Lions Coaches Den

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	Congratulations to the North Hunterdon High School Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleaders for participating in the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) camp at the University of Southern Connecticut. During the UCA Camp Championships on August 2, 2007, the Varsity Cheerleaders took First Place in the Varsity Elite Extreme Routine Division. The Junior Varsity Cheerleaders took First Place in the JV Extreme Routine Division. The Varsity cheerleaders took first place in the Delaware West Divisional Championships on November 4, 2007 at Bridgewater High School. They placed 3rd out of 18 teams in the overall Skyland Conference standings.
Coach Guida's remarks	There are 16 girls on each of the Varsity and JV squads. The teams cheer for football, soccer, basketball and wrestling. They compete in local, regional and national competitions, with their season spanning from May through February. The cheerleaders have won National championships in 2005 and 2007, one Skyland Divisional title in 2006 and four girls currently hold cheerleading scholarships at Division I universities.

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.

FIELD HOCKEY

FOOTBALL

GYMNASTICS

BOY'S SOCCER
Coach Simpson's remarks	The boys soccer team enters the 2007 campaign with high hopes of defending their 2006 Hunterdon/Warren Championship and Skyland Conference Delaware West Division Championship and improving upon their 15-4-1 record. This year’s squad returns 7 starters.

GIRL'S SOCCER
Coach Lelko's remarks	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.
GIRL'S TENNIS
Coach Covino's remarks	Coming off their fourth consecutive Hunterdon-Warren championship, North girls tennis hope to maintain and move beyond last year's performance. The girls bring 110% to the courts which will certainly payoff for the team as they gear up for the 2007 season.

GIRL'S VOLLEYBALL

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.