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URSULINE Gives State Champs a Tough Fight; Finish Runner-Up in the Tournament

The 2010 Squad Is Determined to Keep Everyone Focused; Coach Becnel Discusses Upcoming Scenario with the Offense

Softball is an interesting sport. A team can start the season by losing three times as many games as it wins resulting in some fans / experts believing that things are not going well. Then, in less than one week, those same fans/experts are overheard saying, “We are doing well”. Within the blink of an eye, or one week of softball, URSULINE SOFTBALL has given its fans reason to believe that the team is starting to put things together for a successful season. Following its most recent outing in the championship round of the Carrolton Tournament at the new softball complex located behind the Audubon Zoo, Ursuline Academy has improved its overall record to 5 – 5 (.500) and remains tied for first place in its district.

Earlier this week, URSULINE SOFTBALL opened district play against Riverdale High School. While on UA’s home field at the JPRD fields, our Lions made quick work of their opponents and picked up a win in the third inning via the fifteen run rule. That win moved the team’s record to 2 -3 (.400), still below the “break even” point of success. On Thursday, URSULINE SOFTBALL had a large task on their hands. Our Lions had to travel across the lake to battle Pearl River High School in the second game of district play. This is the first year Pearl River and Ursuline are in the same district and both teams are defending district champions. Therefore, something had to give. Making victory even harder for our Lions, two of the team’s starters (Lavelle ’10 and Becnel ’10) were unavailable for the game because they were on Senior Retreat. However, even with the odds against them, our Lions battled ferociously against the district opponent and took a 6-5 victory in extra innings to move the team’s record to 3 – 3 (.500). For the first time this season, the team did not have a losing record. True, that sounds like a harsh statement, but it is not meant as a negative comment, but instead as a simple acknowledgement of the facts. Now that the team had reached the “break even” point, this weekend’s tournament had the opportunity to tell us a lot about the team.

In the opening game of the tournament, URSULINE SOFTBALL defeated DeLaSalle High School to move to 4 – 3 (.571) and into the “winning record” category. The team had pulled off its first winning streak of the season by winning three consecutive games. In the second game of the tournament, the team Fisher High School would defeat our Lions and end the streak. Kailyn Benoit ’13 was the pitcher on record for the game and moved her record to 1 – 1 on the season. UA bounced back to defeat South Plaquemines High School and move the team’s record to 5 -4 (.556) with Ingles ’11 moving her record to 4-3 on the season.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Ursuline Academy vs. Defending Class 4A State Champions Belle Chasse High School

Coach Ingles was brought in by Coach Garrison to be the 2010 Pitching Coach

 The Lions walked onto the field to participate in their first tournament championship game of the season bringing with them a  5 – 4 (.556) record. Though the record does not immediately strike fear in the hearts of the Lions’ opponents, the fact that the team was sitting on a winning record after starting the season 1 – 3 (.250) was actually a pretty impressive accomplishment. Coach Garrison sent Katie Ingles ’11 (4 – 3) to the mound. The junior was riding a four game win streak that included wins over (Riverdale, Pearl River, DeLaSalle, and South Plaquemines). Though the pitcher’s record is only one game over the .500 mark, Ingles ’11 has pitched much better than her record would include. As documented in a previous review, Ingles ’11 dropped her first three decisions of the season (Hahnville, Fontainebleau, and Pope John Paul II) in games where the team’s offense was unable to score a run. Ingles ’11 could easily be 5 -2 on the season had the offense picked up a few runs during the game. Ingles ’11 appears to be focused this year and ready to battle and lead the team through district play. With the recent awakening of the bats by the offense, Ingles ’11 now has the support she needs and her record is proof that things are looking up for the pitcher and the team. 

Top of 1st   BC  0      UA  0

In the top of the first inning, Ingles ’11 started the game by walking the Belle Chasse leadoff hitter on four pitches. The 2 hole hitter attempted to SAC BUNT the runner into scoring position, however, when the ball landed in Ingles ’11 glove, UA fans erupted believing that a double play was on its way. However, Ingles ’11 was unable to maintain control of the ball and was force to throw to first base for the 1 – 3 FC (fielder’s choice) for the first out of the inning. Belle Chasse’s 3 hole enter came to the plate with one out and a runner in scoring position at second base. When the 3 hole hitter singled into left field, Gabby Lavelle ’10 kept the ball in front of her holding the runner at third base. The hitter rounded first base and went to second setting up a 2^nd and 3^rd with 1 out situation for Belle Chasse’s cleanup hitter ( 4 hole). The 4 hole hitter rove a ball back to the mound and off the glove of Ingles ’11. When the ball rolled to an open spot between the mound and third base, Belle Chasse’s leadoff hitter, who was on third base, ran home and scored the first run of the game ( 0 – 1 ).

With runners on the corners (1^st and 3^rd base), Belle Chasse’s 5 hole hitter grounded a ball to second base. The runner on third raced to home plate. Rachel Rabalais ’13 fielded the ball and threw home to Katie Becnel ’10. The senior catcher did a nice job of applying a tag to the runner as she slid into the plate. With the 4 – 2 FC recorded, UA was one out away from getting out of the inning with minimal damage having occurred. With runners on 1^st and 2^nd base, the 6 hole hitter singled up the middle for Belle Chasse’s third hit of the opening inning. The 7 hole hitter stepped up to the plate to face Ingles ’11 with the bases loaded an no outs. The 7 hole hitter hit a flare into short right field that Rabalais ’13 was able to catch to end the inning. Ursuline was happy to get out of the first with only the one run scoring.

In the bottom of the first, Chloe Mena ’12 continued in her position as leadoff hitter for the 2010 season. In this at-bat, Mena ’12 would strikeout to leadoff the game. Becnel ’12 would be UA’s first base runner after a base on balls (WALK). Ingles ’11 stepped up to the plate with Becnel ’10 on first and a chance to move the runner in scoring position. Perhaps Coach Garrison would use his contact hitter (the 3 hole spot has historically been occupied by the player on the team who is most likely to not only make contact with the ball often, but routinely deliver a hit) to SAC BUNT Becnel ’10 into scoring position. That would put UA’s cleanup hitter (4 hole – Benoit ’13) in the position of delivering the single that would score a racing Becnel ’10 from second base. The question became: “Do you take the bat out of the hands of you 3 hole and put you 4 hole in the “must deliver” position of getting the hit? Garrison opted to let Ingles ’11 swing away in this at bat and the pitcher would eventually be caught looking (strikeout without swinging the bat) for the second out of the inning.

With Becnel ’10 at first, Kailyn Benoit ’13 cam to the plate. Earlier in the tournament, Benoit ’13 delivered an example of the freshman’s power when she launched a homerun over the centerfield fence during the game against Fisher High School. In this at bat, Garrison would gladly take a second homerun from his power hitter, but would be jus as pleased with a single to prolong the inning. Benoit ’13 singled to left-centerfield and Becnel ’10 did not hesitate to go coast to coast (1^st base to 3^rd base). When the Belle Chasse outfielder threw the ball to third base, the ball soared over the head of the third baseman and rolled along the fence on the UA side of the field. Becnel ’10 quickly rose to her feet and sprinted to home plate sliding in safely ahead of the tag to tie the game at 1 -1. The Belle Chasse catcher immediately threw the ball to third base when she saw Benoit ’13 trying to advance. Benoit ’13 was tagged out on the 2 – 5 putout. However, Benoit ’13 and Becnel ’10 delivered resulting in a tied game with the defending state champions.

Top of 2nd     BC  1    UA  1

 The 8 hole hitter singled into right field to start the second inning. With four hits against Ingles ’11 in the first 1⁺ innings, Belle Chasse felt comfortable that they would soon break the game open against Ursuline’s ace pitcher. Ingles ’11 was not about ready to allow that to happen and would soon settle into a rhythm that would give UA a legitimate shot at winning this afternoon’s game.

the long-awaited arrival of Eymard '12 at shortstop, allows Rabalais '13 to move to 2nd

Ingles ’11 would strikeout the 9 hole hitter prior to facing off against the Belle Chasse leadoff hitter for the second time this game. Typically, if you see the same batter in back to back innings, that is a sign things are not going well. However, Ingles ’11 was ready to gain control of the game and went to work against the Belle Chasse lineup. The leadoff hitter would ground to shortstop, and in her first game as a member of URSULINE SOFTBALL, Cassidy Eymard ’12 (pronounced A-MARD) fielded the ball and threw to Rabalais ’13 at second base for the 6 -4 FC and the second out of the inning. Ingles ’11 completed the top of the second by getting the 2 hole hitter to ground back to the mound for an easy 1 – 3 putout.

In the bottom of the 2^nd inning, URSULINE SOFTBALL had an opportunity to take the lead for the first time against the defending state champion. Jenna Jurisich ’14 batted in the 5 hole (Jurisich ’14 batted for Meta Hight ’14 who is the starting centerfielder for the 2010 team). On a side note, to anyone who has watched URSULINE SOFTBALL over the past years, what a huge asset Hight ’14 brings to the outfield. Typically a concern area for the Lions, the outfield was in need of a solid, sure-thing player to anchor the defense and Hight ’14 has delivered well so far this year. The pitching staff can now focus knowing that if a fly ball is hit to the outfield and it is within range, Hight ’14 is going to catch it. Jurisich ’14 would swing at a ball that was practically 3 inches from going over her head and, fortunately for UA, the ball landed in front of the Belle Chasse leftfielder. Jurisich ’14 was on base with freshman Rabalais ’13 stepping up for her first at-bat of the season. Rabalais ’13, a typically solid bat, was called upon to deliver the SAC BUNT to which she did resulting in Jurisich ’14 moving into scoring position. Ursuline now had a runner in scoring position with only one out and an opportunity to give Ingles ’11 the lead prior to returning to the mound. With the left-handed Sarah Treadaway ’12 at the plate, UA fans were optimistic. One thing Treadaway ’12 has a tendency to do is to hit the ball very had, on a line-drive….. directly at a player. As if she was cursed by the softball gods (we mean no disrespect to any religious order…it is just a saying), Treadaway ’12 lined the pitch to the second baseman who turned around and threw to first base for the double play to end the inning.

Top of 3rd   BC  1    UA   1

The 3 hole hitter connected on Ingles ’11 first delivery and lined out to Eymard ’12 for the first out of the inning. Through her pitch selections, Ingles ’11 would confuse the Belle Chasse cleanup hitter resulting in a pop-up to Benoit ’13 at third base. With two outs, the 5 hole hitter singled to right field prior to the 6 hole hitter popping up to Benoit ’13 (yes she caught two pop-ups in one inning) for the third out of the inning.

In the bottom of the third, Ursuline was sat down in order for its first 1-2-3 inning of the game. Lavelle ’10 lined-out to the first baseman and Eymard ’12 struck out in her first plate appearance. Mena ’12 attempted to reach base on a bunt, but was thrown out during the 1 -3 putout.

Top of 4th    BC  1    UA   1

 The 7 hole hitter for Belle Chasse opened the inning with a base on balls (WALK) prior to the 8 hole hitter flying out to Hight ’14 (see, we told you she has everything under control) for the first out of the inning. The 9 hole hitter popped-up in front of the mound and Ingles ’11 caught the ball to set up her third face-off in four inning with Belle Chasse’s leadoff hitter. Ingles ’11 was able to get the leadoff hitter to ground to Rabalias ’13 for the 4 -3 putout.

Before we get to the bottom of the fourth inning, we have to admit that after a sluggish start to the season, URSULINE SOFTBALL is starting to show some life. Has anyone noticed the biggest improvement so far this game? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? The defense is holding its own and has committed no charged errors. As we all know, what is the sure way to lose a game? Have three errors in one game. So far, so good for our Lions.

In the bottom of the fourth, Becnel ’10 lined out to the second baseman for the first out of the inning. Though UA has only one (1) hit so far this game, they are making good contact against the Belle Chasse pitcher. We can only hope that within the next inning or two, some of those “hot shots” start finding a hole in the Belle Chasse defense. Ingles ’11 reached first base following a base on balls (WALK). Coach Garrison opted to bring in freshman Paige Cotton ’13 to run for the pitcher (the last thing we would need is to see our pitcher hurt her leg sliding into second base trying to break-up a double play). Unfortunately, Cotton ’13 would never advance to second base because Benoit ’13 popped-up to the second baseman and Jurisich ’14 popped up to the pitcher.

Top of 5th    BC  1     UA   1

Ingles '11 Continued to Control the High-powered Belle Chasse Offense

 The 2 hole hitter for BC fell victim to a picture-perfect change-up from Ingles ’11. Having struck out the first batter of the inning, Ingles ’11 looked to continue dominating the Belle Chasse lineup. The 3 hole hitter singled to centerfield prior to Ingles ’11 striking out the clean-up hitter for the second out of the inning. With a runner on first base, Ingles ’11 walked the 5 hole hitter. With the go ahead run only 120 feet from scoring, a UA fan shouted, “Take care of it yourself, Katie”. Fans of URSULINE SOFTBALL have become accustomed to seeing Ingles ’11, when in a tough situation, simply throw a pitch right past the batter. However, from a coach’s standpoint, the old saying, “just throw strikes and let you defense do its job” is a more common approach. Ingles ’11 went with the latter and forced a 5 – 3 putout to end the inning.

Bottom of 5th   BC  1   UA   1

 When Rabalais ’13 singled to centerfield to start the inning, fans could be hear saying, “We are playing well today”. Yes, UA was in a tough match against a very good program and was matching the defending state champions play for play through five innings. Treadaway ’12 successfully moved Rabalais ’13 into scoring position with a SAC BUNT. Ursuline now had the go ahead run only 120 feet away from scoring. Lavelle ’10 singled toward leftfield and when the shortstop stopped the ball but was unable to make a play, Lavelle ’10 reached on an infield hit and Rabalais ’13 advanced to third base on 60 feet from scoring the go-ahead run. With Eymard ’12 at the plate, Coach Garrison opted to substitute Sissy Stricklin ’12 for Gabby Lavelle ’10 (running only…Lavelle ’10 to return to the field). This substitution would result in the weirdest play of the 2010 season. With Eymard ’12 at the plate, Stricklin ’12 raced toward second base. The Belle Chasse catcher threw the ball to shortstop in hopes that Rabalais ’13 would try to score from third. Rabalais ’13, sensing the play, remained stationed at third base. While less than 10 feet from the base, Stricklin ’12 stopped, turned around and ran back to first believing that Belle Chasse was trying to throw her out. At this point, Belle Chasse’s defense looked completely confused. Rabalais ’13 attempted to save Stricklin ’12 by running partially down the third baseline. When the Belle Chasse player threw the ball to stop Rabalais ’13, Stricklin ’12 stopped her retreat to first base, turned around and ran back to second base. Eventually, to the absolute dismay of the Belle Chasse coaching staff, Stricklin ’12 was safe at second with Rabalais’13 safe at third base. Eymard ’12 would strike out for the second out of the inning prior to Mena ’12 popping up to second base.

Top of 6th    BC  1    UA   1

 When the sixth inning rolled around, there was no doubt that Ingles ’11 was returning to the mound. However, in her previous inning, Ingles ’11 appeared to be letting her pitches remain a little higher in the strike zone than she would typically like them to remain. Therefore, the question became: with warm temperatures and the sun beating down on the field, should Coach Garrison consider bringing in Benoit ’13 or do you leave Ingles ’11 in the game and see if she had enough to finish out the remaining two innings. So far this season, Ingles ’11 has not been asked to pitch seven innings in temperatures as warm as today’s temperature was. Well, quickly putting to rest any thought of a change in pitchers, Garrison sent Ingles ’11 to the mound to start the 6^th inning.

The 7 hole hitter grounded to Eymard ’12 for the 6-3 putout which was followed by the 8 hole hitter lining a shot to Rabalais ’13 for the second out of the inning. With two outs recorded, Ingles ’11 was rolling with the 9 hole hitter stepping into the box. Ingles ’11 would walk the 9 hole hitter …. this walk would come back to haunt the junior pitcher.

The Belle Chasse leadoff hitter reached first base when she singled off of Ingles ’11 glove. With two outs, Belle Chasse had runners on 1^st and 2^nd base with the 2 hole hitter standing in the batter’s box. The 2 hole hitter would WALK to load the bases for the 3 hole hitter. Keep in mind, Belle Chasse has loaded the bases after having its first two batters retired.

Belle Chasse's 2Out, 3 Run Rally in the Sixth Was Too Much for Our Lions to Overcome

 As we mentioned earlier, the 3 hole hitter is typically the team’s best hitter and in this at-bat, Belle Chasse’s 3 hole hitter proved why she occupies that spot. The 3 hole hitter lined a single into centerfield scoring two (2) Belle Chasse runners to give the defending state champions a 1 – 3 lead over our Lions. Still, with two outs and runners on second and third, Belle Chasse would strike again. The 4 hole hitter hit the ball off the end of the bat toward shortstop. Eymard ’12 knocked the ball down but was unable to gain control of it prior to the runner on third base scoring and making the lead 1 – 4 in favor of Belle Chasse. Finally, the inning ended when the 5 hole grounded into a 4 – 3 putout.

Bottom of 6th     BC   4     UA   1

 Though the team was trailing, UA still had a chance because they were sending the 2,3,4 hole hitters to the plate. However, when neither Becnel ‘10, Ingles ’11, or Benoit ’13 would reach base, UA went into the seventh inning knowing that they would have to start a rally in the bottom of the last with the bottom half of their lineup.

 7th Inning      BC   4     UA   1

 Ingles ’11 would record a 1-2-3 inning to get her offense back to the plate as quickly as possible. However, Jurisich ’14 and Rabalais ’13 would be retired prior to Treadaway ’12 picking up a single to left-centerfield. Cotton ’13 would ground into a 4 – 3 putout to end the game.

FINAL   BC    4     UA   1

URSULINE RECORD     5 – 5  (.500)  (2-0 DISTRICT)       

Members of the sophomore Macs celebrating their latest victory in the Spirit Competition

Congratulations to the Merry Macs for winning the latest competition in the new Spirit Competition.

The Spirit Competition was introduced this year and will continue for many years. Throughout the school year, the five classes compete to obtain as many spirit points as possible so that their class name can be added to the beautiful new spirit trophy located in phone lobby.

At the last activity period, it was announced that the Merry Macs had surpassed the Skips and moved into first place for the first time. However, the senior Skips appear determined to win the competition during their only year of eligibility. The Skips had won two consecutive events (Mardi Gras Costume Contest and the Basketball Regional Game) prior to the Merry Macs winning the most recent competition (Father-Daughter Dance). On a side note, the freshman First Mates finished a close second at the event and are continuing their late push toward the title. The Mates recent success has helped them surpass the Sioux and moved the future-Skips into 3rd place.

** disclaimer, points are awarded based on class participation rates to avoid giving an unfair advantage over the smaller classes.

There are many spirit competitions remaining prior to the official presentation of the award to the winning class (beginning of May 2010). Therefore, with a close race occuring, every point is needed by all the teams. This should be one great finish…. good luck to each class.

Back to the 80s, Dads Grab Your Ladies Perfect Theme Ensured A Fun Night for All

The 2010 Father-Daughter Dance was hosted by the Merry Macs ‘12 and the sophomore class chose the theme Back to the 80s, Dads Grab Your Ladies. Arguably one of the greatest decades in the history of music, tonight’s dance music pleased not only the students, but also their dads. There was no “Who sings this?” or “I do not understand what they are saying.” Instead, dads and daughters sang along as they danced for three hours within the Ourso Athletic Center.

We have covered eight Father-Daughter dances at Ursuline Academy and we can assure you that the 2010 version will be remembered as the dance that included the most dancing. In the past, fathers and daughters would arrive and thirty minutes later, dancing would begin. However, at tonight’s dance, when the music started, the dancing began and continued non-stop until the end. We would like to thank the Macs for hosting the event and choosing such a great theme. Thank you to Class President Mairin Guidry ‘12 and her fellow class officers for all of their hard work making tonight a success. Also, we would like to thank everyone who helped in the clean-up process. Dancing did not end until 11:00pm, and by 11:20, the athletic center was almost spotless. Great teamwork, Ursuline!

Contests Add A Little Something Extra to Special Night; Father-Daughter 2010

First Mates '10 Turned Out in Large Numbers for the 2010 Father-Daughter Dance

Each year, during the Father-Daughter Dance, students and their fathers are encouraged to participate in the Costume Contest and the Dance Contest. The Costume Contest is always fun because you never know what to expect until the father-daughter duo enters the gym. The Dance Contest has become the highlight of the evening. For nearly ten minutes, the father-daughter duos dance until they can not dance any longer to some fast-paced music. Each year, dad finds a way to keep up with his younger daughter and even those in attendance not participating in the costume can not help but cheer for the contestants. What a site it is to see.

Here are the results from the 2010 Father-Daughter Dance contests.

Dance Contests

• Best Dancers – Bailey Adams ‘13 and Dad
• 1st Runner-up – Holly Corbers ‘14 and Dad
• 2nd Runner-up – Julie Joseph ‘12 and Dad

• Honorable Mention – Lily Custodio ‘13 and Dad

Costume Contest

• Best Costume – Jeanette Rimmer ‘12 and Dad
• 1st Runner-up – Kylie Melancon ‘14 and Dad
• 2nd Runner-up – Julia Birch ‘13 and Dad

• Honorable Mention – Marci Holstein ‘12 and Dad 

Most Energetic

This award is presented to the Father-Daughter duo that, in the opinion of the Dance Contest judges, exhibited the most energy and appeared to be having the most fun. This award was presented to:

• Courtney Keller ‘12 and Dad

Fine Arts Department Opens Auditorium Doors for Highly Anticipated Performance

Please join us for a day of wonderful singing and rejoicing. Students, a special performance will be given during your lunch period as part of the 2010 Spirit Competition. With the competition so close, here is your chance to enjoy a great performance while also helping your class. Wow, a double win for you!

Help us support Music in Our Schools month. Can you imagine Ursuline Academy without the contributions from our music students, choir performers, and more? Neither can we!

Ursu-online staff

Two Seniors Chosen for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

Gaines '10 and Harris '10

Two seniors chosen for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and The Historic New Orleans Collection Made in Louisiana Program.

 Ariel Gaines and Katharine Harris (both Seniors and students of Mrs. Debra Hirsch Wood at Ursuline Academy) were chosen by The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and The Historic New Orleans Collection to participate in the Made in Louisiana program on February 3, 2010. They were chosen along with approximately 12 other students throughout the Southeastern region to participate in this program.

 It was a full and enriching day for Ariel and Katharine. Besides attending a lecture by Mark Cave (Manuscripts Curator/Oral Historian for The Historic New Orleans Collection), they sat through the rehearsal-performance by the LPO in historic St. Louis Cathedral, interviewed various musicians, toured The Williams Research Center, and met Principal Guest Conductor, Klauspeter Seibel. Dr. Alfred E. Lemmon, Director of the Williams Research Center with The Historic New Orleans Collection, gave an introduction to Mr. Cave’s lecture with many facts and information on the history of Ursuline.

The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. General and Mrs. L. Kemper Williams, collectors of Louisiana materials, established the institution in 1966 to keep their collection intact and available for research and exhibition to the public. In the 40 years since its founding, The Historic New Orleans Collection has added to its holdings and augmented the physical structures that house them, established ambitious publishing and exhibition schedules, and developed innovative educational programs.
 
In a complex of historic French Quarter buildings at 533 Royal Street, The Collection operates a museum which includes the Williams Gallery for changing exhibitions and the Louisiana History Galleries (ten galleries showcasing permanent displays tracing Louisiana’s multifaceted past), the Williams Residence (a house museum), a museum shop, and administrative offices. The Williams Research Center at 410 Chartres Street, which opened in 1996, makes available to researchers The Collection’s holdings that comprise some 35,000-library items, more than two miles of documents and manuscripts, and approximately 350,000 photographs, prints, drawings, paintings, and other artifacts.

Actor Wendell Pierce narrated the LPO program. The program highlighted the sophisticated and diverse music environment of Louis Moreau Gottschalk, the f irst United States composer to win universal acclaim for his compositions. The program also examined the classical tradition to which Gottschalk was exposed by exploring the musical repertoire of New Orleans concert halls from the Louisiana Purchase (1803) to the departure date of Gottschalk for Europe (1841). Born in New Orleans in 1829, Gottschalk grew up in a city where he was exposed to not only the African-style music and dance in Congo Square, but to a rich tapestry of ethnic diversity and influences. These influences are little known, but they reflect important and unique aspects of New Orleans’ culture and its impact on the development of American music. The program illustrated the full extent of New Orleans cultural diversity to which Gottschalk was exposed.
 
Congratulations to Ariel Gaines and Katharine Harris for being selected to participate in the Louisiana Philharmonic and The Historic New Orleans Collection Made in Louisiana Program.

Senior Retreat a Success; USS SKIP ‘10 Approaching Final Destination

One of the many special moments of Senior Retreat

Congratulations and thank you to Campus Ministry (Ms. Otto and the members of God Squad) for coordinating this year’s Senior Retreat which was held outside of Baton Rouge, La. Bright and early Thursday morning, the Class of 2010 loaded up the buses with clothes, sleeping bags, snack food, and a high level of enthusiasm and excitement for what was sure to be a fun two days.

In keeping with tradition, we will not violate the old saying, “What Happens on Senior Retreat, Stays on Senior Retreat”. True, each year the senior class hears stories from past senior classes which informs of some small specifics, however, a sincere effort is made to keep private the details of the special moment between the members of the senior class.

Given our agreement to go “ssshhh”, we do not have much to report. Therefore, we will simply say congratulations to our Senior Skips for successfully completing this part of their senior year. As the excitement of graduation approaches (May 2010), it is clear that some sadness is also beginning to appear. No matter how hard we try to put a positive spin on the statement, the fact is that the seniors are close to saying goodbye to Ursuline and hello to college life. Wait, what are we saying, no Ursuline Academy student ever truly says goodbye….they will be back on campus within 72 hours (just to walk around), over the summer (just to say ‘hey, I once went here’), in a few months (to collect their yearbook), in a year (to celebrate Rally), and in future years (to see which teachers are still around making Ursuline Academy the special place it is….yes, they expect to see Ms. Cora and somany more).  

We look forward to seeing the Skips ‘10 make the rest of their senior year the most memorable year in their five year history.

We will keep you posted!

Ursu-online staff

This is a reminder that the High School Division will participate in Career Day on Wednesday, March 3rd during the Activity Period. We ask that parents encourage their daughters to take advantage of this opportunity. Through the hard work of the Guidance Department, representatives of dozens of career fields will be on campus to advise and answer questions from our students.

The 2009-10 Varsity Basketball team

UPDATE:  7:21pm

UA  68

WM 53     GAME OVER

UBALL went on a 9 -2 run to end the first

hello ursuline….

we are in the gym and the UBALL basketball team is warming up and the officials have arrived. At this time, our opponents are not yet here but are on their way.

Check back later for scores and highlights.

Game time = 6:00pm

Hello to all of you lovers of Ursuline Academy Athletics. It is a busy week on State St. and here is a list of where you can see our Lions:

1. Basketball

•      Coach Fav and his UBALL squad will host Washington-Marion on Monday night inside of our Ourso Athletic Center. This is the second round match of the 2010 LHSAA Class 4A State Tournament. UBALL needs four (4) victories to be named State Champions. Join us at 6:00pm as UBALL takes the next step toward the team’s first title.

2. Tennis

• Coach Leblanc unveils her 2010 team on Monday at the UNO Tennis Center. The team will face Mt. Carmel beginning at 4:00pm. Come out and see the large amount of talent that is on this year’s team including Tyler Castillo ‘10, Sarah Meyer ‘10, and Caroline Nelson ‘12.
• UA TENNIS will play Academy of the Sacred Heart on Tuesday. The match begins at 4:00pm and will be played at the UNO Tennis Center.

3. Softball

• Fresh off of its first tournament, UA SOFTBALL opens district play on Tuesday when it battles Riverdale High School at UA’s home field in the JPRD Softball Complex on David Dr. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00pm.
• UA SOFTBALL will compete in its second district game on Thursday when the team travels to the Northshore to compete against Pearl River High School at PRHS field.
• Scheduled to begin on Friday, UA SOFTBALL will participate in the McGehee Tournament at Carrollton Playground. Once we obtain a copy of game times and opponents, we will post that information to our web site.

4. Track and Field

• Coach Davis and her Track and Field team will participate in the Mandeville Invitational on Saturday. Start time is TBA (we will post more information once it is available).