Sean Martyn ’13 | Brother Rice High School

The Standard: Brother Rice and St. Baldrick’s Team Up to Battle Cancer

March 25, 2013 by Sean Martyn '13 Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, March 12, Brother Rice hosted St. Baldrick’s Day to help raise money for children’s cancer research by having students, faculty, alumni, and neighbors shave their heads in solidarity with children with cancer. Ever since 2007, Brother Rice has been a proud sponsor of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which since it became nonprofit in 2005, has raised over $100 million in cancer research grants. Being shaved bald for St. Baldrick’s has become an annual tradition, just like the Southside Irish Parade or St. Patrick’s Day itself, but this tradition looks to become an integral part of the Brother Rice community for years to come.

Brother Rice had 68 students and staff members participate as “shavees,” who had their beautiful locks shaved off. Ms. Pacetti coordinated the event, and the Moms’ Club and the Alumni Dads Club volunteered their time helping out. Joining the usual barbers this year was Great Clips in Oak Lawn, who also acted as a sponsor alongside the Chicago White Sox. This year alone, the Crusaders raised an astounding $12,000, adding to their grand total over the last seven years of $293,000.

Two students who worked very hard to achieve their fundraising goals were junior Matt Gagner and sophomore John DeFranco. Matt raised $125 for St. Baldrick’s, and when asked about his motivations, he said, “Well, my grandmother had passed away from cancer, and I just wanted to raise as much as I could to see this disease end.”

John DeFranco went above and beyond, raising $300: “I really enjoy doing St. Baldrick’s Day, and I just hope the money I raised will be worthwhile for fighting cancer.”

The Brother Rice family would like to extend a big thank you to all of the members of the Moms’ Club and Alumni Dads Club that volunteered their time to helping out such an important cause. Next year anticipates growing to an even bigger success than this year, as Brother Rice continues to help the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in their fight against childhood cancer.

Filed Under: Brother Rice Exclusives, Crusader Clips, Events, Standard Feature, Students, The Standard

The Standard: 2013 Brother Rice Tennis Preview

February 19, 2013 by Sean Martyn '13 Leave a Comment

2013 Brother Rice Tennis season begins with open tryouts on March 1, and Coach Grogan has very high hopes for the season this spring and believes he has the right crop of players that can make it to the state championships. Last season, the Crusaders finished 5^th in the Chicago Catholic League with a 9-4 record, placing fifth in the sectionals, and sent senior James Habisohn to the state qualifier. Other important players who have moved on to college are Jack Rooney and Antanis Siliunas, leaving a definite gap in the leadership department on the varsity level.

“My biggest hope for this season would definitely have to be trying to get as many players as possible to qualify for state,” Coach Grogan said. “Our toughest opponents are definitely Loyola and Ignatius for sure.” However, the coach believes his team is ready for anything this season and has a bright perspective on the future. For the past several years, the tennis team has had anywhere between 7-10 seniors along with other juniors on a squad. This season the only two seniors on the team are the dynamic twin duo of Sean and Colin Burton, who Coach Grogan wants to push as a strong doubles team, along with juniors Jack Gorman and Jimmy Gallagher as his other important doubles tandem. “We really want to focus on sending our doubles team downstate and hopefully have as many players as possible qualify,” he said.

Some keys to success Coach Grogan feels will propel the tennis team to a successful season include, “practicing with the determination to improve,” focusing on doubles competition, and the return of Jack Gorman after suffering a serious knee injury last year. Finally, Coach Grogan felt that the team philosophy this year is that, “If you can handle pressure in practice, then you will be able to handle it in the game.”

Confidence would best describe the attitude of Coach Grogan and his team, who feel ready to take the court by storm this season. Tryouts begin on March 1, with open intramural play at the Oak Lawn Racquet Club until then. The first meet of the season will take place at home versus Richards High School on March 13.

Filed Under: Articles of Interest, Athletic Standard, Athletics, Crusader Clips, Tennis, The Standard

The Standard: Brother Rice Open House

November 26, 2012 by Sean Martyn '13 Leave a Comment

On Sunday November 4, approximately 200 families of 7^th and 8^th graders visited Brother Rice to get a firsthand look at the school during the first of two Open Houses this year. Many families from several neighborhoods and schools came to see what Brother Rice is all about. Prospective students from across the south side viewed the chance to visit Brother Rice as an opportunity to picture themselves as future Crusaders. Open House is one of the best ways to help make that decision easier.

The 7^th and 8^th graders and their families were led on a personal tour throughout the school by a National Honor Society student, making several stops along the way. Among the first stops on the tour was the academic presentation given by Mr. Alberts and Mr. Klutcharch in the library, where they discussed topics like the Resource Center, the different levels of academic difficulty, and the requirements for graduation. Following that presentation, the tour went through the Cainkar Center for a talk about technology and business classes here at Brother Rice. NHS students also led their groups to another presentation in the chapel that talked about religious life and theology classes. As each tour traveled from place to place, these families also stopped by various tables set up by teachers. Information about each subject was put on display, showing everything from English and math, to history and science.

Besides the academics of Brother Rice, another very important aspect of the school is the strength and excitement surrounding the social atmosphere and sports community. Rice athletics were all gathered in one place, the North gym, for 7th and 8th graders to see what Rice athletics had to offer. The coaches and players of every sport were excited to meet each young athlete and hear about their interests in that respective sport. The cafeteria was the place to be for those interested in the vast amount of student activities at Rice. Brother Rice houses a variety of different students interested in all kinds of topics ranging from politics, technology, chess, drama, and fishing. There are also many service groups and programs available to these future Crusaders like SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), Key Club, and the Edmund Rice Society.

The Open House was not only a chance for young students to visit Brother Rice with their families, but also a chance for the students and staff to display their Rice pride. Hopefully, these young men and their families have a better understanding now of what the Brother Rice experience is all about.

Filed Under: Academic Standard, Academics, Admissions, Articles of Interest, Crusader Clips, Events, The Standard

The Standard: High Hopes for Soccer Team

September 5, 2012 by Sean Martyn '13 Leave a Comment

Entering the 2012 season, the Brother Rice soccer team looked to begin on a high note and hopefully carry that momentum for the rest of the fall. Last season saw the Crusaders have their first losing season in the program’s history. Returning players felt very driven to perform at the highest level possible to make their season a memorable one in the Catholic League.

Beginning Tuesday night, August 21, the Crusaders were hungry for an opening season win against highly ranked Lincoln Way East. This team provided quite a challenge to Brother Rice from the get-go as they pressured the defense early on, but the Crusaders were able to hold them off for the half.

Later on, the defense of the Crusaders suffered a dangerous injury when Joe Hayes collided with an opposing player and suffered a knee injury, forcing him out of the game. It was later revealed Hayes suffered a sprained MCL and will probably be out for the rest of the season. The Lincoln Way East Griffins came back when they scored an impressive goal to tie the game, but Brother Rice was able to keep them at bay, ending their season opener in a strong 1-1 tie.

Two nights later, Hersey visited Brother Rice, but with different results. It would end up being a long night for the Crusaders, as they let Hersey score another four goals throughout the next half, ending the game by losing with a score of 6-0. To add insult to injury, senior mid-fielder Gustavo Herrera injured his knee in the first half.

Monday’s game, provided arguably a much more important and difficult challenge: measuring up to defending state champions Morton High School. Brother Rice knew this game wasn’t going to be easy, but they stepped up to the challenge and showed that they have a lot of upside on their roster.

The quick and spontaneous Morton forwards and midfielders immediately put the defense to work, passing to one another and connecting with the greatest of ease. Determination proved to be a trademark of Rice’s defense from minute one. With some close shots and expert goalie work by senior Drew Puchalski, Rice’s teamwork completely shut down Morton offensively, keeping the game scoreless at halftime.

Morton picked themselves up rather quickly in the second half and began to plan out their attack on Rice’s defense. Eventually, Morton’s very skilled players were able to score a momentum shifting goal that Brother Rice wasn’t able to come back from. That followed a penalty kick shot from Morton scored minutes later, and two later goals to end the game with Morton winning 4-0.

Brother Rice has had a rough start to the season, starting out 0-3-1 so far. However, there certainly is a lot of hope and potential for this young team, and they have plenty of time to swing things around. Injuries to key players like Joe Hayes, Gustavo Herrera, and Josh Chavez have impacted the games for sure, but Rice has shown so far that they are a team who still has the ability to be a Catholic League contender this fall.

Filed Under: Articles of Interest, Athletic Standard, Athletics, Crusader Clips, Soccer, The Standard

The Standard: Alumni Spotlight – Andrew Weishar ‘09

March 7, 2012 by Sean Martyn '13 Leave a Comment

Andrew Weishar '09 with his brothers Nic and Dan '11,

Andrew Weishar, coach of the sophomore football team and a class of ’09 graduate of Rice, has become an integral part of the school community. Coach Andrew Weishar was diagnosed with colon cancer back in April of 2010. His family, friends, and school have been incredibly supportive of him throughout these difficult months as Andrew courageously fights for his life. I interviewed Andrew over the phone to give the Brother Rice community a better understanding of Andrew’s perspective and to learn more about him as a person.

What attracted you to Brother Rice? Why did you choose to go here?
Oh, it was an easy choice to go to Rice, mainly because of Rice’s athletics, and I played sports like baseball, basketball, and football. They also have great academics at Brother Rice as well.

What were your experiences like as a student at Rice?
I had a great time at Rice; I loved playing sports here and have made friends at Rice that will be with me for the rest of my life.

After you graduated in 2009, how did you secure your coaching position on the football team?
I always kept in contact with Coach Nye, and after I got sick, he called me up and offered me a job as part of the sophomore team, coaching the defensive and offensive lines. It was something to keep me busy and occupied, but I really enjoyed it.

How did you first find out you were sick?
I was trying to gain weight for football, trying to build muscle; instead of gaining weight, I was actually losing weight. I had pains in my stomach and so I told my parents about it and we went to the doctor. That’s when I found out I was sick.

Describe your attitude towards your situation over the course of the last two years. Has it all been pretty much the same, or has it fluctuated like a rollercoaster?
Yeah, probably more like a rollercoaster. I’ve had great support from a loving family and all my friends who are always with me.

After hearing bad news after bad news from doctors and physicians, what motivates you to keep going? What inspires you?
I’m an athlete so I’m very competitive about everything, and I like to argue with my parents a lot, and I don’t like to lose! (Laughs) So it’s that competitiveness in me that keeps me going. I don’t want to lose.

How do your friends and family deal with this emotional stress?
It’s hard for them, too. It’s hard to come out of the doctor’s and hear something bad about someone you love.

What are some special words you live by to help you stay strong?
When I first got sick, my brother made me a LiveStrong bracelet. It had, “Faith. Courage. Strength.” written on it. Those are some words that I truly do live by now.

How does it feel to have the Blessed Edmund Rice Relic by your side now? Is it an empowering feeling?
Yeah, it is, but it’s more of a healing and special feeling. At first, we didn’t understand what it was really about, but then we learned that Edmund Rice’s first miracle was curing a man’s colon cancer, so it was truly an honor to receive the Relic. So I’m hoping I’ll be the next miracle.

What has been the most important thing you have learned from your experiences over the last two years?
Enjoy every day. Sometimes I get upset at small things, but I realize just how unimportant those small things that frustrate me are now. Every day is a blessing!

Are there any other words or thoughts you would like to say to the rest of the Brother Rice community?
Just thank you to everyone, and it’s been such a blessing to be a part of the Brother Rice family.

Andrew Weishar continues his fight against cancer and bears his cross with humility; he is a hero to his parents, friends, family, and, of course, Brother Rice. Coach Weishar is a proud Crusader and we are all pulling for him in his battle against cancer; he is always in our thoughts and prayers.

Filed Under: Alumni, Athletics, Crusader Clips, Football, Other Alumni News, Spotlights