Northwood Life – The Mirror

On a Road Trip with Prep Hockey

February 5, 2025 by Pete Moore

Teams in the Prep Hockey Conference. Source: PHC.

The Prep Boys headed off to Minnesota on Thursday, January 23^rd, taking two bus rides and two flights to reach their final destination in Faribault, Minnesota. The boys are playing in a Prep Hockey Conference league weekend at Shattuck St. Mary’s. Their games are at 1:30 pm on Friday against St. Andrews College, 3:00 pm on Saturday against Shattuck St. Mary’s, and 9:30 am on Sunday against Culver Academy.

The travel day started after a 7:00 am practice on Thursday morning. The Prep and Girls teams hopped on the buses and drove to the Albany airport. After a smooth transition at the check-in counter, both teams made it through security and onto the day’s first flight to Baltimore. The teams landed safely in Baltimore a quick hour later, ready for a quick bite to eat, then the final flight to Minnesota. Two hours later, the plane made a smooth landing at Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport with a charter bus waiting to take the boys to the hotel.

The boys enjoyed the time together throughout the day. Some of the boys were frequent flyers, but a couple of kids hadn’t flown much before. As Ryan Racine, ‘25, said, “Flying was so much fun. Before this, I had never even traveled out of the Eastern time zone, so this is a great experience.” But then others, such as Henry Kress ‘26, said, “Flying is a regular thing for me coming from California; I would consider myself a pro now.”

The boys had a great time together on Thursday, but now it’s time to buckle down and come home with three big wins this weekend.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Many Winter Opportunities for Students in Lake Placid

February 4, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Lake Placid has lots to offer on winter weekends. Some popular choices are skiing, snowboarding, skating, and sledding.

Whiteface Mountain is a 15-minute drive from Northwood, and buses are offered most weekends for anyone who would like to go. The skiing and snowboarding are great there, and there is terrain for beginners and experts. The mountain hours are 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Sledding on the golf course. Photo provided.

Skiing at Whiteface Mountain. Photo provided.

Skating on the oval. Photo provided.

Cross-country skiing. Photo provided.

There is an Olympic Speedskating oval in the middle of town that offers rental skates for people without skates. The oval runs at night and daytime, so kids usually like to go after dinner on the weekends. The venue is the historic site of Eric Heiden’s five Olympic gold medals in 1980.

Sledding is a great and free activity that does not require much skill. There is a good hill for sledding on campus next to the Bergamini dorm and another one on the golf course, about a 10-minute walk from the school.

Mt Van Hoevenberg is another 15-minute drive away from school and offers cross-country skiing, which is a different type of skiing than alpine. Cross-country skiers are a bit more in control during cross-country skiing, and it is less intimidating.

The town has very pretty views during the winter, with white mountains and snowfall all around. In the middle of town is a small lake that freezes over, and kids like to play hockey or walk on the frozen lake.

If you are outdoorsy, there are many mountains to hike. Some kids here like to go touring. Touring is when you put a grippy sheet (skins) on the bottom of your skis and walk up the mountain with your skis. Once you want to ski down the mountain, you take the skins off and put them in your bag so you can ski down.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

STEM Research Project Studies Athlete Recovery

February 4, 2025 by Jace Donawa

Lokoah Paye ’25 (left) and Leo Doyle ’25. Photo Provided.

Stem projects offer students the opportunity to create and manage something that interests them in the field of research. Since the project is year-long, the students must stay proactive and ensure they keep on track with their research in whatever form they choose to do it in.

Lohkoah Paye ’25 and Leo Doyle ’25 are working together on their project, testing the different recovery methods provided here at Northwood. As most students are athletes, they feel that it is important for peers to understand how the recovery equipment can impact their recovery speed.

“We have 3 recovery methods: Normatec, foam rolling, and massage gunning,” said Doyle. “Our goal is to test them all and compare to see their impact on the recovery and flexibility of the quadriceps,” he added. Though there are many different recovery methods, these three are perceived to be most used by the community in the gym and the athletic trainer room.

“We are testing four of the sports groups here, which are boys’ soccer, girls’ skiing, girls’ hockey, and boys’ hockey,” said Paye. “We feel that it is important to test different sports because they have different and similar demands on the body, and with those differences and similarities, the results will be more interesting when comparing,” he added.

As the results start to be analyzed, it will be interesting to see how the quadricep reacts differently for each athlete. “I was a part of the experiment, and it was helpful for me,” said Noah Moodey ’26. “I was able to recognize what is best for my recovery and leg mobility when I get really sore,” he added.

An interesting part of the project is that it’s informing not just the students running it but the athletes being tested because they will get to know their bodies better. This project should have a good impact on the community as everyone who plays a part will have their benefit.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Top Story

Family Support Makes Northwood Tournament Special

February 4, 2025 by Eliza Quackenbush

For different people, there are various aspects that make time special, but one thing is common throughout most events in people’s lives, and it is the impact of having the support of family. At Northwood, it takes a community to make the experience work, whether deciding to move away from home then, packing the child’s things, and moving them out for a fresh start. Our families influence development, whether they are with you often or not. That is why their presence in significant times is so prominent and can be the most memorable. Last weekend, Northwood hosted the 45^th annual tournament, where various teams came to compete across three different divisions. Along with this, families upon families arrived in beautiful Lake Placid to watch their sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters play. And not just that, they also got to attend the senior nights for their child’s given team. As many seniors would agree, having parents and family members there made the difference in making it the most memorable night.

Eliza Quackenbush ’25 and her family at the Northwood Invitational Hockey Tournament last month. Photo provided.

When taking the time to ask two seniors what their perspectives were, there were very similar responses. Gracie Hurlbut, ‘25, a three-year senior, states, “It was a milestone moment for me and reminded me of who helped me get to where I am today. Having them there was a highlight to an already meaningful and exciting weekend.” Another three-year senior, Hilary Wilkin, ’25, stated, “Having my parents travel such a long way to watch me play at one of our last home weekends was something I will never live down. They have put in so much time and effort for me and my development over the past three years, and I can not thank them enough. Needless to say, having them there was extremely meaningful.” These opinions highlight an overall team morale theme over the weekend. Joy spread throughout the bench during games, and the energy radiated throughout the arena. This energy and hard work led the girls’ hockey team to yet another championship.

There are many people to thank when it comes to putting weekends like this together, and no one more than our relatives. Thank you for the support; from the bottom of everyone’s heart, nothing means more than family.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Students Enjoy Winter in Lake Placid

February 4, 2025 by Sasha Luhur

As the weather gets even colder in the second semester, students have been enjoying the various winter activities that have become available. Lake Placid and its surrounding area have many unique opportunities for fun, and Northwood students have been capitalizing on these resources.

Skiing and riding at Whiteface Mountain. Photo provided.

Students each have their favorite parts about winter so far. Natalie Gaeckle, ‘25, says, “Walking across the lake is really fun because I’ve never been able to walk across any lake, at home or anywhere. So, I think it’s cool that this lake actually freezes over, and we can go on it.” Jingxi Zhao ‘27 loves the snow at Whiteface this year. “I enjoy snowboarding with all my friends,” Zhao said.” It’s great that we have such good conditions this year to explore different trails earlier. Lookout Mountain is one of my favorites now. Also, I know it’s pretty cold, but I still like to go into town with my friends,” she added.

Sasha Luhur ‘27 has “had a lot of fun skating on the Oval, although it does get really cold. I learned the hard way to bring hand warmers with my mittens.”

Some winter activities haven’t been checked off students’ bucket lists yet. “I want to go down to the ski jumping area and watch competitions,” Gaeckle said.

Jingxi Zhao wants to “try the toboggan chute with my friends this year, and I also want to try the dog sleds. I saw them last year and thought they were really cool.”

It helps that it’s much colder lately in town, and the lake is frozen solid because Sasha wants “to skate on the lake because I didn’t get to skate on it last year. It would be cool if it froze deep enough, and I could do jumps on lake ice because I’ve always wanted to do that.” Hopefully, the winter weather will keep giving us opportunities to try new things and make lasting memories.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports, Top Story

College Football Playoffs Provides Peak Entertainment

February 3, 2025 by Jace Donawa

As it is the end of January, this means that the College Football season has just come to a close. In the past, as the season ended, only four teams made the cut to the playoffs. This year, there were 12 teams in the playoffs for the first time, and Ohio State defeated Notre Dame 34-23 to win the championship. The Buckeyes claimed their ninth national title in the program’s history, earning them fourth in all-time NCAA-recognized titles.

Photo: Maurice Clarett (Twitter/X)

Even while in Costa Rica, the players on the soccer team were big fans and made sure to watch the National Championship in the airport. “At first, I was disappointed that we were at the airport so early before the flight, but then I realized that I could watch the Championship game and it made the time pass by much quicker,” said Lohkoah Paye ’25.

The game itself had some of the best players in the country on display, which gained viewership. “My favorite part about the game was being able to watch [Ohio State wide receiver] Jeremiah Smith because he is one of my favorite players,” added Ryan Farr ’25. Even though most soccer players have never played American football in their lives, they enjoy being fans of the game.

Even being an American-dominant sport, college football dramatically impacts the community by allowing people who aren’t American to learn the game and become fans. “I don’t remember ever seeing a game on TV before I came to America. I used to find the sport boring, but my interest has grown significantly,” said Machai Davis ’25. Since the college football year is over, so many look forward to next year when they can watch these teams go head-to-head again, hoping it will bring similar entertainment as this year did.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World, Sports

Humans of Northwood: Rylie Griffiths ‘25

February 3, 2025 by Sophia DeAnzeris

“I like living a simple life, Northwood has allowed me to do that while also working for my goals. I think it’s important to value politeness and respect, that’s the way I was raised. The world is very small, you never know who you’re going to meet down the road. Everyone knows someone, and you never know what they can offer. Make the most out of every situation.

“This is my first year at Northwood. From the experiences and things I’ve learned over my first few months here, I knew being here for only one year wasn’t enough for my development in all aspects. I decided that I am coming back next year to grow and create even more fantastic memories. This year has flown by and I’m so grateful to extend my time here for another year on and off the ice.

“I’ve always played hockey close to home. Being from Carlisle, Ontario, I was lucky to have so many hockey opportunities all relatively close to home. I knew coming here would take my game to the next level. The culture at Northwood is something unmatched by anything I’ve been a part of. Knowing that you’re always supported by your team, coaches, and faculty gives you a great sense of joy.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned from being here is holding myself accountable. It can be overwhelming moving away for the first time; you always have your parents to keep on you; no, it’s all up to you. With our flexible schedule, it’s critical that I stay on track while balancing school and training.”

As told to Sophia DeAnzeris ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Sophia Sherman ‘25

February 3, 2025 by Jenny Tran

“I grew up in Virginia and D.C. on and off because my mom is in the Navy. She is currently in Saudi Arabia. I have visited her twice now, and I’m going back this summer.

“I used to hate waking up early in the morning to ski, but it has grown on me. I really like skiing in the morning – it’s the highlight of my day. The waffle cabin is one of my favorite spots at Whiteface.

“My one life advice: behavior is a form of communication. How you act represents how you are – think before you act.

“My parents and I are huge foodies. Since my family is so busy with work, we eat out more than we cook at home. We always try new places, which is very exciting. But we do love to cook also. My dad went to culinary school, so I learned how to cook from him. My mom loves baking and has taught me to bake too.

“If I had a death row meal, I would want a big platter of sushi – it’s my favorite food since I grew up eating them. I would also want China City’s crab rangoon and Soulshine Bagel’s lox bagel to be on there.

“I enjoy going to coffee shops and studying there a lot. If talking about Lake Placid, I always visit Origin to get a coffee and their Banh Mi or Turkey Panini.

“I’m not sure about where and what I want to study after graduation. I’m thinking of doing something in the outdoor and adventure sports world if the school I choose has those majors. If not, I want to study art history.

“For the last months of senior year, I plan to make the most of it, which can sound cheesy, but Northwood is like my home now. So, I’m a little sad about having to graduate and leave this place. My mindset currently is just to enjoy being here with everyone and doing the things I like.”

As told to Jenny Tran ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Filming the Girl’s Hockey Trip to Minnesota

February 3, 2025 by Eliza Quackenbush

My GoPro came in the mail, and initially, it was intended for much less than filming an entire trip, but when the bags piled high in the buses as we geared up to leave for Minnesota, the idea came to mind. What if I filmed this trip? Day by day, I thought, something we can look back on. When I produced this, I never intended to make it sad, but it turned into filming the seniors and the last trip we would take to Minnesota.

The Huskies on the ice in Minnesota. Photo provided.

Waking up every morning, whether it was nearing nine or waiting for the sun to rise, we would grab the GoPro and start the morning vlog. Filming the classic hotel morning wakeups with two other teammates, getting ready for the long day to come, the cold walks to get breakfast, where the piercing Minnesota cold allowed such intensity for us to see our breath. To film where we would play, the rinks that hold anywhere from four to ten thousand people. To the people and seniors who were experiencing this all for the first time, watching their eyes gaze up into the stands and across the ice and imagining the feeling of skating in a place that was the home to so many stars.

Getting to relive these experiences through another lens will go unnoticed for a while, and that is okay. With the memories fresh in our consciousness, they are not entirely missed yet. However, there will come a day when they no longer live on so easily, and these videos will be cherished. They will be remembered in a way that holds power; to the seniors, power is time with the people you care about. There is nothing better than looking back on a time when you were surrounded by the people you care so deeply about in such a new and telling environment. Not to say that the undergraduates will not agree with that statement, but they will get to do it all over again next year, just with different people.

And that goes into my last point: the people. After I finished looking through the film from the weekend, it dawned on me that no matter what I filmed or where, looking back would always mean something because I was with these people. So maybe it was not Minnesota that made this time special; it was the people with whom it was spent. It does not always have to be a big trip or an out-of-the-ordinary experience to realize your time with these people, your family, is limited. While these trips always hold boundless joy and memories, nothing is more significant than knowing it does not take place or event to make the time with your community fulfilling.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Humans of Northwood: Taeyeon Kim ‘25

February 3, 2025 by Li Feng

“‘Kimmer.’ That’s my nickname. It stuck with me since seventh grade when I moved to Canada to continue pursuing my hockey career. The name originated in Inferno, Halifax, and ever since then, it has followed me. Some people also call me Kimmy, but most people at Northwood know me as Kimmer.

“Hockey has been my passion for as long as I can remember, but before I got into the sport, I experienced speed skating. I quickly realized that constantly spinning in circles didn’t bring me joy, so I turned to hockey instead. The transition wasn’t easy. I hated it for the first couple of months. But everything changed when I got hold of the hockey puck. That was when I found the excitement and drive to play hockey.

“In sixth grade, I was first called up to the national team. Sarah Murray was the head coach then, bringing me onto the team at a young age. That experience opened doors for me, including a summer showcase in Boston, where I started gaining interest from several schools. My agent, who has worked closely with me throughout my career, eventually connected me to the Inferno hockey team in Halifax.

“After my years in Halifax, I searched for a high school that would support my academic and athletic aspirations. As a result, I found Rothesay Netherwood School in New Brunswick, Canada. I spent three years there, from ninth through eleventh grade, before moving to Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota for my senior year. That was when I unexpectedly reunited with Coach Murray, a full-circle moment in my hockey journey. My time at Shattuck was unforgettable. I made lifelong friendships and was exposed to a very competitive environment. After graduation, I continued my hockey journey as a post-grad here at Northwood.

“Outside of hockey, I have a few other passions. I started golfing last summer, and while I initially didn’t take it seriously, my family played a massive role in attracting me to the sport. My dad is extremely good at golf, and my brother is working toward playing professionally. There was a point when he was struggling, not seeing the results he wanted, and I decided to go out and play with him one day. I made jokes, lightened the mood, and helped him find the joy he was missing in the game again. That moment was a turning point for him; in a way, it was for me too. I realized how much I enjoyed being on the course, and now, I can proudly call golf one of my favorite hobbies.

“The one person who has been my constant support is my mom. She knows everything about me. Sometimes, even before I tell her. When I first moved to Canada, I struggled a lot with homesickness. I called home every day, complaining about anything and everything. But through it all, my mom supported me. She helped me shift my perspective, encouraging me to push through the tough times. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. She is my light in the dark.

“I plan to take up boxing this summer to improve my speed and agility, which will directly correlate to hockey. It’s part of my preparation for college and the next chapter of my athletic career. My journey has been full of challenges, but every step, whether on the ice, on the golf course, or in a new country, has shaped me into who I am today.”

As told to Li Feng ‘25. Photo by Mr. MIchael Aldridge.