US. POSTAGE PAID GLASTONBURY CITIZEN, INC. P.O. BOX 373, GLASTONBURY, CT, 06033 POSTAL CUSTOMER PRESORTED STANDARD LOCAL ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ RIVEREAST News Bulletin Serving Amston, Andover, Cobalt, Colchester, East Hampton, Hebron, Marlborough, Middle Haddam and Portland Volume 39, Number 42 Published by The Glastonbury Citizen February 13, 2015 Area Stars Come Out to Shine by Geeta Schrayter Anyone familiar with television shows such basketball or attend summer camp,’ and there as America’s Got Talent or American Idol are these programs available.” knows with the judges’ praise comes equal – if Haines added, “Our hope and idea for the not more – criticism. But a very different scene event is that we’re watching people of all ages unfolded at RHAM High School last Friday, share their talents and every child, we feel, where 10 acts took the stage for the second should have the opportunity to explore the tal- annual Hebron’s Got Talent and received praise, ents and gifts God has given them.” praise and more praise. “We are so pleased,” she added of the event. The Feb. 6 event presented by Gilead Con- “It was a wonderful outpouring of community gregational Church consisted of individuals and support. We do these things certainly to benefit groups who sang, danced, told jokes and played the children’s scholarship funds, but also on instruments – all hoping to win first place which another level it really brings the community included a trophy and $250. together.” But even more important than earning top The event, she furthered, “just keeps getting spot was the overall purpose of the event: rais- better.” ing money to support the children’s scholarship After each performance Friday, input was programs of AHM Youth and Family Services received from a team of three judges (although and Hebron Parks and Recreation. the winner would actually be determined by the And as of Wednesday, Stephanie Haines, audience). These were: Chris Ambrose, a re- minister of missions at Gilead Congregational, tired educator with “more than half a century said the event had raised more than $4,300. She of viewing and listening to live theater and explained half of that money would go to AHM, musical acts,” according to the event program; Last week, 10 acts performed at RHAM High School as part of the second annual while the other half would go to Hebron Parks Miss Connecticut 2014, Acacia Courtney, who Hebron’s Got Talent. Pictured is Steadfast, a group of three friends who have been and Recreation. the program described as “an accomplished “That’s important for families to know be- jazz, musical theater and ballroom dancer”; and playing together for three years. The girls – from left, Justine Boonstra, Emily cause a lot of times I think families don’t want McDougall and Alex Currier – sang Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire.” the 2014 Hebron’s Got Talent winner, Aaron to say ‘I can’t afford sending my child to play See Area Stars Page 2 EHHS Baseball Coach Moves to Wesleyan by John Tyczkowski ized the older players. I became very interested Scott Wosleger has been a fixture of base- in baseball at an early age.” ball coaching in town for the past 20 years, and Wosleger said that after playing baseball he’s now bringing that experience to the colle- throughout high school, where he had a “pretty giate level. good” career, he continued his passion into col- This weekend, he’ll start coaching at lege during his freshman year at the University Wesleyan University for the school’s Division of New Haven. III baseball team. However, Wosleger said he transferred the Wosleger will coach first base for the Cardi- following year to Iona College in New Roch- nals, and will be in charge of infielders and out- elle, N.Y., in part because he wasn’t getting too fielders alike. He is one of three assistant much playing time at UNH, but also because coaches under head coach Mark Woodworth. Iona College was a Division I school, unlike “I’m very excited about this next step,” he UNH. said. “I’m fortunate to join a really good staff.” “I enjoyed my career [at Iona] a lot,” he said. Under Woodworth, the university has been “I especially loved playing third base on the enjoying some notable success over the past 14 team when we won the 1985 [Metro Atlantic years. Most recently, the Cardinals notched two Athletic Conference] championship.” consecutive Little Three Championships in After college, he said he took a break from 2013 and 2014; they also won their first New baseball for a bit. England Small College Athletic Conference “I started working and I wanted to have a title last year and reached the NCAA regional family, and didn’t think too much about coach- finals while setting a school record for victo- ing,” Wosleger said. ries. But before too long, he started Little League The position at Wesleyan is part-time, which coaching, in 1995. Wosleger will balance with this job as an in- “When I got done with college, I was a little school suspension supervisor at Great Path burned out, but then I ended up having three Academy in Manchester. boys and I saw I guess my knowledge I had “It works out well,” he said. “Having the was worth trying to pass on,” Wosleger said. “I ability with my school schedule to be able to met a guy who was a high school football coach coach college is very advantageous.” and we became friends, and I was really in- Wosleger said his love for baseball stretches trigued and fascinated by what he did, and I Scott Wosleger stands with his son Owen at third base. Wosleger coached the back all the way to his childhood days. started getting the bug to get to that level.” East Hampton High School Bellringers for nearly eight years, and each of his three “My dad was a Little League coach. When I That was also when Wosleger decided to set sons were on the team at various times while they attended the high school. Wosleger was 6 or 7 years old, I was the bat boy for his some coaching career goals for himself. departed the school system in December for a job with Wesleyan University’s team,” he said. “I loved the game, and I idol- See Baseball Coach Page 2 baseball team. Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Cover Story ï Wosleger consults with a Mystic Schooners player at a game last summer. Coaching for the Schooners served to be Wosleger’s gateway to coaching for Wesleyan. RHAM High School junior Emma Dokmanovich won the second annual Hebron’s Got Talent with her jazz routine last week. She received praise from all three judges Baseball Coach cont. from Front Page before ultimately being named winner by audience applause. Shown here, from “My wife Laurie thought I was crazy because “I had been inquiring with a couple NECBL left, are judges Chris Ambrose and Aaron Ouellette, Dokmanovich, and the third I had a regular full-time job,” he said, laugh- teams out of Newport and Plymouth about judge, Miss Connecticut 2014 Acacia Courtney. ing. “But I said by the time I’m 35-40, I’ll be coaching for them,” he said. “Someone put me coaching at the scholastic level.” in touch with the Schooners and I said, ‘If you Area Stars cont. from Front Page In 2004, Wosleger applied for an assistant have any openings, I’d be very interested.” Ouellette, who won with his original jazz com- scheduled acts withdraw, RHAM students coach opening at East Hampton Middle School, After some back-and-forth, Wosleger began position. Brianna Tracey and Justin Gurry stepped in to but was in for a shock when the school offered with the Schooners as an assistant coach, but a There was no criticism to be found last Fri- fill the spot, performing Joni Mitchell’s “A Case him the head coaching position instead. few weeks before the season began, switched day, as the show got started with a performance of You” that brought Ambrose back to the “It was definitely a very nice surprise,” he roles. by the dance team Pizzazz, who danced to “You 1960s. said. “I managed to work it out with my full- “Their hitting coach decided he wasn’t go- Can’t Hurry Love” by the Supremes. “Wow,” he said. “I thought I was listening to time job [in sales]. I was leaving work every ing to show up, so they elevated me to that po- “Right on,” Ambrose smiled regarding their Joni Mitchell. I thought I was back in a coffee- day at 2 p.m. to go coach.” sition,” he said. “That was another instance I performance. house in the ‘60s.” He then revisited his goals again, and de- was very fortunate, I was given a great oppor- “You were technically on point,” added “I liked the folk-style voice,” Ouellette added. cided he wanted to coach high school next. tunity by the head coach down there.” Courtney, while Ouellette said the 12 girls – “The combination of the guitar and vocals – it “The head coach at EHHS happened to re- For most of that summer, the Schooners led who range in age from 9-11 – were “brave to worked well.” sign and I put in for the job,” he said. “It was a the league in hitting and offense, Wosleger said.