Minutes from December 5, 2006 PAA meeting 

In attendance:

Don DiFelice, AD, Mike & Laura McCarron, Elaine Poretta, Frank & Linda Bolla, Mary Guilmet, Marie Meehan, Tricia McNamara, Janice Littrell, Rene Llorente, Ann Attenasio, Dave Koopman and Kevin Sullivan 

Athletic Director's Report

Winter Sports

Total of 189 athletes participating (vs. 183 last year)

Boys basketball V 12, JV 17, Fresh 17; Girls Basketball V 8, JV 8, Fresh 12;  Ice Hockey V/JV 19;  Girls Indoor Track 57; Winter Cheering 17; Wrestling 22 

Ticket Prices

Adults $6, Students (grades 1-12) $4.  Season tickets for basketball will be available for $25. 

For Winter Sports Schedules and Updates

Please use the www.pentucketathleticassn.org or www.pentucketrhs.org websites to check schedule and updates 

Winter Photo Day

Winter team photos will be taken on Wednesday, December 6^th except for Ice Hockey which will be scheduled at a later date. 

Gym Padding

Installed on November 21^st. Graphic matting looks terrific and overall everyone is pleased with the project. However, some discussion followed about the color differential between the graphics matting and the non-graphics matting. The color discrepancy was not reflected in the illustration file from the company which was presented to the PAA by the AD at the time the decision was being made to go ahead with the project. The AD subsequently did receive samples of the mats (both graphic and non-graphic) but the PAA committee members did not have an opportunity to look at those samples. The Committee decided to have a member contact Full Circle Padding to inquire about the difference in colors and what could be done about it. 

Other Athletic Department News Items

• River Rivals Captain Breakfast will be held on Thursday, December 7^th at 8:30 am at the Newburyport Elks. Captains from the fall and winter sports seasons will meet with their captain counterparts from the Amesbury, Triton, and Newburyport teams.
• A request by several parents was made to include Freshman Soccer in the athletic budget. For the 2007-2008 budget, $11,500 was added. There is still some concern about whether a freshman soccer team would be possible given the shortage in available playing/practice fields.
• A follow-up to a concern raised at last month€™s meeting: Students will no longer be driving one another to off-site practices. Next year, should the Cross Country coach decide to participate in off-site practices, transportation will be provided to the team by the school.
• The Friends of Pentucket Athletics held their annual Thanksgiving Day Pancake Breakfast at the VFW in West Newbury. A total of $1,886 was raised in donations plus a $200 donation from Verizon. These funds will be used by the AD towards the replenishment/replacement of baseball uniforms and football helmets.
• A request was made to sell water bottles at home basketball games on two separate dates. This request was approved.

 

The following athletes were recipients of the Fall Season League Award:

• Cheering Lauren Briggle (All-League)
• Cross Country Eric McDonald (All-Star); Alanna Poretta (All-Star)
• Field Hockey Lyndsay Beaton (All-League); Rebecca Pierce (All-Star); Chantel LaFrance (All-Star)
• Football Bobby Haskell (All-League); Jeff Puopolo (All-Star); Ryan Silvestri (All-Star); Chris Troy (All-Star)
• Boys Soccer Morgan Corbett (All-League); Ben Boudrow (All-Star); Cam Cooke (All-Star)
• Girls Soccer Colleen Liffers (All-League); Diana Kelly (All-Star); Sarah Costello (All-Star); Shanley Kervin (All-Star); Caila Aylward (All-Star)
• Girls Cross Country Team was awarded the Sportsmanship Award

 

Winter Program Books

The cover for the Winter Program Book was designed by two Pentucket students, Matt Milewski and Zach Yeremian. A sample of the cover was given to the committee for review. A unanimous decision was made to use the students€™ artwork for the winter cover. Ellen Hart of the fine arts department also has students working on a spring cover design. The same number of books will be ordered for the winter season as were ordered last year (150).  

Treasurer's Report

Currently the balance of our account is around $21,000. After deducting $11,500 for invoices which are due, approximately $3k for the printing of the winter and spring program books, and $2k for the PAA Scholarship awards, the PAA will have around $6k to use towards the improvement and development of athletic programs. Members are encouraged to present their suggestions at either the January meeting or by e-mailing them to paa@pentucketathleticassn.org for discussion at our next meeting 

Voluteers Needed

Deb Stephenson, Carol Jakobsons and Jill Daamen will be coordinating the volunteers needed for staffing the concession stand at home games during the upcoming boys/girls basketball season. Parents of varsity players are encouraged to volunteer to work a shift after half-time of a JV game while JV parents are needed to work the concession stand during varsity games. If you would be interested in volunteering (and, please, volunteer with a friend!), e-mail us at paa@pentucketathleticassn.org with your availability.  Schedules for upcoming games are posted on our website www.pentucketathleticassn.org as well as the high school website www.pentucketrhs.org  
 
 
 

Open Comments

• There was a brief discussion about whether to continue to have the PAA fund the purchase of the varsity jackets currently being presented to first-time varsity players. Other style alternatives are available at a less expensive cost (we currently pay $24/jacket). This issue will be discussed in greater detail at the January meeting.
• Parents who worked the Thanksgiving Day game selling football booster items in that inclement weather were grateful for the donation of some tarps to offer them protection from the rain. It was proposed that the PAA look into purchasing some type of bench tarps or tenting item that could be used by booster groups and/or teams as needed. Elaine Poretta volunteered to look into the cost of such a purchase and will present her findings at our next meeting.
• There was a discussion about the current practice time for ice hockey players. According to the parent of one of the hockey players, several families were concerned enough about the late hour of the practices that they decided to have their children opt out of playing for their high school team. (Approximately 30 players tried out for the team, but about 15 of them backed out because of the practice time.) Currently, practice ice time for the players is 9:00 pm. There will be a couple of new rinks opening in Haverhill and the AD was encouraged to look into booking ice time for the Sachems at a new rink. Parents of the hockey team thought that a more favorable practice time might increase the number of children who participate in the sport and help to strengthen the hockey program at the school. The AD also promised to contact the hockey coach to discuss the practice time and how this time was chosen.

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm