she flew there. She looked at her body, fuzzy and bloodied. It was at that moment she decided that, in order to free herself, she had to reach the Sun, and so, she fluttered her wings and began to fly.
She watched as the ground fled from her, and the campus dissipated slowly. She looked up and began to flutter faster and faster, hoping to see the Sun grow bigger. From then on, Emily flew higher and higher in desperation towards the Sun, hoping maybe for enough to rid her of the chill.
After finishing Kafka’s classic novella The Metamorphosis, World Literature students were asked to reimagine the iconic opening sentence. Peyton Grebinar’s humorous take on Kafka’s dilemma resonates with every Hebron student struggling to wake up early and make it to class on time!
When Peyton woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, she found herself changed in her bed into a monstrous tortoise. After waking up to this new form, Peyton was extremely startled. Most people would freak out and call 911, but she could not because she did not have fingers. Instead of freaking out, Peyton climbed onto her bedside table, then onto her desk, then took a leap of faith onto the ground, landing with a thud. Being a giant tortoise meant moving a lot slower than normal, but it also saved a lot of time. As a giant reptile, you do not need to spend time doing your hair, makeup, or picking out an outfit. Peyton decided the smartest thing to do would be to get an early start to her day, so she had the idea of leaving to go to class at 7:45. Just as she began her crawl to the door, her roommate Beccy woke up from her sleep. Beccy climbed out of bed, eyes still not fully open. She grabbed her toothbrush and headed towards the door when she caught her foot on a large solid object, and BOOM! Down went beccy.
After getting up and pulling herself together, Becy gasped as she looked at what Peyton had become. She started laughing out loud uncontrollably for at least five minutes. Once the hysterics were over, Beccy realized Peyton couldn’t do anything on her own, so she grabbed Peytons bag and put it around her large turtle shell, opening the door for Peyton. Beccy watched Peyton waddle her way to the stairs, and begin her walk. While making her time down the stairs, Peyton felt determined to have a good day even though she was now an animal.
By the time she made it to the last step of the dorm, and out the door, Peyton was famished. To this she decided to stop and grab a bite to eat. She found the most beautiful, scrumptions, tasty looking grass! When she got to the grass she began to nibble, and ate until her belly was full. She then carried on and made it to the sidewalk. At the side walk there were many cars zooming by, but none of them could see little Peyton, only a few inches off the ground waiting to safely cross the road. After a little while there was a break in the line of cars. Peyton decided to be brave and cross quickly. She stepped into the crosswalk and made it about half way when all of a sudden, a giant eighteen wheeler came barreling down the road. In this moment she went into sheer panic mode, wondering whether she should turn back and try to make it back where she started, or to get across to the other side. In all of this time she wasted thinking, the truck had gotten up to her, and she hasn’t moved an inch. What Peyton forgot was that she was now a tortoise. A tortoise with a big strong shell on her back. She used her shell, hiding her body into it and shut her eyes, hoping for the best.
Peyton waited a moment before sticking her neck back out to check if she was safe. When she looked, she saw the coast was clear, so she wasted no time and quickly crossed. Peyton now began to hurry on her way, still frazzled from what had just happened. She walked across the mile long senior path, smiling at everyone she passed, until she finally made it to the school building. She waited for a group of students to walk out, slipping in the door behind them. Once inside the building, Peyton looked up and saw her arch nemesis: The stairs in the school building. She bravely began her trip up the stairs, looking up as if looking up towards the top of a mountain. When she made it to the landing she stopped just until she caught her breath, then she carried on. She climbed for what felt like forever, passing by many of her fellow friends and teachers. She looked up and realized she had made it up all of the stairs. She hobbled towards Ms. Watermans door, only to realize it was shut and all of the lights were off. Peyton also realized the building was extremely quiet. She pushed open the door to the fire escape only to see the moon smiling back at her. Peyton then heard the bells of the clocktower ring. One ring, Two rings, Three rings, Four rings, on and on until she counted ten rings. TEN RINGS!? That was when Peyton realized how long it took her, and that she had missed her entire day of school because she was turned into a tortoise.
At this point, all that Peyton could think of was how she was going to explain this to Ms. Teske, and the attendance office. Peyton was in big trouble but hey, at least she got to be a tortois for a day!
Prom 2025 was all about the people—and what a night it was! Held on Saturday, April 26th at Moonlit Ridge, this year’s prom focused on what really mattered: good music, great company, and a chance to celebrate together.
Students showed up in everything from classic formal wear to bold, creative looks, and the energy was electric from the moment the doors opened. The venue was stylish and simple, letting the vibe of the night shine through without the need for over-the-top decorations or a set theme. The photobooth was a big hit, such a nice and humorous way to remember the night forever.
The dance floor stayed packed as DJ Alex kept the hits coming, blending pop favorites, music in different languages, throwbacks, and everything in between. Whether you were showing off your best moves or just hanging with friends, the whole night had a relaxed, fun atmosphere that made it feel like one big celebration.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped make prom happen—Ms. Collins, your pina coladas were amazing, Ms Dulac, your plans really came all together! And a big shout out to the student organizers, the night was wonderful. It was a night full of laughs, dancing, and memories we won’t forget anytime soon.
To wrap up the night, here are a few unofficial (but totally well-earned) shoutouts from prom:
Prom 2025 Superlatives
Best Dressed Couple – Simora Grenade Gamble & Jahsir Chadwick – serving style, elegance, and coordination like pros.
Best Dressed Individual – Natalie Lutalo – absolutely owned the look from head to toe.
Life of the Party – Krum Tsvetkov – never left the dance floor and brought the energy all night.
Most Likely to Keep the Night Going – Emma Frumiento – still had energy when the rest of us were ready for bed.
Best Dance Moves – Teddy Bemis – stole the spotlight with some serious footwork.
Most Unexpected Slay – Salwa Saeed – turned heads and made a statement we didn’t see coming (in the best way).
Many of us have warm memories of leaving home to begin a new adventure. Maybe when you were a young boy or girl, and you went off to summer camp in Maine for the first time. Or maybe when your parents proudly dropped you off at Hebron Academy and you began your life as a boarding student.
My memories of leaving Afghanistan in August 2021 to come to the United States are a little different. We had to flee the Taliban with one day’s notice, struggle through screaming crowds and loud gunfire to reach Kabul Airport, spend four days huddled inside the airport praying for an evacuation flight, and inside a packed military-transport plane during the long flight to Qatar and safety.
These memories still make me sad—and a little afraid. But then I have other memories— beautiful memories—like the day my host family here at Hebron, the Frumientos, took me to their home for the first time. “This house is for you,” their mother, Laurie, said, “this is your home. You should always feel comfortable here.”
Then they showed me my room, and I shut the door and cried. I cried about everything I had left behind, but also about everything I had gained. A wonderful new school. A sense of safety and security. A loving host family whose kindness I can never repay.
I am so grateful for all that Hebron has provided. So many teachers and advisors have worked tirelessly for my success. I want to give special thanks to Mr. Hanby, Mrs. Dunbridge, and Mrs. Willer, who were always there for me. I will carry the lessons I have learned at Hebron for the rest of my life.
But to be honest, nothing I have learned here, or what I will learn in college, will be more important than the lessons I learned from my father. He was and will always be my greatest teacher.
My father loved to study, but as a young man he had to leave school and go to work to support his family. I am the oldest, and my father wanted all of his children to get great educations—especially his daughters.
I think that’s why he was so determined for me to go to school, even though I was born in a small village where most families thought it was a scandal for girls to go to school.
In fact, when I started school as a young child, many of the families in our village changed their attitudes towards us. People stopped visiting our house. My parents’ friends turned their backs on them. That’s when my parents decided we would move to a city, where it was more common for girls to go to school.
But even there, people objected. That’s when my father decided I should go to SOLA, my all-girls boarding school in Kabul.
His life-changing decision for me to go to SOLA is what eventually led me to Hebron, and the life I have today.
When he dropped me off at SOLA for the first time, he said to me:
“Be strong and passionate in your life.
Don’t listen when people say you can’t do something because you are a girl. Become the person everyone is fighting to be.”
That’s what I am trying to do. Thank you to Hebron for helping me become the person I am fighting to be.
The 2024-2025 girls basketball season held a unique promise: to breathe new life into Hebron girls basketball. After two challenging years that saw diminishing numbers and a pause on games, the program was eager to reclaim its former glory. This season wasn’t just about basketball; it was about setting the stage for a bright future on the court. With fresh faces and a renewed sense of determination, this season was all about new beginnings. The energy surrounding the team was tangible, as students, teachers, and the community rallied behind us. This team was a symbol of hope and a testament to the enduring spirit of Hebron Athletics.
We stepped onto the court with a roster that could generously be described as “small”, especially when compared to the seasonal giants we knew we’d be facing. Yet, despite our size disadvantage, our ambitions were anything but small. We were fueled by a shared hope and a fierce, unyielding determination to prove heart and dedication could triumph over anything. Every time we stepped onto the court, we were a team dedicated to leaving it all out there, proving that even a small team can make a monumental impact – something this basketball season taught me firsthand.
The primary goal wasn’t to chase victories or demand immediate greatness; it was about rebuilding hope and rediscovering the joy of the game. It was about creating a space where laughter echoed through the gym, where every practice was a chance to learn and grow, and where the scoreboard took a backseat to the bonds being forged and the memories being made. In the end, the 2024-2025 Hebron girls basketball season will be remembered not for its record, but for its heart. We may not have achieved instant success, but we accomplished something far more valuable: we reignited a spark, rebuilt a foundation, and reminded everyone that the spirit of the game always endures. And as the final buzzer sounded, one thing was clear: the spirit of Hebron girls basketball was alive and well, ready to soar to new heights in the years to come.
The 2024-2025 season for the boys varsity hockey team this winter was disappointing on paper. However, we did have a desire to surprise the New England hockey scene like no other team had.
Adversity never stopped coming our way, as even before the season started, we had only twenty players and no confirmed coach. Then, we were down to nineteen players and a new coach. Then that coach bailed on us, and we were without a coach once again. But come late October, coach Matthew Lavallee–a former coach at the University of Southern Maine (DIII NCAA)–took the spot of head coach of Hebron’s boys varsity hockey team. With the cementing of our new coach and practices getting started in November, the entire school rallied behind the hockey team for the home opener versus NYA. We won that game 3-2, and a seed of hope was planted for the year as we all went home for Thanksgiving break, eager to start the rest of our season hot.
But once we came back from Thanksgiving break, we struggled tremendously. The highlight by far, however, was our Brooks-Pingree tournament.
By the end of the tournament, we were skating with just nine players. Keep in mind hockey has five players and a goalie out at all times! We had two goalies, just enough players for one full group, then another, but minus one player. Those were awful circumstances, and it was no surprise we lost those games. But I’ve never felt so proud walking off the ice before in my life because not only did I feel like I competed with pride, everyone else laid their hearts on the ice! But then came Christmas break, and we all had some time off from team practices. We all worked hard over break to stay in shape and get ready to grind out the rest of the season. Though coming back and going through a brutal losing streak was not fun…
Personally, I couldn’t stand it. It was one of the worst time periods I’ve had as a hockey player. But hindsight is 20/20, and looking back at that gargantuan losing streak, I can proudly say that I’m glad to have gone through that. We learned a lot about each other, ourselves, and found out how to handle the dumpster fires life throws at us. More importantly, I learned what works and doesn’t work for me, on and off the ice, when it comes to being a leader of a team that meant the world to me and still means the world to me now. And without coach Lavallee working tirelessly to keep us all in good spirits, meanwhile balancing recruitment for next year and working in admissions, Hebron Hockey would not be where it is today.
The entire team, despite only winning five out of thirty-five games, can all agree that we grew, learned, and found out what means more than a team’s record: our family. At the end of the day, whether you’re a parent, student, player, coach, teacher, trainer, or even just a random spectator of Hebron’s numerous sports programs, you are a part of the Hebron Hockey family. And with all of this said, Hebron’s Hockey family is gearing up for one of the most exciting years in Hebron’s elaborate history, the 2025-2026 winter season.
