“We Are Winners” was the theme at the annual St. Rose School sports banquet last weekend as St. Rose staff, students and parents gather to celebrate the basketball teams and cheer squads for their season of accomplishments.

“We celebrated the notion that winning is not only the final score on the board, but knowing that you’ve done better than you ever have before,” said athletic director Kim Braun.

And this season, the teams’ competitive spirit and athletic talent made them winners on the score board as well. For the first time in school history, all four teams advanced to the Parochial League Tournament semi-finals – the local equivalent of the Final Four – with the junior varsity boys’ and girls’ teams taking second and third place, respectively.

Also, each team placed at least one player on the All Star team, also a first for the school. Jayvee members Taylor Brady, Matthew Rahtelli and Nick Gerbo received the honor along with varsity members Colleen Cunningham and Grant Braun.

St. Rose and the greater Danbury Parochial League also honored individuals whose achievements deserved special recognition. The Scholar Athlete Award, recognizing two eighth grade students who excel in both sports and academics, was awarded to Colleen Cunningham and Conner Byrne.

Other awards presented by the coaches included Offensive and Defensive players of the year, Most Improved and the Sportsmanship Award. At least sixteen more athletes and cheerleaders were honored with these awards.

With the impending parish expansion, which includes athletic facilities, the school aggressively expanded its athletic program. This year, the school doubled the size of the Pep Squad, a younger group of aspiring cheerleaders, and now that the basketball teams and cheerleading squads have put their school on the winners’ list the department will shift its focus to the newly formed baseball program prepared for its first-ever season in the Waterbury Parochial League.

With a new jayvee baseball team of 18 students, Ms. Braun expects the program will grow quickly and competitively.

“As our resources improve through the campus expansion and enrichment programs,” she said, “it only makes sense that our sports program reflect the athletic aspirations of all our students.”

It is expected that the new facility will be open by the start of the 2007-08 baseball season. It will include a fully equipped ‘high tech’ gymnasium, as well as other multi-purpose spaces for all parish community members to utilize … as well as the growing athletic program.