“It's not about talent. It's about heart. It's about who can go out there and play the hardest. They're not gonna give you anything, so you've got to go out there and you've got to take it.” 

- Don Haskins (Head Coach at the University of Texas at El Paso from 1961 to 1999)

Bow High School has many talented athletes involved in spring sports programs for the 2022 season. Numerous student athletes receive recognition throughout the school year, in various newspapers, and at end-of-season awards. But some athletes, although crucial to their specific team, fly under the radar. We asked BHS coaches to shed light on these athletes who  deserve recognition for their hard work, dedication, and personal successes, as they help to make their teams better, and the insights of those that responded are what follow.  

The girls tennis team, led by head coach Steve Langevin, has multiple “under the radar” athletes on the squad. This is Coach Langevin’s 15th season coaching high school tennis, and first year coaching girls tennis at Bow High School. With so much potential and existing talent, he was extremely excited to coach the team this year. With most of the upperclassmen in the top 10, freshmen Jaden Glace and Grace Modzeleski have performed exceptionally well. Glace is listed at 5th, with Modzeleski at 6th. Both girls breaking into the top 10 as freshmen quite quickly impressed Coach Langevin. Langevin stated, “ Those two will be the foundation of the program for the next three seasons.” They also received German exchange students Josephine Jaques and Louisa Hoffmann during the offseason. Jaques, a sophomore, has developed into a great tennis player, as she ranks number 2 on the team. Hoffmann, a junior who is starting tennis for the first time, has also performed above expectations as she ranks number 12. “They give another perspective,” Langevin said.  “And it is great for the other girls to get to know some things about another part of the world.” 

The boys tennis team, a highly touted team in Division 2, 

is run by first year head coach Jack Yvars. Yvars, along with his two sons, help coach the team. Yvars has been coaching Bow sports for over 20 years, but this is his first for high school tennis. Although it may be Yvars’s first season, he shared “It’s certainly been a pleasure coaching this team!” Yvars pointed out two “under the radar” athletes that have made a positive impact so far. Noah Leuchtenberger and Oliver Dolcino, both seniors, continue to impress him as their consistent success has been a key factor in the success of the team as a whole. Both Leuchtenberger and Dolicino act as role models for the younger athletes on the team, and he also recognized that “both are hard workers and good examples of leadership and competitiveness.” 

The girls softball team, a team with lots of potential, is run by head coach Jennifer Boyden. Boyden spent last years’ season as the assistant coach, but has now taken over the reins as the head coach. Boyden has coached softball for 10 years now, and also currently coaches softball/sports performance at Emerson College in Boston and for a club team out of Bedford. Coach Boyden believes the team’s “under the radar” athlete is sophomore Lilly Wright. Wright transitioned to 1st base for the 2022 season, assuming a larger role with more catching responsibilities. Boyden has enjoyed Wright’s successes so far, stating, “Offensively she's doing really well in the early part of the season and (Faculty Spotlight, cont.) we're hoping she can be a big source of extra base hits and RBIs this season.” She also noted that “her attitude is always positive, she's extremely inquisitive about the game and learning more during drills, and she's one of the most vocal communicators on the field during games and at practices.” With Wright being tasked with a large role on the team, her early accomplishments have been a major reason for the team’s success.

The Bow baseball team, run by head coach Ben Forbes, is a very talented team led by many seniors for the 2022 season. Forbes has been coaching at BHS for almost 25 years. Along with baseball, he is also the head varsity bass fishing coach. Over the years, Forbes has built up quite the resume, winning almost 250 games and recording 2 championships, along with several runners-up. With a team loaded with seniors, junior Luke Wilke is the team’s “under the radar” athlete. Wilke is a center fielder, who brings the energy and leadership to a team with lots of potential. Forbes states, “Luke continues to be coachable, he’s working and a huge student of the game. These traits translate well onto the field as he continues to grow and improve as a ballplayer.” He also appreciates that “Luke is well respected by his teammates and is a strong representative of the baseball program, the Bow High School Community and his family.” Wilke’s hard work, commitment, and positive leadership give the junior a pivotal role in a team looking for the state title. 

Bow’s track and field team, primarily led by Jon Uhouse, has a majority of upperclassmen leading the team overall. Uhouse has coached Bow’s track and field team for 9 years now, while also currently coaching the girls basketball team at Bow Memorial. Although the team is extremely veteran heavy, sophomore Owen Miller has exceeded Coach Uhouse’s expectations, becoming a key asset, and a reliable athlete. “His positive attitude and willingness to step into a race make him very reliable,” Uhouse noted. “He has also done a lot of work in the off season and has really been impressive so far in the 2022 track season.” Miller spent much of the offseason training in preparation for a strong spring outing, and his hard work and commitment has been displayed impressively so far this spring season. With Miller’s upbeat personality, and positive attitude, he has become a role model for the squad who will  certainly learn from him. 

Bow boys lacrosse, run by head coach Darren Premo, is a uniquely young team, with lots of underclassmen running the show. Premo has been with the lacrosse program for 5 years. He was an assistant coach for the first 3 years, and head coach for the last 2 seasons. Coach Premo sees Junior Patrick Wachsmuth as the team’s “under the radar” athlete. Wachsmuth turned heads in the winter, having a remarkable season on the snowy mountains of New Hampshire, and is doing just that with the lacrosse team. His blazing speed, consistent effort, and his ability to learn from his mistakes has given this first-year player a starting position on the varsity squad. “I don’t think anybody anticipated that he would develop as quickly as he would,” Coach Premo said.  “But that just shows you what kind of athlete he is. He’s come in and made huge strides to get himself on the field. He wants to make an impact on this team.” Wachsmuth has been able to learn the game of lacrosse incredibly quickly, and has already become a focal point on this young and growing team.
These “under the radar” athletes play a large role in each of the spring sports teams. Just as legendary basketball coach Don Haskins' infamous quote referenced above, each athlete consistently puts in hard work, always playing their heart out. This is, without question, the reason for their own amazing accomplishments and the team’s overall success.