Gryphons and Gold: CSW Basketball’s New Trend of Success

On the night of the championships, the school came out to support, filling the stands in blue and yellow and the air with claps and cheers. “Whose house? Our house! Whose house? Our house!” they yelled. There was an electric energy throughout the gym for both games. The girls won against Boston Trinity Academy (BTA) with a score of 39 to 30 and the boys team beat the British International School of Boston (BISB) with a score of 60 to 39. 

This season marks a new trend within the school’s basketball program, which in recent years has seen mixed results. This year the teams not only won, but dominated many games, often leading by 20 points or more. Such success can be attributed not only to a rare handful of stand-out players, but rather a new school-wide commitment to improving athletics.

“Family on three! One, two, three, family!” the boys’ team cheers. 

Hands raise up in celebration from the huddle of players, before they break and start their practice. They move into a three-man weave drill, racing back and forth along the wooden court as they go up for jump shots and layups. On the sidelines, teammates waiting in line cheer, clap and high five each other. The court, quiet moments before, has turned into a hub of energy, hard work, and community. 

The boys’ success has steadily increased in the past few years. Head Coach Bobby Savino (Director of Residential Life) and Assistant Ted Hurley (Athletics Associate) have been coaching in the program for nine and two years, respectively. Their joint effort has helped create what is now not just a team, but a family —  group that shows up every day and pushes each other to work together towards shared victory. This growing community has set the stage for the success this season. 

”We’re starting to see that culture shift where athletics is taken a little bit more seriously now than previous years,” says Alan Miles, CSW Director of Athletics. Over the past decade, in an effort to compete with the plethora of other independent schools in the area, CSW has put forth a concerted effort to improve its athletics program, Alan explains, specifically in terms of recruiting prospective students. 

“I think what we need to try and do is show other students that yes, we are serious about our athletic program here, in addition to the great educational component,” he says. 

While CSW is known for its strong educational and arts programs, the athletics perception has left some accepted students hesitant about committing here. Will there be enough of a competitive spirit? Will attending CSW diminish their progress towards their athletic goals? These doubts have occasionally caused students to commit to other schools for fear of a lack of athletic opportunities. 

While there have been a few standout seasons, (i.e. Cross Country qualifying for NEPSAC in 2023), the Athletic Department’s overarching goal is to move up divisions in order to compete at a higher level.

One way CSW has approached this goal is by financially investing in the athletics program. In 2016, the spacious and modern Health and Fitness Center, nicknamed “The Fit,” opened. The Fit includes two courts, three dance studios, a running track, a weight room, and an athletic training room. In addition, the school has expanded its athletic staff. The department now includes three full-time organizational staff, as well as an athletic trainer, and a strength-conditioning coach. There has also been an emphasis in growing school spirit and pride. In 2022, the first annual Gryphon Goblet tournament was held to kick-off the basketball season. This has since turned into one of the school’s most anticipated events.

Another goal of the Athletics Department is to encourage dedicated athletes to join the CSW community. Having seen how one player can pivot the direction of a season, especially in smaller team sports such as basketball, the Athletics Department has invested extra energy into reaching out during the recruitment process to show talented athletes that CSW’s program should be taken seriously.

While the increased focus on athletics feels like a big change to some, proponents would argue that the changes are very much aligned with the school’s broader values. CSW has always emphasized the importance of risk taking and fostering a welcoming, and community. It is a school that pushes everyone to embrace all sides of themselves, with the support needed to succeed, and the kindness needed to make mistakes along the way. The students on the court are not just players, they are artists, writers, mathematicians. Many of them wake up the morning after games, and in addition to looking forward to practice, they will look forward to their ceramics classes, their music performances, and their writing seminars. 

Maggie Schuur ’25, captain of the Girls JV team, started playing basketball for the first time this year. Previously a competitive swimmer, Maggie explains her decision to switch to basketball this year: 

“I never experienced high school sports before, and wanted to try being a part of the school community in a more involved way.” Initially, she had just signed up for soccer, but at the last minute decided to try basketball as well. When asked why she made the switch, she explains, “I really found a community across the grades here. I’ve gotten to know underclassmen that I otherwise wouldn't have talked to. It’s given me the opportunity to mentor those younger students.” 

There are select places in high schools where cross-grade friendships are fostered, athletics often being one of them. These relationships are vital, helping bring together a large community, providing younger students with role models, and allowing older students to feel as if they’ve left an impact. Through practices, games, and festivities, these teams bring people together. 

Skillswise, as well, Maggie feels proud of her team’s progress. 

“Last game it was clear all the pieces were coming together,” she says. "There was a moment where, as we’d been practicing, Liv ’28 chucked the ball to Neveah ’28 and we practiced our press play, successfully scoring a layup.”

Even as teams become more competitive, players get recruited in, and expectations rise, the department remains determined to stay true to CSW’s mission. While in recent years there has been more room to excel, the spaces to experiment have stayed the same. The boys’ program has become so popular that they added a JV2 team this year, made up of a range of grade levels. For most of the JV2 players, this is their first time ever playing basketball. Through the continuation of such practices such as no cuts policies and equal access to the athletic trainers and weight rooms, it is clear that accessibility and acceptance is still a priority.

Alan explains that “right now our philosophy is in line with the ethos of the school. There’s a place to play for everyone.”

* * *

Similar to the boys’ team, the girls’ team has dominated in their league. But unlike the boys’ team, this cannot be attributed to a steadily building consistency. With three different coaches in the past three years, it was unclear what this season held for the girls’ team. Madisyn Gomez, this year’s head coach, stepped in at the last minute. Having just graduated from Wesleyan last spring, where she played as a post on the women’s varsity basketball team, this season was her first time coaching. 

During preseason, the roster numbers were low, so the team held open gyms. During this time lots of students dropped by, joining in during games of pick-up, knockout, and eleven-man. The team quickly grew, enough so that a JV team was made as well. Again, true to CSW values, many of these late additions did not consider basketball one of their strengths, but rather something they wanted to improve in.

Despite the uncertainty, Madisyn was able to weave together a strong, dedicated, and persistent community.  The team not only won the championship, but also broke a CSW record for the number of girls’ basketball games won in a season.

“What [Madisyn’s] accomplished in making sure that the team stays and plays like a team was more than we could ever dreamed of," Alan says. 

When asked about the root of the team’s success, Madisyn shares, “I think it comes from the buy-in. Everybody on the team comes to practice, excited to be there and ready to put in work and wanting to get better. Having a culture of wanting to get better as a team and early on having a couple of wins sets the tone.”

While the first couple of wins seemed like luck at the time, it was clear that a mindset switch was happening. By the championship game, it was evident that this team did not give up. At points it was a close game, but a few bumps in the road didn’t discourage the Gryphons.

Despite there being a few games left in the season, the championship felt bittersweet. At the start of the second half, the five players on the court huddled up. 

“Start off strong. This is our court, these are our fans. Let’s get a trophy.” 

The whistle was blown and the nerves gave way to energy. Nia Fifield ’27 drove confidently through the defense, dropping 12 points. Gillian Lamb ’26, sank a handful of threes in the last couple minutes, growing to the final lead of 39-30. As the final buzzer went off, the crowd erupted. It was a special moment, the whole community coming together to support each other and the school.

This season, both teams showed remarkable perseverance and grit, proving themselves as worthy competitors in higher leagues and athletes that can and should be taken seriously.