Students at the King Open School got a real treat one recent
afternoon. It was playoff time for the Elementary Basketball teams so
that also meant it was Pep Rally time. Dan Fusco, the coach of the
school’s Boys and Girls teams, has a tradition of honoring the
student-athletes with a Pep Rally that most of the school attends. The
show has been known to be quite a spectacle, and this year was no
exception.
Fusco, also affectionately known as Mr. F, began these Pep Rallies 11
years ago at the Harrington school. Since then it has grown each year
into what it is today, an event that many call “the best day of the
year” and one that will always be remembered. Fusco tries to out-do the
prior year’s show each time. The last four have been held at the Peabody
School, and he claims that he would “probably have had to set myself on
fire to beat the last one” if he hadn’t been transferred.
On Monday, May 21, students in grades 3-8 found their seats in the
auditorium not knowing what to expect, but ready for a positive and
entertaining afternoon, having just finished MCAS testing the Friday
before. The stage was nicely decorated with large banners, balloons, and
streamers, and a slide show of pictures from the season played on a
screen toward the back of the stage. Suddenly, Welcome to the Jungle
began bellowing out from stereo speakers and the school’s basketball
teams exploded through the paper banners and headed to their seats at
the back of the auditorium. One player, Antonia Tager, remained on the
stage and gave a heartfelt introduction of Mr. F. He then took the stage
and the show began.
The first thing that followed was a flawless violin performance of
the Star Spangled Banner by 6th grader Jeremy Klein. Immediate
following, a drummer, a bass Guitar, a saxophonist, and a pianist joined
him on the stage, playing a Dropkick Murphys tune reminiscent of the
entrances of Jonathan Papelbon. Suddenly, the pace slowed down and four
singers joined the band on stage to sing We Are Young. The crowd has already had a ball and it was only 10 minutes into the Rally.
As Fusco returned to the stage after the performance, he proceeded to
speak from the heart about the positive virtues of each and every
player. After the player was introduced, a song would play and the
student would come down to the stage to embrace Mr. F.. Girls were
handed flowers and there were even 22 inch trophies for the MVP’s and
the “Most Improved Players”. Even students in the audience won prizes.
Several basketballs, sneaker bags, team jerseys, and even an MP3 player
was given away.
Fusco has been known for going out of his way to make the athletes’
experience on the team special. Cambridge has a league that has a No-Cut
Policy, allowing every 7th and 8th grader a chance to play. Mr. F. sees
this as an opportunity to get as many children as possible to be active
and a part of a team. Ideas like the Pep Rally are one of best tools
he’s found to make every elementary student count the days until they
are old enough to join the team. Fusco cannot remember a time when he
did not have the largest team in the city, despite coaching at several
different schools over the last decade.
As the structure of our Middle Schools changes in September, there is
some uncertainty about how athletics will look in the years to come.
Fusco hopes that whatever setup is adopted, there will still be room for
events like this for as long as he is still teaching.