Category Archives: Section XI News

Section XI News

Head to Empire Challenge All-Star Game

It’s that time of year again … where you can root for Long Island against the New York City squad in the annual Empire Challenge.

This is one of the premier high school football all-star games in the country.

  • GAME DAY @ Hofstra
    • FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018
    • TICKET BOOTH OPEN: 3:00 PM
    • TAILGATE: 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM
    • GATES OPEN: 6:00 PM
    • KICK OFF: 7:00 PM
Section XI News

Unified Basketball, A Game Changer in Section XI

It’s worth noting that Section XI put in another incredible season’s worth of unified basketball.

If you’re not familiar with this, 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. Participation is rooted in the principle of meaningful involvement which ensures that every player is given an opportunity to contribute to the success of his or her team through their unique skills. Inclusive activity is among the most condusive ways to break down sterotypes and foster relationships.

2. Youth Leadership & Advocacy: provides students with and without intellectual disabilities opportuities 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 and activities such as Fans in the Stands, Pledge and Plunge, and the R-word Campaign.

Section XI News

Center Moriches Spirit Captured by AD via Twitter

Over the last week, Center Moriches Athletic Director Jeremy Thode has taken to Twitter to capture the spirit, heart and every move of the Red Devils’ baseball team on their way to a New York State championship.

Perhaps I’m biased because I appreciate good social media and digital story telling, but as someone who lives and breathes Suffolk County sports content and digital media, it’s worth talking about what Thode has done the last week as he followed his school’s most historic baseball season yet.

Some folks see social media as some what of an annoyance, others embrace its power to promote positive and impactful news so others can learn, grow and feel engaged. Thode gets it and here’s why: for more than 72 hours he shared almost every meaningful moment from practices to inning-by-inning recaps to celebratory imagery.

If you couldn’t make it to Binghamton for the semifinals and championship, the best spot to find info on the games was his Twitter account, @RDEVILATHLETICS.

This is what I’m talking about …

It started with highlighting the bus ride from Center Moriches to Binghamton, a 4.5 hour ride without traffic, which is almost impossible because this is Long Island and there is always traffic.

He captured their practice session at a nearby high school once they arrived.

There were dozens of posts just from practice, like this one.

It carried over to indoor batting practice prior to the semifinal match-up.

This is where he started shooting video and flexing the multimedia.

It was on to the field for the game where he immediately went for the landscape stadium shot.

Warm ups and handshakes for pre-game? Yeah, he got that too.

Game time. The Red Devils and Thode were ready.

With dozens and dozens of in-game tweets about the play-by-play and score, I’ll just put one here as an example. But go to the account to see full recaps of both games.

The mandatory team collage to remember the semifinal win forever.

Sharing and retweeting posts from Section XI, NYSPHSAA and local media like this …

Getting in on the post-game chat.

Same deal with the championship from start to finish. Warmups on video all the way to the celebratory pile at the end.

The tension grew as the comeback started. Here down, 7-5, in the sixth.

Then the tables turned. Center Moriches on top.

Collecting some hardware.

The most important and deserving team celebration shot.

Then with the scoreboard to add a nice artistic touch.

The pile.

The coaches.

The community sentiment.

The hometown welcome (seriously, how cool is this?).

He found time to thank the community, parents, seniors, everyone involved in the journey. It really does take a full group like this to win it all.

And then just a few hours ago, he started the morning off with some inspirational love.

https://twitter.com/ThisInspiresUs/status/1005818116658683904

Great job by Center Moriches baseball and thanks to Thode there will be a digital footprint about this historic moment forever, or as long as Twitter exists anyway.