Shelter Island Athletic Director, Todd Gulluscio, was recognized with the Apple Appreciation Award by the New York State Athletic Administrator’s Association (NYSAAA).

The honor is awarded for those who strive to increase the quality of athletics in the State of New York and for the loyalty and extra effort given to the NYSAAA.

The award was given to Gulluscio at the NYSAAA awards luncheon on Friday, March 16 in Saratoga.

“Thank you to my colleagues in Section XI and the NYSAAA,” Gulluscio said via Twitter “I am humbled and honored to have received the Apple Award. It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this journey with all of you.”

At the latest Section XI Athletic Council meeting on Monday, March 12, four local coaches were presented with certificates for honors they received from the NYSPHSAA.

Ann Naughton, the field hockey coach at Smithtown East, received state level recognition. Photographed are Tom Combs, Executive Director of Section XI, Ann Naughton, Pat Smith, Smithtown Athletic Director, and Deb Ferry, President of Section XI. (Photo above!)

Lou Hanner, a soccer coach at John Glenn, was presented his regional level recognition. Photographed are Tom Combs, Executive Director of Section XI, Lou Hanner, Dave Shanahan, John Glenn Athletic Director, and Deb Ferry, President of Section XI.

Paul Koretzki and Robert Szymanski cross country coaches from Shoreham-Wading River High School receive their state level recognition. Photographed are Tom Combs, Executive Director-Section XI; Paul Koretzki-Award Winner, Robert Szymanski-Award Winner, Mark Passamonte-SWR Athletic Director; Deb Ferry, President-Section XI.

March 8 is International Women’s day, and we’d love to pay tribute to the women who worked so hard in the early days of Section XI and Suffolk County high school sports.

There was a time prior to the existence of Title IX in 1972 where many women in the Suffolk County region fought very hard to make a difference, to coach, to win and impact the lives of student-athletes for decades to come.

We are so thankful we have such impactful individuals to look up to today.

It’s with profound gratitude we honor the women who were involved with girls sports in Suffolk County prior to Title IX, but also to recognize all of our present student-athletes, coaches and athletic administrators who work so hard representing us every day in the current era.

Women involved in girls sports as coaches or administrators in Suffolk prior to 1972:

Amityville: Pat Burns, Sally Brubaker

Babylon: Jeannette Rogers, Charlotte Sohl, Lynn Blees, Deborah Fauth Fell

Bayport-Blue Point: No program until 1973

Bay Shore: Mary Wright, Mildred Wehrly, Joan Stahl, Ellie Eckman, Karen Kauer, Carol Fuhrer

Bellport: Mary Beacom, Kathy Schroth, Donna Moran

Brentwood: Pat Michalski, Dalmar Kittredge

Bridgehampton: Mary Anne Jules

Centereach: Lynn McDermott, Nancy Cole, Jean Soderman

Center Moriches: Judy Ingram

Central Islip: Ellen Quinn, Nancy Collis

Cold Spring Harbor: Cathy Downey Gallagher

Commack: Nancy Hadland, Nancy Kolczynski, Rochelle Herlich, Martha Miller, Jeanette Klimszewski

Comsewogue: Joey Tagner

Connetquot: Ginny Hafner, Barbara Carter, Vera Truhlar, Martha Morrell, Kathy McLane

Copiague: Mary Melzer, Rose Gold

Deer Park: Christine Zimmit, Diane Duerr

East Hampton: Ellen Cooper

East Islip: Lorraine Werner, Dot Correale, Margot Molloy

Greenport: Jane Utz, Vivian Pugsley

Half Hollow Hills: Cathy Vayianos, Anne Dignam, Doris Sajecki, Gladys Pallmeyer

Hampton Bays: Cam Gleason

Harborfields: Millie Wilcox, Louise Mangan, Mickey Mascucci, Lorriane Sorg, Joan Richards

Hauppauge: Eleanor Reeves, Carol Golden, Ann Lewis, Irene Berg

Huntington: Lee Sherman, Doris Line, Lynn Knippler, Lynn Fischbaker

Islip: Nat Keefe, Kathy Chichester

John Glenn: Rosie Terrible, Alexa Kaplan, Kings Park—Eugenia Baker

Lindenhurst: Pat McMullen, Lorraine Michels, Barbara Magie, Claire McAllister, Sue Coller

Longwood: Judy Gaudino, Karen Parinello, C-El Purdy

Mattituck: Marie McGlynn

Miller Place: Pat McCarrick

Newfield: Joy Malchodi, Midge Cairns

North Babylon: Eleanor Mullins, Marilyn Cross

Northport: Ann Bieling, Bea Barley, Hilda Bleier, Lois Elsinger, Anne Crandall

Patchogue: Jeri Clendennan, Paula Lindsey, Mary Ryan

Pierson: Debbie Jayne, Mary Ann Faevel

Port Jefferson: Ruth Gracey, Mary Hedges, Sue Gavron

Riverhead: Virginia Herrald

Rocky Point: Diane Armet

Sachem: Lillian Zimmerman, Sue Fyfe, Risa Zander, Linda Otten, Sue Abel, Sue Cox

Sayville: Anna McKeever, Demi Benares

Shelter Island: Carol Spooner

Shoreham-Wading River: Diana Wells

Smithtown: Linda DeBotteri, Marge VanWart, Eileen Hutchenson, Connie Bourdeau, Maura Stouter, Jean McKay, Pat Peppard, Denise Hennessey

Southampton: Marge Auster, Chris Holden, Ann Hammond

Southold: Kerry Murphy

Walt Whitman: Joan Hohenrath, Helen Rabidou, Marie Anderson

Ward Melville: Jean Berger, Michelle Dougherty, Becky Walters, Janice Ventura, Judy Black, Ro Falco

West Babylon: Dolores Shelfo, Mary Lupiten, Rosie Terrible, Carlotta Tronto

Westhampton: Mary Ann Faevel, Phyllis Ballard, Evelyn Rybicki, Mrs. Breubaker

West Islip: Norma Davis, Peg Wagner, Linda Dougherty, Jean Gregory, Evi Kallas

William Floyd: Judy Geary, Mary Ann Izzo, Cheryl Bernhoft

Wyandanch: Marge Scheidegger, Brenda Barney

The Bay Shore-Brentwood combined girls swimming team has been named as a Scholar Team by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association of America, Inc.

“As an exemplary team you can take great pride in this accomplishment,” said Marney Shirley, Academic All America Chair of the NISCAA.