The Gentlemen's Monthly: For love of the game!

Monday, October 9, 2017

For love of the game!

North Quad has never seen so much fun

Three years ago, they said that it couldn't be done, but nevertheless, under the direction of the Trzaska Administration, the Shuttlecock Showdown continues! While the temps were agreeable, there was something Shuttlecock players never had to contend with in the history of the Showdown… a strong and driving wind from the south. Without any doubt, the wind was the rise and fall of many shuttlecocks as well as teams. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but there were a number of bruised egos. As expected, the competition was spirited and fierce, and the play was finessed, controlled, and, yes, even refined at times. In the end, there could be only one winner, and the championship game was reminiscent of David’s victory over Goliath… a complete surprise. Surprisingly, a team of upstart freshmen- Josh Gambardella and Dan O’Brien- took down a team of seasoned juniors- Chris Brady and Mark Miclean. Congratulations to our winners and those who participated!

Thoughts from losers and winners...

Albert Oh, junior and loser, said, "What can I say? I got cocky, and now, I have this green ribbon."

Jack Olmanson, freshman and third place winner, said, "It was an honor to be able to play our hearts out for the love of the game. I am counting down the days to the opportunity for redemption next year."

Peter Haley, freshman and fellow third place winner, added, "It felt good to take some hardware home, but overall we're not satisfied and we will use this as motivation for next year. I'm proud of our heart and effort out there, but it just didn't turn out the way we had hoped. We'll be using this as motivation for next year and the years to come."

Chris Brady, junior and second place winner, shared, "On a day like this, most teams battle the wind, but Mark Miclean and I used it to our advantage, securing the 2nd place finish we desired. As we all know. First is the worst, second is the best."

Mark Miclean, junior and fellow second place winner, commented, "Chris Brady and I were able to use the sun and strong wind to our advantage. We have to continue our legacy of excellence at the Shuttlecock Showdown that we set forth our freshman year."

Josh Gambardella, freshman and first place winner, remarked, “The gale force of winds were blowing at tornado speeds, managing to knock me over twice. We also discovered quickly that you can never underestimate the power of the Indiana sun in October. We battled hard and shuttlecocked even harder. In the end, nothing beats the feeling of Hall President, Joe Trzaska, bestowing upon us a ribbon for our victory.”

Dan O’Brien, freshman and fellow first place winner, said, "It really all boiled down to teamwork. As avid shuttlecocker Martha Stewart once said, 'practice like you've never won and play like you've never lost.' That's what we did and it worked out alright."

Fr. Ralph said, "Today, the Founder smiled upon us all... winners and losers... and even those like myself who didn't play at all!"