Letter: Thrill for Taconic to Play State Championship at Wahconah

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To the Editor:

As a high school coach, I cannot begin to describe the emotion and excitement that my players and coaches experienced on Monday during the MIAA D-III state championship at Wahconah Park. The thrill of being able to play the final game in our hometown, on the city-owned historic park, was amazing. To look up at the stands as they began to fill, and to see the faces of people of all ages painted along the fence and deep into the field, resonated with me throughout the day.

It is no small task to get to the state game, but it was an even greater task to perform the way that we did in front of our family, friends, teachers, neighbors, and residents. Truth be told, it was your cheers and clapping, chanting, and demonstration of love and support that rallied our players in the dugout and on the field. Given the many obstacles and challenges that everyone has faced for the past year and a half, it was a great day of baseball and a great day for Pittsfield.


There are many thoughts racing through my mind the day after a state championship, but for now, I will say "thank you." Thank you to the school department for protecting our season, the city for allowing us to play on “their” field, the parents for supporting your sons each and every day, the players for their endless dedication to the sport, the coaches for their tireless work, and finally, the fans, for your love of baseball.

"In baseball as in life, all the important things happen at HOME." In closing, and on behalf of the Taconic High School baseball team, my players, and my full coaching staff, thank you! Go Braves!

Sincerely,

Kevin Stannard
Taconic High School
varsity baseball coach 

Pittsfield, Mass.

 

 

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Soccer Hall of Fame Adds Members, Awards Scholarships

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The 2026 CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place at Berkshire Hills Country Club on Thursday.
 
The Hall of Fame's mission is to preserve the sport's history in Berkshire County, to honor excellence within the game and to make a connection between the generations that bring communities together. With players who last played on a soccer field in Berkshire County in the 1960s to the scholarship winners at the banquet on May 14th who played their last high school game in the fall of last year, we are achieving our goal. 
 
It is worth noting that this class of inductees is stellar. We have four County MVP selections, 14 All-Berkshire selections, eight All-Western Mass selections and, and nine captain honors, five four-year varsity starters and one five-year varsity starter. 
 
The players were introduced by committee chairmen Al Belanger and Patrick West. The scholarship winners were introduced by Chris Dumas, a member of the CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame committee. The photographer for the evening was Ricco Fruscio. Over the past 21 years, the scholarships awarded to high school seniors in Berkshire County have topped $250,000.  
 
The 2026 Inductees:
Katie Dumas Sturm (Wahconah 2015) was a hard-nosed, and relentless four-year starter for Wahconah. She was a two-year captain in the middle of the field, scoring and assisting on clutch goals in big games. She was rewarded with being named All Berkshire, and All Western Mass in her senior year. She is married to Brent Sturm (who is also being inducted into the hall of fame this year) and has a son Banks and a 7-week-old Everett Michael. She works at General Dynamics. 
 
Brent Sturm (Wahconah 2009) was named to the All Berkshire Team in both his junior and senior years and won a Western Mass championship during his time at Wahconah. He also went on to have a stellar career at Wentworth Institute. He and his wife, Katie, are the first husband and wife inductees into the CIAO Soccer Hall of Fame in the same year.  After college, he helped coach the Wahconah Soccer and basketball teams. He works at General Dynamics.
   
Nicole Gamberoni (Lenox 2019) was an impact player on her team for five years while at Lenox making All-Berkshire teams four times. She was captain twice, finished with 107 points, and was the league MVP two times. She also went on to play soccer at AIC. She is working at Lenox High School while she is getting her master’s degree. 
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