Hall of Fame: Class of 2009

2009 INDUCTEES

O. Endecott Perry 1949
Louis P. Buck III 1959
E. Damory Rives 1969
Mary E. Watkins 1969
Alice V. B. Smith Clark 1984
John M. Dolan 1989
Holmes Harden Jr. 1989
Jessica H. Arnold 1999

Coach: Donald K. Gowan II 1966

Team: The 1984 Ice Hockey Team

Endecott "Endy" Perry was the fourth member of his family to attend Kent, following his father, Osgood Perry '08, a member of the first graduating class, and his uncles Reginald '10 and Donald '24. He came to Kent as a 3rd former from nearby Washington, Connecticut and soon made a name for himself as a leader in the class and an outstanding athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He earned 2 varsity letters in football and was named captain in his 6th form year. Described as a "mainstay" of the basketball team, he was awarded 2 letters and was the high scorer on the team. In baseball, again 2 varsity letters, as well as the batting trophy in his 5th form year. On Prize Day 1949 Endy was awarded Pater's Mug, as the class's outstanding athlete.

Endy went on to Williams College, where he played both football and baseball. He captained the freshman football team and played end on the varsity team. He led the team in catching and interceptions in 1951. Upon graduation from Williams in 1953, Endy was offered try-outs with both the Green Bay Packers and the New York Yankees, but he had military obligations to fulfill instead. Both at Kent and at Williams, Endy's classmates recognized him for his ability to inspire and motivate, both on and off the athletic field.

Endy was proud that his four sons attended Kent - Scott '72, Michael '76, Brian '80 and Chris '87. Over the years he made countless visits to Kent to support them from the sidelines. Endy joins his sons Scott and Brian in the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Louis P. Buck 1959

Lou Buck, a 3 year letterwinner in soccer, was a pivotal member of two undefeated teams at Kent and was previously inducted with his teammates as a member of the 1958 team. Lou came to Kent with hopes of playing goalie, but when his good friend Robin Wilkins won the starting role in his freshman year, he decided to play out in the field and became one of the best soccer players in the illustrious history of Kent soccer. As noted in his yearbook "the Captain's Trophy, given to that member of the 1958 team who possesses the most ability, was awarded to Lou Buck, whose kicking and speed were factors in most of the victories". Lou also earned 3 letters in basketball and captained the squad his senior year. He was a two-time recipient of the Jenkinson Trophy for foul shooting and was awarded the Jordan Trophy as the MVP of the 1959 team.

After Kent, Lou attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a member of the undefeated freshman soccer team and then won 3 varsity letters, captaining the 1962 team that won the Ivy League Championship. During both his junior and senior years, Lou was a First Team All-Ivy selection and an Honorable Mention All American. At his graduation, Lou was elected by his classmates as one of four recipients of the Spade Award, honoring his accomplishments at Penn and contributions to the university community.

Lou, who joins three other classmates in the Hall of Fame (Dates Fryberger, Jim Ferguson and Peter Murray) was inducted in May of this year when his class celebrated their Fiftieth Reunion.

Damory came to Kent as a 3rd former, and over the next 4 years she earned 10 varsity letters, a rare accomplishment matched by few athletes, male or female, in the 1960s. As a member of the varsity field hockey team in the fall of 1968, they completed an undefeated season. On the basketball court, playing the old girls rules before Title IX, Damory played tough defense and was high scorer and captain of the team her 6th form year. In the spring, Damory dominated the tennis courts. She played on the varsity team for four years and was captain of the team her 6th form year. She was the #1 singles player and led the team to a winning season, as they lost to only one school. If 10 letters and 3 varsity sports weren't enough, Damory also played paddle tennis in the winter and softball in the spring every year. On Prize Day 1969 she was awarded the Class of '31 Bowl.

When she left Kent, Damory took her natural athletic ability and experience as a seasoned player to the courts of Mt. Holyoke College, where she played varsity tennis in the fall and spring and was the #1 singles player for 4 years. In the winter she played 4 seasons on the varsity basketball team. As a tennis player Damory was ranked the #2 singles tennis player in New England, 18 years and under, the summer of 1969.

After college, Damory continued her athletic accomplishments beyond the tennis and basketball courts, as she turned her talents toward running and endurance. Beginning in 1979, over the next 22 years Damory ran in road races up and down the east coast, competing in 16 marathons. Between 1986 and 1988, Damory ramped it up even further, as she competed in 4 of the most distinguished Ironman Distance Triathlons, including the New Zealand Triathlon, the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii, and the Cape Cod Triathlon.

Since 2001, Damory has been staying in shape throwing around 50 lb. bales of hay at Ray of Light Farm, an adoption, rescue, and teaching horse farm in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Mary Watkins earned 9 varsity letters in 4 sports at Kent - 2 in field hockey, which included an undefeated season in 1968, 2 in basketball and softball, and 3 in lacrosse, where she was also captain in her 6th form year. Mary made her mark at Kent not only for her outstanding athletic skills, but also, as fellow Hall of Fame inductee Jeanne Johnson '67 remembers, for "her extraordinary team building skills"; her energy and spirit, "which are vital to team sports."

After Kent, Mary attended Hollins College, and took full advantage of the athletic opportunities the school offered. Except for her junior year abroad, Mary played 1, sometimes 2, varsity sports every season - field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, golf and fencing - earning a remarkable 14 letters in 3 years of competition. She was captain of both the varsity lacrosse and golf teams her senior year. That year Mary was runner-up in the Virginia Intercollegiate Golf Tournament. In lacrosse, Mary made the 1st Team Virginia in her freshman and sophomore years, and the 2nd Team in her senior year. Those same years she qualified for teams that represented the South at the National Championships. In recognition of these many accomplishments, Mary was inducted into the Hollins College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.

Since graduating from college, Mary has continued to participate and compete in numerous sports, including golf, basketball, running, mountain-climbing and cross-country skiing. She shares a love of athletics and competition with her brothers Sam '62, John '65 and Bob '68. Mary joins Sam and Bob in the Hall of Fame.

Alice Smith Clark earned 9 varsity letters in her 3 years at Kent in field hockey, diving and lacrosse. In field hockey, Alice was a 3-letter winner, and a high scorer on the team. Her speed and skills translated into goals on the lacrosse field as well, where she was again one of the high scorers. She was elected tri-captain of the team in her 6th form year. From 1982 to 1984 Alice and her twin sister Ellie made tremendous contributions to Kent diving, trading off first and second-place finishes in numerous dual meets and raising the level of the diving program at Kent. All her coaches described her as a hardworking, coachable athlete, and a focused, tenacious competitor. On Prize Day 1984 Alice was awarded the Class of '31 Bowl as the outstanding female athlete in the class.

Alice went on to St. Lawrence University where she and Ellie started a diving program with 2 fellow freshmen. Training and coaching themselves, they were consistent point scorers for the Saints from 1984-86. Alice competed for St. Lawrence at the Independent College Athletic Conference Championships and the New York State Championships on both the 1 meter and 3 meter boards. In all her athletic pursuits, on the field and in the pool, Alice's exuberance and positive attitude added tremendous spirit to the team.

John earned 8 varsity letters in his 3 years at Kent - 3 in football, 2 in basketball and 3 in lacrosse. In football John was a member of the Erickson League Champion team in his 4th form year, was named best defensive player the following year, and was elected co-captain in his senior year. A basketball team mvp in his 5th form year, John was elected co-captain the following year. He was a Division I All-Star in lacrosse in both his 5th and 6th form years, and was co-mvp and co-captain in his senior year. In his 6th form year, John balanced his responsibilities as a 3-sport captain with the duties of Senior Prefect. On Prize Day, John was a co-recipient of Pater's Mug along with his teammate and fellow Hall of Fame inductee, Holmes Harden '89.

Following Kent, John attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he contributed to a string of successes in lacrosse. During John's four years at UNC, the team was four-time ACC Champions, NCAA semi-finalists in 1990 and 1992, NCAA runner-up in 1993, and undefeated national champions in 1991.

In 3 years at Kent, H Harden earned 3 varsity letters in football, 2 in hockey and 3 in lacrosse. In football he played safety and running back on the 1986 Erickson League Championship team and earned the most improved player award in his 5th form year. H was elected co-captain in his 6th form year. On the varsity hockey team, H was a gritty team player who, by his own estimation, had more penalty minutes than ice minutes. H was best known for his talents on the lacrosse field. A three-year starter, he was co-mvp and a Division I All-Star in both his 5th and 6th form years, and co-captain in his senior year. At Prize Day, H shared the Pater's Mug award with his classmate and fellow Hall of Fame inductee, John Dolan '89.

H continued his lacrosse career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In his four years at Chapel Hill, H contributed to 4 ACC championship teams, was a member of 2 NCAA semi-finalist teams in 1990 and 1992, runner-up in 1993, and in 1991 he was a member of UNC's undefeated national championship team. In his senior year, H was named All-ACC and All-American as a defensive midfielder, an achievement all the more noteworthy because he had switched to that position at UNC. To cap a stellar college career, H was awarded the Colonel Robert Needham Unsung Hero Award.

Jessica  H. Arnold 1999

Jessica Arnold earned 12 varsity letters in soccer, ice hockey and tennis in her four years at Kent. A tri-captain of the soccer team in her 6th from year, Jessica was awarded the Louise Partridge Bowl in recognition of her love and devotion for the team and the sport. Jessica played on a strong defensive line that helped the team qualify for the WNEPSSA tournament in both her 5th and 6th form years. Co-captain of ice hockey, Jessica was recognized as the Most Improved Player in her junior year. In tennis, Jessica was the recipient of the de Villafranca Bowl in her 4th form year, "awarded to the girl - other than the captain - who has made the greatest contribution to Kent tennis". In her junior year Jessica was awarded the Most Valuable Player Award and was elected captain her senior year. On Prize Day 1999 Jessica was awarded the Class of '31 Bowl as the outstanding female athlete in her class.

 The 1984 Ice Hockey Team

The 1983-84 boys varsity hockey team was one of those rare collections of athletes that rose to special, even legendary status. Its accomplishments were numerous, including a 24-3-1 record; championships in the Flood-Marr Christmas Tournament and the Trinity College (Ontario) New Year's Tournament; an early-season nine-game win streak, followed by a 16-game undefeated streak; and a runner-up finish in the New England post-season tournament. It was a team that was loaded with confidence. Not cockiness, but simple confidence. Not just the belief, but the knowledge that they were going to win the game, no matter what the score was at any time (such as the game against Milton, in which they trailed 5-2 with 5 minutes to play in the game - and won 6-5!). This was a team with great individual talent, but even more, there was a commitment to each other that every player (and coach) felt strongly. Players were not playing for themselves. They were playing for each other, which meant that they always seemed to find the strength to go just a little harder.

How is it that the group that comprised the 1983-84 hockey team would come to be one of the greatest in Kent Hockey history? An old sports cliché comes to mind: offense wins games, defense wins championships. This was a team that was blessed with enviable strength both on offense and defense. Offensively, Kent put together an attack of great depth, the likes of which is seldom seen in prep school hockey. Seven players would finish with double-digit goals, and eight would accumulate 20 points or more. With such an expansive attack, no opponent could hope to succeed by focusing on shutting down one player or one line. If someone was having trouble getting open one game, someone else would rise to the occasion. As many as eight different players scored what would be the winning goal in their 24 wins. Robert DiSandro '85, James Friedman '84 and Chris White '84 led the forwards in scoring with 53 points (32/21), 43 points (15/28) and 37 points (14/23) respectively, while David Quinn '84 paced the defensemen with 37 points (14/23). Four other players also finished with more than 20 points: Art Nelson '84 with 27 (15/12), Trey Young '84 with 23 (8/15), Pat Goggin '84 with 22 (7/15) and Kurt Schroeder '84 with 22 (10/12). Of course, there's more to the game than accumulating points. Enormous offensive and defensive contributions were made daily throughout the season by players such as Bob Ritchie '84, Bill Griffin '85, Len Ellis '85, Will Putnam '85, and Ward Welles '86. And of course, tremendous contributions off-ice were provided by managers Mark Michael '86 and Adam Green '85. Defensively, it's hard to imagine a more formidable collection than was boasted by Kent that season. From this team, three defensemen and a goalie would eventually be selected in the NHL draft. They say it all starts in goal, and Kent was led brilliantly by Darin McInnis '85 with a 1.70 GAA, and .926 save percentage. Jim Bauchiero pitched in capably, too, with 3.35 and .847 stats. Two-year captains David Quinn and Kurt Schroeder anchored the defense corps, with great contributions from Peter Hills '84, Graham Murphy '84, Jack Capuano '85 and Perry Florio '85. McInnis, Quinn, Capuano and Florio would all be selected in the NHL draft in their respective years.

But all the stats by themselves don't explain how this team reached such great heights. There have been other hockey teams in New England with as much or more talent on their rosters, yet they didn't achieve as much as this group. The one ingredient that was an absolute necessity for this team to come together as it did was behind the bench - Head Coach Larry Piatelli '71. Demanding, challenging, supportive, Mr. P knew how to get the most out of everyone. From tryouts through that last unlucky game in the New England finals against Deerfield (played just a few hours after our overtime semi-final victory over Cushing), Larry Piatelli coaxed the maximum effort out of each and every player. This team grew close together from the very start of the season. At the Flood-Marr, instead of staying in a hotel, the team stayed in Brookline in the homes of James Friedman, Mr. Piatelli's mother (Carol), and Mrs. Piatelli's neighbor (Ann Egan). The long bus ride to Port Hope, Ontario and back was another "bonding experience" that helped to bring the team together. Coach Piatelli was a stern authority figure, but Mrs. P (Jane) was always there for the team to give us whatever we needed - a snack, a meal, organizing team Christmas caroling, providing a sympathetic shoulder to lean on, or an occasional "kick in the pants." Many successful teams refer to themselves as family, but it's often quite contrived. This 83-84 team lived and worked together in a way that made it into such a tightly knit group, the result was that when an opponent took on the Kent Hockey team, they took on a united, imposing, 21-man unit.

Remembrances of Don Gowan:
When Don returned to Kent after graduating from UNC, he was asked to be my assistant varsity basketball coach. We were a team for eight years, an experience for which I am most grateful. Several vignettes come to mind:

Don played for UNC and I played for the University of Kansas. We had a blast bringing the traditions and basketball standards together of two of the finest basketball programs in the country.
At that time I was a NY Knicks fan, and Don lived and breathed the Celtics. Man, did we have fun baiting and jockeying with one another.
We loved to joke about the fact that the Headmaster and Admissions Director were both hockey fanatics and so that is where the financial aid went. Consequently, we concluded that we actually had to coach rather than just throw a puck out.
We shared the joy of taking a group of basketball journeymen to a New England Championship.
Every practice and every game, on and off the court, Don Gowan embodied the finest and highest ideals of sportsmanship, caring for kids/athletes, and living the spirit of the game. I always looked up to Don for his integrity and goodness.
The Rev. B. W. "Pete" Woodward, Jr., Former Kent Chaplain
Headmaster Emeritus, Holderness School

It was always a pleasure and a privilege to coach with Don during our many years together at Kent. Don was an integral part of the varsity football program as my co-coach, and key to any success we had with the program. Totally loyal and unselfish, the players and his fellow coaches always came first. Don never waited for a job to be done; he simply did it himself. Whether it be making a tense decision in an Erickson League football game or cleaning up the locker room after the game, Don always gave his best and never drew any attention to himself. Don was more than a co-coach and more than a friend. He simply was one of the finest men I have ever known.
Cy Theobald

Don Gowan was one of the nicest gentlemen we have ever met. He was straight on every aspect of his life: the way he taught; the way he coached; the way he lived. His life was an example of how to live and compete. He was a tough man when he had to be, and at times, he had to be. He never, however, raised his voice to make his point. In his calm way he did get his point across. He never - in the many games we attended - ever yelled at the refs over questionable or bad calls, or let his players do that. He competed fiercely: he loved to win, but he always taught fair play and trying as hard as his players were capable of playing.

Our sons were lucky to have Don Gowan in their lives. His love for George-Ann and his family was always visible and was shared with them. His love for his religion was shown by example. His life was full of love - a great example to us all.

We return his favorite greeting, "Thanks for coming," with ours back to him: "Thanks for being there and for the example you set." He'll always have our greatest respect.
Mary El & Tony O'Callaghan
Parents of Kevin '79, Chris '80, Scott '82, and Craig '85

Don Gowan was a coach, father and friend to all who played for him. Don made sports fun, and he made everyone on the team feel important. He was the ultimate team coach - the emphasis was always on the team, not individual players. Don respected his players, his opponents and the game. It was never about Don Gowan. He never took credit for winning games or championships. He taught us how to win and be champions on and off the field.
Jack Piatelli '82

I first met Don Gowan when I was a young boy on a baseball diamond in the small New England town where we both grew up. He was a lanky first baseman - a three-sport star for Kent. He shared with me his love for the game. That passion - along with his blue and gray hat - left quite an impression. When Don Gowan became Coach Gowan, I was one of the many athletes he tutored on a football, basketball, or lacrosse field at Kent. He was a rock to us all. His approach was simple - much like that same Kent sweatshirt he seemed to wear for 40 straight years. It wasn't about wins and losses so much - as it was about the purity of sport - leadership, sportsmanship, hard work, and with his big laugh echoing through the valley, the fun of competition. With Don Gowan as our coach, appreciation of sport was easy to learn.

Coach Gowan was more than a coach, more than a teacher; he was a mentor and a friend.
Joe Poletto '75