From the Desk of the Athletic Director End of the Year Accolades and Announcements

The end of the year accolades that our teams and athletes attained are impressive. The 2012-13 school year, proved to be not only another outstanding year for Cranbrook athletics, but goes in the books as the best overall achievement program wide in Cranbrook history. Our teams won 6 State Championships (girls swim, boys and girls hockey, figure skating, girls tennis and boys lacrosse) and were State runner up twice (girls golf and boys swim). Cranbrook also had 7 teams finish in the State top ten (boys golf and tennis, girls lacrosse, boys soccer, girls field hockey, boys ski and girls cross country); 7 Regional Championships (plus 3 runner up); 3 District Championships and 4 Conference Championships. Six of our teams earned Academic All-State recognition.

 

Individually, our student athlete accolades were numerous. Cranbrook had 2 All-Americans (plus 1 Honorable Mention), 3 Dream Team, 1 league player of the year, 53 All-State (plus 26 honorable mention), 19 All-Region (plus 1 honorable mention), 21 All-County/District (plus 6 honorable mention), 24 State Champions (plus 10 runner up), 38 State qualifiers, 11 Regional Champions (plus 22 runner up), 35 All-Catholic, and 38 All-League. Cranbrook also had 3 Academic All-Americans and 3 Academic All-State (plus 1 honorable mention) recipients.

 

Our coaching staff also received recognition by the State in boys soccer (Chad O’Kulich) District coach of the Year. Boys Lacrosse Assistant Coach Colby Wilson was chosen Michigan Lacrosse Assistant coach of the Year. Boys Lacrosse Coach Mat Wilson and Boys Hockey Andy Weidenbach were honored as State Coaches of the Year.

 

End of the Year: With the end of the school year, come the many ceremonies that send off our seniors and recognize the many accomplishments of our students, staff and Boosters.

 

At the Senior Awards Ceremony, Jemma Howlett and Jefferson Martin were recognized as the Senior Athletes of the Year for 2013.

 

Jemma Howlett served as a two-time Cross Country Captain and three-time Team MVP. She led the girls cross country team to Cranbrook’s first Regional Championship in 2011 and to the best finishes at the State Championships in school history (fifteenth in 2011 and tenth in 2012). As a freshman, Jemma earned All-Conference honors and qualified for States. Jemma was also the individual Regional Champion, a State Qualifier, and Academic All-State as a sophomore in 2010. Jemma also served as a two-time Captain for the Track and Field Team and earned Coaches Award and Team MVP honors. As a freshman, Jemma was an All-Conference 1600 and 3200 M runner, qualified for the State Championships and was the team Most Improved Athlete. Jemma qualified for States in 2013 in the 3200M and as a member of the 3200 Relay that set a new school record at the State Championship. She was honored Catholic League Scholar Athlete at the Annual Operation Friendship Banquet for the sport of track and field.

In 2013, Jeff Martin served as Captain of the State Championship Hockey Team where he earned All-State and Academic All-State honors and was selected to the MIHL 1^st Team. Jeff was also recognized on the All-County Dream Team. As a Lacrosse Captain, Jeff helped lead the team to back to back Regional Championships. In 2013 he earned 1^st Team All-State and All-Catholic recognition. In 2012, Martin earned 1^st Team All-State and All- League honors in the sport of lacrosse. Jeff was honored at the Catholic League Operation Friendship as a Scholar Athlete in the sport of hockey.

At the Underclass Awards Ceremony, Boys Lacrosse and Hockey stand out Christopher Brown (Jr) was the recipient of the Bobby Tremain Award. The recipient embodies a strong competitive spirit, leadership, passion and dedication for lacrosse, and has a positive effect on his teammates and the lacrosse program as a whole. Bobby Tremain CK’02, was a tremendous student-athlete, a four year varsity lacrosse goalie, team captain, two-time coaches award winner, and earned All-State and All-American accolades. Bobby also worked vigorously to better not only himself but his team. Bobby Tremain passed away in October of 2004 while attending Georgetown. In remembrance of Bobby’s legacy, this award is presented to an underclass member of the boys varsity lacrosse team to attend a lacrosse camp. Christopher is a captain of the lacrosse team and next year’s captain of the hockey team.

 

Varsity Boys Hockey Assistant David Runyan (CK’97) was honored by the Booster Club as the recipient of the 2013 Jack Sanders Assistant Coach of the Year Award. This award recognizes a Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School assistant or sub-varsity head coach and is given to honor this coach for their loyalty to the athletic program and our student athletes; for encouraging student’s development as athletes and students; for promoting their sport and team spirit; for teaching and exhibiting sporting behavior; and for encouraging good citizenship. Coach Runyan has served the CK athletic program for the past 3 years as varsity assistant coach and three years as head junior varsity coach and helped make our boys hockey program consistently one of the best in the State of Michigan and State Champions this year!.

Former Boys Golf Coach Matt Gump was honored by the Booster Club as the Upper School Coach of the Year! Coach Gump served as Head Varsity Golf Coach for the past12 years. In that span, his golf teams won 4 Conference, 1 District, and 2 Regional Championships. At States, his teams finished as the State Runner-Up in 2011 and capped off last spring with the MHSAA State Championship. Coach Gump was also honored by the State as Coach of the Year. Coach Gump has also served Cranbrook as Head Girls Varsity Basketball Coach for one year, Junior Varsity Head Boys Basketball Coach for the past ten years, and Head Boys Freshman Coach for 6 years. This award recognizes a Cranbrook Kingswood upper school coach each year for not only an outstanding season …..but for encouraging scholastic and athletic excellence, for their leadership and teaching of their sport, sportsmanship and the preparation of their teams for success in life as citizens. We honor the coach for promoting team spirit and encouraging the contribution of each individual to the team effort.

The Spirit Award is presented annually to a member of the Cranbrook Kingswood Community by the Booster Club. The award was established in 2001 to honor someone who the Booster Club felt had made a special contribution to the school and the athletic department. This year’s recipient is Rick David. Rick has been involved with Cranbrook in many capacities.  Father of Alex David CK 13’…Rick has been the team parent, along with his wife Denise Anton, to many of Alex’s teams.  Rick was one of the founders of the Gold Booster Membership, and was key in establishing the annual Booster Club Dinner.  Rick has also been a key member of the Dads Club at Cranbrook.  He has incorporated the Dad’s club events coinciding with athletic events.  Rick is a fixture volunteer at the Booster Club annual Lax Jam as he can be seen giving rides to elderly visitors, picking up garbage, assisting with timers, and doing whatever is needed.  Rick is also the “scribe” for the boys Varsity Tennis and Basketball teams.  His Crannet stories are humorous, insightful, witty, and at times…lengthy. ;)   Rick is a Cranbrook Dad through and through and is always finding ways to market CK Athletics.  He is most deserving, and the epitome, of Cranbrook Spirit. 

The Booster Club honored Cranbrook Board of Governor, Booster Club Co-President, and Cranbrook parent John Giampetroni (CK’84) as the recipient of this years’ Dawkins Award. John Giampetroni has graciously given of himself and his resources to Cranbrook and the Cranbrook athletic department. He has served on the education committee of the board of governors and on the budget committee of the board of trustees.  In each of these areas, he has offered thoughtful advice and been supportive of both the school’s and community’s highest priorities. John served as Cranbrook’s Interim Head Lacrosse Coach in 2011 and has been instrumental in the collaborative efforts and recent progress that the athletic program has made in athletic facility renovation. John’s love and pride for Cranbrook has served to provide the foundation for the melding of vision for the school and it’s athletic program with Cranbrook history and tradition.

 

The CK Booster Club established the Dawkins Award in 1990 in honor of one of the most distinguished graduates of Cranbrook Kingswood. This award is given annually to that member or members of the Cranbrook Kingswood community who best personify the Booster Club’s mission by encouraging school spirit, participation, sportsmanship, and leadership. In the words of Pete Dawkins, “it is true in every walk of life, winning comes when someone does something extra.” Dawkins (CK’55), earned the college Maxwell and Heisman Trophies as an outstanding football player at West Point where he was captain of his undefeated West Point Team and consensus All-American. Pete was an honors graduate of West Point, president of his class, Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and appointed Brigadier General in 1981. During his career, he earned the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars for Valor and three Gallantry Crosses (Vietnam’s decoration for bravery).

 

At the annual Catholic League Operation Friendship Scholar Athlete Banquet, seniors Jemma Howlett (track), Alex David (tennis) and Matthew Liu (swim) were awarded plaques as the top scholar athletes of the Catholic League in their respective sports. Olivia Chen (volleyball), Alissas Rowens (tennis), Sarah Fredericks (field hockey), Darby Stahl (ice hockey), Tierra Binder (basketball), Kathleen Barnes (lacrosse), Kylie Powrie (swim), Emily Barish (cross country), Jason Miller (basketball), Jefferson Martin (ice hockey) were also honored and presented medals for outstanding achievement academically and athletically in their sports.

 

We wish to acknowledge departing Booster Club Co-Presidents Patsy Hartmann and John Giampetroni for their sacrifice, time and energy, and leadership for the past two years. Booster Club fund raising and contributions to Cranbrook are at an all-time high because of their leadership and passion for Cranbrook athletics.Patsy and John were presented the traditional engraved Crystal Bowl at our annual Booster Club Coaches Dinner. We look forward to the future success of the Booster Club under the incumbent Co-Presidents Meegan McRoberts and Lee Ghesquiere (CK’82). We also welcome Dana Brophy and Steve Faliski will join the Board as Co-Vice Presidents.

 

Cranbrook, the athletic department, alumni and boosters have been focusing on upgrading the Cranbrook athletics facilities. The boys varsity locker room in Keppel Gym received a new face lift by the Booster Club! New oak lockers, a new floor and paint job has really fired up the boys and created a great source of pride. We are thankful to all of our boosters that supported this endeavor. We also wish to acknowledge Brian Hermalin, SteveRosenthal and Fathead for their contribution of the Cranbrook graphics in the locker room.

 

In memory of Rufus “Bud” Reitzel (CK’52), the family has provided a gift of $150,000 for the renovation of the former girls middle school art room in Kingswood to be converted into a new wellness center. The Reitzel Wellness Center will benefit Kingswood residential life, faculty and staff, the health curriculum, and the afterschool intramural strength and conditioning classes.

 

The Thompson Oval will undergo a huge and exciting facelift this summer. The engineering of a new synthetic playing surface, track upgrade and bleacher renovation will help to improve the safety of our athletes and improve athletic practice and competition programming. Funding for the project has been provided by John Giampetroni (CK ’84), Cranbrook and the Booster Club.

 

The Booster Club sponsored Lax Jam celebrated our 25^th anniversary since it’s inception and it was another great success! The weather predictions were precarious but we managed to get through the weekend with decent weather. One hundred and sixty seven girls and boys teams from grades three through eight and their families …….. We want to thank the Lax Jam Chairperson and CK parent Steve Faliski for his leadership, energy and the many hours that he dedicated to making this event happen. We also wish to thank the many volunteers that helped with set up, parking, sales and clean up. It was a team effort!

 

CK parents, Jennifer Ghesquiere and Kelly Shuert will chair the Booster Club Golf Outing Fund Raiser this fall! Please mark your calendars for Oct 7^th hosted by the Bloomfield Hills Country Club. It promises to be an enjoyable day of golf, good food, fellowship and fund raising for the Cranbrook athletic department. We are always looking for volunteers to help out. Please contact Jennifer or Kelly if you or anyone you know would like to join in the festivities.

Finally, we want to thank our graduating seniors for their dedication, leadership, and outstanding achievement as students and athletes in our athletic program. We wish them happiness and success in life. We also want to thank our coaching staff for their dedication, hard work and passion as teachers of their sport and builders of character.

 

Have a great summer!

Go CK!