Belmont Hill puts a strong emphasis on leadership, and this spring, a group of seniors showed exactly what that leadership looks like by stepping into coaching roles for middle school teams. Seniors Sammy Flood, Tyler Smith, Rhett Curtis, Babikir Saeed, TZ Snail, Will Achtmeyer, Cam Kelley, Luke Waldeck, Eli Warn, Jack O’Brien, and Malik Ibrahim all volunteered their time to help coach younger athletes in baseball or crew. While senior year is focused on academics, college decisions, and finishing varsity careers strong, these students took on an added responsibility that has made a real impact on middle schoolers.
For younger athletes, having varsity athletes as coaches creates a new and important connection. In crew, seniors Sammy Flood, Tyler Smith, Rhett Curtis, Babikir Saeed, TZ Snail, and Will Achtmeyer have brought years of experience out on the water to the middle school team. Having someone who has gone through the same program that the younger rowers are going through has made the sport much less intimidating. “He actually gets what it is like to be nervous out on the water because he has been there,” said Owen Palumbo ’30 about TZ Snail. The senior rowers have taken the role seriously, inspiring confidence in the younger rowers while also demonstrating the discipline and commitment required at the varsity level. The daily presence of the Seniors at practice pushes the middle school boys to give it their all and motivates them to put in hard work.
The same dynamic has been present on the baseball field. Luke Waldeck, Cam Kelly, Eli Warn, Jack O’Brien, and Malik Ibrahim have all stepped up to coach the middle school baseball teams this spring. Even for seniors coaching for the first time, they have made a significant impact. Rather than just learning from adult coaches, the younger players are learning from role models they already admire on campus. The connection between the middle schoolers and the seniors has fostered more energetic, engaging practices.
Throughout the spring, these senior coaches have demonstrated that leadership at Belmont Hill is not just about individual success; it is also about investing in the younger generations at Belmont Hill and strengthening the entire Belmont Hill community. By giving their time and effort, these senior coaches have made a lasting impact on the middle schoolers and demonstrated the leadership qualities instilled in them over their years at Belmont Hill. As they prepare to graduate and move onto the next stage of their lives, the example they have set will not be forgotten. The middle schoolers they coached this spring will one day be in the same position as the Seniors are in now, and hopefully they will choose to give back to the Belmont Hill community in the same way.
