Date: Fri 22-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Nell-Ayn-Lynch

Full Text:

Nell-Ayn Lynch Feature

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

With four CIAC state championships as a player and now one as a head coach to

her credit, it might be safe to say that Nell-Ayn Lynch has winning in her

blood. She did it for four years down at Amity-Woodbridge and then - after

four non-descript years at the University of Connecticut and a couple more

years as an assistant at Amity - did it in her first season as a head coach at

Newtown High School.

In the blood.

Of course, all the pieces were there. The Lady Nighthawks already featured one

of the best setters in the South-West Conference (Leigh Hoppmeyer) and one of

best hitters (Kristin Denninger) and simply had flat out talent to play.

What they needed, however, was a different focus. In 1995, the Lady Nighthawks

- with much of the same talent - suffered through an often frustrating 9-10

season which saw too many matches slip away because of serious mental

breakdowns. And in came Nell-Ayn. She did not quite have a sense of how good

the team was but she saw some overwhelming potential . . . especially with the

addition of a new hitter, Dee Conley.

" When I saw them in practice, " she said, " I saw they were doing some things

wrong - oh, I definitely saw the raw talent - but I felt if I could teach them

some things we would be okay.

" When I saw Dee hit a ball, " she added, " and Leigh set it and I said, hmmm,

not bad. Then I saw Kristin hit the ball and Carrie hit the ball and saw the

potential in someone like Jen Swiatowicz and I got excited. "

The Lady Nighthawks had always hoped to be the best and it wasn't too long

before they believed it. They set open-ended goals, not settling for the idea

of counting themselves among the best in the SWC.

They wanted to be the best.

" Kids need you to believe in them, " said Nell-Ayn, " and they knew that I

wasn't going to settle for anything less than their best. "

What she learned from high school and from college was how hard you had to

work to achieve a goal and that was one of the messages she imparted to the

Lady Nighthawks as they embarked on what they honestly believed would be the

first ever CIAC state championship for Newtown High.

" I think they saw the overwhelming potential, " said Nell-Ayn, " and when

they saw it click, they thought, `wow.' I get a sense, now that it's done,

that the kids coming back are psyched. They can't wait to get back. "

The Lady Nighthawks will come back without Hoppmeyer and Denninger and

Delphine Tuot - three-fifths of the starting lineup - but that is an issue for

another time.

" Those are three tough kids to lose, " said Nell-Ayn, " but I see what I have

coming back - Dee, Michele DeLuca, Jenn Corkum, Jen Swiatowicz . . . kids who

are willing to work hard. We'll be okay. "