Naugatuck Valley League
Encyclopedia
The Naugatuck Valley League (abbreviated NVL) is a 14-team athletic conference
of high school
s, located in the Naugatuck River Valley
of Connecticut
.
The NVL is a member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference
(CIAC). It is the oldest high school athletic conference in Connecticut.
in the NVL: the Brass and the Copper. These divisions were created by the member schools' athletic director
s prior to the 2007-08 school year in order to create more competition within the league and enhance each sport's postseason tournament
. The names "Brass" and "Copper" were chosen because of Waterbury's history of being centers of Brass
and Copper
production.
During the winter of 2009, the existing 12 member schools voted in favor of admitting two new schools into the league—Derby High School, moving over from the Southern Connecticut Conference, and St. Paul Catholic High School of Bristol
, which would have been forced to play independently upon the disbanding of the Northwest Conference. Both schools will join league play starting in the fall of 2009. Due to the addition of the schools, the previous Brass and Copper Divisions were rearranged to ensure fair competition.
The realignment of the league resulted in two sets of divisions--one set for football and the other for all other sports. St. Paul Catholic (which fields a co-operative team with Lewis Mills High School and Goodwin Technical High School in football) was simply added to the pre-existing Copper football division, while Derby (which fields a co-op team with Emmett O'Brien Technical High School in football) was added to the old Brass.
In each of the other NVL sports, the divisions were more drastically realigned. Both St. Paul and Derby were added to the Brass, and Woodland moved from the Copper to the Brass. Crosby and Wilby both shifted from the Brass to the Copper, creating an essentially "city division," with the five Waterbury schools, along with Naugatuck and Torrington.
sports in 3 seasons: fall
, winter, and spring.
Fall sports
Winter sports
Spring sports
Athletic conference
An athletic conference is a collection of sports teams, playing competitively against each other at the professional, collegiate, or high school level. In many cases conferences are subdivided into smaller and smaller divisions, with the best teams competing at successively higher levels...
of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, located in the Naugatuck River Valley
Naugatuck River Valley
The Naugatuck River Valley refers to the watershed area of the Naugatuck River in the western part of Connecticut. The Naugatuck Valley straddles parts of Litchfield County, New Haven, and Fairfield counties. The Route 8 corridor and Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North railroad line run along the...
of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
The NVL is a member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference
Connecticut Association of Schools
The Connecticut Association of Schools and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference is the governing body for secondary school athletics and other interscholastic competition in the state of Connecticut.- History :...
(CIAC). It is the oldest high school athletic conference in Connecticut.
Divisions
There are two divisionsDivision (sport)
In sports, a division is a group of teams who compete against each other for a championship.-League system:In sports using a league system , a division consists a group of teams who play a sport at a similar competitive level...
in the NVL: the Brass and the Copper. These divisions were created by the member schools' athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
s prior to the 2007-08 school year in order to create more competition within the league and enhance each sport's postseason tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
. The names "Brass" and "Copper" were chosen because of Waterbury's history of being centers of Brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
and Copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
production.
During the winter of 2009, the existing 12 member schools voted in favor of admitting two new schools into the league—Derby High School, moving over from the Southern Connecticut Conference, and St. Paul Catholic High School of Bristol
Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
, which would have been forced to play independently upon the disbanding of the Northwest Conference. Both schools will join league play starting in the fall of 2009. Due to the addition of the schools, the previous Brass and Copper Divisions were rearranged to ensure fair competition.
The realignment of the league resulted in two sets of divisions--one set for football and the other for all other sports. St. Paul Catholic (which fields a co-operative team with Lewis Mills High School and Goodwin Technical High School in football) was simply added to the pre-existing Copper football division, while Derby (which fields a co-op team with Emmett O'Brien Technical High School in football) was added to the old Brass.
In each of the other NVL sports, the divisions were more drastically realigned. Both St. Paul and Derby were added to the Brass, and Woodland moved from the Copper to the Brass. Crosby and Wilby both shifted from the Brass to the Copper, creating an essentially "city division," with the five Waterbury schools, along with Naugatuck and Torrington.
NVL football divisions
| Division | School | Nickname | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Division | Holy Cross High School Holy Cross High School (Waterbury, Connecticut) Holy Cross High School is a Catholic secondary school founded in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1968 by the Congregation of Holy Cross. Presently, Holy Cross is the largest Catholic secondary school in Connecticut, situated on thirty seven acres in the West End of Waterbury, Connecticut, accessible via... |
Crusaders Crusaders The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles... |
Waterbury Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City... |
| John F. Kennedy High School | Eagle Eagle Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in... s |
Waterbury | |
| Naugatuck High School Naugatuck High School Naugatuck High School is a high school in Naugatuck, New Haven County, Connecticut. The school principal is Janice Saam.The school is located at 543 Rubber Avenue. The building was constructed in 1959. 3 wings were added during the 1970s and are known as Castle House, Goodyear House, And the... |
Greyhound Greyhound The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed... s |
Naugatuck Naugatuck, Connecticut Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, which has its own post office, Straitsville on the... |
|
| Sacred Heart High School Sacred Heart High School (Connecticut) Sacred Heart High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Waterbury, Connecticut. It is in the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford.-Background:... |
Hearts | Waterbury | |
| St. Paul Catholic High School | Falcon Falcon A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.... s |
Bristol Bristol, Connecticut Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to... |
|
| Torrington High School Torrington High School Torrington High School is the lone public high school in the city of Torrington, Connecticut. The school strives to live up to its four A's: academics, activities, arts, and athletics.-Athletics:... |
Red Raiders | Torrington Torrington, Connecticut Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census.... |
|
| Woodland Regional High School Woodland Regional High School Woodland Regional High School is a high school located in the western part of Beacon Falls, Connecticut, near the town line shared with Oxford.The school is operated by Regional School District 16. The school mascot is the hawk... |
Hawk Hawk The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,... s |
Beacon Falls Beacon Falls, Connecticut Beacon Falls is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,246 at the 2000 census. The population increased to 6,049 at the 2010 census. Beacon Falls is also home to the national-known Meteorologist Jim Cantore. Settlers from Derby, Connecticut settled Beacon... |
|
| Brass Division | Ansonia High School | Chargers | Ansonia Ansonia, Connecticut Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad... |
| Crosby High School | Bulldog Bulldog Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose... s |
Waterbury | |
| Derby High School | Red Raiders | Derby Derby, Connecticut Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:... |
|
| Seymour High School Seymour High School (Connecticut) Seymour High School is a secondary school in Seymour, Connecticut.-About Seymour High School:Seymour High School serves students from grades 9-12. Seymour High School served students from Seymour. This is the only high school in Seymour.-History:... |
Wildcat Wildcat Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:... s |
Seymour Seymour, Connecticut Seymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
|
| Watertown High School Watertown High School (Connecticut) Watertown High School is a public high school serving Watertown, Connecticut. It is located at 324 French Street, Watertown, Connecticut.-Current Administration:* Principal Mr. Matthew A. Geary* Assistant Principal Mr. Marc Balanda... |
Indians Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... |
Watertown Watertown, Connecticut Watertown is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 21,661 at the 2000 census. The zip code for Watertown is 06795. It is a suburb of Waterbury. It borders the towns of Woodbury, Middlebury, Litchfield, Plymouth, Bethlehem, and Thomaston.-Founding History:More... |
|
| Wilby High School | Wildcats | Waterbury | |
| Wolcott High School | Eagles | Wolcott Wolcott, Connecticut Wolcott is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 15,215 at the 2000 census.Wolcott was founded in 1796 and was originally named Farmingbury... |
|
NVL divisions (other sports)
| Division | School | Nickname | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Division | Crosby High School | Bulldogs | Waterbury |
| Holy Cross High School | Crusaders | Waterbury | |
| John F. Kennedy High School | Eagles | Waterbury | |
| Naugatuck High School | Greyhounds | Naugatuck | |
| Sacred Heart High School | Hearts | Waterbury | |
| Torrington High School | Red Raiders | Torrington | |
| Wilby High School | Wildcats | Waterbury | |
| Brass Division | Ansonia High School | Chargers | Ansonia |
| Derby High School | Red Raiders | Derby | |
| Seymour High School | Wildcats | Seymour | |
| St. Paul Catholic High School | Falcons | Bristol | |
| Watertown High School | Indians | Watertown | |
| Wolcott High School | Eagles | Wolcott | |
| Woodland Regional High School | Hawks | Beacon Falls | |
Sports
The NVL offers varsityVarsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
sports in 3 seasons: fall
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
, winter, and spring.
Fall sports
- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- Girls' VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- Boys' Soccer
- Girls' Soccer
- Girls' SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- Boys' Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- Girls' Cross Country
Winter sports
- Boys' BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Girls' Basketball
- Boys' Indoor TrackTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Girls' Indoor Track
- Boys' Swimming
- CheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
- DanceDanceDance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
Spring sports
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- Boys' Outdoor Track
- Girls' Outdoor Track
- Boys' TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Girls' Tennis
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....