Central Islip senior Franklin Portillo got to work on crafting PVC hurdles so he could compete in a virtual track and field event.
The pandemic didn’t stop this senior from getting in some last minute experiences at his home track.
Category Archives: Section XI News
Sachem North Volleyball Named TU4C Service Champion
Team Up 4 Community and Section XI are proud to announce Sachem North High School Boys Volleyball as the 2019- 2020 Section XI Community Service Champions. They were selected by Section XI from the entries submitted into the 2019- 2020 NYSPHSAA Community Service Challenge.
Team Up 4 Community has partnered with the NYSPHSAA for the past two years to encourage Youth Athletes to give back to their communities through the NYSPHSAA Community Service Challenge! The Team Up 4 Community portal provides schools, athletes and teams the opportunity to showcase community service projects which ultimately fosters young peoples’ sense of civic engagement and community thus helping them achieve their educational, developmental and social goals.
“Community Service is an integral part of the Interscholastic Athletic experience. Through community service, student-athletes, coaches, and administrators are able to give back to the communities that support them each and every day!”- NYSPHSAA.org
Sachem North Boys Volleyball hosted a number of events for their coach, teacher and alumnus Matt “Dezy” DiStefano. Last February DiStefano was diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney Cancer and the community outpouring of support for him and his family has been incredible.
He decided to channel that support into a Foundation that would help others who are battling cancer. The Dezy Strong Foundation was created in the Fall of 2019. The organization’s initiative has been to promote Dezy Strong games to raise awareness and support for the organization, which spreads positivity to other suffering from horrible diseases and circumstances. All Suffolk County high school boys and girls teams are participating as well as collegiate women’s teams such as Hofstra, UNC, Duke, Oregon. In addition, Division I mens teams Pepperdine and UCLA also participated. More information for the organization can be found on their website: www.dezystrong.org.
Sachem North Boys Volleyball hosted a number of events for the Dezy Strong Foundation this year, the largest of which was their Dezy Strong Game on September 3 that raised $4,200. The players also worked to support various games around Long Island and sold Dezy Strong Gear throughout the community raising an additional $2,000. The team competed in a #WeGetTo Swim Contest with the Sachem North Girls Swimming team which raised over $500 for the cause.
The teams efforts are a wonderful tribute to the message of the Foundation that “Every day is a chance to give yourself to someone or something in a positive way. “ – DEZYSTRONG.ORG
Dezy Strong Foundation Founder Matt DiStefano passed away in January of this year. His spirit, strength, and message will continue to make an impact across communities on Long Island and nationwide.
Islip Teacher Gets National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Nod
Laura Harmon Schuman has been selected for induction into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020.
While not a Long Island native, she is a teacher and coach in the Islip School District and we love that Section XI connection.
The following is from Maryland’s Athletics page:
- Harmon Schuman was a three-time All-American for the Terps who helped lead Maryland to the 1992 and 1995 National Championships.
- The midfielder ended her Maryland career ranked fourth all-time with 150 goals and sixth all-time with 184 points, both marks which still stand top-20 to this day.
- As a captain on Maryland’s 1995 championship team, Harmon Schuman scored 38 goals and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
- The Havertown, Pa. native would go on to play for the US National Team, helping them win the 1997 World Cup and was selected to the ACC 50th Anniversary Lacrosse Team in 2002. Harmon Schuman also played field hockey at Maryland, leading them to the 1993 National Championship. In 2010, Harmon Schuman was inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame.
NYSPHSAA COVID-19 FAQ, Updated June 12, 2020
NYSPHSAA COVID Task Force Summer Guidance Recommendations
In the Community: Bay Shore Food Drive
Student-athletes and coaches across Section XI have used the downtime this spring to do good in their communities.
Bay Shore athletics hosted a food drive recently that generated two pick up trucks worth of food and more than $500 in donations for St. Patrick’s Food Pantry.
NYSPHSAA Holds First COVID-19 Task Force Meeting
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) held its first meeting of the COVID-19 Task Force on Wednesday, June 10.
The Task Force is comprised of school district superintendents, high school principals, athletic directors, NYSPHSAA officers, as well as a representative from the New York State Athletic Administrators Association, an athletic trainer, a district transportation director, and members of New York State Education Department and New York State Department of Health.
The Task Force heard reports and updates from the Governor Cuomo’s office, the New York State Education Department and the New York State Health Department pertaining to the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it has had upon education and the reopening of schools.
“Having representatives from these offices provide reports today was extremely beneficial to the work that the Task Force will do over the course of the next few months,” said NYSPHSAA President and Task Force Chair, Paul Harrica. “From the reports provided, it is clear school district facilities cannot be opened for student participation until Phase 4 is entered. The health and safety of our student-athletes remains our top priority.”
On Friday, the Task Force will release guidance pertaining to on-campus summer conditioning workouts as well as an update to its Frequently Asked Questions document that NYSPHSAA released on May 7th. School districts are encouraged to get acclimated with CDC and local health department guidance as well Governor Cuomo’s restrictions, local laws and policies.
The Task Force also discussed and examined the result of a COVID-19 survey, distributed by NYSPHSAA, to gather a statewide perspective on the impacts and potential response to the COVID-19 crisis; roughly 6,000 athletic directors, administrators, and coaches submitted responses to the survey.
Results of the survey can be found here!
“Today’s meeting was our first step in addressing concerns and examining readily available information related to the COVID-19 crisis,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “We are all focused on providing student-athletes with the opportunity to participate this fall with guidance from the Department of Health and in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s restrictions.”
The next meeting of the NYSPHSAA COVID-19 Task Force will take place at the end of this month with a date and time to be announced next week.
NYSPHSAA Conducts COVID-19 Task Force Survey, Research
The NYSPHSAA COVID-19 Task Force will meet for the first time on Wednesday, June 10.
“We need to continue to examine information and be patient,” said NYSPHSAA Executive Director Dr. Robert Zayas. “With so much that is still unknown and nearly three months before the start of school, there are a lot of possibilities and scenarios to explore. Stay safe and stay positive.”
Dr. Zayas also posted a survey to Twitter that the NYSPHSAA conducted, polling nearly 6,000 superintendents, principals, athletic directors and coaches about COVID-19 and their expectations to resume scholastic sports this fall.
“Great data to help guide the COVID-19 Task Force,” he tweeted. “Gathering a statewide perspective is important.”
Miller Place AD Saves Man on Golf Course
ICYMI: Great story on Miller Place AD Ron Petrie saving another man’s life on the golf course.
Section XI to Form Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Section XI’s leadership team will be meeting in the next week to discuss the formation of a Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
“We must listen and take action,” said Tom Combs, Executive Director of Section XI. “Our children deserve better. We are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Section XI will be part of the solution as we constructively combat racism and hate.”
Section XI will share more information about the new committee and constructive plans moving forward.