Writer Recalls Last Two Years and City’s Budding Stars
By Matthew Cannata | Sports Correspondent at July 10, 2024 | 8:15 am | Print
The city of New Britain is a hidden gem when it comes to sports. Over the past two years, I have written countless stories that highlighted athletes making their mark in the sports world, those who are now playing at the highest level of the game and yes, even those who have played at the highest level but have since retired.
This will be my last story in the New Britain City Journal as I am moving on to focus on other professional endeavors. I sincerely thank Robin Vinci for allowing me the opportunity to showcase New Britain’s best for the past several years. When thinking of what to write for my last story, I could have done just another feature but I figured it would be best to remind everyone just how great of a sports town that New Britain is.
We can start at the highest level of each sport. George Springer, who plays for the Houston Astros, grew up in New Britain and played in New Britain Little League. After attending New Britain High School for a year, he transferred to Avon Old Farms and his baseball career continued to soar. He was drafted by the Astros in the first round of the 2011 draft. In 2014, he was called up to the Majors and has quickly become a household name across the country.
We can also look at David and Jordan Reed, who have played in the National Football League. David no longer plays in the NFL but he had some great moments playing for the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts. Jordan now plays for the Washington Redskins and while he has been battling injuries since his time in the league, he has proven to be a productive tight end when he is healthy and on the field. They both grew up in New Britain and played in the youth leagues here in the city. David played at New Britain High School while Jordan went to New London to play for Jack Cochran.
And now, we can turn to Byron Jones, who was drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Jones came through the youth leagues here in New Britain, played at St. Paul High School in Bristol and then went onto the University of Connecticut to make his mark. Jones hasn’t forgotten his roots as in the past week, he has been spotted at the Mayor’s office dropping by to pay a visit and also working out at local facilities here in the city to get ready for the upcoming season.
We’ve seen countless players come through New Britain as part of the minor league program here in New Britain. Whether we go way back and look at Roger Clemens, Mo Vaughn, Jeff Bagwell, Curt Schilling, Matt Stairs and others or we look at modern day players such as Joe Mauer, David Ortiz, A.J. Pierzynski, Torii Hunter and more, we have had future major league stars playing right in our backyard.
How about the young athletes making a mark in their respective sport? Ceana Rodriguez is entering her junior year at New Britain High School but she has already been crowned a world champion in Taekwondo. Since 2006, she has participated in over 100 competitions across the country and has won over 70 gold medals. In 2013, she won a gold medal in the 15-17 Junior Elite Olympic Division while competing in Toronto against the best from around the world.
Stephon Henry just finished his first year at the University of Connecticut after receiving a full scholarship for track and field based on his success at New Britain High School. There, he won numerous competitions and just recently, he tried out for the Junior Olympic team. Going back to 2013-2014 season, he placed first in the CCC Championship, which meant he was the best in Connecticut.
Joanna Tobiasz, now entering her senior year at the high school, is on a similar career path as Henry as she also switched to indoor track and field her junior year. During the 2014-2015 season, she was crowned CCC Conference Champion in the girls’ long jump competition. She also qualified for the Class LL State Championships in three other events. Since then, she has won numerous other competitions and looks to continue her dominance heading into the 2015-2016 season.
Besides those who are currently playing at the highest level of their sport and besides those who are currently making their mark in the sports world, we also have countless others who have already accomplished all that they can in the professional sports world.
Tebucky Jones, who was a first round draft pick of the New England Patriots, had a successful NFL career and has a Super Bowl ring. Besides playing for the Patriots, he also played for the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints. Now, you can find him roaming the sidelines at Veterans’ Stadium as the head coach of the NBHS team.
Lamar Odom attended Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and played in the NBA from 1999-2014. He has won numerous awards, including being named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, sixth man of the year and has two NBA championships. He was drafted in the first round of the 1999 draft.
The Osgood Shootout, held every summer at NBHS, features current and former stars such as Kemba Walker, Andre Drummond Jared Sullinger, Jerome Dyson, Marcus Camby, Ray Allen and more. All these players grew up in the area and now come back to New Britain to give back to the community.
The list can go on and on but of course, space is limited. As you follow sports both locally and nationally, just remember that New Britain has been home to quite a few stars and is currently home to many budding stars. Come out and support the youth leagues along with the high school athletes. I guarantee that you’ll find yourself watching countless stars in the making.
