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(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: STILL IN TOWN: Missy Bruvik makes a point earlier this spring in her capacity as Stuart Country Day's assistant lacrosse coach. In the falls, Bruvik has built the Stuart field hockey team into a juggernaut, having guided the Tartans to 10 state Prep titles in her 19 years as the head coach of that program. Before Bruvik became a top coach, she was a legendary athlete at Princeton High where she was a standout in both field hockey and softball in the late 1970s. Due to her exploits on the field, Bruvik will join 11 other individuals and two teams as she gets inducted into the PHS Athletics Hall of Fame this Saturday at a dinner to be held at the Doral Forrestal.

Bruvik Entering PHS Athletics Hall of Fame; High School Experience Led Her into Coaching

By Bill Alden

Missy Bruvik has established herself as a coaching legend in local field hockey circles, having guided Stuart Country Day to 10 state prep titles in her 19 years at the helm.

Before Bruvik became a top coach, she was a legendary athlete at Princeton High where she was a standout in both field hockey and softball in the late 1970s.

Known in those days as Missy McCloskey, Bruvik set the school's game, season, and career record for goals in field hockey as she earned All-State honors and helped lead the Little Tigers to a Group II state crown in her junior year.

In softball, the talented Bruvik, a 1980 PHS grad, played both infield and outfield on the way to earning all-county recognition in her junior and senior years.

This Saturday, Bruvik will join 11 other individuals and two teams as she is inducted into the PHS Athletics Hall of Fame at a dinner to be held at the Doral Forrestal.

The other inductees in the Hall's second class include Debbie Breithaupt '76, a soccer, basketball, and softball star; Carl Brown '55, a standout in football and track and field; Denise Craig '76, a basketball star; and Stephan Fletcher '83, a standout in football and track and field; and William Humes, a longtime boys' tennis coach.

Also receiving the honor are Joe Jingoli, a football coach and athletic director; Ailey Penningroth '93, a star in soccer and track and field; John "Jack" Petrone, '45, a three-sport star in football, basketball, and baseball; Ian Reddy '93, a wrestling star; Tim Rumer, '87, a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and baseball; John Servis, 38, a standout in basketball and track and field; and the 1984 field hockey and 1985 girls' lacrosse teams.

There are still openings for the dinner and those interested in attending should contact Judy Lavery with the PHS athletics office at (609) 806-4290 or Bob James at (609) 921-0946 for details regarding the cost of tickets and the schedule of events that evening.

In reflecting on her PHS sports career, Bruvik, 43, credited the school's supportive environment with helping her flourish as an athlete.

"There was a real sense of community and camaraderie at the school," said Bruvik, whose career marks in field hockey are six goals in a game, 24 in a season, and 33 in her career.

"I thought the coaches and people gave you such positive feedback and encouragement. I felt that gave me confidence and really helped me enjoy sports."

That confidence helped Bruvik and PHS excel in some memorable battles against local foes. "The Princeton teams were so successful," recalled Bruvik. "There was so much excitement with the CVC rivalries, games against schools like Hopewell Valley and Steinert. Those were really big rivalries and we looked forward to them as well as the games with Stuart and Princeton Day School."

For Bruvik, her field hockey coach Joyce Jones, who is still at PHS, had a particularly large influence on her development as an athlete and a person.

"I learned a lot from Joyce Jones," said Bruvik, who also praised her softball coaches Marv Trotman and Fred Carmen. "She was demanding but accepting of your limits. She would work to get the most out of what you had. I respect her so much."

Bruvik's respect for her mentors led her to follow in their footsteps when it came to choosing her life's work.

"I knew from high school that I wanted to be a coach," asserted Bruvik, who went to West Virginia Wesleyan where she majored in physical education and rewrote that school's field hockey record book, setting game, season, and career goal marks.

"I learned from Joyce that kids need to be taught to be responsible and that coaches need to define expectations."

Today, Bruvik's players at Stuart, know that their coach is expecting them to put in an especially hard effort whenever they face her alma mater.

"The kids know that they have to work hard for the Princeton High game," said Bruvik, whose daughter Kelly, a Stuart sophomore, is following in mom's footsteps, starring in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. "It's still a big rivalry for them. I love those games."

For Bruvik, who has a keen sense of PHS' past and current athletic achievements, being inducted into the Hall of Fame has a special significance.

"It's a great honor to be included in that group," said Bruvik, who resides in Skillman with her family which includes husband Ken and son Ryan in addition to Kelly.

"It's a huge honor because they have achieved so much. I still keep up with Princeton High sports. I read in the papers who is doing what for their teams. It's a great connection for me."

A connection that was first forged when Bruvik established herself as a PHS sports legend.