It was great to see Lindenhurst native Jeremy Ruckert shine for Ohio State football this season.

Ruckert had an incredible one-handed catch down the middle in the first half against Alabama in the national championship.

He also had two touchdowns against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.

During his junior season he had 13 catches for 151 yards and 5 touchdowns.

“A ton of ups and downs this year but nothing can change the fact that the love this group has for each other is unmatched,” he wrote on Instagram after the loss to Alabama. “Will forever remember this year and this team.”

Thank you to all of our Section XI coaches.

Here’s a special thank you to winter sports coaches today.

Thank you for making a difference, for being there for your student-athletes, for being mentors and leaders and for making Section XI proud.

Great start to low and medium risk winter sports practices across Section XI.

Tag @SectXISuffolk on social media with your images from practice as things get going.

Stay safe, stay healthy and have fun!

With low and moderate risk winter sports beginning make sure you bookmark the SCHEDULES page on your browser to stay up to date on times, locations and opponents.

Section XI is very sad to hear about the passing of longtime East Islip coach Harold Cooley.

Cooley, 66, was the head bowling coach, as well as an assistant coach for baseball and football.

His bowling teams won 27 league titles, 13 county championships and three state titles and he had a record of 410-29-1.

The East Islip alum and resident was adored by generations of former student-athletes.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to: The Harold C. Cooley, Jr. Scholarship Fund, 12 First Avenue, East Islip, NY 11730.

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.

Watch videos!

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.