Riannon Hambleton '06

As November 12, 2005 approaches, athletes, fans, faculty, and alumni wait in anticipation of one of the most glorious days of the year.

There are several integral ingredients to a perfect Choate Day celebration. During spirit week, the week leading up to the hallowed Saturday, everyone focuses on preparing for the day of competition that lies ahead. Banners are painted and hung, dining hall tables tremble, and cheers are roared through megaphones and cupped hands alike.

Every team, athlete, coach, and fan rallies together in the days before, creating an exemplary celebration of secondary school athletics.

Every person who has ever "bled green" has favorite Choate Day memories, and annually this day carries significance within the community. This year in particular is special because it is Mr. Widmer's last Choate Day. Mr. Morsman is celebrating his fiftieth year at Deerfield, and the Class of 2006 is graduating.

Dining Hall Head Jay Morsman '55, an expert on Deerfield traditions and beating Choate, views this day with reverence. "It is one of several moments in the course of the academic year when Deerfield's spirit, enthusiasm, and excitement are at a record high," Mr. Morsman said. "I will always think of it as 'Deerfield Day' because saying it that way focuses on the positive, whether we win, lose, or draw. This will be my 46th time attending as a faculty member, and I had four when I was here as a student, making it my 50th in all," Mr. Morsman said.

Regarding our Choate Day preparation, Headmaster Eric Widmer had some advice for the student body. "I always caution the school a week ahead of time. Let's do this [get pumped up] in a way that will maximize the chances that we will play up to our potential on the day of the actual competition and not get too excited ahead of time."

Remington Wiley '06, a cheerleader of two years and a varsity volleyball co-captain, feels as many others do about having her graduation and Mr. Widmer's last Choate Day as headmaster here on campus. "I am extremely happy that the Class of '06 will be able to share their last memories of beating Choate at home with Mr. Widmer," Wiley said.

Mr. Widmer also shared his hopes for this year. "The perfect Choate Day is one where we feel good in all respects about how it came off. If the day is here, as it is this year, I want to make sure that we're always on a high plain, as athletes and as fans.

"We should behave in a way that is exemplary, and we should be proud of the fact that we're from Deerfield and that we don't act in a way that in any way calls the school's reputation into doubt.

"We can be reasonably confident that we will be goaded into lowering our standards. A good Choate Day will be one where the attention is on the sportsmanship on the field, where our athletes and the Choate athletes are giving their best, and where the winning becomes less important.

"Obviously, we hope to win everything, but we are not going to win every event. What we want is to do our best at the things we do have control over, which is representing the school to the best of our ability and doing Deerfield proud. That is what I hope for," Mr. Widmer said.

One cheer to look forward to is Mr. Widmer's favorite, the Locomotive Cheer. "It's an old cheer that the cheerleaders did in the 1950s. I think that when students today see it they love it: it's an old-fashioned cheer. That's the cheer I think we'll try to reintroduce for Choate Day this year," Mr. Widmer said.

Mr. Morsman, who was a cheerleader as a student in the 1950s, loves cheers, spirit, sportsmanship, and rallies. In response to Mr. Widmer's planned revival of the Locomotive Cheer, he laughed. "It is a simple cheer to learn, and impressive to see and hear," Mr. Morsman said.

Finally, Mr. Morsman spoke for everyone who understands the significance of being from Deerfield and what it means to "BEAT CHOATE."

"I'm always excited, I'm always ready. It's a big day for both schools, and hopefully a bigger one for us in some regards," he said.

As published in the November 9, 2005 issue of the Deerfield Scroll, the monthly newspaper of Deerfield Academy.