Hoosac Boys Win First NEPSAC Title for First Time

With New York serving as perhaps the world’s greatest melting pot, there are many prominent private schools in the greater-metropolitan area that include students from an array of different counties, backgrounds and cultures. One of those is the Hoosac School in upstate New York, and using that diverse cast of players, it made history earlier this year.

This past spring, the boys’ varsity tennis team from the Hoosac School did something no other team in program history had done: win the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Championship.

The boys from the Hoosac School, which resides in Hoosick, New York, just west of the border of Vermont, upended the five-time defending champions from Roxbury Farms in the finals to capture the title. The team was led by a number of seniors, and they came into the season more motivated than ever.

“They were very hard-working kids,” said head coach Virginia Gilory. “Most of the boys on the team this past year were seniors, and have been here for a couple of years. It was their last year, and they knew they had to work extra hard and fight if they wanted to make it count, especially as they try to impress potential college coaches. These guys really wanted it, and I think that helped a lot. We have very hard-working and serious kids who are extremely talented, and putting that all together helped us to go all the way.”

Gilroy has been at the helm of both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams at Hoosac since December 2021, and brought her expansive experience both as a player and coach to the program. A native of Brazil, she came to the United States on a full scholarship to Concordia College here in New York.

After competing at the top of the lineup during her career, she took over as the Women’s Tennis coach at Concordia shortly after graduating. She would coach there for a few years before being hired as the first woman to work in the athletic department at the very prestigious country club: Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, where she would become the head pro.

Gilroy eventually headed back to Brazil to open her own tennis academy there which she operated for nearly three decades before making the decision to return to the United States and get back into coaching team tennis. That is when she was hired by the Hoosac School, and that depth of experience is an important aspect of Gilroy connecting with her players, many of whom are international players who come from a whole host of different backgrounds.

“The fact that they come from different countries and cultures makes it extremely special,” she said. “No matter where you come from, work ethic needs to be the same, and these kids know that when they get here. The melting pot is so rich here, and it’s an important experience for them to get both on and off the court.”

The school itself has been extremely supportive of the tennis team, and that is something that Gilroy is grateful for.

“The empowerment that the institution gives me as a coach is amazing, and it has really helped these kids,” she said. “About three years ago, we got brand new courts. The headmaster is genuinely in it for the kids, and the administration’s doors are always open. I tell the kids it is because of them; if they continue to work hard, do the right things, and earn good grades, why would they say no. I tell them to continue doing their part, and the school will always invest in this team.”

That investment has helped elevate Hoosac to the 2023 NEPSAC Champions. Next up now is attempting to bring home the championship with the girls’ team, who lost in the championship match to Dover last season.

“The girls were runner-ups last year, but we’re ready for it this season,” Gilroy added. “We have a great team and great girls. But it’s going to take work. Just as we work on recruiting and having good people in place, the other schools do the same, we have to make sure we are prepared and ready.”