2012 Season Recap
The 2012 Govs girls’ track and field team had one of the greatest seasons in the history of the sport at The Academy. During the regular season, the girls posted a record of 12-1 with the only loss coming to a very strong Thayer team. The squad started their postseason run competing at Milton Academy in the ISTA Championships. After a long day of competition, the girls left Milton with a 2nd place finish. Kendall Ham was a double ISTA champion in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. Mackenzie Gray also brought home two championships by besting the competition in the long jump and triple jump with the latter being a new ISTA record. Siobhan McDonough also captured a first place finish in the 400. For their efforts, Mackenzie Gray was named Field Event Athlete of the Meet and Kendall Ham was given the Coaches’ Award. The following week found the Govs squad hosting the New England Division II championships here in Byfield. The girls once again performed well finishing 2nd on the day. Kendall Ham, Siobhan McDonough, and Mackenzie Gray once again emerged as champions while the 4 X 100 relay team bested the field in their race. Gray also established a New England Division II record in the triple jump. Over the course of the season, the team broke 8 of the 17 school records.
All ISTA:
Mackenzie Gray for the Long Jump and Triple Jump
Kendall Ham for the 100 and 200
Jackie Ham for the 100, 200, and High Jump
Siobhan McDonough for the 400
All ISTA Honorable Mention:
Jackie Ham, Kendall Ham, Tianna Jonas and Brianna McKenzie for the 4 X 100
Isa Berzansky, Milan Gary, Mackenzie Gray, and Siobhan McDonough for the 4 X 400
All New England:
Mackenzie Gray for the Triple Jump
Kendall Ham for the 200
Siobhan McDonough for the 400
Jackie Ham, Kendall Ham, Tianna Jonas, and Brianna McKenzie for the 4 X 100.
Team Awards:
The MVP Award to Kendall Ham for her superlative performances in multiple events and her willingness to help the team achieve greater success.
The Coaches Award to Milan Gary for her dedication, leadership, achievement, and enthusiasm over her four year career.
Program Overview
The track and field program at The Governor's Academy dates back to the 1890s. The team has met with a great deal of success over its long history, and both the girls and boys teams are consistently near the top of the ISTA track and field heap. In addition, the program has been a starting point for many runners who have gone on to have successful track and field careers at the collegiate level. Our coaching philosophy centers on not only getting our athletes into better shape but also making them students of their particular events.
Our program, which has combined the girls and boys since 1991, allows our athletes to have coaching specialists in all events. We are very fortunate to have a knowledgeable and experienced staff comprised of coaches who were track competitors themselves. Two of our coaches were Division I college athletes. The coaching staff has spent a combined total of over 50 years coaching track & field.
Steven Suomi is the head coach of the track teams at Governor’s. In college, Suomi ran at Colby College where he was a captain of the team, and he competed in the intermediate hurdles and the mile relay. He has been coaching outdoor and indoor track and field for over a decade and is a USATF Level I certified coach.
Coaching our throws group are Kelly Babbidge and Mark Gerry. Mrs. Babbidge joined the school in 2012, and this is her first year coaching. In high school, she threw the shot put, discus, and javelin. Coach Gerry was a standout track athlete in high school where he was a captain and three year letter winner. At Governor’s, he coached the football team for eighteen years and won four ISL titles and three New England championships.
Coach Mary Ellen Karin is in charge of the sprinters, high hurdlers, and javelin throwers. While at the University of New Hampshire, she was a captain of the team and competed in the long jump and hurdles. She is a former head coach at the Academy and has coached here for almost 30 years. Coach Karin is a USATF Level I certified coach.
Coach Jeff Kelly ’85 ran two seasons of track and one season of cross-country at Governor Dummer Academy. He is the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams and the distance coach for the track and field team. Coach Kelly has worked with runners at Governor’s for twelve years. He runs local road races throughout the year and is a USATF Level 1 certified coach
The jumps coach, Raymond Long ’96, returned to his alma mater and has been coaching Govs’ track and field since 2006. While a student at the Academy, he competed in the long jump, triple jump, 100 meters, and the 4 X 100 meter relay. He went on to compete at Dartmouth College in the javelin and triple jump. Coach Long is a USATF Level I certified coach.
For more information please contact Head Coach Steven Suomi or call 978-499-3231.
