The Rise of the Co-op Teams

by Allura Carney

Hudson winter athletes are a part of four different cooperative (co-op) teams – the swim team, which is hosted by Nashoba; the girls ice hockey team, which is combined with Nashoba, Marlborough, and hosted by Algonquin; the wrestling team, which is hosted by Advanced Math and Science Academy (AMSA); and the gymnastics team, which includes Clinton, and Maynard, and Hudson hosts.

Hudson High Athletic Director Jessica Winders would love for all Hudson students to compete for Hudson sports, but sometimes that is not possible. When there is not enough interest in a particular sport or the number of students participating is too small to be competitive and safe, a co-op team is formed.

“There’s no difference at all [between co-op sports and regular sports]; it’s just like any other team you are on. The only difference is it’s your high school team, and you are not competing for your high school. I think there is still pride. And I think our players have a big role in the success of the programs,” said Winders.

Winders appreciates the co-op teams because she wants all of her students to be part of a sports team that they enjoy competing in. “If I am looking at it as they either have an opportunity to compete or they don’t, the co-op is a no brainer for me, and I wouldn’t ever want to say, ‘You know what, I don’t want to bother with the co-op and the extra work the co-op takes’ because I don’t want another school to say that to my student athletes,” said Winders.

Winders still wishes that there was no need for a co-op team and that Hudson would have their own team. “We can’t just start some of these programs because we need facilities and uniforms, and it’s a budget. So for me it’s an opportunity. Whenever Hudson could host its own program, like if we ever had a situation where we could take back wrestling, I would in a heartbeat.”

Even though the co-op teams give the students an opportunity to play for teams that Hudson does not provide, there are negatives to the team.

“The negative is that they are not playing for Hudson,” said Winders. “You grow up in Hudson and spend all day in class with all of your peers and then have to go somewhere else to be part of a sports team.”

However, this does not bother students too much. Hudson freshman Joseph Bonina competed on the wrestling team last year when it was only Hudson athletes, and he continues the sport on the co-op team this year. Bonina explains that the combination of different schools does not affect the dynamic of the team. He says that they still treat each other like teammates even though they are from different schools. “We make fun of each other, encourage each other, and joke around with each other,” said Bonina, “just like any other team.”  

Sophomore Elizabeth Cautela on the girls ice hockey team loves when her team sings throwback songs from High School Musical and Hannah Montana after big wins. That is her favorite example of team bonding.

“A team is a team,” said Cautela. “No matter where you come from, so no, [students from different towns] do not affect our team.”

“I worry about that [separation between schools]. I don’t think it’s happening. They are just part of the team. That’s just what they do,” said Winders. “It’s like playing a travel or an AAU or club. You immediately start to form those bonds as you would on a Hudson team,” said Winders.

These teams do give students a good opportunity, but Winders believes if student athletes had a choice, they would want to play for Hudson.