The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced “The Student Experience” – a free student-centered course focused on the long-term benefits of education-based activities participation – as a new addition to the NFHS Learning Center.

“The last few years, we have had a lot of success delivering coursework and resources directly to students through the NFHS Learning Center to help them get the most out of their interscholastic experience,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “By taking ‘The Student Experience,’ we want them to understand why participating in high school activities programs is so important to their future.”

In the past year, the NFHS Learning Center has released several resources within “The Parent Seat,” a collection of courses and videos that promote the true purpose of education-based athletics and performing arts to parents of participants. “The Student Experience” is the first course offering that conveys a similar message to students and highlights the inherent opportunities to learn and develop character traits while playing a sport, singing in the choir or performing in the school musical.

Another major component of the course helps students understand the connection between participation and greater academic achievement. While some students may not recognize the link between activities programs and success in the classroom, they may find it advantageous in securing opportunities to receive a college education, as well as financial assistance through scholarships.

Finally, the course discusses the community affiliation that is established when a student belongs to a school team, performing arts group or club. Being a part of a school-based program can provide students with a sense of identity and allows them to find common bonds with teammates and fellow students as a representative of something bigger than themselves.

“Moving forward, this will be the core course for students at the NFHS Learning Center,” Schuster said. “We hope students from all across the country will complete this course and gain a better understanding of all the advantages they receive from participating in school programs.”

Schuster plans to follow “The Student Experience” with additional student-focused resources on the NFHS Learning Center, with the ultimate goal of creating an NFHS National Student Credential that can be obtained by completing multiple courses.

For more information on “The Student Experience” course, please visit: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/the-student-experience.

Congratulations to the Team Up 4 Community 2020 Holiday Sports Heroes Winners and a big thank you to all who entered and shared the impact they are making in their communities.

Section XI had two schools place: Lindenhurst Middle School was second and Blue Point Elementary School was third.

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Revisions recently introduced to “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” aligns one of the NFHS Learning Center’s most significant courses with recent updates to its other offerings. 

Currently available to take free of charge, the revised “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” course has been reviewed by both NFHS course partner, Simon’s Heart, and by the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC). As part of the revisions, the course received both branding and technology updates that had already been implemented to other NFHS Learning Center coursework. 

“We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Simon’s Heart to bring revised Sudden Cardiac Arrest content to the interscholastic community,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “The course revisions centered around upgrading the look and feel of the course, as well as technology upgrades to improve the user experience.” 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the number one cause of death in the United States for student-athletes during exercise. It is caused by a structural or electrical problem associated with the heart and occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating and pumping blood.  

The “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” course explores the warning signs and symptoms of this medical emergency. The course also provides guidelines for how to save an individual’s life in the critical moments after he/she suddenly collapses. Lifesaving actions such as calling 9-1-1, starting chest compressions and sending for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) are all valuable. 

“Simon’s Heart is proud to partner with the NFHS because, even during a pandemic, they continue to raise the bar to educate and create sudden cardiac arrest awareness amongst our youth,“ said Jenn Parrado, Simon’s Heart executive director. 

Since its 2015 launch, more than 1.3 million “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” courses have been delivered. It makes up a notable percentage of the more than 12.3 million total courses delivered on the NFHS Learning Center since 2007. 

For more information and to access the “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” course from the Learning Center, please visit: nfhslearn.com/courses/sudden-cardiac-arrest. To view the Learning Center’s entire course catalog, please visit: https://nfhslearn.com/courses.  

For more information about Simon’s Heart and its mission to Protect Hearts and Save Lives, please visit www.simonsheart.org.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) announces the cancellation of all 2021 Winter State Championships and the postponement of all high-risk sports until
authorization is granted by state officials. The NYSPHSAA Officers rendered these decisions with input from the NYSPHSAA membership and the 11 Section Executive Directors.

“When examining the feasibility of Winter State Championships, it became apparent that travel and overnight accommodations would create a unique challenge for our member schools,” said Dr. Robert
Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “At this time, we must prioritize maximizing student participation without a focus on championship events.”

The Association’s decision to postpone all high-risk sports until authorization is granted was reinforced by the increase in infection and hospitalization rates across the State. The New York State Department of Health has determined the following NYSPHSAA-endorsed sports to be high risk: basketball, boys
lacrosse, competitive cheerleading, football, ice hockey, volleyball, and wrestling.

The cancellation of the Winter State Championships (bowling, basketball, boys swimming & diving, competitive cheerleading, gymnastics, indoor track & field, ice hockey, skiing, and wrestling) addresses membership concerns associated with increased travel, hotel accommodations, transportation logistics and the planning for meals. Furthermore, venue capacity limitations and social distancing restrictions make it increasingly difficult to ensure the safety of student-athletes, coaches, and families.

“As an educator, I am witnessing first-hand the challenges our member schools are facing each day in addressing this pandemic,” said Julie Bergman, NYSPHSAA President. “It is important we continue listening to the concerns being expressed by our membership when making decisions impacting
interscholastic athletics.”

Low- and moderate-risk regular season sports continue to be permitted. The 2021 NYSPHSAA Spring State Championships remain scheduled at this time.

Are you a L.I. athlete, team or organization that involves athletes, ages 6-24 YO, in giving back to your community? If so, Team Up 4 Community wants to hear from you!

They are challenging our Long Island student-athletes to be a Sports Hero to a cause or someone in need this 2020 Holiday Season and see how big of an IMPACT we can make together in Long Island communities!

All those who enter have a chance to receive a scholarship or grant.

$5,000 in Scholarships & Grants will be awarded!

• First Place Winner receives a $3,000 scholarship or grant
• Second Place Winner receives a $1,500 scholarship or grant
• Third Place Winner receives a $500 scholarship or grant

TO ENTER:

1. LOG IN / SIGN UP for an account on www.TeamUp4Community.org
2. ADD AN EVENT Fill in the information about your community service project with a link to a YouTube URL VIDEO of your work. (Projects can be performed anytime between September 1st 2020 to Dec., 11 2020)
3. Be sure to choose from the EVENT CONTEST drop-down menu L.I. Holiday Sports Heroes Challenge.

All entries must be received by December 11, 2020.

From the National Federation of State High School Associations … 

Thanks to the partnership between the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and USA Field Hockey established earlier this year, coaches in NFHS member association schools can receive a discount on registration for the upcoming USA Field Hockey National Coaches Forum, presented by AstroTurf.  

The conference, which will be held virtually for the first time due to the pandemic, is set for December 8-10 and December 12, and features numerous top leaders and coaches in field hockey from around the world, including Anthony Farry, the newly appointed U.S. Women’s National Team head coach, and Greg Drake, the U.S. Women’s National Team’s assistant coach.  

Among other speakers during the four-day conference are John Crawley, high–performance director of team sports for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Katie Bam, University of Maryland associate field hockey coach and two-time Olympian; and Tracey Fuchs, Northwestern University field hockey coach, two-time Olympian and a 2019 inductee into the NFHS’ National High School Hall of Fame.   

Participants will be able to engage in Q-and-A sessions and discussions with more than 15 elite leaders and coaches during the four-day conference. Topics include coaching strategy and skill development, program and athlete development, minority athlete wellness and the future of the sport, and breakout rooms are planned for small-group discussion.  

The virtual conference will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time December 8-10, and from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on December 12. Costs for attending the National Coaches Forum are $20 per day or $70 for all four days for USA Field Hockey Members if registering by Sunday, November 29, and $30/$90 for non-USA Field Hockey Members. After November 30, the fees are $25/$80 and $35/$105, respectively. Individuals in NFHS member association schools receive an additional 10 percent reduction when using the Code: NFHSCoach. 

If a registered individual cannot make any of the sessions live, recordings will be  

sent following the sessions, so take advantage of the full package today! For questions,  

contact coaching@usafieldhockey.com. 

For more information and to register for the USA Field Hockey National Coaches Forum, click here.

The conference, which will be held virtually for the first time due to the pandemic, is set for December 8-10 and December 12, and features numerous top leaders and coaches in field hockey from around the world, including Anthony Farry, the newly appointed U.S. Women’s National Team head coach, and Greg Drake, the U.S. Women’s National Team’s assistant coach.  

Among other speakers during the four-day conference are John Crawley, high–performance director of team sports for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Katie Bam, University of Maryland associate field hockey coach and two-time Olympian; and Tracey Fuchs, Northwestern University field hockey coach, two-time Olympian and a 2019 inductee into the NFHS’ National High School Hall of Fame.   

Participants will be able to engage in Q-and-A sessions and discussions with more than 15 elite leaders and coaches during the four-day conference. Topics include coaching strategy and skill development, program and athlete development, minority athlete wellness and the future of the sport, and breakout rooms are planned for small-group discussion.  

The virtual conference will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time December 8-10, and from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on December 12. Costs for attending the National Coaches Forum are $20 per day or $70 for all four days for USA Field Hockey Members if registering by Sunday, November 29, and $30/$90 for non-USA Field Hockey Members. After November 30, the fees are $25/$80 and $35/$105, respectively. Individuals in NFHS member association schools receive an additional 10 percent reduction when using the Code: NFHSCoach. 

If a registered individual cannot make any of the sessions live, recordings will be  

sent following the sessions, so take advantage of the full package today! For questions,  

contact coaching@usafieldhockey.com. 

For more information and to register for the USA Field Hockey National Coaches Forum, click here.

Yankees pitcher, Jordan Montgomery, announced he will host a virtual meet and greet for 300 New York student-athletes with special needs, and their families on December 3, 2020 from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. The virtual event has been organized by Athletic Administrators from Section I, Section 8, and Section XI.  The focus of the event is on Unified and Special Olympics programs; who strive to engage and motivate students in activities that encourage inclusivity, achievement, and lead to lifelong success.

“I admire the work that the Unified and Special Olympics programs do to provide access to sports for students with special needs,” said Montgomery. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for kids right now who aren’t able to play the sports they love. I hope I can remind them of their passion for sports and motivate them to stay active during this time.”

Montgomery will be interviewed by Kevin Devaney, Vice President of Digital Content at LocalLive Networks, and he will take selected questions from the students and families participating.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics New York offer Unified Sports to NYSPHSAA member schools. Project Unify is made up of three main components:

1. Inclusive Sports: combines athletes (players with intellectual disabilities) and athletes (players without intellectual disabilities) to create athletic teams for training and competition.
2. Youth Leadership & Advocacy: provides students with and without intellectual disabilities opportunities to take on leadership roles in promoting Project Unify activities in their schools and in their communities.
3. Whole-School Engagement: provides opportunities for all students to participate in school-wide campaigns.

For more information on Unified Sports in New York, please visit www.nysphsaa.org/Sports/Unified-Sports.

For more information on the Special Olympics, please visit www.specialolympics.org.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving!