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Inside the Numbers: Section XI Sportsmanship
As part of Section XI’s fall wrap-up, our Sportsmanship Committee has the following data to report:
- 31 school districts received Certificates of Recognition or Distinction for Sportsmanship during the fall season
- 98.5 percent of our athletic contests in the fall were incident free (ejections/red cards) during the fall
- 15 percent or more school districts had a reduction in the number of ejections and/or red cards this fall as compared to 2015
Thanks to all of our student-athletes and coaches who believe in sportsmanship and make it a priority in their athletic careers.
#SectionXITBT: 1934-35 Central Islip hoops
Let’s throw it back to the 1934-1935 season with Central Islip girl’s basketball!
Suffolk to the Pros: Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris has made a living in the NBA since being drafted in 2011. After starring at Half Hollow Hills West as an All-American in high school, he played one season at the University of Tennessee before going pro.
A two-time Newsday player of the year, Harris was selected 19th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats and then was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
He has since spent time in Orlando and Detroit and plays both small forward and power forward. In more than 300 career games he is averaging 13.2 points per game.
Wright: Putting kids first is joy of being AD
It has been said that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. To some extent that is certainly true when you talk about being an athletic director.
Unfortunately, life is meant to supply us with balance, and no one gets away with total happiness. Our business is a serious one that requires constant vigilance when dealing with the health and safety of children. Not a day goes by that we find ourselves walking a field or gym, taking note of conditions that may lead to an unsafe condition.
Additionally, we host 100-plus contests a year and are required to staff and secure the areas for the protection of players, coaches, officials, and especially the spectators that either live in the district or travel to see their children play a game. We are our own division of Homeland Security.
We have to anticipate receiving a crowd of over 1,000 and properly staff it, know how close a lightning storm is, check the THI, ensure that each team has secured and checked their AEDs, check the operation of clocks and scoreboards, outfit student-athletes with the best equipment to keep them free of injury, and making it a point to have coaches keep their individual emergency plans up to date.
Truth be told, we never really WATCH a game. We observe, head on a swivel, eyes wide open, hand on the walkie-talkie, hoping that this game goes off without a hitch.
Of course, when the game has ended and the gym is empty we can share an anecdote with the custodians as they clean up the mess left by everyone. We sit in a side office for some time reflecting on what we just observed and ponder the subsequent email that gets sent out either congratulating or consoling your coach. If we are lucky, no one else receives notice. If an incident occurred, no matter how minor, we must share it and before the next game begins, we adjust, adapt, and reassess our strategy, like any good soldier.
The best compliment we can expect to receive is that everyone had a good time, win, lose or draw. Yet we relish the opportunity to do these things. We want our schools to be in the spotlight. We want to show off what we have built. So many of us step up to help when help is needed to the point of never having to worry because that is what we in Section XI are programmed to do, not because we have to, but because we have all been there and will continue to be there.
Yes, this may seem a bit dramatic, but if we follow the philosophy of putting KIDS FIRST, this makes you love your job and therefore WORK is removed from your vocabulary as long as you carry the title of AD.
Jim Wright, Ed.D., CMAA, Supervisor of Physical Education, Health, Athletics and Recreation, Huntington UFSD
Webster: Athletics promotes valuable life lessons
Our fall season has come to a conclusion and I would like to congratulate all of our student-athletes, coaches and teams on their many achievements and honors at the Suffolk County, Long Island and New York State level.
You have blessed all of us with some outstanding memories and we have enjoyed watching all of our student-athletes represent their schools with such great enthusiasm and passion. I hope you enjoyed the experience as well.
As we move on to the winter season I want to take this opportunity to remind all players, coaches and fans of the importance of Good Sportsmanship.
Athletics is an important part of the educational experience and we want to all work together to make sure that valuable life lessons are learned.
Whether the lesson is learning to win graciously or learning how to deal with a loss it is imperative that we reinforce the principles in each and show how both will help us grow as individuals.
Good sportsmanship is taught and nurtured through the behaviors and actions of coaches, fans and family.
Please join Section XI as we work to stress the importance of respect for the opponent, officials, fans and game. Let’s work to make the athletic experience and enjoyable and positive one.
Good luck to the athletes and enjoy the winter season.
Pat-Med names basketball court after American hero
Patchouge-Medford High School has renamed its basketball court in honor of U.S. Navy hero, Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy.
There was a ribbon cutting ceremony held on Thursday night to honor Murphy. His family was present for the event and received Pat-Med basketball jersey’s with Murphy on the back.
The baseball field, basketball court and overall high school campus are all named in honor of Murphy.
2016-2017 Section XI Winter Sports Kick Off
Winter sports have officially started across New York this week.
Good luck to all student-athletes during the winter season. We’re bound to have a ton of incredible action over the next few months.
If you’re into basketball, wrestling, swimming, indoor track, cheerleading, gymnastics or fencing, there will be plenty of games to attend, stories to read and student-athletes to make magical moments.
Stay tuned to Section XI’s platforms for update all winter long!
Huntington High wins “Fight Like Dylan” Award
Russell Athletic announced today that Huntington High School is the 2016 “Fight Like Dylan Award” recipient.
In its sixth year, the award honors high school sports teams that have used inspiring perseverance to overcome odds and achieve success through teamwork.
A panel of judges, led by Pro Football Hall of Famer, Tony Dungy, selected the recipient after reviewing submissions from across the nation. Through this initiative, Russell Athletic will present Huntington High School with a $50,000 grant for sports apparel and equipment in a celebratory event hosted at the high school. The Huntington football team took inspiration from an honorary teammate battling a terminal disease to turn their season around and become a stronger, more inspired team that made the state playoffs.
Huntington football’s inspiration and honorary teammate was Eli Mollineaux. The Blue Devils struggled early in the season and were a longshot to make the playoffs, but Eli, who suffered from Pearson Syndrome – a mitochondrial disease – was defying his own odds at age fourteen after doctors told his parents that he would not live past kindergarten.
Eli’s infectious personality, charisma and bravery were the motivation for the Huntington football team, adopting the mantra “#bELIeve” this season in his honor. The turning point for the Blue Devils’ season came in September during a game recognizing Eli. After losing their first three games, Huntington was scheduled to face their rival, Smithtown West.
As a tribute to Eli and his courageousness, players invited the young man onto the field to score his first touchdown with 1,500 fans chanting #bELIeve. Players from both teams ran alongside him and cheered him across the goal line. The opposing team even wore Eli’s #40 jersey with his name on back, while fans held #bELIeve signs. Motivated by Eli, the team went on to win the game 42-20 and then proceeded to win five of their next six games securing their spot in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, in late October, Eli passed away, but the team and community still draw from the memory of Eli’s bravery and courage displayed during his short life.
“We are proud to be the brand that gives voice to such amazing stories of communities that have struggled, but still found success through teamwork. After careful review of all the submissions, we are proud to have Huntington High School as our 2016 Fight Like Dylan Award recipient,” said Matt Murphy, Vice President of Marketing, Russell Athletic. “The support for Eli and his determination to beat the odds is what made the story so profound, proving that the power of team can make a difference in not only one life, but an entire community.”
“Our team adopted Eli into our family the first day he took the field,” said Head Football Coach Steve Muller. “And we celebrated as teammates when he scored his touchdown, just as we now celebrate his life.”
The Huntington Blue Devils and Eli Mollineaux are a direct representation of the team message Russell Athletic espouses through the “Team On” campaign that kicked off during the 2016 football season. Russell Athletic believes that teams can find an uncommon strength when faced with adversity and they celebrate those teams every year through this award. Not unlike the previous five recipients, the story of Huntington Football and Eli exemplifies a team finding strength and inspiration in their community. Each recipient has proudly represented the memory of Dylan Rebeor, the award’s namesake and a high school football player whose last wish selflessly was for his teammates to receive new uniforms before he passed away in 2011.
“Each year I continue to be amazed by the incredible stories of our high school athletes,” said Tony Dungy. “The Huntington High School football team has proven that you can inspire an entire community though the acts of goodwill, character and teamwork.”
Dungy, Heather Rebeor (Dylan’s Mother), and a representative from each of the past “Fight Like Dylan Award” recipients served on this year’s selection committee. To learn more about Dylan’s story, visit www.FightLikeDylan.org.
“The story of the Huntington football team is proof of how a group of spirited individuals can make a lasting impression,” said Heather Rebeor. “It has truly been a rewarding experience to have Dylan’s legacy continue through the Russell Athletic “Fight Like Dylan” Award.”
Happy thanksgiving from Section XI
Section XI would like to wish all of the student-athletes, coaches, athletic administrators, parents, and supporters a very Happy Thanksgiving this year! We are so thankful to be able to serve you!