Lions Coaches Den

John Challis: Courage + Believe = Life. John Challis's fight against cancer inspired people around the world. Challis made a list before he died of things he wanted to accomplish and he successfully checked off every "to-do."

An Athletes’ Poem to Parents

How badly you must want to win, not for yourself but me, so help me play this game, with dedication, goals and dignity.

It's embarrassing for me, when you criticize my coach, if you think you can be helpful, then try a new approach.

Call and make arrangements, to meet coach face to face, far better than to yell at them in such a public place.

Think that you will also find, your friendship will be sealed, in a more conducive atmosphere, than on the playing field.

Please try to go along with coach, not judging wrong or right.

You know they've got a job to do, that must be done tonight.

As coach stands alone down there, in front of all the fans, help him do the job he must, by staying silent in the stands.

Snap decisions he must make, under pressure of the game, and certainly where you must sit, Tis'not really quite the same.

Even when he calls it right, I often make a mistake, that surely makes him look as though his coaching is at stake.

Sometimes he will chew me out, then he'll pat me on the back, and I will get it next time, you can count on that.

He'll take the blame for losses and walk out on a limb, but he’ll give his team credit for each and every win.

So be there when I need you. Shout encouragement to me.

Coach	ACCOMPLISHMENT
Stacy Ditze	Girl’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year by the Express Times for 2007. Congratulations to the 2007 varsity field hockey team for their win over Hunterdon Central 2-0 this season. This is the first time in 15 years North has beaten Central in field hockey.

Laura Guida	2007 Coaches Recognition Award from the NJ Cheerleaders and Dance Coaches Association.

Kirk Hissner	Girl’s Volleyball Coach of the Year by the Express Times and Star Ledger for 2006. Girl’s Volleyball Coach of the Year by the Courier News for 2007.

Garrett Lelko	Girl’s Soccer Coach of the Year by the Express Times for 2007.

John Simpson	Boys All Area Soccer Coach of the Year by the Express Times for 2007. 2007 team tied the record for wins with 16, posted best win% in school history, captured their 2nd consecutive Hunterdon/Warren Tournament Championship, advanced to North 2 Group IV state semifinal, finished ranked as the #1 Big School in the Express Times Area.

SPORT - fall	ACCOMPLISHMENT
CHEERLEADING	Accomplishments: UCA Nationals in Orlando - Ranked Top 25 out of 140 teams, 2008 Contest of Champions Nationals in Orlando - 1st Place Medium Varsity division #1/26 teams, 2007 Atlantic Cheer and Dance Championships in Washington DC - 1st Place Small Varsity division, 2005 Delaware West Divisional Champions at the Skyland Conference Cheer Championships - 1st Place, 2005 & 2007 Background: The Varsity team is comprised of 16-24 girls. The JV squad has 12-16 girls. They cheer at football and soccer games in the fall season. Both teams compete during the fall season. They also host a youth camp, cheer clinics and a competition in the fall.
Coach Guida's remarks	The cheer squad will be a great support to our sports program at North. The girls have worked very hard to establish themselves as athletes and as a spirited support to others. On the competitive end, there is a high expectation on the girls to perform well at the conference championships. I feel that they will give their best effort to make history as the most competitive squad North has seen in the past 10 years.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY	Congratulations to Coach Walsh and the Lady Lion cross country team as the freshmen and sophomore athletes took home first place and the junior and senior athletes took home second place at the Roxbury Invitational the Sept 17th weekend.
	Congratulations to Coach Walsh and the Lady Lion Cross Country Girls team as they took first place this past weekend in the Passaic County Invitational.

Coach Ditze's remarks FIELD HOCKEY	The North Hunterdon Field Hockey Program consists of three levels: Varsity, JV, and Freshmen. Over the summer the girls attend the prestigious Holly Shores Field Hockey Camp run by the United States Field Hockey Association and also compete in a Tuesday & Thursday night league held here at North Hunterdon to get ready for the 2008 Season. The Team is a member of the Skyland Conference West Division and competes every year in the Hunterdon Warren Tournament. The staff consists of Head Coach Stacy Ditze, Varsity Assistant Katie Cierech, J.V. Coach Courtney Goetz, and Freshmen Coach Mark Soltis.

Coach Matte's remarks FOOTBALL	The North Hunterdon Football program is comprised of three levels- Freshman, JV, and Varsity. All levels play the same opponents from the Skyland Conference. The Varsity competes for a championship in the conference’s Delaware West Division. Interested candidates attend an organization and information meeting in late May. Formal practices begin, according to NJSIAA regulations, in mid-August. Team members must adhere to specific athletic standards, academic standards and code of conduct. The team is coached by Head coach John Mattes and his assistants including Rob Donnelly, Tim Flynn, Charlie Heidecker, Jared Mazzetta, Rory McPeek, Matt Seniuk, and Parker Snare.

GYMNASTICS

Coach Simpson's remarks BOY'S SOCCER	The North Hunterdon Boys Soccer Program consists of three levels: Varsity, JV, and Freshmen. The program competes in the highly competitive Skylands Conference against teams from Hunterdon, Warren, and Somerset Counties. The Varsity team competes in the Hunterdon/Warren Boys Soccer Tournament and has captured the past two championships in 2006 and 2007. The team also competes in the North 2 Group IV NJSIAA playoffs with a qualifying record. The current staff includes Head Coach John Simpson, Assistant Head Coach Joseph Harris, JV Coach Steven Delorenzo, and Freshmen Coach Jeffrey Steele.
Coach Simpson's remarks	The boys soccer team in 2008 will attempt to win their 3rd consecutive Hunterdon/Warren Championship. Hopes are high for the team with 6 returning starters.

GIRL'S SOCCER
Coach Lelko's remarks	The North Hunterdon Girls Soccer team is looking to once again be competitive in the tough Skyland Conference. The team is looking to better the 12-6-1 record posted by last years team. Overall objectives are to be competitive in each game, return to the county finals, and qualify for the state tournament. The girls soccer program is coming off one of the finest seasons in school history with a record breaking 14-8 record. The girls won their first Group 4 Sectional Championship and made it the Group 4 finals. This years team will have a lot of new faces after losing 13 seniors. The girls are looking forward to the challenge of continuing the tradition of previous teams. The North Hunterdon Girls Soccer Program consists of three levels: Varsity, JV, and Freshmen. The program plays in the highly competitive Skyland Conference. Besides the regular conference schedule, the Varsity team competes in the Hunterdon Warren Soccer Tournament in October and if there record permits the NJSIAA Soccer Tournament in November. Over the past years, the JV program has taken part in the Ridge Soccer Invitational during October. The current staff consists of Head Coach Garrett Lelko, Assistant Head Coach Regina Cavo, JV Coach Tim Galvin, and Freshmen Coach Lauren Sheldon.
GIRL'S TENNIS
Coach Covino's remarks	The North Hunterdon girls tennis program is comprised of the varsity and junior varsity levels; however, both are extremely competitive. The varsity consists of 7 players and 2 alternates, and the junior varsity team holds 13 positions. As members of the Delaware West division, the girls play some of the greatest competition in the state including Bridgewater and Hillsborough high school. The varsity team also participates in the Hunterdon Warren tournament, which they have succeeded in winning for 5 consecutive seasons. The also participate in the state tennis tournaments both on the team and individual level. Maria Covino serves as the varsity coach and Mrs. Kelli Steele acts as junior varsity coach.

Coach Hissner's remarks GIRL'S VOLLEYBALL	The North Hunterdon Girls Volleyball Program consists of three levels: Varsity, JV, and Freshmen. The program is in their 8^th season and plays in the highly competitive Skyland Conference. This past season the Skyland conference had 3 out of 4 teams in the Group 4 State semi-finals. The current staff consists of Head Coach Kirk Hissner, Assistant/JV Coach Tim Kiefer, and Freshmen Coach Jeff Blair.

Cheerleading: Laura Guida	2007-2008 2nd Place at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Northeast Regional's which gives them an automatic bid for the National Competition. The Varsity cheerleaders came in second place in the Northeast Regional competition for UCA, which qualified them for a bid to the UCA National Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, FL in February 2008.
Boy's basketball Jeff Tagliareni	"The kids have a feel for the level of intensity and work that I will expect of them after a demanding summer program. I am very excited about our prospects to have a successful year after seeing the hard work and dedication that our players have."
Boy's Winter track Charlie Heidecker	The North Hunterdon Boys Spring track and field team competes in the NJSIAA North II Group IV and the Delaware West Division of the Skyland Conference. Track team members practice Monday through Saturday from early March through the end of the competitive season on Singley Field's track. Athletes must adhere to specific athletic standards, academic standards and code of conduct. The competitive season which includes participation in dual meets and large invitationals runs from early-April through early-June. The team is coached by head coach Charlie Heidecker and assistant coach Michael Phillips.
Asst. Boy's basketball Kyle Rehrig	I am looking forward to my first year at North. The young men put in a lot of hard work this summer and I am hoping to see the dividends this winter.
Volunteer Fencing Coach Ann Semanchik	The things you fear are undefeatable, not by nature, but by your approach. Success is determined by how determined you are to succeed. Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong.

SPORT - SPRING	ACCOMPLISHMENT
BOYS TRACK & fIELD
Coach Heidecker's remarks	The Boys Track team finished the season at 4-1. They also finished third in North Jersey II, traditionally a very fast group. The pole vault, 400m, 200m, triple jump and 4 X 400m led the way for much of the season. A group of solid underclassmen will return in 2008 intention on continuing the improvement. The Boys Track & Field team is eager to return to action this spring. We are excited to return a number of quality athletes to represent the Lions. We wish the team success in their training and competition.
SOFTBALL
Jeff Steele's remarks	"The softball team will enter the 2009 season coming off our third straight North 2, Group IV State Sectional Championship, a share of the Skyland Conference Delaware West Division Championship and a 25-4 record. With a solid core of returning players, we look forward to maintaining a high level of play and continued success throughout the season."