A recent example of a post from the Northwood Soccer Instagram account.

As it is now in November, Peak Pathway project ideas are starting to ramp up and be narrowed down for all students in the course. The projects cover many different topics and are for the most part very different from traditional classes. Students are allowed to be very creative when choosing what they want to do. Like Diogo Charraz ’25, some students choose to carry on from projects of past students in the course. This allows the student to have something to build on to try and take it to the next level.

Diogo chose to take over the Northwood Soccer Instagram to try and provide an upgrade for the media production. “I think we’ve made a great progress, and we are heading the right way to have the best and most interactive year of the soccer Instagram. It has been challenging to find the right layouts and design that everyone in the team likes and also deciding what we should and shouldn’t post, but it’s a process that we enjoy,” said Diogo. Now is the time when people will start to see some of the content that Diogo and others are producing on the platform.

As the project lasts the full year, there is a lot of room for excitement, anticipation, and eagerness. “We are most looking forward to seeing how the Instagram can impact recruiting future students and helping our current students get recruited and giving them more exposure,” Diogo added. In these days, using a media platform can be important in terms of recruitment which is why most teams have the m. As most people have Instagram, it is a perfect platform to promote teams, players, etc. It is exciting to see Diogo taking over the account and we look forward to seeing some of his production over the year.

The soccer teams will compete in the second annual Can-Am Cup on November 9-10. Organized by U19 head coach Jon Moodey, the tournament/showcase gives players and teams from both America and Canada the opportunity to compete for a trophy whilst being watched by numerous college coaches from around the country. As this is the second year since the tournament’s creation, there will be more curiosity from colleges to come and watch a lot of talent on display, creating more opportunities to be seen and recruited.

The teams competing in this year’s event include Sigma FC, St. Andrew’s College, RMPUS, Vaughan SC, Woodbridge SC, NY Hota Bavarian SC, New York Elite Alleycats, North York Academy, and Black Rock FC/ Northwood. Last year, the tournament happened over a 3-week series where each team played each other before the playoffs. This year, it will be a one-weekend tournament with a round-robin, and teams’ positioning in the table will determine who they play in the first knockout game if they qualify. This makes for a highly competitive weekend of soccer.

Last year, the U17s were able to win their whole age bracket and bring the trophy home while the U19s came up just short. The U17s will be hoping to defend their title which will be tough, as others will be looking for vengeance from last year. The U19s hope to bring the cup back after coming up short last year. As the tournament is being held in Connecticut this year, both teams will be hoping to bring back their first silverware of the season afterward.

Big Snow American Dream in New Jersey. Photo: PeakRankings.

The Northwood School Freestyle team traveled to Big Snow in New Jersey. Big Snow is in the American Dream Mall, the second-largest mall in North America. Big Snow describes itself as “North America’s first and only indoor, real-snow, year-round ski and snow resort.”

This is a full-day commitment: a 5-hour drive there, two hours on snow and a 5-hour drive back. The skiers only ski for 2 hours, so they must make the most of every run. The team made this trip two weekends in a row, and they were satisfied with the skiing, as it was “better than nothing.”

The Freestyle team does not go on any international preseason trips like the race teams, and they do not go to Copper, Colorado preseason either. Big Snow is their best preseason trip. The reason they do not go on these trips with the ski racers is because those places where the race team travels don’t have terrain parks that are worth the trip that early in the season.

Killington, which is in Vermont, is a mountain that is known for opening exceedingly early in comparison to other mountains in the East. Killington has the Woodward Park crew at their mountain, one of the best in the world. Killington tries to open the first weekend of November each year, and the Freestyle Team is hoping to train there soon after it opens.

Overall, Big Snow is the best alternative for a little preseason park riding.

Northern Schools Hockey Conference Logo

The Varsity hockey team is in a new league called the Northern Schools Hockey Conference this season. The league consists of five schools: Bishop Kearney, Nichols, Gilmour, Stanstead, and Northwood. This past weekend, the first league showcase was held in Stanstead, Quebec.

“Overall, we did pretty well as a team in our first league weekend,” Justin MacLeod ’26, a player on the squad, said. “Three games against some tough teams, and we found a way to get two out of three wins,” MacLeod added.

“I love playing in the new league against some of the top u16 teams in the country,” continued MacLeod. “Compared to last year, when we played in the UT1HL, the Northern Schools Hockey Conference is a big step up and something that excited us and pushes us to work harder,” added MacLeod.

“It feels great coming out of the weekend with two big wins, knowing how good the competition is,” Trey Zeren ’25 said. “It makes me confident for the rest of the year and for the rest of our league games because we know we can beat anyone on any given night,” continued Zeren.

“This weekend was great for the boys, playing some good teams and having close games,” added Chase Brock ‘27. “Everyone battled hard, and that is demonstrated in our record. It just shows how good the league is because every game was close,” Brock added.

“This new league is definitely different than the league we were in last year,” added Matthew White ‘25. “It is pretty fun playing in a top-tier league against these other programs. Our team this year is young with a lot of talent, so it will be cool to see what we can do in this league this year,” he added.

Cedric Lemaire ’25 also contributed to this article.

Northwood School owns a small property on Mirror Lake, a space the community uses to its advantage. One unique tradition for the soccer team is the lake ice bath, where players immerse themselves in the icy waters to boost recovery and mental resilience.

Last year, players like William Bujold ‘24, Leon Brody ‘24, and Coach Martinez began the tradition of regularly plunging into the ice-cold lake, challenging both the body and mind. As winter approaches, the water temperatures continue to drop, making each session a true test of endurance.

Photo provided.

Photo provided.

Photo provided.

Photo provided.

Photo provided.

Photo provided.

After a challenging loss to Kiski School in the Prep Premier League this season, the U19 team renewed its ice-bathing tradition as a ritual and served as a punishment. At 7 am on a  33 F° Monday, 26 guys sacrificed their time, comfort, and sleep for the team’s greater good. Despite the icy water and nipping air, everyone persevered and managed to dunk as a team.

This practice, backed by recent studies, provides benefits beyond physical recovery. According to researcher Maya Shetty (“Jumping into the Ice Bath Trend! Mental Health Benefits of Cold-Water Immersion”), Cold water immersion (CWI) stimulates the body’s hormonal stress response, explicitly impacting cortisol, a primary stress hormone. Unlike other stress responses, cortisol levels decrease after immersion, helping regulate stress and promote resilience. The intense initial shock of freezing water also triggers noradrenaline, a chemical messenger that helps transmit nerve signals across nerve endings to another nerve cell.

Regular participation in CWI is essential as it helps the body adapt to stress more effectively, builds resilience, and reduces overall stress reactivity, making it a valuable practice for physical and psychological resilience. Most importantly, embracing this challenge fosters harmony and enhances team chemistry, bringing everyone closer to the shared experience of overcoming discomfort.

Accordingly, the team has seen positive effects after cold plunges. “For the rest of my day, I was filled with higher energy levels and a pep in my step,” Cedric Lemaire ‘25  said.

“The morning cold plunges not only help with recovery, but it starts your day off right and energizes you for what’s to come,” Trey Frantz ’25 said. “They also force you to do something out of your comfort zone, which builds character,” Frantz added.

The U17 team, inspired by the other team, organized their own team plunge. In addition, some players have made a pact to do a cold plunge every Monday morning until Thanksgiving break. Braving the elements and resisting the urge to sleep in will be a true test of character, but what the water teaches you is that it is all worth it in the end.

“I love the way it makes my body feel after for the rest of the day and hope to do more with more people,” Hamish Ridell ’26 said.

As the Northwood team makes this commitment, the cold plunge becomes more than just a physical challenge; it’s a symbol of their shared dedication to growth and improvement. They have learned that the willingness to push through discomfort can shape their game and character.

As the team looks ahead to the playoffs in November, eager to face rival schools, the cold-ice bath tradition will display a renewed squad that is focused, resilient, and ready to face any challenge confidently.

For more on the science behind these benefits, you can read further STANFORD CENTER ON LONGEVITY.

A double scull training on Mirror Lake (Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge).

Coach Howard “H” Runyon and the Northwood crew traveled to Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs for the Head of the Fish Regatta. This event, known for drawing teams from across the region, tested Northwood’s crew skills. Despite being known as a middle-tier team, the Northwood crew showed some decent performances and strength under Coach H. Runyon’s leadership.

Students on the team shared their experiences leading up to the race. One team member reflected, “I felt prepared for the race, though there’s always room for improvement. We spent the month training hard, practicing race pace on the lake. We’d row up to the community beach, race down the lanes to the school beach, and do several laps.”

“We did a lot of drills to perfect our turning and passing skills,” Cambrie-Elizabeth Encalade ’27 said. “The Head of the Fish brings together teams from all over; there were at least 900 different teams this year. On the first day, there were college races and high school singles. I placed 21st in my race, but the wind made it really tough. The strong gusts pushed us off course, and I even crashed into a concrete bridge. But I managed to finish the race. It’s always challenging, but I had fun and can’t wait for the state championships in the spring,” added Cambrie.

Coach Runyon praised the team for their effort, noting how well they did despite being relatively inexperienced in the racing field. He highlighted the importance of balancing physical strength and technical skill. Looking ahead to spring, H plans on working with his brother Ben to split the team into two groups: one for recreational rowers and one for those focused on competitive racing.

Having coached at Northwood since 2005, H holds the Head of the Fish regatta close to his heart. Looking back on this year’s event, he said, “It was a great experience and valuable seat time for the team. I’m excited to see how much we can improve in the spring.”

Despite the challenges, Northwood’s crew returned from Saratoga Springs proud and ready to build on their performance, hoping for greater success next season.

The U19 team in action against Woodstock in October 2024. Photo provided.

Over the last two seasons since the Prep Premier League was created, the soccer teams have developed a fierce rivalry with Woodstock Academy. Despite being a new rivalry, the games always seem to have the feeling of war where no team will give in easily. Both programs are very competitive and, in some ways, are used to having the upper hand in most games they play. Because of this, the games are defined by the thread of a needle, as the margin for error is very slim, with high-quality players on each team.

One of the main reasons for this rivalry is the competitive tension between the two Head Coaches. Coach Jon Moodey (Northwood) and Coach Owen Finberg (Woodstock) have had a rivalry for quite some time. In 2007, Jon Moodey was the head coach at Berkshire School, and Owen Finberg was the head coach at South Kent. Ever since then, whenever the two clash, the games have always been intense and considered big games. They are both seen as some of the best coaches in boys’ prep soccer history, especially in New England, because of their domination in class A and B Soccer.

Unfortunately, the balance of the results for Northwood against Woodstock leans in favor of Woodstock, with the record being 0-2-1. The Huskies have yet to come on top. One of the two losses was last year in the Prep Premier League playoff finals, which Northwood hopes to get their vengeance on this year. The two teams met a few weeks ago during Northwood family weekend, where a highly entertaining and contested game ended in a 2-2 draw. LohKoah Paye ’25 said, “Every time we play them, it’s a great game to be a part of because the level is so high. As a team, we feel good about our chances of winning the trophy again this year and look forward to a potential rematch in the playoffs against them.”