The Maine Girls’ Academy wasted no time in taking advantage of the first day of the winter sports season on Monday.

Late Sunday night, seconds clicked off the scoreboard inside the school’s gymnasium – counting down to midnight. When the buzzer sounded, some 40 athletes and drama students rushed onto the court to music in celebration.

Practices for the high school winter sports season started Monday and the York girls' basketball team, the defending Class A champ, kicked things off with a new coach. Steve Freeman, who served as York's associate head coach last year, takes over for Rick Clark, who retired after 34 seasons. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

While the Lions got off to a particularly early start with their second annual Midnight Madness event, high school programs across the state joined them throughout the day in kicking off their winter seasons.

“It’s just so unusual to do something at midnight. I mean, who does that?” said Kathryn Barr, principal of the school formerly known as McAuley High. “It’s just a way of showing support for all the sports.”

Winter high school sports in Maine include basketball, swimming, indoor track, cheering, skiing and ice hockey. Practices for all those sports started Monday with the exception of two. Girls’ hockey was already under way and will begin its regular-season schedule Friday; ski teams will have their first practices next Monday. MGA basketball coach Bill Goodman came up with the idea for Midnight Madness at the school. The Lions have advanced to 10 of the past 17 Class A state title games – including six championships. But Goodman said he wanted an event that involved more than just the basketball team, which now plays in Class AA.

“Something to add some school spirit,” he said. “It’s like a big slumber party.”

At 11:30 p.m., sleeping bags covered the library floor, where the girls would later sleep. Some seemed ready to skip ahead to that stage before the event got started. “I’m so tired,” one student said. “I should have gone to bed two hours ago.”

But their weariness faded with the arrival of the new season, which the girls recognized by running a lap around the gym. Festivities that followed included games, movies, pizza and, perhaps the most enticing feature, a bouncy castle.

“At first, I was like, ‘Midnight Madness – that’s way past my bedtime!'” said senior basketball player Maddy Beaulieu, who wore slippers and a polka-dotted robe. “But then I heard there was a bouncy house, and I had to go.”

MGA Athletic Director Joe Kilmartin said that, earlier in the night, a dad dropping off his daughter commented, “The only thing I’ve heard about this is that there was going to be a bouncy house.”

Kilmartin smiled. “Not exactly what you think about with your first day of sports,” he said.

As for the athletics side of the event, different teams took turns picking competitions with an audience of about a dozen chaperones. Swimmers selected a game that resembled tag called “Sharks and Minnows,” followed by the basketball team’s choice of “Knockout.” The level of skill in the fast-pasted shooting contest ranged from swished baskets to granny shots and overhead throws, where the ball sailed under the net and smacked the cement wall. No one seemed to notice, as the girls waiting in line for their turn were preoccupied dancing to hip-hop songs.

“It’s just a day for us to come together as a school and have fun,” said Sophie Normantas, a member of the swim team. “It gets me so pumped for the season. I’m ready to dive in.”

“Literally,” added fellow swimmer, Emma Spies.

After the lengthy Knockout game, Goodman joked about his relief that the contest had come down to a pair of basketball players after his team lost six of its key members last year.

“That makes me feel a little better about the season,” Goodman said. “We’re such a young team. I don’t know what to expect from them.”

One thing seemed certain to Goodman, who gestured toward his players dancing. “They’re goofballs,” he said.

That energy wasn’t totally organic. “I had a couple Red Bulls,” Normantas said, cupping her hand over her mouth like she was telling a secret. She wasn’t alone. Energy drinks, soda and coffee helped fuel the early morning hours. And – unlike last year – participants got to enjoy the school day off thanks to parent-teacher conferences.

“Last year, I had a quiz first period. It wasn’t good,” Beaulieu said. “It’s such a great event that starts the winter sports season off right.”

Other teams also ushered in the new season quite early on Monday. While the excitement wound down at MGA, it was just picking up for the Falmouth boys’ hockey team at the Family Ice Center.

“Let’s get this party started,” Coach Deron Barton said to some 30 players around 5:50 a.m. And by party, he meant conditioning. There was no music or cheering while the team skated back and forth across the rink – just the sound of heavy breathing and blades slicing through the ice.

“It’s great to be back, but it is very hard,” said Robbie Armitage, who woke up at 4:30 a.m. “It builds a lot of good chemistry, though. We’re one big team – one big family.”

Coach Barton, however, didn’t seem fazed by the hour of the day. He pointed to the championship banners hanging from the ceiling. “See those? We really like those.”

In the past four years, the Yachtsmen have won two Class A state titles with Barton at the helm, and Barton said he’s optimistic about notching another this winter with his returning talent. Armitage, a senior, returns as one of their leaders on offense after recording 25 assists and 14 goals last season.

“The season is short enough, so we can’t afford the time to have these kids spend a month getting their legs,” Barton said. “We jump right in.”

It’s not all fun and games for MGA either. The Lions’ teams were scheduled to attend their first practices Monday afternoon.

“They’ll come back, and they’ll be half asleep,” Kilmartin said. “But it’s good to get the girls together to just have fun.”

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