- Head of School
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- Upper School
Never let it be said that McCallie's head of school Lee Burns doesn’t know his audience. Returning from his well-earned 14-week sabbatical on Monday, Burns spent much of the morning chapel period backstage, hidden from most of the student body.
As chapel was about to conclude, interim head of school Thomas Hayes approached the podium with an announcement. Said Hayes, a slight smile forming on his face as a smattering of "Quacks" ran through the students: "I think I know what you are asking for, but I have got to tell you, there is only one man who can make that call."
At that moment, Hayes turned to his right, and from the left corner of the stage appeared Burns with a wide grin. Quickly reaching the podium, Burns donned a blue fez topped by white tassels, raised his arms skyward, and shouted, "It’s Duck Day!" as bedlam engulfed the chapel. Duck Day 2025 was officially underway. Talk about a manic Monday!
As 2024 senior Gavin Englert proclaimed during last year's event: "Duck Day is the best day in the world!" It is, if only for the Jimmy Buffett-style "Duck Day" shirt that director of student activities Patch Lawson '05 slips on each year. "Just doing my part," said Lawson. "Duck Day never gets old. However, it makes the rest of the week tough when we have it on a Monday."
On this Monday, over the three-and-a-half hours between Burns' announcement and the climactic belly-flop competition in the Lake, faculty and students battled it out for campus supremacy in emotional, bragging rights games of Ultimate Frisbee and basketball. There was also a faculty sushi-eating contest, a student doughnut-eating relay race, inflatables to climb, a tricycle race, and a few other competitions.
To understand what its 16-2 Ultimate Frisbee win meant to the faculty, which routinely wins against the students, math teacher and sports camp director Nelson Eiselstein '16 broke into a you-cannot-touch-this smirk as he reeled off his stats: five goals, four assists, and four steals.
This caused assistant director of counseling Will Honeycutt to deftly observe: "Nelson's athletic ability is only matched by his humility."
There is also typically little humility to be found from the winner of the basketball game, which pits seniors—including varsity sharpshooter Kaleb Gallman—against the faculty.
It did not hurt the faculty that on Monday, Joel Coffman, a usual participant, assistant varsity coach, and director of counseling, moved from player to referee this year and made a number of favorable calls for the faculty.
"I have got to look out for my guys," said Coffman with a straight face after giving his "guys" the same calls that his coaching idol Dean Smith used to enjoy at North Carolina.
But even a biased whistle almost wasn’t enough. Thanks to four 3-pointers from Gallman and some cold shooting from the teachers, the students led 21-17 at halftime. Then, with less than 30 seconds to play, they overcame a 3-point deficit on a triple out of the left corner from senior day student Billy Boroughs to tie it at 32-all.
Unfortunately for the students, that was all the time assistant director of admissions Adrian Thomas '16 needed to show why he was a star at McCallie and the University of the South (Sewanee) as a collegian. Milking the clock until it hit 0:06, Thomas drove hard down the left side of the lane, muscled his way through Gallman, and laid the ball off the glass with four-tenths of a second to play to make the faculty 34-32 winners.
Math teacher Eric Wolf '13 was also key for the winners. Nervously swishing free throws late to keep the faculty in the game, Wolf '13 made the game-winning shot.
"One of the highlights of my athletic career," said Wolf afterward.
Added Thomas, "I just trusted my teammates, and now we have bragging rights until next year. It is a good feeling."
The best feeling of the day—at least once his belly quit hurting—probably belonged to Belly-Flop winner Dylan Larrabee, a sophomore boarding student from Knoxville. A clear winner after expertly flopping four times into the Lake's frigid early April water, Larrabee patted his stomach and said of the robust body type that has served him well as a center and nose guard on the football team: "It is a blessing to have this physique."
He also said, "I have been working for months on my form. I credit that and Miss Tina's (Terry) apple pie in the dining hall."
When Terry heard of her contribution to Larrabee's win, she said, "Oh, I am so glad I could help."
Her pie will help Larrabee repeat as belly flop champion next year.
"For sure," said Larrabee when asked if he planned to defend his title. "For sure. And maybe the weather will be warmer next year."
As the school learned in Monday's chapel gathering, only one man can make that call.
See the Duck Day Announcement Video and photos on Instagram and Facebook.
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