LI_WIN_III_2013

Ultimate Athlete Magazine PUBLISHER/CEO EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Paul Corace N.J Comanzo

MANAGING EDITOR

Britney Grasman

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Desiree Keegan

he results are in for 2012-2013 high school winter athletics. On the mat, cheerleading teams danced and tumbled while individual wrestlers grappled for top spots in front of enthusiastic audiences. Proud parents and coaches, younger fans, and college recruits admired from the sidelines. The winter season came to an end- from Cheerleading Nationals in Orlando, Fl, to the New York State wrestling championships in Albany, NY.

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR

Adriana Kijko

SENIOR MEDIA DESIGNER

Ponnuthurai Jeyathas

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR (UA MEDIA)

Lisa Harden-Stone

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Sachem athletics faired well all-around this season. Not only do Sachem North and East share a mascot; they also share the thrill of success this season. On the cover this edition are four wrestlers from Sachem North High School, just minutes before competing at the Suffolk County finals. The black and gold league II champs went undefeated in the regular season, beating out fierce competitors.

Sachem East wrestling also swept their league and are sitting at the number-one spot in League I.

SENIOR VIDEO EDITOR

Anthony Anastasiou Alice Wei Louis Quach Nicholas Herms

VIDEO EDITOR

John Callejas

But wrestlers weren’t the only athletes who pinned their goals this season. Cheerleading teams represented Long Island at nat ionals in Orlando and many came back with more than a sun-kissed tan. A handful of teams tumbled their way to finals and a few, including Hauppauge, Sachem North, Rocky Point and Mt. Sinai, placed in the top-five for their teams size and divisions.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dear Readers,

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Accomplishments should not sneak by unnoticed. Just as we do at the end of every athletic season, we’ve put together a list of top-ranking teams, including boy’s and girl’s basketball. Congratulations to all of our young athletes as we roll up the mats for the season and head outdoors for spring athletics.

Britney Grasman Managing Editor Ultimate Athlete Magazine

Josh Rosenman DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Desiree Keegan

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Richard Brooks Dan Atkinson Matt Modzelewski Dr. Tom Ferraro Mike Mejia CSCS Jerry Del Priore Sandy Sarcona Jaclynkelli Kronemberg Jamie Bolettieri

Desiree Keegan Luis Vasquez Eric Anderson Miscelleana Rhinehart Kylie Cremer Brian Coleman

Britney Grasman IN HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Morgan Harrison Hannah Singleton CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Adil Borluca

Dana Cama

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Morgan Harrison

How to contact us Phone: 1-800-680-3213 Email: info@ultimateathletemagazine.com Ultimate Athlete Magazine (ISSN 1931-5295) is published 12 times a year by Ultimate Athlete, Inc., 24 Woodbine Ave, Northport, New York 11768. All contents copyright 2012

by Ultimate Athlete Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or part of the content without the prior written consent of Ultimate Athlete, Inc. is strictly prohibited.

All logos and trademarks are properties of thier respective owners. Although the writers and the publishers have exhaustively researched all sources to ensure the accuracy and the completeness of the information contained in this publication we aassume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. The opinions expressed in all materials are those of authors and do not neccesarily represent those of Ultimate Athlete, Inc or Long Island’s Ultimate Athlete Magazine.

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LONG ISLAND WINTER 2013 VOL. III

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PG 10

NATIONALS

PG 12

DEER PARK

PG 18

LACROSSE CONVENTION

PG 20

LACROSSE CONVENTION

PG 24

LACROSSE CONVENTION

PG 29

NORTHPORT

PG 32

BRENTWOOD

PG 38

SUFFOLK DI CHAMPIONSHIPS

PG 42

SUFFOLK CHAMPIONS

Hauppauge Cheerleading Boy’s Basketball Overview

Non-Profit Organizations Technology

Girl’s Basketball Boy’s Basketball Wrestling (Individual) Diving

PG 44

SUFFOLK DI CHAMPIONSHIPS Sachem East Wrestling

PG 49

SUFFOLK DII CHAMPIONSHIPS Mattituck Wrestling

PG 52

SACHEM EAST

PG 56

REVIEW & CONGRATULATIONS

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NUTRITION

PG 62

TRAINING

PG 66

PSYCHOLOGY

Girl’s Basketball

Boy’s/Girl’s Basketball

Perils of Running on Empty Multitasking for Muscles Emotional Disorders of Athletes

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Y BY JAMIE BOLETTI STOR ERI

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h e H a u p pauge varsity cheerleading squad has astonished everyone with the height of their success this year.

The team has set their focus on victory, practicing countless hours to perfect their techniques and become one of the most noteworthy teams Long Island has to offer.

The team placed twelfth in their first Orlando National finals last year. This year, their goal was to break into the top-ten of their division and they succeeded by coming in fourth. Their coach, Laura Candela, declared, “I knew we had a good shot for the top five, they just had to hit their routine.”

Hauppauge has a close-knit team of

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athletes that have been cheering with one another for most of their high school careers. Their coach revealed, “I have had almost the same group of girls since they were in ninth grade.” She believes winning the title of Long Island Champions and experiencing two years at nationals has had a profound effect on the team. “They have learned how to perform like a winning team,” Candela pronounced. The squad has a quote on the back of their favorite team shirts, which supports the idea of teamwork; It reads: “When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.” Their coach believes this to be true, and said, “It took them a few years to really understand that

statement, but I have some of the most talented kids on the i s l a n d . ” S h e bel i e v e s her current group recognizes the truth behind those words. “You are only as strong as your weakest link, and over the past two years they worked to eliminate having a weak link. They learned how to perform and practice as a team,” she imparted.

The team has long been preparing for the competition, and has been practicing six days a week since August. The substantial amount of practices were necessary, as their coach claimed, “Cheerleading is the kind of sport where if you stop performing the tumbling and stunting skills, you will lose them and have setbacks.”

Getting to the Orlando Nationals was not free. Fortunately for the squad, Hauppauge High School is highly supportive of their

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Hauppauge Cheerleading AT ORLANDO NATIONALS sports programs. In order to raise money, the team hosted both a youth cheerleading competition and this year’s Long Island Championships. “The school allowed us to run these competitions to pay for our trip,” affirms the team’s coach.

have done a fabulous job. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be in the top- five.”

The present team is proud of their accomplishments. Before this year, Hauppauge never won the Long Island Championships and became both regional champions and national finalists. Coach Candela recalled their tremendous success in the semi-finals, professing, “I will never forget, after our amazing semi- finals routine, getting the score sheets and seeing our school name at the top of the sheet. The girls’ faces were priceless; it gave them so much confidence knowing they were the top team leaving the semi- finals.”

While the Hauppauge cheerleaders were aiming for the top-ten, their routine went splendidly enough to land them in the top-five. Despite falling during one of their stunts, the girls felt they performed exceptionally well. Candela agreed, exclaiming, “You will always wonder, ‘What if they hit a perfect routine?’ But besides that fall, they performed one of their best routines.”

Qualifying for nationals was a long and tedious journey for Hauppauge, and their coach insisted, “Our division had to be one of the toughest, if not the toughest, at nationals.” The reason for this was that Hauppauge, a team of twenty, was considered a large school and was placed in Division I. This put them at a disadvantage since they were one of the smallest schools in that division. Their coach said, “Hauppauge isn’t a big school district compared to others on the island and in the country. We had to beat out fifty teams to get into the finals, then another thirteen at finals.” Despite the difficulties, they outshone their competition. The squad was extremely close to winning third place at Nationals; they were only .2 of a percentage behind the third place team.

Originally, the team would not have had much free time to enjoy themselves in Orlando during nationals due to a tight schedule. Because of the large quantity of snow New York received over the weekend of February 9, the team’s flight back home was delayed for two days. “We had two extra days to enjoy together as a team,” Candela said.

Regarding leadership roles during the trip, Hauppauge’s coach remarked, “I have a great group of seniors who each bring out something special in this team. My three captains have been captains for two years

and know exactly what to do.” The captains were able to step up and guide the team as needed. Candela praises her team, and added, “I am very proud of how my thirteen freshmen from four years ago turned into outstanding athletes and young ladies.”

Candela believes the twelve girls that were on the mat proved to be the mos t valuable during Nationals.

She proclaimed, “They all have a job to do when they are out there, and when they all do their part they are most valuable.” She gives praise to her two sophomore fliers, asserting, “They were totally outnumbered by my ten seniors on the mat, and they

Hauppauge’s biggest strength is their chemistry and ability to work together as a team. Candela confided, “They all pushed each other to do their best and were supportive of one other.” A few years ago the team was affected by what the coach refers to as “high school drama,” which used to be the athletes’ biggest weakness. The current team has ample mental fortitude, so they can keep the drama separate from their sport. The present group had a rough start to the season due to absentees as a result of injuries and illnesses, but Candela said, “Luckily they regrouped and everyone was back for our championship and finals.

They pulled together as a team and they ended strongly.”

Hauppauge’s cheerleading squad will be graduating thirteen seniors this year, all of whom Candela has coached since their freshman year. Well over half the team will be leaving, and Candela said, “I will have to build up a new group of athletes.

The girls coming up are very talented, but they haven’t experienced nationals, which is a whole new experience.”

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Deer Park Boy’s Basketball

Story By Eric Anderson Photos By Morgan Harrison After a successful regular season, the Falcons head into the playoffs with high hopes.

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his year, League IV has been one of the toughest for boy’s varsity basketball. But despite talented opposition, the relatively young Deer Park Falcons managed to finish the regular season with a League IV title for the second year in a row, and they are heading into the playoffs with high hopes.

“Of the eight teams left in the third round of the playoffs, three of them are from our league,” said Coach John McCaffrey. “That just shows you how tough our league is, and when you have good teams in your league, you always have a difficult schedule.”

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The team faced a tough league last year as well, but was able to clinch Deer Park’s first league title since 1972. Although they made it far in the playoffs last year, in the end they were disappointed by a loss to Floyd in the Class AA semifinals at Farmingdale State.

The team will look to improve on that outcome as they move forward in this year’s post-season. Coach McCaffrey expects the bar to be set even higher by their opponents from larger schools, and this is just one of the obstacles his team will have to overcome.

Deer Park has had problems staying focused throughout their games, according to their coach. Of their four losses in the regular season, Deer Park was outscored in the third quarter in each game. “Playing well from beginning to end has been a challenge, but if we can keep our focus and be ready to play well, then we have a

good chance for success,” he said.

That type of beginning-to-end focus that their coach talks about is exactly what helped Deer Park win their final game of the regular season. In a nail-biter against Copiague, senior Keith Williams and junior Karon Blackwell went six for six from the free throw line with less than thirty seconds left in overtime. With this win, Deer Park was able to clinch the number one seed in their division, giving them an advantage in the playoffs.

As most athletes will say, the game is won off the court. Coach McCaffrey has attributed much of his team’s success to their commitment to the game throughout the entire year. He said that the kids play in numerous leagues in the off-season, which has helped them improve as well as stay in shape. It also shows that these players love the sport, a priceless quality in any varsity-level athlete.

“We have a lot of players that we have faith in that are going to play

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real hard. As a group, if we play together, we’ll be successful,” the coach added.

As senior Rome Jenkins, Deer Park’s 6-foot-7inch starting center, finishes his high school career with the Falcons, he has already signed a letter of intent to play at Concordia College with a full scholarship. His defensive skills have not only helped his high school team become one of the most competitive on Long Island, but they are also bringing him to the Division II college.

Senior Keith Williams is the team’s lead scorer, averaging 16.2 points per game this season. Unlike Jenkins, Williams does not have a college scholarship for basketball, however his coach is confident that he has the potential to play and be very successful on the college level. Williams has proven to be a great defensive player as well, and several times this season he fell just short of a triple-double, an impressive feat on the high school level.

heads of some college scouts. But he still has another year left to prove himself, and his coach is expecting a lot from the young point guard.

Coach McCaffrey said that one of the most improved players from his team this season is junior Karon Blackwell. His statistics show that in the later part of the season, he has become one of the best allaround players on the team. The guard racked up 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in Deer Park’s playoff win over their league rival Hauppauge.

Senior forward Carrel Joesph is

Junior Aaren Edmead is another team leader for Deer Park. Even though Edmead is not finished with his high school team after this season, he is already turning the

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originally from Haiti. He moved to Long Island after the earthquake struck in his freshman year. Now, the six-foot-six-inch center is the leading rebounder and best defender that the Falcons have.

Beyond the five starters, Deer Park owes a lot of their success to their players off the bench. Senior Kaleb Bradford has had a great season playing off the bench.

“Bradford can make a lot of three-pointers, he’s a tough kid,” Coach McCaffrey said.

Also adding to the team’s depth is junior guard Kahwahn Nipper. Nipper has not been at 100 percent this season due to an ACL tear that he sustained last year, but he has played through it and become a big factor for his team.

With only five seniors on their roster of 15, and a Junior Varsity team that had a very successful season, it seems that Deer Park has a bright future ahead of them.

For now, Coach McCaffrey is focused on finding success this year.

“The day leading up to the game is the worst. I’m excited and looking forward to it, but I still get those coaching butterflies,” Coach McCaffrey said.

In their first playoff game, Deer Park dominated over Hauppauge, winning 7556. As a testament to their teamwork, the top scorer from Deer Park in that game was Jenkins with 16 points; the second highest scorer? A four-way tie between Williams, Edmead, Joseph and Blackwell, all of whom scored 14 points.

Their second playoff game didn’t come so easy for the Falcons. They went back and forth against Smithtown in the first half. In the third quarter, Deer Park seemed to be right on track for a win after scoring 25 points. But only six points in the fourth quarter allowed Smithtown to catch up. In the final seconds of the game, Williams managed to block a threepointer, giving Deer Park a 66-65 win.

As the playoffs roll on, Deer Park’s opponents will get more and more challenging. However, their coach remains confident that a combination of teamwork and focus will lead them to a successful finish to the post-season.

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D L R O W LAX

Story by Britney Grasman | Photos by Morgan Harrison

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he 2013 Lacrosse Convention hosted by Champion was held at the world famous Pennsylvania Convention Center from January 11-13. A rainy weekend couldn’t stop thousand’s of lacrosse connoisseurs from around the U.S. from gathering in the heart of Philadelphia’s Center City for a few days filled with education, innovations, coaching seminars and the MLL draft.

Showings from hundreds of exhibitors spoke to all things lacrosse at the largest annual event for the sport in America.

The goal of the convention varied from one individual to the next. Coaches might be interested in a more convenient method for recruiting, while young athletes looked interested in the apparel and equipment, which was plentiful. Many exhibitors displayed new clothing- some tailored to fashion and others for performance purposes. New websites now allow athletes to create and individually personalize their own jerseys, cleats, and sticks. Neon cleat laces and funky designs donned many tables. New technologies and equipment invented for both convenience and safety purposes were revealed.

A toddler was more accustomed to holding a miniature lacrosse stick than walking on his own two feet. Major league players and athletes from University’s with some of the best lacrosse programs in the nation showed their faces. Athletes at the beginning of their lacrosse journeys, seasoned players, and retired veterans all walked the rows of the convention. Although in different points in their lacrosse lives, their paralleled passion for one of the oldest games in the country was evident.

And although many men and woman have hung up their jerseys, they have not exited the world of lacrosse. Through different outlets, they are still very much involved. Older athletes and college graduates are still giving back to the sport that gave so much to them through, for instance, non-profit organizations. Others are concerned with the safety or health related aspects of the game, bringing innovations such as helmets with built in sensors to the table, to make lacrosse safer for its athletes worldwide.

Programs, sports complexes, clothing and safety issues were a few of many areas of interest. Some exhibitors combined the athletic

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world with the world of art- from selling wooden carved lacrosse sticks to the unique and detailed sketches by the very talented Vincent Ricasio, founder of The Art of Lax. It’s inspiring to see the core and history of lacrosse catapult into the future with additions that better the game- from handicapped leagues, to educating underprivileged children, to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its players. In the pages that follow we’ll take a more in depth look at the Non-Profit, technological, and professional elements of Lacrosse...

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Lacrosse The World Story by Britney Grasman Photos by Morgan Harrison

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f the many tables at the winter Lacrosse convention, a few stood out above the rest.

Despite the abundance of athletic apparel, the tables I was most interested in weren’t selling. Don’t get me wrong- I walked around wanting sneakers, cleats, and uniquely designed jerseys. Instead, a handful of non-profit organizations and volunteers exhibited the donation of their time to bettering the lives of others. While cleats, helmets, and sticks are used to achieve success in the game, these non-profit organizations use the game of lacrosse in itself as a tool for succeeding in life.

If you’ve played a sport at some point in your life, you’ve probably made friends, learned how to work together, and developed a competitive edge and will to excel. Sports are not only beneficial for their obvious physical benefits, including reducing obesity and maintaining good cardiovascular health; Athletics also host a handful of positive traits that equip children with the tools to lead them toward brighter futures.

For many youngsters, countless hours of practice and competitions in organized athletics makeup a majority of their social exchanges. Establishing relationships with coaches and teammates early in life encourages children to maintain these types of interactions with many different groups in their environment- from family and friends, to teachers in school and eventually, coworkers and employers in a work environment.

The principles on which these relationships are founded are just as important as the interactions themselves. In

sports, such as lacrosse, athletes are encouraged to work together. Each player typically takes on a position, and through cooperation, individuals allow a team to succeed.

Thus, teamwork, cooperation and accountability are important life skills that are often acquired, for the first time, in sports.

Take football, for instance. The quarterback is less likely to hand off the ball to a running back, make a clear pass to a receiver, or successfully run it himself, if he doesn’t have a team in place to execute the play. With a designated play, each member takes his respective position on the field, which will in turn help the likeliness of gaining yards. A plan is implemented, each athlete is expected to fulfill his role or position, and trusts his teammates to do the same. Group projects in school, personal relationships, and interactions with employees in the workplace follow similar processes. Planning, teamwork and trust in sports, are an allegory to the multitude of relationships athletes will encounter throughout the course of their lives.

Not only are sports-minded children more likely to flex teamwork abilities with others, they are also more confident and have higher self-esteem and body images of themselves, according to a study on Livestrong. com. Further, higher self esteem will open the gate to a multitude of other healthy behaviors, including better communication skills, maintaining perspective of situations, and approaching situations positively, according to M.A./ M.Ed, Richard C. Lavoie.

Given these benefits, participation in sports for young

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children would seem an obvious choice. Yet, many children remain on the margins, never breaking into an athletic lifestyle.

Why, you ask?

Unfortunately, many children simply don’t have access to athletic programs in school or in their neighborhoods.

Even more lack the resources to afford some upper level clubs “exclusivity”.

rates, with a large portion of its population living under the poverty line.

In 2008, Simon Cataldo founded the Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation (HLL) when he began teaching as a special education math teacher at the Frederick Douglass Academy (FDA) in West Harlem.

Since, he has implemented a middle school boy’s lacrosse team at FDA composed of mainly behaviorally challenged and special education youth. His efforts have allowed his special education athletes to turn out some of the highest grades in FDA history. Cataldo focuses his recruiting efforts on the most behaviorally challenged and at-risk for dropping out students.

Through tutoring, academic advising, mentoring, study-halls, and practices, HLL has taken students off the path of quitting high school, and provided them with the work ethic-- both academically and athletically-- to succeed. Graduation rates and G.P.A’s are higher than ever for mainstream and special education students at FDA, which have, in effect, opened the door to scholarship opportunities. In it’s five year existence, HLL has also spread its influence to The Soujourner Truth School and recently began the “first ever public middle school girl’s lacrosse program in Harlem,” according to HLL’s website. To learn more about how the Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation are teaching leadership and responsibility, check out their website at: www.

Harlemlacrosse.org, or their facebook page at: www. facebook.com/harlemlacrosse.

Mainly, children growing up in low-income communities or living in impoverished conditions aren’t given the sports opportunities that seem basic to so many elementary, middle school, and high school aged children across the United States. These areas may be out of your conscience, but the problems exist, they are real and their effects on youth are extensive.

Ignorance is not bliss.

Fortunately, the widespread problem has not gone unnoticed. Given its ability to mold children’s lives in a multitude of ways, the necessity to engage children in physical activity is at large. As a result, programs are being implemented by a variety of non-profit organizations that are donating their time, skills, resources, and passions to lead the young generation down the right path.

At the lacrosse convention in Philadelphia, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about a few of these role models.

Organizations such as Fields of Growth, Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation, and Lacrosse the Nations are a few of many who are extending their hands and providing solutions to this epidemic- both domestically and abroad.

Lets take a look at what they’re doing to help: Located in upper Manhattan, Harlem is home to a diverse group. Despite its cultural richness, the area has a long time reputation of high unemployment and crime

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Growth through sports doesn’t stop at national boundaries. Other organizations are extending their hands across the nation, as well as overseas. One such non-profit is Fields of Growth, founded by Kevin Dugan in 2009. This lacrosse organization serves local communities as well as underdeveloped nations such as Uganda, where they began

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the Uganda Lacrosse Union (ULU), and Jamaica. Their unique approach to international development through lacrosse has allowed them to impact the lives of others internationally. Field of Growth volunteers’ unrivaled passion for the game has enabled lacrosse to grow in impoverished areas. Their impact doesn’t end with sportsthese role models are also engaging with educational and social work as well.

environments, and instilling general goodness in the form of health, academics, athletics, and many unforeseeable ways.

We are a growing community of volunteers. It seems as though fundraising and charities are becoming the thing to do on the weekend, as they’ve taken on the face of social events such as the color run, which tours the United States and Australia. Contribute to one of these organizations, find one in your area, or even start your own. Making a difference has never been so fun and worthwhile!

To learn more about Fields of Growth, check out their website at fieldsofgrowthintl.org Or their Facebook: www.facebook.com/fieldsofgrowth Brad Corrigan and Brett Hughes also felt the need to reach out overseas and founded Lacrosse the Nations (LtN) in 2009. LtN essentially brings joy to poverty stricken areas through the sport of lacrosse. They aid areas in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ohio, and Virginia. Through in-school and after school lacrosse programs, LtN teaches the importance of health and nutrition coupled with the effects of education.

There’s a bunch of ways to get involved with this awesome organization- from hosting a fundraiser in your community, to donating money or equipment. Check out how you can help by visiting: www.lacrossethenations.org or their facebook page: www.facebook.com/lacrossethenations Through mentoring on and off the field, these three organizations are offsetting the negative effects of underprivileged and impoverished upbringings with the benefits of athletics in the lives of children. Since children’s involvement in sports increases their likelihood of doing in better in school, and decreases their risk for surrendering to smoking, doing drugs, and abusing alcohol, these organizations are saving children from bad decisions and providing them with coping techniques, healthy social

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Lacro Enhancing the Culture

of Lacrosse

in the Modern World

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Story By Britney Grasman

he sport of lacrosse dates back to some few hundred years ago. Native Americans were recorded playing the oldest team sport in the country with sticks carved from wood and balls of wood or deerskin.

Competitions occurred solely outside, and teams were made up of anywhere from 10 to hundreds of people.

The face of the game has transformed tremendously, but the traditions of lacrosse are still encapsulated through art and sculpture. Vincent Rocasio, longtime lacrosse player and graduate of Communication Design from the Pratt Institute of Art and Design, for instance, founded The Art of Lax, which displays a historical account of lacrosse through art. In his series “The Perfect Form,” Rocasio shows the evolution of lacrosse through three separate and temporally progressing drawings. Another artist-a sculptor--displayed primal lacrosse sticks, intricately carved from wood. They weren’t stained or painted, they weren’t stamped out of a machine to be identical to the one made before or after it.

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Indians played baggataway, which became lacrosse.

The Art of Lax

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osse Technology Today, lacrosse sticks have expanded to include plastic composition, which come in any color or combination of colors imaginable. Indoor facilities are popping up across America, and a plethora of fashion pieces--including neon pinny’s--are symbolic of the game. Brands such as Warrior, Brine, STX, and Harrow have devoted themselves exclusively to the sport while other well-renowned sports brands such as Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas have branched out to include lacrosse under their far-reaching umbrellas.

Leagues have been established inside and outside of educational institutions--including high schools and universities, and regional or national clubs. The sport was introduced to the Olympic games in 1904 and Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was established almost a decade later, in 2001. Standards and regulations of play have evolved throughout the years to bring us to modern-day lacrosse in 2013.

with its rapid growth. It must be organized, as colleges attempt to recruit the best players for their teams. In today’s internetdriven generation, technologies have surfaced to help for purposes of convenience, performance enhancement, and most importantly, safety. The 2013 Lacrosse Convention, hosted by Champion, showcased several noteworthy technologies that may just change the face of lacrosse. Here’s a few, divided into two categories: convenience and safety purposes.

Convenience The Internet age has swept in a generation accustomed to upto-the-second information. We update Facebook statuses and Twitter feeds as news travels instantaneously. By doing so, we have shrunken the gap between countries on opposite sides of the globe. We have shifted into an era of convenience, abundant with

One component responsible for the change and advancement of such a historic sport, is keeping up

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apps

Facebook

iPad

Twitter

smart phones and apps tailored to individual “necessity.”

Taking these cultural shifts into account, it only makes sense that communication technologies surface to keep up with the rapidly growing population of the lacrosse world.

A few iPad and iPhone applications were presented at the lacrosse convention.

-Rained Out, for instance, is an App that notifies parents, athletes, and coaches of cancellations via mobile phones, email, Facebook, etc. The mass communication service sends up-to-date notifications, freeing people of the responsibility of having to call about an athletic event on a rainy day, for instance.

-Lacrosse Scorebook is another app which allows users to enter ongoing game information, view statistics, and to export them to emails. It allows convenient tracking of statistics and comparisons through a single season and across multiple seasons.

email iPhone

With an expanding number of athletes worldwide, coaches are seeking easier ways to sort through athletes to find the most skilled players for their teams--while players are vying for their attention ten-fold.

-ReQRuitme provides an effective solution. The website allows athletes to sign up, build a profile and subsequently transform that profile into a “QR” code. The code can than be posted onto a shirt, card or email, to be accessible to college recruiters who can then scan them with a scanner app and easily access an individual’s athletic profile. For instance, if an athlete is wearing his QR code on his shirt during a game or tournament, a recruit or coach can walk up to him or her and scan their shirt.

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Apps alone have proven monumental within the world of lacrosse. They allow for convenience in scheduling, statistical upkeep and comparison, and recruiting.

Safety Approximately 19 lacrosse players since 1980 have died from cardiac arrest or sudden death from the impact of a lacrosse ball in the United States. Hundreds and thousands across the world suffer concussions of minor to major magnitude in various sports worldwide. The risks associated with a sport such as lacrosse are plentiful and injuries such as these have been the basis of much concern.

Not only have technological advancements improved communication and convenience; some are going as far as saving lives and preventing injury. BrainSentry, an impact sensor designed in response to the growing concern for athlete’s health, was designed to alert players and couches when the impact detected is potentially harmful. Many times, athlete’s fail to recognize the danger they are exposed to when continuing to compete after a hard-hit. Ignoring a concussion can lead to further concussions down the road, or slower recovery with each subsequent brain injury. BrainSentry determines which impacts require concussion evaluation--warning athletes of the hazards that often go unnoticed.

Lacrosse has come a long way from the days of deerskin and 100-man games. The sport has changed with the times and the future is looking both convenient, and safe.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Story By Mariel Carbone | Photos by Morgan Harrison

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A SEASON MEASURED IN SPIRIT Story by Luis Vasquez Photos by Morgan Harrison

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Northport Girl

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season cannot be measured by results alone. The effort one brings to the court should be rewarded. This season it seemed that it would bear fruit for the girls of Northport Basketball.

They finished at 14-3 overall and second in the Suffolk League II, just behind Walt Whitman. They were primed to go deep in the tournament until they ran into a buzz saw called Arella Guirantes who scored 36 points and grabbed 24 rebounds which dispatched the Lady Tigers in the first round to Bellport. “You had to remind me,” laughed Coach Richard Castellano, “I kind of knew though they were seeded no.11 that this was a matchup that belonged in the later rounds.”

It was a disappointing defeat to say the least, but upon reflection, Northport has a lot to point to this season. The girls used basketball to make an impact in the community by raising awareness of breast cancer; On January 24, Northport held their fifth annual doubleheader event, “Coaches versus Cancer.” They started a movement that spread to a number of county schools and sports. It was the highlight of the season.

“It’s always a special event. The

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girls wore pink t-shirts, which showed ‘Coaches vs. Cancer’ in the front and on the back there was a space where you could write in who you were playing for. Our kids are socially conscious,” boasted the proud coach.

And proud he should be. At the event, the girls are responsible for running concession stands, and selling raffle tickets and apparel.

Because of the success of the event, Northport anticipates involving their baseball and lacrosse teams in the future.

Northport’s season started with high expectations, as always. As the season unfolded Northport was a contender for top honors, defeating quality team after quality team. They were on a roll and looked championship ready.

Coach Castellano found this team to be quite self-sufficient. “The leadership on this team was the guiding force behind it. We had five girls that were all-league.”

The leaders were personified by co-captains senior guard Kristin Cleary, who at 5’-11’’ was an imposing size at shooting guard, and forward Allie Clarke, a fouryear starter. They had size in 5’11’’senior forward Dorrien Van Dyke, and third year junior guard WWW.ULTIMATEATHLETEMAGAZINE.COM

l's basketball “

Over the years, you see sports and how important it is in their lives. They are a fine bunch of ladies. We don’t have a monopoly on that, but it’s who they are.

Allie Pavinelli. The point was run by junior Lizzy Atkinson. “The seniors took it upon themselves to lead this team,” Castellano explained. “They organized the scrimmages. They handled the coaches versus cancer event. They were all on the same page. It’s easy to stop one through five, but harder to stop one through 13 and that’s what we were.” They seemed poised to improve on their second round exit of a year ago.

And they even got a surprise from sophomore Sarah Simmons who came from their JV team, which has been undefeated the last two seasons. “I have to start winning with the varsity before they think it’s me,” Castellano laughed. Simmons adjusted to each position she was asked to play.

“She played bigger than her size and moving from JV, the game was much faster and more physical. She can handle the ball, play shooting guard and small forward. She did all of that and was the Rookie of the year to boot.”

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has attended nineteen weddings over the years speaks volumes about the relationships him and his players develop. “Over the years, you see sports and how important it is in their lives. They are a fine bunch of ladies. We don’t have a monopoly on that, but it’s who they are.” And when Northport lost that game to Bellport it stung. “I thanked them for how hard they worked. I have nine girls coming back but for four of them, it’s a sudden stop,” Castellano explained. “They were crying then. But some of them called me on my birthday. They said, ‘It’s not the end of the world.’

They have great perspective. I’m as proud as a coach.” Sometimes a season cannot be measured by results alone.

For 34 years, Coach Castellano has molded young athletes in the sport he loves. They have experienced great success, which their twenty league championships can defend. But the fact is that he

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BRENTWOOD

Story By Desiree Keegan Photos By Morgan Harrison

Striving for the Championships T

he Brentwood boy’s basketball team took the high school sports world by storm this season. The Indians dashed through the competition, showing themselves to be an overwhelming force of talent with strength and diligence. With merely a single league loss, they were thought to be capable of winning the championships and becoming the best in their division.

The team had 16 players, and an unusual system for determining captains. The team had two senior captains, Marcus Cureton and Vernon Hart, who acted as mentors to junior captain Femi Olujobi and freshman captain Michael Almonacy, in order to prepare them for their future responsibilities.

Coach Anthony Jimenez considered the two younger captains to be the key players that the team were dependent on. “He’s our inside presence--definitely one of our two go-to guys,” Coach Jimenez said of the lofty six-foot-six-inch Olujobi.

Almonacy played point guard, one of the principal positions on the court. To play point guard, one must have a thorough understanding of the game and the ability to guide fellow teammates with splitsecond verdicts. “We get a solid percentage of our scoring through them,” the coach said prior to the end of the season, of his younger captains.

But while Olujobi and Almonacy were crucial to the team’s success, the coach admitted that every athlete on the team had value.

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“Our other players get involved in the offense so there’s rhythm and confidence to what we’re doing,” the coach had said. “They’re all involved throughout the course of the game. They can step up and feel confident about that.”

The seniors were regarded as the driving motivational force of the team, and Coach Jimenez recognized that Cureton and Hart had a strong work ethic which influenced their teammates. “They set the tone for the younger kids,” Coach Jimenez said.

What their coach appreciated most about the two senior captains, was their ability to make their goals accessible. “They’re hungry, and they don’t settle,” the coach said of his player’s ambitious attitudes that spread to their other teammates. “We had some goals for the season, and all of the guys involved on this team have done their best to achieve them.”

The coach admitted that there was an “interesting” mix of younger kids that have joined the team as well, to help boost their strength during gamete. “He’s a super athletic, strong kid who’s really got great basketball instincts,” Coach Jimenez said of junior Marcus Hall, one new player on the starting lineup. The Indian’s coach mentioned freshman Jamel Allen as being a strong addition as well. “He’s big,” the coach said. “He’s got great leaping ability and a powerful presence on the backboards.” Coach Jimenez also cited sophomore Ali Mableton. “He changed the pace of the game at times and allowed us to pressure and trap opposing players,” he said. “We

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D HIGH SCHOOL had a couple of sophomore guards who were doing a fine job for us as well.”

Brentwood’s most notable moment of the season would be their victory over William Floyd. Their only loss during league play was to Floyd earlier in the season, with a very close 63-64 final score. The Colonials are a highly competitive team, so it was an accomplishment for the Indians to defeat them. “Getting that win in January was big, it solidified what we were about,” Coach Jimenez said. Accomplishments for Brentwood also include victories during non-league games against colossal teams like North Babylon and Half Hollow Hills West.

The Indians were pumped for the championship games and they had expectations for a positive outcome. “I think that if we take care of the basketball, we can create a flow in our offense.” Coach Jimenez said prior to the team’s final game. “The playoffs are about defense and rebounding, taking care of the ball, and getting the ball to the right people’s hands at the right time.” If the athletes could achieve the aforementioned tactics, the coach said he believed they could take that No. 1 spot.

Brentwood recognized every team in the playoffs as their rivals.

“We don’t like to look past anybody, and we understand that we have tests in front of us in the playoffs,” Coach Jimenez said. Since the Indians defeated Walt Whitman in the first game of the playoffs, they moved on to face Half Hollow Hills West. Coach Jimenez imagined that it was going to be a big game for the league with the potential to attract the most spectators, and he was right. “A lot of people will come to that game because it’s going to be one of the most competitive games that we can ask for, to get to the final four,” the coach said prior to the game. Brentwood ended up edging Half Hollow Hills West 76-73. Olujobi scored 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, including all of Brentwood’s nine overtime points and had 14 rebounds. Almonacy had 26 points, eight assists and five steals in the team’s Class AA quarterfinal match.

Brentwood advanced to the semifinals and faced Deer Park for the chance to face the winner of the Northport versus Longwood match in the Class AA championships.

Brentwood’s head coach acknowledged that one of the team’s greatest strengths that helped them reach that semifinal game was his athletes’ chemistry during gameplay.

“We have a good understanding of what we’re about. I believe always maintaining a good solid relationship is important,” Coach Jimenez said. “I think we have a nice balance. We have some good interior plays in Hall and Olujobi. As long as we can make sure that we have a balanced attack, we’re going to be in a good position.”

Despite Brentwood’s overwhelming string of success, there is always something in need of improvement. “Although we have a lot of energy, just to be able to fundamentally execute defensive plays needs to be an area of improvement for us,” the coach said.

Coach Jimenez was a part of the basketball program as an assistant for 16 years prior to his 11 year as head coach. “I have a very optimistic view of this team,” he said. The Indians have a mix of athletes that successfully work together despite their age

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differences. “I always like to make sure that we understand there is more to basketball than basketball. There’s a commitment to each other--a work ethic that you have to bring to the table daily, because there’s always somebody working hard somewhere,” Coach Jimenez said. “We are truly excited and very optimistic about what we have in each other…It’s an exciting time of year for people who’ve made the necessary sacrifices, both throughout the offseason and season itself.”

Unfortunately, Deer Park fell to Berentwood 76-63 on February 22. Olujobi put up a team-high 18 points, followed by Almonacy with 14 and Mableton at 11. Although Deer Park went on to face Northport for the Class AA finals, Brentwood should not be discouraged. With an 18-3 record it was a slight upset, but the teams were almost evenly matched in terms of wins and losses this season. With lots of young talent and top scorers like Olujobi, Almonacy and Mableton returning next season, it will be exiting to see what Brentwood can do with another off-season worth of practice under the Indian’s belt.

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SHUT TER

SPE ED

ULTIMATE ATHLETE

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T

hree mats were set up in the middle of a packed gymnasium at Ward Melville High School. As the pledge of allegiance came to a close, an announcer called for the event to begin with a “Hey, Let’s Wrestle!”

Trophies lined the front of the head tables as fans continued to pile into the already crammed bleachers.

It’s the Suffolk County Division I Championships, so wrestlers and coaches alike were feeling the pressure. As the competitors prepared for their matchups on the sides of the mats, they dipped and dove, jumped up and down and raised the volume of the music on their iPods to psych themselves up and get ready to wrestle.

Mat Bradice, a senior wrestler for William Floyd High School at the 113 lb. weight class, said that although there is a lot of preparation for this tournament, the routine was no different than it had been all season.

“Our practices are quick, tough and intense,” he said. “Being among so many other competitors can be overwhelming at first, but I’ve been competing at the Suffolk County championships since ninth grade, so it was nothing I wasn’t used to.”

Bradice said you mentally prepare yourself for the tournament the whole year, using each practice and each match along the way to propel you forward toward your final matches of the season in the hopes you can qualify for a spot in the state tournament. “With each match you win and with each practice, you start to develop a mindset that you believe you’re the best, and that you know you’ve worked way too hard to let anyone beat you,” he said.

Other wrestlers had this same mindset.

“He’s a very prepared, well-schooled athlete,” said Frank Esposito, who came to the tournament to see Matt Leshinger, a senior in the 132 lb. weight class from Sayville High School. “He won last year-He uses this as a tool to get to the state tournament. It’s a great event, it’s the Suffolk County Championships. There’s nothing better.”

As day two of the tournament began, the wrestlebacks were underway. One competitor, Maleik Henry, a senior in the 170 lb. weight

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class from Half Hollow Hills East, worked himself up on the sidelines for his chance to take a consolation prize.

“I worked out a lot and did a lot of running,” Henry said of his routines and workouts prior to competing. “I tried to push myself to the limit--passed the point of being tired. I already lost, but I’m in a really good spot right now to get third or fourth, and a wildcat to go upstate.”

Although Henry defeated his final competitor, Kevin Figueroa of Walt Whitman, 13-8, he would only take home fifth place. But to take any position at this colossal tournament is an incredible feat.

At this stage, wrestlers need to come in prepared to compete at their fullest potential to win a chance to compete upstate in the New York State tournament.

“He worked the same as he always has, the same routine, but he’s ready to get it done,” said Ralph Mordente of his son Jackson Mordente, a senior in the 145 lb. weight class at Sachem East High School. “I helped him prepare, wrestle and work out. There’s a lot of hype, but he’s doing good. He’s in the finals, so there’s a lot of build up. This event is awesome, we’re New York State, No. 1, there’s nothing better around.”

Mordente went on the take second in a 3-1 loss to Connetquot High School’s Brendan Dent, but what he did, was not just place highest for Sachem East in the championships, but helped secure even more points to add to his school’s total of 156 points. This helped the team surpass top teams like East Islip, Rocky Point and Brentwood at the top spots in the championship, to help the school take home it’s first district title since 1992.

“Jackson’s one of our hardest workers and he’s one of our team captains, so a lot of times he’ll set the tone for us,” said the Flaming Arrow’s head coach, Sean O’Harra. “He was doing everything he could to get ready. I think his mindset was pretty good and it just came down to one takedown. We would have liked to have had it gone our way. Jackson wasn’t really able to get his offense going in the finals. But, I would not say it was in any way a lack of preparation or anything like that. I think he did everything he could to get there.”

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And there’s a lot of pressure in the build up leading to the final round of the championship.

The intensity heightens as the lights dim and a spotlight is hung over the center mat in front of the bleachers still overflowing with wrestlers, fans, family and friends. Knots form in the pits of spectator’s stomachs in anticipation for the excitement and worry that ensues in these final performances.

“I’m sure he was a little bit nervous--that was his first time in the county finals, and obviously it was a big match for him,” Coach O’ Hara said. “You just have to go out there and wrestle your best from

whistle to whistle, all out. So I think he took that mindset into the match and I think he wrestled that way.”

But for Bradice, he did not feel the same way.

“I went into the match confident, knowing that I was going to give it my all no matter what happens,” he said, “I’m upset with how the match went. I don’t think pressure or anything like that had something to do with it. I simply got out-wrestled and in the sport of wrestling that is going to happen to everyone at least once. And the only thing you can do is learn from that loss, and use it to make you

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work harder so it never happens again.”

having all my friends and family there at the finals cheering me on.”

Bradice said he came into the tournament as an underdog. “I would have to beat three league champs in row just to make it to the finals,” he said. His first mach was against a wrestler he never faced before--Tim Johnson of Harborfields, who he beat 5-0. His second matchup, was against the No. 3 seed, Matt Haag from Islip, who he beat 7-0. “After winning that match I felt unstoppable--like I couldn’t lose. However, I knew my next match was going to be a tough one. I was up against the No. 2 seed, [Tyler] Walsh from West Islip. Walsh also pinned me last year in a tournament,” Bradice said. “Everyone predicted Walsh to beat me, but like I said, I felt unstoppable and I wanted my revenge from the previous year. I surprised a lot of people when I beat Walsh 8-2, but my coaches and I knew I could do it.”

Bradice said he will be attending states as an alternate, as will all the other wrestlers who places second and third in the tournament, and therefore, will only wrestle if someone in his weight class cannot make it.

Although Bradice said he didn’t feel any pressure being in the finals, he said he was nerved being in front of such a large crowd in the county finals on center stage, which was something he was not used to.

“I just kept telling myself it’s just another wrestling match and I have to give it my all,” he said. “Before every match I remind myself how hard I work, and how if I wrestle my hardest, no one can beat me.”

Bradice wrestled his final competitor two other times this season, prior to this match, so he said he knew what he was in for. He went on to take second place as he fell to Nick Piccininni of Ward Melville High School 15-0.

Leshinger went on to take the No. 1 spot in the 132 lb. weight class with a 7-3 win over Chris Mauiello of Happauge High School.

This was Leshinger’s second county crown, as he won last season and went on to place third in the state. Mark West of Happauge at the 126 lb. weight class, was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler and Champion of Champs, and Mike Hughes of Smithtown West at the 285 lb. weight class, took home the Most Pins/Least Time title at four in 2:23. Hughes set a new record as the fastest cumulative time in the 73 years of the championship. Shoreham-Wading River’s Jesse Jantzen had four pins in 4:16 in 1998.

These wrestlers who compete,d and especially, those who placed have a lot to be proud of, as their seasons come to a close.

“Looking back on my senior year I would have to say I’m pretty proud of how it all turned out,” Bradice said. “I only had four losses, and three of them were to the returning state champ. Taking second in the toughest section in all of New York State is a great accomplishment. I’m excited to take my next step in life and continue my wrestling career in college. The thing that drives me to work so hard is not the feeling of winning, but the feeling of losing.”

He said he knows he worked hard this season to achieve the status he has, but also notes he couldn’t have done it without the help of others along the way.

“Of course I wanted to take first, but I guess it is pretty cool that I can say I’m the second best 113-pounder in all of Suffolk County,” he said. “I believe the Division I Suffolk County championship is the toughest section in all of New York State. I have the best family and coaches a wrestler could ask for. My parents do everything for me, and are always at every match cheering me on. I also believe I have the best coaches in Suffolk County as well. It was also really cool

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Congratulations to the First Place Winners Who Secured A Spot in the New York State Championships: 99- John Arceri of Huntington High School 106- Alex Tanzman of Westhampton Beach High School 113- Nick Piccininni of Ward Melville High School 120- Travis Passaro of Eastport-South Manor High School 126- Mark West of Hauppauge High School 132- Matt Leshinger of Sayville High School 138- Tommy Dutton of Rocky Point High School 145- Brendan Dent of Connetquot High School 152- Corey Rasheed of Longwood High School 160- Tyler Grimaldi of Half Hollow Hills West High School 170- Carlos Toribio of Brentwood High School 182- Gio Santiago of Sachem North High School 195- Chris Chambers of East Islip High School 220- Nicholas Lupi of Huntington High School 285- Mike Hughes of Smithtown West High School

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Story By Brian Coleman Photo By Morgan Harrison

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West Islip diving coach KrisitiLee H ener wasn’t too surprised at Carter’s success at the championships because she says she knows the kind of effort that he put in this season.

“I’m just so proud of him because of the strides he has made since last year,” said Hener. “He set goals to win counties and make states and achieved both of those.”

O

ne of the highest points in any high school athlete’s career is having the opportunity to compete in a county championship event. It’s the reason they get up early for workouts and stay late at practice all season, whether it be a team or individual sport, the goal is to be there at the end with a chance to win a county title. It’s a culmination of the hard work and dedication that each athlete puts in throughout the year.

An array of swimmers and divers from all across Suffolk County took to the pool in Hauppauge to compete for that county title on February 15th. The Section XI Swimming and Diving championships featured hundreds of participants from a number of different Suffolk County schools.

The events ranged from team medleys to individual freestyles to the diving ch ampions hips , with 12 events overall. The 50-meter diving championships consisted of twenty divers hurling their bodies gracefully through the air and piercing the water with great form. One diver in particular stole the show with his performance.

Patrick Carter, a fourteen-year old eighth grader from West Islip, dominated the competition. Carter, who qualified for the state meet back in December, was one of the youngest people to compete at the Section XI championships.

“Competing in the event last year made me a little more comfortable this year,” said Carter, who placed third in the county championship last season as a thirteen-year old. “I knew I was capable of doing this if I continued to work hard.”

He was certainly right. Carter used a year of motivation and hard work since last year’s third-place finish to take home the title of Suffolk County champion this season.

Carter received 20 points thanks, in part, to an 11-dive score of 451.25, which was 40 points higher than the second-place finisher, sophomore Alex Cohen of Half Hollow Hills who finished with a score

The eighth grader set out before this season to try and beat his score from last year’s event, and did that by more than 70 points. “I had definitely improved from last year so I just wanted to do my best,” said Carter. “I just took it dive by dive and tried to do my best. I thought all the dives went really well.”

of 410.90. Another sophomore from Half Hollow Hills, John Natalone, finished in third place resulting from a score of 405.70. Liam Harrison of Sayville finished in fourth with a score of 388.70.

Competing for a county championship is an honor and special thing for any high-school athlete. But it is even more impressive when that person isn’t even in high school yet.

“It’s pretty cool being able to compete against older kids on this stage. I did it last year but didn’t do as well as I wanted,” Carter reflected. “I’m just happy I was able to win today.”

Carter received a score of 212.35 in the preliminary rounds, 19 points higher than the second place score by Max Gerber.

Gerber, of Half Hollows Hills, was actually the youngest competitor in the event at just thirteen years old and finished 5th overall in the event. Thirteen-year-old participant Daniel Garba of Sayville made Carter reminisce of his trip to this county title last year.

“It was a good experience last year,” said Carter. “I didn’t get the result I wanted but it helped me focus on my dives this time around.”

Back in mid-December, Carter won a trip to the state championships in Buffalo in the beginning of March by winning the Suffolk Diving Invitational. He will take his talents, which led him to an undefeated season, up to Erie Community College to compete against the best in the state.

“I fully expect him to do great in the state championships,” said West Islip swimming head coach Robert Kollar. “He does everything right and always wants to get better.”

Carter is excited for the chance to try his skills out on the state level, but understands the competition he will be facing will be substantial.

“My main goal is just to be able to get to the finals at states,” said Carter. “If I can get there then I’ll do my best to try and win.”

Despite what he does up in Buffalo in the state finals, Carter is already a Suffolk County champion. And he will have plenty of more opportunities to win more county titles in the years to come.

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Sachem Sachem East Takes Division I County Title

Takes Division I Cou Story by Desiree Keegan

Photos by Morgan Harrison

Takes Division I Count

I

n his ninth season as head coach of the Sachem East wrestling team, Sean O’Hara has experienced something very few others have.

After being a part of a Suffolk County Division I championship team title a little over 20 years ago, when he wrestled for Sachem before the school divided (into Sachem North and Sachem East), he has now experienced it all over again. But this time, it’s as a coach.

“It’s definitely a neat thing to see it from both perspectives,” Coach O’Hara said. “As a wrestler, it’s kind of single-minded and on your own preparation. You’ve got to be ready for your matches. As a coach, you don’t have that same control over what happens. It’s a lot more nerve-racking as a coach because the kids have to go out there and perform and even though I have so much confidence in the guys

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on the team, you still get nervous for them.”

The coach believed that with the strong leadership of his captains, his team was able to come together to get the district’s first county title win since 1992.

“You know how hard they work and once they go out there, there’s not too much you can do except hope that they perform at their best, so whether they win or lose, they’re out there and doing what they’re capable of doing,” the coach said. “And for the most part, our guys did that, so it was nice.”

Almost 50 schools competed in the DI championships, which took place from February 12 to 13 at Hofstra University and Ward Melville High School.

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East

unty Title “It’s a terrific event. It’s a great tournament and there are so many good teams in it. There’s very good wrestling, it’s very competitive and there’s a lot of talent. It’s such a tough tournament with so many good teams and there’s so many good programs on Long Island and in Suffolk County in particular, that it’s not an easy tournament to win,” Coach O’Hara said. “Sachem has a great wrestling tradition and even so, we haven’t won in over 20 years-- so that was pretty special. When we won in 1992 I was actually a wrestler on the team, so it was interesting. In that sense, it was kind of neat to think over 20 years later I was back and coaching the team. It was a lot of fun.”

Although the team did not take any No. 1 spots, the Flaming Arrows had a strong, dedicated group of wrestlers who bounced back from a tough first day.

ty Title

The team started off on a positive-- putting seven athletes into the semifinals. But only one of those players, 145 lb team captain Jackson Mordente, made it through to the finals. The six matches lost were close, according to Coach O’Hara.

“A lot of them went in with the goal of winning the tournament,” he said. “They’ve also been training a long time, and they trained a lot in the off-season…those were some devastating losses at the end of the first day. But the kids knew that they had to battle back and if

they did, that the team title was within reach.”

And the team did persevere, as each of the remaining six wrestlers went on to win their wrestlebacks and placed in the consolation finals for third and fourth. Some of the wrestlers who made it through were team captains Conor O’Hara, who placed third at 132 lbs., and Christian Nunez, who placed third at 195 lbs.

“It was a total team effort for us. This is a really special group of kids, very hardworking,” Coach O’Hara said. “I was really pleased with their effort on the second day--it was a good, really strong performance for them. That first round decides whether you go for third place or whether you go to the match for fifth place and we won all six of the matches that round, had a couple of pins, and we scored a lot of points that round. And even in the third place round we won five out of six. When the tournament was up for grabs we came back the second day and won 11 out of 12, and I think that shows the kind of kids we have on the team. They have a lot of heart, and it’s just a great group of kids.”

The coach said that the wildcard is important now, as third place wrestlers have a chance to make it into the state tournament if for some reason another competitor cannot make it. But besides wanting to push themselves toward their individual bests, the coach knows they were pulling for the team as well.

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“I think you can see how important the team title was to them,” the coach said. “I know they still have their individual goals in mind, trying to come back for that third place medal, but they showed a lot of character and definitely went out and played for the team and were able to bring home the title.”

Coach O’Hara said that he always tells his kids that the true measure of a player is in teaching them how to go after what they want and how to achieve your goals--and also, how successful they are in doing so. He said that it’s not necessarily judging yourself by your wins and losses, but asking yourself “Are you doing everything in your power to be the best you can be?”

And the wrestlers have taken his advice to heart as they continued to learn and grow from their coach and use his words as a pushing off point to propel them into the positions they found themselves in at the tournament.

“It felt terrific,” the coach said of being a part of the team title win. “I’m just a piece of the puzzle and with this group of kids in particular, they’re just so much fun to be around. They’re really good wrestlers in addition to being great kids.”

Coach O’Hara said it has been an exciting journey with this group. Attaining the first team title in over 20 years ended up being not only monumental for the program and it’s wrestlers, but for himself as well. The coach said he is glad to have been able to do it with this group of wrestlers who have a willingness to do anything to win and reach their goals.

“From a coaching standpoint, this group was pretty easy to coach because they really took what I had to say to heart. Win or lose they gave it everything they have and they went after it. That’s why I think we were able to take home that team tournament without having to take an individual title, because it was a group of kids that never gave up.”

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The Tuckers Take Home First Championship in Team's History Story by Miscelleana Rhinehart Photos by Morgan Harrison 49

M at t i t u c k

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hrough a storm of ice, rain and snow, many Suffolk County Division II wrestlers had to wait a week before being able to hit the mats to fight for their championship titles.

On February 16, the Dr. L Robert “Doc” Fallot Memorial Suffolk County Wrestling Championship took place at Center Moriches High School where nine teams and 153 wrestlers competed for the chance to make it to states, as well as the opportunity to take home a team title in their division.

with 203. The other teams placed: Babylon: 167 points Center Moriches: 127 points Port Jefferson: 123.5 points Southampton: 80 points Stony Brook: 77.5 points Hampton Bays: 75 points Smithtown Christian: 52 points As for the individuals, 15 weight class brackets were set and ready for play. Each weight class came out with its own champion, but there were plenty of games and a few nail-bitters before any finals ensued and the champions were crowned.

The big story of the day was from the team champion school, as Mattitucks’ Tomasz Filipkowski took home his third straight county title. The 170-pounder was forced to face his his fellow teammate, Sal Loverde. At two minutes 34 seconds, Loverde was pinned and Filipkowski earned his triple championship.

Filipkowski wasn’t the only champion to take home the title with a final pin. Another four games ended with one of the two wrestlers pinned to stop the clock.

After hours of wrestling and dozens of rounds, the Mattituck Tuckers took home the team win with their final score of 231.5.

The defending champions, Bayport-Blue Point came in second

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In the 145 lb. finals, Ryan Hake from Bayport-Blue Point went against Johnathan Song from Babylon. Only one minute and 16 seconds into the game, Hake was named champion. Next was the 160 lb. finals match against Nick Tyson, playing in his home gym at Center Moriches, against Ryan Woodward from Port Jefferson.

The home crowd may not have enjoyed the ending, though, as Tyson was pinned at three minutes and 15 seconds.

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Tuckers The other two pins of the night were Brian Loskamp of Babylon who pinned Cody Nolan of Hampton Bays at two minutes and 16 seconds for the 182 lb. weight class; and Peter Strassfield of Southampton who took Kevin Giron of Hampton Bays to the mat and pinned him at five minutes and 12 seconds for the 295 lb. weight class finals.

Of the 15 final weight championships, ten games came down to a deciding factors- two of them being major.

The 99 lb. finals and 195 lb. finals both ended with a major decision, as Matteo DeVincenzo of Port Jefferson went against Brett Frole of Babylon, with a final 9-1 and Christopher Baglivi from Mattituck took the win from William Hamilton of Center Moriches, 11-0.

The last seven games that came down to a decision: 106 lb: Dominick Mazzella of Babylon beat Ayan Mandal of Stony Brook, 5-2.

113 lb: Michael Menzer of Center Moriches beat James Hoeg of Mattituck, 5-3.

120 lb: Peter Schneider of Smithtown Christian beat Joe Palma of Bayport-Blue Point, 5-2.

126 lb: Hunter Hulse of Stony Brook outscored Brian Pelan of Mattituck, 3-2.

132 lb: Austin Hulse of Stony Brook defeated Justin Underwood of Bayport-Blue Point, 2-0.

138 lb: Bobby Becker of Mattituck beat Tyler D’Accordo of Port Jefferson, 4-2.

152 lb: Matthew Migliore of Smithtown Christian defeated Paul Cavanagh of Port Jefferson, 7-0.

The only game that ended by default was during the 220-pound final between Rafal Rokosz of Southamption and Ryan Lewis of Center Moriches. Rokosz took the title.

There were three other awards given out that evening as Ryan Hake of Bayport-Blue Point at the 145-lb. weight class was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler; Peter Schneider of Smithtown Christian at the 120-lb. weight class was named the Champion of Champions; while Michael Menzer of Center Moriches at the 113lb. weight class was the wrestler who had taken Most Pins/Least Time with three in 2:59.

In the end, the Tuckers saw six of their wrestlers make it to the final round, as three of them walked back off the floor victorious as county champions. This was the first championship that the Mattitucks have taken home, but with so many of their wrestlers making their way through tough competition, it may not be surprising to see them on top again in the seasons to come.

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S H G I TH S A E LL EM A H B C T A E S SK A B ’ GIRLS

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n February 26, the Sachem East High School girl’s basketball team faced off against North Babylon in the finals of the Suffolk County Class AA championship.

Head coach Matt Brisson, who has been with the Flaming Arrows ever since the district’s split into North and East nine years ago, hoped that Tuesday’s outcome would mirror that of the two teams’ face-off in 2010.

He was right.

Coach Brisson describes that past game as a “classic clash of the titans,” where Sachem East came out on top with a 71-68 victory.

This legendary season came to a close with a huge win against Shenendehowa in the State Tournament, resulting in a New York State Class AA title.

“It was a fantasy back in November,” said Coach Brisson, regarding the team’s potential appearance back in the State Tournament for the 2012-2013 season. “It became something to shoot for in late January, even early February. Right now, it’s no longer either one of those things,” the coach said prior to the Suffolk County playoff game. “Now it’s a goal. Now it’s something we’re really focused on – it’s something that’s really driving us.”

The Flaming Arrows had many things driving them through the playoffs this season.

In the 2012 semifinals of the Suffolk Class AA championship, Sachem East, (No. 1 at the

time), took a tough two point loss to No. 4 Hauppauge – the final score being 47-45. “I think it really hurt them,” Coach Brisson said.

“It was really one of those eye-openers that nothing is automatic and you have to earn it every single day.”

And the team did not let themselves forget this. A mantra they had taken to repeating before their games and during practices is “unfinished business” – a reminder that no game should be looked at as an easy win, and

that they had ground to make up for from the upsetting end to their 2011-2012 season.

The team’s starting five consisted of juniors Katie Doherty and Kathleen Everson, and seniors Allie Drake, Sammy Drake and Emily Carmel. Each of these players had been indispensable to the Flaming Arrow’s success this season, and Coach Brisson relied heavily on them in the games that took them through to the finals.

Doherty is the team’s all-star and the last of a long line of Doherty’s whom Coach Brisson had coached over the years. Averaging 17 points per game, she had been “running the show” this season, and continued to be a crucial factor in the final games of the season.

Everson came from a basketball pedigree background. “She loves to play and is learning all the time. She’s been getting better every day,” her coach said. Everson had averaged 12 points per game, and Coach Brisson said he is thrilled to have both her and Doherty back next year to continue their influence on the court.

Coach Brisson’s “Roman warriors,” twins Allie and Samantha Drake, were seniors this year and were vital to Sachem East’s defense.

“They don’t let anyone take advantage of them,” he explained. “They get rebounds, they box people out. They do all the things that you need to do to win games. They’re the ones who are holding up the pillars in the

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the basement so the whole thing can fly.”

Both Drake sisters averaged six rebounds each per game.

Carmel played with a torn ligament in her ankle this season, an injury she had been suffering from all season. Despite the injury, Carmel led the way in taking charges and was a “lethal three-point shooter,” according to her coach. Her dedication and commitment to the game is something that energized the team unlike anything else. “You can’t simulate that,” Coach Brisson said. “You either have it or you don’t.”

Though the Flaming Arrows did not have the deepest bench, Coach Brisson accounts that to their youth and inexperience playing at the varsity level – but they are still stepping up. “I have puppies on the bench,” he said of the seventh grader, two eighth graders, and host of freshmen and sophomores who he had coming off the bench.

His players know that Sachem East will have to rely on this young core next season, so many of them play in the AAU league off-season. “It makes sense, the ones who are in the mix to step up are the ones who are playing for some other team that is going to help get them better,” Coach Brisson said.

Senior Christina Schretzman led by example off the bench for her younger teammates earlier in the season by stepping in to take Carmel’s place when her injury kept her from playing. “She did a remarkable job,” Coach Brisson said.

“She took the opportunity and became an indispensable kid early in the year.

We didn’t have a deep bench, but she has evolved into a kid who is a real big part of all we need to do.”

many other teams do not have the luxury of. This, along with their great basketball intelligence, has been vital to their success thus far and continued to push them forward to their ultimate goal.

And the girls were not quite ready to go home. “Come play-off time, I think that they are old enough and sophisticated enough to know that this is it,” Coach Brisson said prior to the team’s win.

This momentum helped propel them into that final game against North Babylon where they came out successful in a 57-49 win.

Doherty, the team’s powerhouse, finished the game with 24 points and eight assists as they beat the top-seeded North Babylon to capture their first county title in three years. Doherty’s stat line was identical to her cousin Kristin in that win over the Bulldogs back in 2010, when the Flaming Arrows last took the title.

Sachem East led from midway through the first quarter and never relinquished it.

Allie Drake’s free throws pushed the Flaming Arrows’ lead to 40-20 with 3:22 remaining in the third quarter, but North Babylon came back with a 21-7 run as North Babylon’s Brittany Hicks pulled the scores even closer with a free throw.

This left the score at 47-41 with 5:20 left in the fourth.

But Carmel, who scored 15 points, answered with an 18-foot jumper to break the Bulldogs’ momentum with 4:46 left in the game. Doherty followed Carmel’s basket with a corner three-pointer and a pull-up jumper on consecutive possessions.

Everson had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Allie Drake had seven points and 13 rebounds, to help seal the team’s fate.

This is just another step for the team, as Sachem East continues its “unfinished business” motto, which serves as a reminder of the team’s shortcomings the the previous two postseasons. As the players head toward that final step, the Flaming Arrows look to finish that business by claiming the state championship title.

“We always put our hands in and say ‘to the bridge,’” Coach Brisson said, “meaning the Throgs Neck – to get over it and play up at States.”

When looking at his team as a whole, Coach Brisson said he was confident for the games to come. He explained that one of Sachem East’s greatest strengths is the camaraderie and chemistry that they exhibit on the court. Many of his players, especially his starting five, have been battle-tested and have years of experience playing with each other, something that

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Section viii and Girls Basketball Nassau County Class AA Champions: Massapequa Class A Champions: Garden City Class B Champions: Cold Spring Harbor Class C Champions: Carle Place Class B/C Champions: Cold Spring Harbor

***Section VIII Champions: Massapequa

Girls Basketball Suffolk County

Class AA Champions: Sachem East Class A Champions: Harborfields Class B Champions: Southampton Class C Champions: Stony Brook Class B/C Champions: Southhampton

***Section XI Champions: Sachem East

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d xi Champions ( boys Basketball nassau county Class AA Champions: Baldwin Class A Champions: Jericho Class B Champions: Wheatley Class C Champions: Oyster Bay Class B/C Champions: Oyster Bay:

boys Basketball suffolk county

Class AA Champions: Northport Class A Champions: Amityville Class B Champions: Babylon Class C Champions: Stony Brook Class B/C Champions: Babylon

***Section XI Champions: Amityville

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L ong is la n d C h a mp ions Long Island Champions Girls Basketball Long Island Class AA Champions: Sachem East Long Island Class A Champions: Harborfields Long Island Class B/C Champions: Southampton

long island champions boys Basketball Long Island Class AA Champions: Northport Long Island Class A Champions: Amityville Long Island Class B Champions: Babylon Long Island Class C Champions: Stony Brook

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Story by Sandy Sarcona

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oo tired to grab something to eat before your morning practice?

Too rushed to eat before your afternoon game? Not fueling your body before workouts can result in a sluggish performance!

In the mor ning your body is in a fasting state. Your liver glycogen (storage of carbohydrate that regulates your blood sugar) is in very low supply. Low blood sugar can make you feel dizzy and faintnot a great recipe for peak performance.

By afternoon our liver glycogen is usually filled up with our morning meals, so now you need to worry about your supply of glycogen stored i n you r muscles. Muscle glycogen supplies energy throughout exercise and can become depleted after exercising continuously for more than 90 minutes. Most high school and college athletes have at least 2-hour

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practices. Working out on a quarter tank of glycogen or lower may lead to an empty tank of energy, just when the practice drills start getting intense! Your muscles will not have the energy it needs to perform and you will feel weak and slow- not something you want to feel or what your coach expects from you.

Fueling up for practice or competition requires eating some form of carbohydrate about a half an hour before starting time.

Pre-performance snacks include: •

•

Pretzels, crackers, or dry cereal with raisins; pre-pack in

a snack bag.

•

Plain bagel (can add a small

•

Sports drink (Gatorade®, Powerade®, or Vitamin Water®).

amount of butter, cream cheese or peanut butter, but not too much as this slows digestion) or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (again go light on the p.b.).

Pack these snacks ahead or keep a supply

Cereal bar – choose one with in your backpack so you will always be mostly carbohydrate, lower in fiber, with just a small amount of protein; save the high protein bar for after practice. Too much protein and fat before exercise can be harder to digest.

energized to perform your best in practice and competition.

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Story By Mike Mejia CSCS

Do more work in less time with hybrid training

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t’s tougher than ever to be a student athlete these days. As if trying to maintain good grades, keep up with your team’s practice schedule and have at least some form of a social life weren’t enough, you’re also expected to stay in decent shape.

Trouble is, who’s got time to put in long, arduous workouts in the gym when you’re being pulled in so many different directions?

If only there was a way to work more muscle, in less time and address all of the areas you need to strengthen to become a better athlete. Luckily, there is! Enter hybrid exercises; lifts that incorporate multiple movement patterns to provide the ultimate athletic training stimulus!

Unlike more traditional exercises that focus on specific body segments, often through a single plane of motion, hybrid lifts pose a much greater challenge to bio-motor skills such as balance, coordination and spatial awareness. Meaning that they require you

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to develop a greater sense of the way your body moves through space- a key skill to improve regardless of what sport you play.

They’re also incredibly time efficient and offer a terrific way to increase workout intensity.

About the only downside when training with hybrids is that you’ll be limited to using only as much weight as you can handle for the weakest part of the lift. For example, if you’re doing a combination squat and overhead press, you can only use as much as you can safely push up overhead with good form. Needless to say, this may not be enough load to completely fatigue your legs. However, despite not being an effective tool for increasing maximal strength, hybrids still have plenty to offer the busy student athlete that’s looking to improve their game.

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Try the following exercises as either paired supersets (where you perform one exercise after the other with no rest until both are completed, then rest for 60-90 seconds), or as a grueling circuit, by doing all six in a row and then resting for 90-120 seconds before going around for a second time. Either way your bound to get a great workout that will give you a whole new understanding for the way your body was designed to move.

Squat to Row Areas trained: Lower body, with an emphasis on the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors working together), upper back and arms.

Execution: Stand facing a low cable pulley with your feet spread about shoulder’s width apart, holding on to a rope handle with your arms extended towards the pulley. Begin by sitting your hips back as you descend into a squat, keeping your arms extended out in front of you. Once your thighs are parallel to the ground, push back up with your legs as you simultaneously use your upper back and arms to pull the weight towards your torso.

In the top position your legs should be completely extended, with your arms bent about 90 degrees and your elbows just past your torso. Hold for a second then lower back down and repeat until you’ve done 10-12 repetitions.

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Side Plank with Band Press Areas Trained: Core and lateral hips, along with chest, shoulders and triceps.

Execution: Secure a resistance band to a sturdy object and position your body several feet in front of it. Begin by grabbing the band with your right hand and then turning away from the anchoring point. Next, set up in a side plank position, using your left arm as the support. Bridge up off the ground and with the right hand held just in front of your chest, hold the side plank position and press the band out in front of you until your arm is fully extended. Hold that position for a second before returning your arm to the start position and repeating until you’ve completed 8-10 reps- making sure to stay up in the plank position the entire time.

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Unilateral Romanian Deadlift & Reverse Fly Areas Trained: Posterior Chain and upper back. Also helps develop balance and coordination.

Execution: Stand balancing on one leg with your knee slightly bent, holding a pair of light dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your torso upright and core engaged, hinge at the hips by driving your glutes back and leaning forward at the waist- without bending your support knee any more. As you’re doing so, slowly work the dumbbells up in a wide, arcing motion out to the sides of your body by pinching your shoulder blades together. In the finish position your entire torso, along with the non working leg should be parallel to the ground, with your arms held out perpendicular to your body with just a slight bend in your elbows. Hold for a second, then lower and repeat the sequence with the opposite leg.

Continue until you’ve done a total of 10-12 repetitions.

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Bulgarian Split Squat with unilateral overhead press Areas trained: Entire lower body with an emphasis on improving flexibility through the back hip and torso. Shoulders and triceps as well.

Stand with your back to a bench positioned about 2 1/2 to 3 feet behind you. Begin by holding a dumbbell in your right hand and then reach back behind you and place your right instep on the bench. Now balancing mainly on your left leg, lift the dumbbell up until its positioned just above your shoulder. Once there, begin to descend into a squat by lowering your back knee and loading most of your weight onto the heel of your front foot (allowing the front heel to rise off the ground and/ or settling your weight mainly on the ball of your foot will increase knee strain). As you’re doing this, press the weight up overhead until your arm forms a straight line, right next to your ear. Pause for a second at the bottom and then press back up as you lower the dumbbell to the start position. Repeat until you’ve done 8-10 repetitions and then switch sides.

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Pull-up with knee tuck Areas trained: Upper back, arms and core.

Execution: Grab hold of a pull-up bar with a pronated (palms facing away from you) grip. Next, lift your legs up off the ground and hold them in a semi bent position. Begin by pulling yourself up towards the bar with your chest out to emphasize the use of your upper back. Once your chin is just above the bar, hold there and use your core to lift your knees up towards your chest. Once you’ve gotten your legs as high as they’ll go, lower them back down and then lower yourself to the starting position. Repeat the sequence until you’ve completed 10-12 repetitions.

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Medicine Ball Woodchop to rotary lunge Areas trained: Core and lower body. Also helps train deceleration strength for improved change of direction mechanics.

Begin by holding a medicine ball with your arms outstretched over your left shoulder and your feet about shoulder’s width apart.

Begin by using your core to “chop” your arms down across your body towards your right knee. As you’re doing this, pivot your feet and drop your hips into a lunge. In the finish position, you’ll be completely facing to your right, with the ball just outside your right knee and your arms held out across your body. Slowly return to the start position and repeat until you’ve done 8-10 repetitions, then switch sides.

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EMOTIONAL DI IN ATHLE STORY BY DR. TOM FERRARO

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ith competitive sports comes an immense amount of stress, which can sometimes result in an athlete to suffer from emotional problems.

Because their lifestyles are so glamorized, this common occurrence may be one of the best-kept secrets in sports. There are certain types of personalities that are drawn to the sporting world, many of w hich being more susceptible to emotional disorders than others. There are three major emotional domains (personality, addictive, and psychological) that tend to trouble athletes and coaches alike.

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ISORDERS ETES

PERSONALITY DISORDERS There are three types of personality problems seen in athletes: •

Narcissism: These players feel that they are entitled to everything they see and rarely hear the word no. Some develop narcissism, or what we call “acquired narcissism.”

When they become famous, they can develop a grandiose sense of self and feel that they are above all rules. This often results in them having a toxic impact upon their teammates and the people they come into contact with.

•

Sociopathy: It is a well-known fact that some professional athletes are sociopathic–they break the law and wind up with a mug shot that we see in the papers. These incidents always have the potential to destroy a season for the player and possibly, his team.

•

Obsessive Compulsive Personality: These compulsive over-workers are usually the coach’s favorite until their obsessive nature produces injury, burnout or depression.

These three areas – symptoms, addictions and personality disorders – are common and they produce considerable stress on coaches and teams. If a coach sees that a player is displaying these symptoms, one should take the necessary steps towards providing them with help. While some can be easily treated with medication, others are more difficult to solve.

When looking at the high-pressured lifestyle that comes along with the world of sports, it is no surprise that many athletes and coaches suffer with a variety of psychological issues. Without a proper diagnosis and treatment, players and coaches will continue suffering from these disorders which could ultimately damage their careers. All of the conditions stated above are issues that should be addressed by physicians, therapists, or clinical psychologists.

“Some athletes acquire a form of narcissism thanks to the amount of adulation they receive. They begin to feel special and entitled to everything they want.”

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“Steroid abuse is merely one of many forms of drug addictions that athletes can suffer with.”

“Athletes often suffer in silence with a variety of emotional disorders.”

ADDICTIVE DISORDERS

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

There are a vast number of addictive disorders that athletes tend to suffer from:

Athletes often suffer from psychological symptoms before, during or after games due to the stressful nature of sports. They include:

•

Steroid abuse: The use of steroids by athletes is an issue that makes headlines nearly every week. These performance-enhancing drugs are a favorite of body builders.

While steroids add muscle, they have huge and very dangerous side effects.

•

Pain killers: Thanks to the number of injuries athletes are faced with, they are often introduced to painkillers early on in their careers. With prolonged use of pharmaceutical drugs comes eventual addiction.

•

Alcohol Abuse: Athletes and coaches often use alcohol to settle down after games or as a sleep aid, but this can lead to overuse in some and even DWI’s.When looking at the high-pressured lifestyle that comes along with the world of sports, it is no surprise that many athletes and coaches suffer with a variety of psychological issues. Without a proper diagnosis and treatment, players and coaches will continue suffering from these disorders which could ultimately damage their careers. All of the conditions stated above are issues that should be addressed by physicians, therapists, or clinical psychologists.

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•

Anxiety: Many athletes experience overwhelming anxiety and panic before games, which can result in vomiting, nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, stomach cramps and dizziness.

•

Depression: Some athletes who are in a prolonged slump or who feel they are not getting enough playing time may become depressed. Symptoms of depression i n clude wanting to quit, sleep loss, shame, a loss of appetite and withdrawal.

Some may even become suicidal.

•

Anger: Many athletes have a slow buildup of anger. This oftentimes results in an explosion of anger--commonly diagnosed as Intermittent Explosive Disorder.

•

Eating disorders: This common problem affects gymnasts, figure skaters, soccer players, jockeys and wrestlers, all of whom must deal with weight loss every day.

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