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Showing posts with label wife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wife. Show all posts

Friday, July 18, 2025

WHS basketball coach Pulkkinen to be enshrined in SJC Athletics Hall of Fame

By Matt Pascarella

Over the last few years, Windham High varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen and his team have made quite a bit of news. Pulkkinen’s team won back-to-back State Championships in 2024 and 2025, and he achieved his 100th career win. If that wasn’t enough, Pulkkinen was notified on June 10 by his former Saint Joseph’s College basketball coach Rob Sanicola that he will be inducted into the 2025 Saint Joseph’s College Athletics Hall of Fame at the Stone Barn at Saint Joseph’s College on Oct. 17.

Windham High School varsity boys'
basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen is 
shown during a college basketball game
during the 2006-2007 season. He will
be enshrined in the Saint Joseph's
College Athletics Hall of Fame during
a ceremony at the college in October.
PHOTO BY SAINT JOSEPH'S 
COLLEGE ATHLETICS  
“To be able to deliver the news to someone who gave so much to the program and the college, was truly special,” said Sanicola. “He poured his heart into Saint Joseph’s College; to be the one to tell him he was getting this well-deserved recognition was an honor. He embodied what it meant to represent Saint Joseph's College, and it wasn't about just how he played, but how he carried himself every day. What made Chad special was the impact he had on the people around him. From day one, Chad cared deeply about leaving the program better than he found it, and he absolutely did that; he made it better for everyone who came after him.”

After suffering possible season-ending injuries twice while playing for the Monks, Pulkkinen battled back and was a three-season captain. He set records and achieved major accomplishments including becoming a member of the 1,000-point club, he helped lead the Monks to the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Northeast Region Independent Championship and a slot in the Eastern College Athletic Conference playoffs, as well as a 2007 All-State honoree.

“I grew up about three miles away from Saint Joseph’s College, so I lived in the gym there; watching, playing and dreaming about one day playing there,” said Pulkkinen. “My parents Bruce and Denise would take me, my brother and sister to the Chamber of Horrors to watch games in a packed gym. I was hooked. I idolized John Wassenbergh, Carl Howell, Steve Schuler, Rob Sanicola, Erbie Mitchell, and all the great teams that I was fortunate to follow. As a kid I wanted to be a Monk, to wear the jersey of the players I looked up to back then. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame just validates the work and the unseen hours, the long days and the tough times where I was able to persevere. To me the honor is shared with my family, teammates, and coaches who helped put me in the best position for success.”

To truly understand Pulkkinen’s success at Saint Joseph’s College, you only need to look at his determination. He tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament during a Christmas break tournament in his freshman year. He tore the same ACL again less than a year later; and was devastated as the rehabilitation process was physically and mentally challenging. It would be extremely difficult to return to the player he once was. A lot of people questioned whether he would be able to continue to play.

Pulkkinen took that skepticism and used it to motivate himself; he told himself he would return better than he was when he was healthy. He was granted a fifth year and a medical redshirt because of the lack of games he played in after his second injury. He returned a year later and had his strongest season in his graduate year.

“Through my injuries I really started to understand the game from a coach’s perspective as I was able to participate more with the coaches on that side of things since I was not able to play,” said Pulkkinen. I learned a ton in my freshman year about the game through (coach) Rick Simonds. My sophomore season I found myself studying film and scouting opponents, something that I became really interested in and felt I brought value to the team and eventually helped me as a player when I returned. I became a more intelligent player and more aware on the court. Off the court my friendships with my teammates and the small knit community of Saint Joseph’s College was memorable and something that has carried over to today, with connections and mentors to reach out to. I was also able to meet my wife Ramsey at school which made my decision to go there even more special.”

During his high school career playing for Windham, he thought playing professionally overseas would be a realistic goal because someone he knew, John Wassenbergh was playing over there. It motivated Pulkkinen to try to get to that point. He became friends with Wassenbergh who would send him gear from overseas. Once healthy, Pulkkinen’s dream seemed attainable again.

“Overcoming two serious knee injuries during one's college career is almost unheard of and coming back from one is impressive,” said Saint Joseph’s College Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Corey McCarthy. “Having it happen again and battling through the rehab again is incredibly difficult and certainly speaks to Chad's character. His time at Saint Joseph’s College coincided with a time frame during which Saint Joseph's College competed as an NCAA DIII Independent meaning conference championships and/or accolades were not available for him to attain. His play helped the Monks go about as far as they could, NCAA Independent Tournament and ECAC Tournament championship game appearances, achievements that absolutely played a major role in the program's success as a new member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference the following year.”

In 2007, having obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business, Pulkkinen played in the European Basketball League for the Northampton Neptunes, where he, along with his team helped mentor and coach 400 kids within the community, teaching them the fundamentals of the game.

Since leaving Saint Joseph’s College, Pulkkinen has continued to give back to the school. His family company, Windham Millworks, has been involved in several campus projects, including the redesign of the Hall of Fame Room and the finishing work for Baggot Street, their student union.

“I think there is no better role model,” said Windham assistant coach George McCrillis, who’s coached alongside him for 11 years. “He took the lessons he learned at Saint Joe’s and converted them into running a super successful business. There’s his commitment to his community; he would not be coaching someplace else. He has a basketball intellect where he could easily coach at the collegiate level, but this is his community, he’s tied to Windham, he loves Windham. He wants the best for Windham.”

Pulkkinen says he would like to thank his mom, Denise, his agent, trainer and coach. She took him to every gym possible as a kid and fostered his love of the game. He would also like to thank his dad, Bruce, as well as his wife, Ramsey, who has shown him all the love and support in the world. He also thanks his family, teammates, his friend John Wassenbergh, Coaches Kevin Millington, Simonds and Sanicola and past Monks players who inspired an 8-year-old kid to dream big and chase it with everything he had. <

Friday, February 14, 2025

Local stylist aims for ‘USOA Mrs. Maine’ pageant crown

By Ed Pierce

A Windham hairstylist vying for the title of “United States of America Mrs. Maine” is seeking to raise awareness about infertility issues affecting women and step outside her comfort zone by entering the statewide pageant.

Nichole Burke will represent Windham in the
United States of America Mrs. Maine Pageant
in August this fall. If she wins the title, she
would like to use her platform to raise
awareness about infertility issues. 
SUBMITTED PHOTO  
Nichole Burke, 41, and her husband moved to Windham in November 2023, and in March 2024, they became the parents of a son.

“Something many people may not know about me is that after four years of struggle, I became a first-time mom at 40, welcoming a beautiful son just 10 months ago,” Burke said. “My husband and I had a whirlwind year – we got married in June 2023, bought our first home five months later, and then, just four months after that, became parents.”

She was asked by the director a few months ago to join the pageant.

“I have some friends who have done pageants, so I talked with them and got a lot of encouragement,” Burke said. “I decided that this experience would be something just for me, where I could step out of my comfort zone and grow personally. A motivation to get back into self-care and regular exercise, something that I miss. Also, an opportunity to get more acquainted with our new community and be of service. Doing service work has been very fulfilling for me, and I am looking forward to it again. Another important part of my journey is that I have been in recovery for almost 16 years, a path that has shaped me into the resilient and compassionate person I am today.”

Originally from Saco, she’s been a hairstylist for 16 years, and she also serves as an independent consultant with Arbonne.

According to Burke, she’s hoping that this new experience of competing in a pageant will help her obtain another level of personal growth, filling her spirit in a new way.

“The motto for the pageant is ‘Empower, Inspire, and Uplift’ and I am hoping to be and share those things,” Burke said, “Personal growth is important to me. This experience is an opportunity for me to build new connections in Windham and across Maine. I want to challenge myself personally, by stepping outside of my comfort zone, to embrace the confidence that comes with being part of the USOA Mrs. Maine Pageant.”

If honored as the pageant winner, Burke hopes to use this platform to amplify the conversation around infertility, breaking the stigma and fostering a community of support for women facing similar struggles.

“I want to advocate for greater access to fertility awareness, mental health resources, and community support,” she said. “By sharing my own experiences, I hope to encourage open conversations, provide comfort to those struggling, and work toward a future where no woman feels alone in her fight to become a mother. I would also like to help young girls and teens with self-esteem and empowerment.”

The 2026 USOA Mrs. Maine Pageant will be held from Oct. 10 to Oct. 12 at the Senator Inn & Spa and the Augusta Civic Center and judges will select the winner based upon an interview, swimsuit, and evening gown categories. The pageant is the Official State Preliminary to the National United States of America Pageant which will be held July 4, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Burke says that her friends and family are excited to see her enter the pageant, and she’s amazed at how supportive and encouraging everyone has been.

“My greatest strength in this pageant is my ability to connect with and uplift others. Through my years of service in the recovery community, speaking, organizing events, and offering support, I’ve developed strong leadership skills and a deep passion for helping people,” Burke said. “However, my biggest challenge will be stepping into a completely new environment and applying these skills in a different way. To overcome this, I plan to embrace the experience with an open heart, lean into my ability to inspire others, and stay true to my mission of spreading hope and resilience.”

Currently Burke is looking for sponsors and seeking ways to be of service to others in the Windham community.

“I would love to partner with local businesses in Windham and surrounding areas,” she said. “Businesses get promotion at the pageant and an ad in the program. Also, social media promotion and media articles are shared by contestants and current title holders. If interested in a sponsorship, or for any questions please contact me at allure.hair@live.com.” <