One can only imagine how many great stories have arisen from Chesire Academy athletics over 232 years. Among other things, I wish we had more in writing about the post-Civil War period when just a few sports were played at CA. What were the games like then? With very few schools in existence in the area, where did we find teams to play outside our own school, if, in fact, that happened at all?
How times have changed! Readers of the 225th commemorative version of 1794 Magazine probably saw photos of very early baseball teams where the bats appear to be a foot longer than today – not great for bat speed. Even with our limited archives, we have some amazing stories to tell: one of them follows here. If readers of this newsletter have a story to tell, please send it to me at chip.boyd@cheshireacademy.org. If you just wish to discuss a story, that is fine, too.
In 2013, we once again welcomed a fine group of postgraduates, among them Christian Terrell. Like most PGs, Christian was not sure what an extra year of high school could possibly offer; understandably, he was thinking about his friends in college.
However, he could sense immediately that there is something special about the CA community, and he decided early on to just “plug-in” and see what might happen. He did all his work carefully, was on time for everything, hit the weightroom, and “listened hard.” He played soccer for the first time in his life and quickly worked his way onto the varsity team. He also earned a starting role on the varsity baseball team. These athletic accomplishments say a great deal about him, of course, but this remarkable story centers on basketball, Christian’s primary sport in 2013.
In the first home game of the season, we faced Canterbury. The gym was packed. Coach Kehoe pulled Christian aside and told him Canterbury had a hot-shot freshman; he wanted Christian to keep him in check.
A post-grad guarding a freshman? No problem, Coach.
The opening tip went to a Canterbury guard who immediately, from near mid-court, lofted a very unexpected long ball towards the rim. We had a seven-footer in the area under the basket who probably thought for a moment he was going to catch the ball. But before he could get his large hands on it, the sprinting, hot-shot freshman leapt into the air, gathered the pass, and slammed the ball through the rim, somewhere in the vicinity of the bewildered face of our unfortunate center.
The fans were stunned for a moment, then a loud murmur spread throughout the gym. Game on. It was one of those plays by the opposition that is so extraordinary that you simply nod your head in amazement and grudging respect. The young man in question was Donovan Mitchell, future NBA all-star. But the story doesn’t end here.
Christian battled all night, helping hold Mitchell to 28 points while putting up 24 himself with Mitchell guarding him on the other end. I am sure Mitchell topped 40 many times that year. The game was close all along. With the clock winding down close to triple zero, and CA down by two, the ball rotated to Christian behind the arc. A defender rushed to him, his shot went up and swished through the net at the buzzer.
The gym erupted as fans stormed the floor. The desperate defender, just a tick late, was none other than Donovan Mitchell.
I have heard Christian tell this story to groups of PGs in my classroom a few times, a story he no doubt will be “telling his grandchildren.” He joined us from DC on Zoom a few times and shared his thoughts on his PG experience. He was so enthusiastic and compelling a few classes gave him a rousing ovation.
Christian loved his time here. He brought to college what he learned at CA about full commitment and striving to do his best in everything, every single day. He attended Johnson & Wales, where he had a great basketball experience, and went on to grad school programs at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown universities.
In his senior year at J&W, his team reached the D3 tournament for the first time in many years. Their success was big news locally, and Christian remarked that his teammates always pushed him forward as the team spokesman when the local media was present, another experience Christian connects to his success at CA.
J&W reached the quarterfinals of the national tournament where their opponent, Tufts University, featured point guard Tarik Smith, a former teammate from CA. Tufts prevailed in the game, but both CA guys enjoyed their unexpected reunion.
Today, Christian enjoys a successful career in AI at KPMG in the greater Washington, D.C., area. Now married with two young children, he often reflects on the discipline and mindset he developed at Cheshire Academy, lessons he still applies daily in his career and at home. He believes those experiences continue to set him apart and remain a foundation for his success.
Want to contribute?
Do you have a CA story that illuminates the nature of our great school? If so, please email something in the range of 200-300 words to chip.boyd@cheshireacademy.org.
