Dear Families,
Sportsmanship is defined as “a fair or generous behavior or treatment of others.” The concept specifically relates to sports contests and competition-like activities. Sportsmanship is an important skill to develop, as we all have opportunities to be associated with or involved in competitions. It is timely to think about this important social skill as we move into our post-season for our athletic programs.
A national survey conducted in 2014 by Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports discovered some interesting findings regarding sportsmanship. They surveyed 2,000 parents and coaches to obtain feedback on the trends and the current state of this social skill. Here is what they found:
- Parents and coaches felt the two most important aspects of participating in sports was to learn teamwork and sportsmanship.
- Half of the group surveyed felt sportsmanship had worsened since they grew up.
- 75% of parents and coaches felt it was the responsibility of the parents to teach sportsmanship.
- 80% of parents surveyed stated they played an active role in stressing the importance of sportsmanship to their children.
- Half of the coaches had experienced parents yelling at officials or their own children.
- 60% of parents cited witnessing or participating in negative sideline behavior.
One of my sons used to play Little League Baseball and I would try and get to as many games as I could. There was one game where the umpire didn’t show, it looked like the game would be canceled and the coach asked me if I would take the role of umpire. Being a good neighbor, I agreed. It was the last time I agreed to such a task. It was not more than a few minutes that my friendly group of parents turned into a somewhat hostile mob. I was quite taken aback to find myself at the receiving end of the unfair state of the world directed at me. What made matters worse was that I ended up calling my own son out on strikes.
Sportsmanship is how we react when we perceive someone as not being fair. Life is not fair and it is extremely frustrating to see it happen when our children are involved. I can remember one time when I was so frustrated with my son for not swinging at good pitches, I actually yelled at him. As a result, he ended up striking out. So did I, so to speak, in my role-modeling and ability to teach him proper sportsmanship.
Survey results tell us we should value sportsmanship over a winning record. The results also tell us it is up to the adults to teach the value of sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is being fair or generous at times when the circumstances want us to do the exact opposite, and I don’t think at the time I realized how important my actions were.
My note this week is to offer my thanks. And, as we head into an exciting post-season for our winter sports, offer encouragement - we all have opportunities to teach good sportsmanship.
Thank you for all your support,
John Thornburg
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Monday, March 6
Day G
Tuesday, March 7
Day F
Wednesday, March 8
Day E
Praying of the Rosary - 7:25 AM
Thursday, March 9
Day D
Grade 11 Girls Retreat - 8 AM
Friday, March 10
Day C
Weekly Mass - 7:20 AM
Grade 11 Boys Retreat - 8 AM
MC Make-A-Wish Club & Parent Club St. Patrick's Day Celebration - 7 PM
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We are providing the MC weekly dining menu in the President's Update to make it easier for students to plan lunch throughout the week. The menu is also available through the Malden Catholic Mobile App along with easy access to the online portal for adding money to student lunch accounts. Search for "Malden Catholic" in the app store on your phone. |
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School and College Counseling - Naviance Reminder |
MC’s School and College Counseling department would like to remind Grade 12 students to contact their school counselor, as well as update their Naviance account with all college decisions (acceptances, deferred, wait listed and denied). Please reach out to Mrs. DelGenio with any questions at [email protected].
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MC Leadership Series Featured Speaker: Chris Herren - 3.7 at 9 AM |
We are honored to welcome Chris Herren, who will speak live to the MC student body on Tuesday, March 7 at 9 AM as part of the MC Leadership Speaker Series.
A former player of the Boston Celtics and author of the bestselling memoir, Basketball Junkie, Chris turned his life lessons into opportunities to help others when he founded the nonprofit, Herren Project. Through the organization, Chris and his team empower schools and communities to make healthy choices, while also guiding families through recovery. In 2018, Chris founded Herren Wellness, a residential health and wellness program that helps guests lead healthy, substance-free lives.
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Grade 11 Student Retreat - 3.9 and 3.10 at 8 AM |
Next week, Grade 11 students will experience a Retreat Day. The Girls Division will participate in the retreat on Thursday, March 9 and the Boys Division will experience the retreat on Friday, March 10. Students will not attend classes these days. The retreat will provide students with a day of reflection, prayer, games and community interactions. Students will participate in a set of forums designed to help them understand the Xaverian Mission and the school, while getting to know each other better as they strengthen their relationship with God. |
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Mission of Deeds Annual Buy-A-Bed - through 3.10 |
For many years, Malden Catholic has collaborated with Mission of Deeds as a service site for our student volunteers in support of the annual Buy-A-Bed campaign. Mission of Deeds is a non-profit charitable organization in Reading that gives beds, furniture and household items, free of charge, to people in need in over 90 Boston-North communities.
Members of Malden Catholic's Campus Ministry team are inviting MC students to support this year’s Buy-A-Bed Drive by donating any amount to the charity in Theology class by March 10. Theology teachers will accept daily cash donations. Every contribution goes a long way toward buying a bed. Let’s see which Theology class can contribute the most!
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Grade 11 Prom Ticket Sale - 3.10 at 2:30 PM |
The Grade 11 Prom will be held on Friday, March 24 from 7 - 10 PM. There will be a DJ, buffet dinner and photo booth for the students. Tickets are priced at $60/per person and will be sold on Friday, March 10 after school in the cafeteria. Please bring cash or a check made payable to Malden Catholic High School.
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MC Make-A-Wish Club & Parent Club St. Patrick's Day Celebration - 3.10 at 7 PM |
Malden Catholic’s Make-A-Wish Club and Parent Club are teaming up for a fun St. Patrick's Day Celebration at the Irish American Club in Malden on Friday, March 10 from 7 PM - 11 PM. This 18+ event will include live music by local musicians (The Emersons, Eamonn Sheehan and Ned Rhinelander), Irish Step Dancer’s, DJ Scott Elias in addition to a photobooth, appetizers, raffles and a cash bar. All proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish ® Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Kids for Wish Kids Program. Tickets can be purchased through the following Eventbrite link for $30 each (+ $3.85 Eventbrite fees). Don't forget to wear your green!
Parents who are interested in bringing snacks or desserts to the event, helping set up, checking in, selling raffle tickets, and cleaning up after the event may sign up through the following SignUpGenius link.
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Women's Day of Recollection - 3.26 at 11 AM |
Join us for the Women's Day of Recollection on Sunday, March 26 from 11 AM - 3 PM which is dedicated to the moms and women of Malden Catholic. A time for friendship, reflection and community, this event will include a Mass, luncheon, raffle and speaker. Our speaker this year is the Honorable Regina Quinlan Doherty, a retired Massachusetts Superior Court Justice and a very close friend of the MC community. She will share her life's journey through her reflection, "A Future Shaped Like a Question Mark."
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Save the Date for MC's First Culture Night - 3.30 |
Come celebrate the ethnic cultures that make up the Malden Catholic school community at MC's first annual Culture Night on Thursday, March 30. A potluck dinner with will be included and parents are asked to bring a showcase cultural dish to share with others. A detailed schedule of events will be provided soon.
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College Fair - 4.4 at 6 PM |
Malden Catholic School and College Counseling will host the MC College Fair on Tuesday, April 4 from 6 - 7:30 PM in the gymnasium. Representatives from a host of colleges and universities will attend the event. All Grade 11 and Grade 10 students and their parents are encouraged to attend.
This event provides an opportunity for students to make direct connections with college representatives and gather information for the college planning process. Please see Ms. Parker or Mrs. DelGenio with any questions.
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Save the Date for MC's Annual Gala - 5.4 at 6 PM |
Please mark your calendar for Malden Catholic's 17th Annual Gala which will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 6 PM in the Doherty Gymnasium. This amazing evening will include a Plus Ultra Award presentation, dinner and dancing to the sounds of the band, Soul City!
In this tradition, we are delighted to celebrate our Plus Ultra Honorees who personify these pillars - Dick ’64 and Lolli Sumberg.
Tickets will go on sale in March. If you are interested in donating items, services or experiences valued at $500 or more to the Gala online auction, please contact Sarah Hamilton at [email protected]. We greatly appreciate your support!
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As we prepare to celebrate our Class of 2023 at the Malden Catholic Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 20, we have emailed important information including content, resources and updates. This information can also be found on the Senior page of the Malden Catholic website. Please note, the date for the Senior Prom has moved from Friday, May 12 to Saturday, May 13. |
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What's Happening Around MC? |
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4th Annual STEM Innovation Fair |
MC hosted its 4th Annual STEM Innovation Fair on March 2 with 65 students participants. The projects presented were judged by a panel from the Greater Boston area who work in the fields of engineering, biotech, pharmaceuticals and computer science. Congratulations to the winners listed below!
First Place
Amanda Cooper '25 and Grace MacDonald '25
Vibrational Energy and Its Effect on Scallions
Category: Biology
Second Place
Leyna Nguyen '25 and Brooke Santosuosso '25
The Ultimate T-Shirt
Category: Biochemistry/engineering
Third Place
Benjamin Hurley '25 and Julia Gamitto '25
Tardigrades Save Lives
Category: Biology
We would also like to thank MC's STEM Director, Mrs. Abbas and the following judges who spent time with each student and evaluated the STEM projects: Vernon Robertson, Dr. Dave Chuckran, Mari Dilman, Chris Sparages, Dr. Kalil Boghdan, Douglas Shattuck, Dr. Joseph Sullivan, Dr. Magli Hickey, Mary-Margaret O'Donnell Zablocki, Sergio Toscano, Tim Furst, Leila Bucchino, Audra Dalton, Dr. Aaron Adair, Dr. Maria Loscertales, Erin McGuire, Stephen O’Neil, Mark Donahue, Scott Armit, Gene Guiffres, Matt Sherman, Virginio Chiodini, Joe Keheo, Peter Degenu, Alec Agee, Brian Sparling, Violeta Yu, Margaret Cullen, David Diller, Patricia Isenhart, Matthew Curran, Brian Bloom, Tracy Donnolly, Paige Townsend, Christian Kusch, Dom Mastascusa, Jason Yeomelakis, Kevin Cognata, Jack Albonese, Dr. Kenneth Yoon, Mark Beaudry, Tim Mui, Albert Russo'95, Sandro Russo '89, Steve Gomes '77, Steve Richard, and Steve Arkinstall.
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The MC Robotics team has been working hard at preparing for the NE Regional Botball Tournament in May. |
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The Plus Ultra Awards program is MC's monthly initiative to recognize students and faculty members who have gone Plus Ultra, "more beyond," and exemplify the Xaverian charism. This month, Malden Catholic is proud to recognize the following individuals who have demonstrated one of the following five spiritual values - Humility, Simplicity, Compassion, Trust and Zeal. Congratulations to all!
January Plus Ultra Awards:
- Melissa Gallego ’23 - Humility
- Leyna Nguyen ’25 - Simplicity
- Sheila Foley - Compassion
- Richard Pesatauro ’25 - Trust
- Jackson Brady ’24 - Zeal
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Melissa Gallego ’23 - Humility
Malden Catholic Administration said, "It can be difficult to subject our work to the criticism of others, but in AP Research, nobody expresses intellectual humility more consistently than Melissa. She has learned the value of asking questions and seeking out the advice of peers even when she has seemingly exhausted all other options. Always willing to acknowledge a struggle or a speed bump in her inquiry process, Melissa models humility in knowing that we don't really have all the answers, despite how often we tell ourselves that we do. The way Melissa's questions and comments on her own process empowers others to share honestly about their work as well. She has set the standard for humility and has helped create this as a defining characteristic in her classroom community."
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Leyna Nguyen ’25 - Simplicity
According to Malden Catholic Administration, "Leyna is deserving of being recognized for her simplicity. As an active member of the swim team, a talented artist, and strong student, Leyna has been able to find multiple avenues at MC to truly succeed. Despite all of Leyna's success, she is not arrogant or boastful. Instead, she is simply happy to be able to contribute."
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Sheila Foley - Compassion
Malden Catholic Administration stated, "Sheila is extremely hard-working and intelligent, but her true strength is her dedication to her students both inside and outside of the classroom. As a teacher, she makes her students feel heard and intentionally plans her lessons to make sure they are getting the education that best suits their needs. As the head of Student Council, Sheila actively engages with the MC community, ensures students are doing well, and consistently puts others before herself."
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Richard Pesatauro ’25 - Trust
Malden Catholic Administration said, "Richard came to the rescue on January 17, filling in for another student to conduct the MC morning prayer and pledge at the last minute. He did an outstanding job! The prayer was a special one which he hadn’t read before, and the morning announcements were longer than usual. Thank you, Richard!"
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Jackson Brady ’24 - Zeal
According to Malden Catholic Administration, "Jackson found a wallet in the Boys Learning Commons and brought it to the front office immediately. Jackson walks by the front office every day and makes it a point to say “hello” and “have a great day” to everyone present. At Christmas, some administrators were having trouble syncing up an Alexa device to play Christmas music in the lobby and it was Jackson who came to the rescue and quickly figured out the issue. Jackson’s smile and personality are shining examples of Zeal each and every day."
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Celebrating International Women's Day
At lunch the other day with a few buddies, I mentioned that I would be writing something about International Women’s Day, this Wednesday, March 8. “Oh, is this something else we’re supposed to feel guilty about?” came a quick sarcastic response from one! “Well, if you need to!” I replied, equally sarcastic. My friend’s knee-jerk reaction draws from a line of thinking that assumes that “what builds YOU up, tears ME down”! Sadly, it’s a default reaction for many of us.
Certainly, International Women’s Day does not intend to shame men into action. It intends to celebrate women’s achievements, to raise awareness about discrimination, and to inspire people to act for gender parity. It invites us to be aware of gender inequities across a wide range of interests: social, political, economic, technological, personal. When one becomes aware of something “that needs fixing,” one then has a choice: to act or to do nothing. If one chooses “to do nothing,” well, sure! .... there’s good reason to feel guilty!
Nigerian author and teacher Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie believes we all should be feminists. In a TED Talk by that name, she draws some laughs when she starts her definition of a feminist as “a man or a woman”! She goes on to explain, “A feminist is a man or a woman who says, ‘Yes, there’s a problem with gender today.... and we need to fix it’.”
How bad is the problem? Pretty bad! The World Economic Forum, which generates a “Global Gender Gap Report,” estimates in its 2021 Report that it will take 135+ years to close the gender gaps in four key areas: Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, Political Empowerment, and Economic Participation and Opportunity. Conditions vary widely from country to country, but globally, using data from 156 countries, we are only 68% of the way to parity.
Six years ago, International Women’s Day was not on my radar. I wasn’t opposed to the day but was quite happily busy in a largely male environment and just blithely unaware. Since then, now for several years, I have taught girls, have been amazed at their erudition in Mock Trial, have been delighted at their STEM Fair successes, have been proud of their leadership in Campus Ministry, have been in awe of their talents in the hockey rink, on the basketball court, on the softball diamond... and on, and on! I hope they are heading into a world where, increasingly, they can be comfortable being themselves, free from the burden of gender stereotype, and where equal treatment and opportunity won’t be luxuries.
Hope alone, though, won’t make change happen. Action is needed. I can call others to awareness and invite action based on that awareness. How, for instance, might we better educate the men of Malden Catholic to understand positive masculinity and healthful expression of emotion? How does our Mission require that we build a better world? How can we present strong role models for both young men and young women? There’s work to be done!
We are fortunate, by the way, to be presenting soon to our own MC Moms an inspirational role-model of achievement and service at our Women’s Day of Recollection (Sunday, March 26). The guest speaker, the Honorable Regina Quinlan Doherty, is a retired Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court and a dear friend of Malden Catholic. May our Day of Recollection echo the celebration of International Women’s Day, and may we be ever-thankful for the strong models of care and love our moms are to our students! Happy International Women’s Day!
Brother Thomas Puccio, CFX., Ed.D., H ’18
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Seizing Upon His Classmate’s Selfless Gesture to Sit Out Senior Night, Preston Tully ’23 Shines in Net for Malden Catholic With Shutout Win Over Smithfield, R.I
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MC's Brendan Zinck '23 exemplified Lancer Plus Ultra when he gave up his starting spot as goalie for classmate, Preston Tully '23, during last week's Varsity Hockey game. Check out the article in the Boston Globe through this link.
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Seizing upon his classmate's selfless gesture to sit out ...
Malden Catholic's 4-0 senior night victory over Smithfield (R.I.) on Saturday was highlighted by an act of selflessness by senior starting goalie Brendan Zinck. The captain turned the net over to his best friend, Preston Tully, so his classmate...
Read more
www.bostonglobe.com
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Registration for Malden Catholic spring sports is now open. All parents/guardians must register students through Family ID at https://hello.familyid.com/ by March 13 and tryouts will begin on March 20.
Physicals
In order to participate in spring sports, all students must have a current physical on file in their FamilyID account or must have completed one in the last 13 months. All physicals must include the date of exam, an indication of clearing for activity/sports, and a doctor's signature. Physicals may be given to the Nurse’s Office or Athletic Trainer. Please do not give copies of physicals to any athletic coaches.
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Winter Sports Awards Night
The Winter Sports Awards Night will be held on Wednesday, March 15 at 6 PM in the Doherty Gymnasium followed by team award breakout rooms.
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Senior Banners may be purchased from Dracut Threads through this link. Banners will require a two-week turnaround, so please order soon! The banners will be hung for the winter season and then hung outside with the senior banners from all the seasons. Seniors will then be able to take their banners home following graduation.
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