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Staying Connected Through Sports: The WCHC Sports Podcast
A thumbnail from The WCHC Sports Podcast, a YouTube video podcast series created in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hello, readers!

Wow, it has been a long time since I’ve typed those words. I can honestly say that updating my Holy Cross student blog became much less of a priority once the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly all aspects of our lives, but I am back and (hopefully) better than ever!

Just to reintroduce myself for the sake of new readers, I am a junior psychology and sociology double major with a German minor. I am currently completing courses remotely from my hometown of Rochester, New York. My extracurricular activities include, most notably, serving as co-chair of WCHC Sports, as a member of Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE), and as a tour guide for the admissions office.

Change has been the name of the game over the past six months, and I, as an individual who thrives on consistency, have encountered many obstacles in navigating the “new normal.” Toward the middle of this past summer, however, I realized the importance of continuing to capitalize on the opportunities that Holy Cross has presented. Since so much effort has gone into offering students an authentic Holy Cross experience in the midst of a remote semester, I figured that the least I could do was to change with the times to the best of my ability.

As such, I took a more active role as co-chair of WCHC Sports, the College’s sports broadcasting organization. Seeing as holding the Fall 2020 semester remotely meant there would be no sporting events to broadcast over the radio, my close friend, Rob Murray, and I began our own video podcast series, The WCHC Sports Podcast, to continue to pursue our passion for sports and sports broadcasting throughout the remote semester.

I can honestly say that recording this podcast every week has been a blast. At first, I was somewhat hesitant, as I am not particularly well-versed in sports outside of basketball. I quickly found, however, that recording the podcast offered me a fun, creative outlet to supplement my academic work, and I look forward each and every week to recording Sunday nights with Rob. Just the other day, we actually had our first guest appear on the show, as our good friend and Holy Cross athlete TJ Duggan stopped by to talk about the Celtics, Patriots, and Holy Cross Athletics on Episode 9.

Though nothing can quite compare to the excitement of calling a game live from press row, the podcast has been a highlight of my semester thus far, and I’m glad to have found such an engaging way to keep our organization active from afar. Throughout the next several months, I plan on writing about the many other ways Holy Cross has continued to show its (purple) colors in response to COVID-19.

Until next time, please be sure to check out our work on The WCHC Sports Podcast (linked above). Peace!
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Family Weekend 2019: ‘Saders Take Down Colgate

Fitton Field is pictured on a beautiful Fall afternoon, following the first half of Holy Cross Football's win over Colgate University
The Crusaders marched into halftime with a 21-3 lead on this beautiful Family Weekend afternoon.

Hello, all! I am now in my second week of classes following Fall Break, so I figured I’d provide a brief update on some happenings on the Hill.

This past weekend was Family Weekend at Holy Cross! Last year, my family members were unable to attend the festivities. This year, however, my dad was able to make the trip from Rochester. Seeing as I chose not to visit home over the break, it was great being able to catch up with him on how things have been going back in New York.

My dad and I went out to a local restaurant, Wicked Wing Co., located about ten minutes from campus. Fortunately for us, the Celtics game was being shown on the TVs there, and we actually ended up staying at the restaurant for the entire game. The food was delicious, and it’s always a pleasure to get off campus and see what Worcester has to offer.

A photo of me, Aidan, pictured with my dad, Jack
Even my dad, a graduate of Colgate University, had to show some Holy Cross pride for Family Weekend.

Although Family Weekend consisted of many exciting events on campus, the main attraction was undoubtedly Holy Cross Football’s matchup with the Colgate University Raiders on Saturday morning. I spent much of the morning tailgating with my friends and their parents, before watching the first half of the Crusaders’ resounding 31-10 victory over Colgate. It’s always a great atmosphere in Fitton Field, and this past weekend was no exception.

Overall, it was a super fun weekend. This coming weekend, however, may be even better, seeing as I’m planning on attending a Celtics game with my roommate and some friends. Halloween is also coming up this week, though I must admit that I am still in need of costume ideas.

That’s all for this week’s post! I’m busy as ever, so be sure to check back soon for more updates. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to provide. Peace!

 

 

 
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The End is Near: A Look Forward at May 2019

Hello, readers! Apologies for being a bit late in posting to my blog. Following the publication of my “vlog” installment (see previous post), I had two extremely busy weeks, including, most notably, enrolling in four courses for Fall 2019. Following several hours of thought, I decided that, in addition to pursuing a psychology major, I will attempt to complete a sociology major, as well as a German minor. I actually spent quite a bit of time mapping out my future courses and how I can meet the requirements of each major/minor. Although pursuing three separate tracks of study will certainly be challenging, I find these fields quite fascinating, and definitely believe that I am capable of managing the coursework necessary in each of these courses of study.

In addition to this development, it is worth mentioning the awesome Easter break I had! Following my last class on Wednesday, my dad (having driven to campus) and I took off for TD Garden in Boston, MA once again. This time, we watched our beloved Celtics in Game 2 of their first-round sweep of the Indiana Pacers. This marked our first time attending an NBA playoff game, and the atmosphere was electric. I’ve already promised myself that I will save up enough money this summer to catch some weekend games next season.

Easter back home in Rochester, NY was relaxing, as expected. My nineteenth birthday was actually on Holy Thursday, and although I had to spend much of the day traveling, the time I spent with family and friends back home made it more than worth it. As I drove out of Rochester on Monday, I simply could not believe that it was the last time I would be leaving my hometown for college during my freshman year. I have mentioned this in previous blog posts, but freshman year has absolutely flown by. To think that I will be home for good in just nineteen days seems absolutely crazy. That said, there is still business to be taken care of! Here is my list (in no particular order) of the top five things I still have to look forward to in the next three weeks:

1.  My 5v5 intramural basketball team, the Kimballers, has its first playoff game  tomorrow night! We are 2-1 on the season, but Thursday night’s matchup promises to be a very challenging contest, seeing as we will be facing off against a number of Club Basketball players. I have served as the captain of this team, and I must say that I am proud of how the team has played over the past few weeks. Now let’s get this win!

2. The housing selection process for next year is coming up in a couple of weeks. I’ve already registered with my roommate for next year, so now we are just waiting to be able to select our room for next year! My new roommate lives in Rochester as well, so that should make buying things for next year even easier. Naturally, however, all of my friends and I are maneuvering to try to live near each other next year, so fingers crossed!

3. For my Fundamentals of Music course, I am currently completing a song analysis of “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie (1979). This project, which is part of my final exam, has offered me a unique opportunity to apply everything I have learned all semester in this course to a song of my own choice. The project includes analysis of melody, harmony, rhythm, meter, lyrics, chord progression, key changes, etc. I’ve found my work on this song to be a difficult, yet rewarding experience. I will admit, however, that I am becoming increasingly tired of this particular song, seeing as I have now listened to it in its entirety dozens of times.

4. Speaking of music, the Holy Cross Spring Concert is fast approaching! This year’s concert, sponsored by Campus Activities Board (CAB), will be headlined by Loud Luxury, as well as Jay Sean. Although I am not particularly familiar with either artist, I still think that the concert will be an awesome time, especially seeing as it will be the last “true” weekend of the year. I’ve already purchased my ticket, so now all I can do is wait!

5. Lastly, these last three weeks will simply be a great opportunity to spend time with the friends I have made this year. It seems impossible that most of us will have to go over three months without seeing each other. Such is college, however, seeing as students come from all over the U.S., or even beyond. That said, these last few weeks are going to be a blast, and I’ll definitely savor every moment.

Hopefully this post wasn’t too lengthy! I definitely had a lot to share, and was glad I finally found a bit of spare time to be able to do so. To all students, best of luck during these last few weeks of classes! Stay tuned for updates on how the aforementioned events unfold, as well as some concluding remarks on my amazing freshman year at Holy Cross. Peace!
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“The Show Must Go On”: An Anecdote

Hello, readers! Three weeks down, three weeks to go until our first break of the new semester! It has been an extremely busy stretch for me academically, but I have managed thus far to remain afloat in all of my classes.

As mentioned in the profile page for my blog, I am a member of WCHC 88.1 Sports. More specifically, I am a color commentator for radio broadcasts of men’s and women’s basketball games. I actually found out about the program primarily through one of its co-president, seeing as he as a fellow alumnus of my high school. WCHC is extremely easy for anyone to join, however, and I would encourage any person with an interest in broadcasting (sports or music) to consider the organization.

Anyway, I have now been on the air for two women’s basketball games, as well as for one men’s game. Even though I’m a color commentator, rather than the play-by-play broadcaster, I put a fair amount of time into preparing for each game. I do brief research into the tendencies, backgrounds, and statistics of the opposing team’s key players. This preparation allows for a more smooth, fluid broadcast, as was the case during the women’s games I’ve called over the past two weeks.

Last Wednesday, my job was to provide color commentary for the men’s game against Army West Point. Unfortunately, however, one of our current play-by-play broadcasters was unavailable for the first half of the game. I figured that we would be unable to broadcast that night, seeing as it isn’t very easy to offer a comprehensive radio broadcast with only one commentator. I then realized, however, that I may not have the opportunity to offer play-by-play commentary again for quite some time. I decided that, as the adage goes, the show must go on! In my very first men’s basketball broadcast, I served as the play-by-play commentator for the first half of a 56-42 victory over Army. I did so without even having a color commentator alongside me. Although this was certainly a challenge, being a dedicated fan and follower of our basketball team certainly paid dividends. The broadcast, though quite far from perfect, went fairly smoothly. Although I much prefer offering color commentary for broadcasts, the experience was valuable for its spontaneity and difficulty nevertheless.

That’s all for this week’s installment! I’ve had a lot of awesome, blog-worthy experiences related to basketball as of late, but I promise I will write about my other experiences very soon. Until next time!

 
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First Weekend Back: Hoops Galore!

Hello, all! It is currently the Sunday afternoon before our second week of classes of the new semester. My courses have had a fairly encouraging start, so I am certainly looking forward to seeing how the semester unfolds academically.

Today, however, I am writing about the wonderful, action-packed weekend I’ve had. Though it was only the first weekend of a long semester, I’m certain that I will remember it for quite some time.

Friday night began in a manner similar to other weekends on campus: treating myself to a delicious meal at Crossroads. As most Holy Cross students can attest to, a large number of students love to indulge in the food items Crossroads has to offer, particularly after a long week of classes. After dinner, I spent several hours socializing with other students back in my own dorm. Everybody seemed excited to have returned, and it was enjoyable being able to relax with one another once again.

After a quick breakfast at Kimball on Saturday morning, my dad arrived on campus after having made the drive from Rochester, NY. We then visited the Holy Cross Bookstore before getting lunch off campus at Wings Over Worcester. As a chicken enthusiast myself, I would HIGHLY recommend Wings Over Worcester for their large portions and quick service. Be sure to check them out!

An order of boneless chicken wings and waffle fries from local restaurant Wings Over Worcester
A supersized order of boneless wings provided not only a delicious meal, but also leftovers for later!

After lunch, my dad and I headed back to campus to check out our men’s basketball team in their home matchup with the Navy Midshipmen. The Crusaders emerged victorious in an exciting contest, winning 69-64 after trailing at halftime. The atmosphere at the Hart Center was electric, perhaps in large part due to the number of alumni in attendance as part of Winter Homecoming 2019.

A view from the stands of Holy Cross and Navy basketball players preparing for tipoff.
A view of the Hart Center just seconds before the beginning of an exciting afternoon game against Navy.

Following the Navy game, my dad and I left campus for (arguably) an even more exciting basketball game: Celtics vs. Warriors in Boston, MA. This was our sixth NBA game together (fourth at TD Garden), but no game prior had ever presented the same level of anticipation and excitement. In short, the game tickets were the best Christmas present a Celtics fan like me could ever ask for. After checking into our hotel in Boston, we made the short walk to TD Garden. There, after spending a bit too much money on apparel from the team store, we found our seats. We then witnessed one of the most exciting basketball games either of us had ever seen live, with the Celtics tragically falling 115-111 at the hands of Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors. Though the loss certainly stung, I find some solace in knowing that the Celtics should exact revenge on the Warriors in the NBA Finals come June.

Me (Aidan) holding a new Jayson Tatum Celtics jersey with TD Garden's court in the background
Fortunately for Celtics fans, I am now thoroughly equipped to replace star Jayson Tatum if he were to suffer an unfortunate injury.

In conclusion, it was a Saturday filled with great food, extraordinary basketball, and a good time with my dad. It will be difficult to surpass this weekend in terms of enjoyment, but with a long semester to go, anything is possible!

Thank you for checking in and reading this week’s installment of my blog. Until next time!

 

 
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Montserrat Madness: Former NFL Linebacker Appears in Seminar

Hello everybody! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Today was quite an interesting day for my Montserrat seminar. Even as final exams draw near, our class was lucky enough to host a very special visitor, Mr. Dave Rozumek. Mr. Rozumek played for the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs 1976–1979, and currently works in education with the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association. My Montserrat seminar, “Competition,” is essentially an introduction to the field of sports psychology, and Mr. Rozumek’s story provided valuable insight into the concepts of head trauma and athletic career transition.

Former NFL Player David Rozumek smiles for a photo during his coaching career
Since his playing days, Dave Rozumek has also pursued a coaching career at the high school level (Photo: eagletribune.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Rozumek described in great detail his unlikely journey to becoming an NCAA Division I athlete, as well as the obstacles he had to overcome throughout his NFL career. I found his account of the manner in which NFL teams used to address player injuries particularly interesting, and certainly relevant to seminar discussions we have had regarding the various pressures placed on athletes. Additionally, though Mr. Rozumek has certainly enjoyed a successful life since his playing days, he describes his career transition as quite difficult and rather abrupt.

Overall, Mr. Rozumek’s story offered a glimpse of some of the peaks and valleys associated with being a professional athlete. It was a pleasure to have him in class, and I appreciate the fact that such an opportunity for enriched learning was offered even as final exams approach.

Speaking of finals, better start studying! Until next time!

 
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Team “Volleyballerz”: My First Intramural Sport Experience

The website logo for imleagues.com
imleagues.com makes playing an intramural sport fun and easy! (Photo: imleagues.com)

 

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone! It took an entire week, but I am finally back in the swing of things following an eventful (and much needed!) Fall break. I spent most of my time back in Rochester catching up with my friends that attend other colleges, and even took a quick road trip to Baltimore, MD to visit my family and attend a concert.

Being back in school meant more than a return to my coursework, however. This past week, my co-ed intramural volleyball team, the Volleyballerz, played in the league playoff. Unfortunately we lost our first round matchup, thus ending our season. Nevertheless, I had such a good experience with the team over the past several weeks that I wanted to write a little bit about it.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when my roommates asked me to play intramural volleyball with them. When it comes to sports, I am extremely competitive, and I worried that I wouldn’t find the level of play exciting enough. It turns out, however, that I need not have worried. Although several intramural participants are trying a sport for the first time just to have fun, there are just as many legitimate athletes looking to prove themselves and, more importantly, win the game. Such a combination made for a fun, yet competitive atmosphere.

I was also impressed with how organized intramural sports at Holy Cross are. Prior to competition, all teams use a website, imleagues.com, to sign up for the season. The website updates league standings, rosters, and schedules in real time to provide an easy intramural experience for all players.

I would HIGHLY recommend intramural sports to any current or prospective Holy Cross students. Although the Volleyballerz finished the season 1-4, I found myself truly looking forward to the chance to step out on the court every Monday night. Aside from the fun of competitive play, it was a great opportunity to get to know my (awesome) teammates. Mark my words, the Volleyballerz will be back next year.

That’s all for now! Be sure to check back in soon to see what else is happening on and around the Hill. Until next time!