CCH Offers Sports Clinic March 24 For Basketball, Dance, Martial Arts

Do your children want to perfect their basketball skills? Would they want to learn new dance techniques? Or maybe they would rather learn some Martial Arts?

On Saturday, March 24, Centro Cultural Hispano’s Youth Group will be hosting its first-ever sports clinic – for free. “One of the goals of the youth group is to teach adolescent youths about the satisfaction of giving back to their communities,” says Cinthia Scavone, the programs director. “What better way to give back to your community than to teach younger kids.”

Jack Greenfield, OBHS Senior Wins Fencing Invitational Championship

For many sports, if a team wins the county championship, they often go on to regional and state championship competitions. In Fencing, the county championship is the highest plateau.

When the Oyster Bay High School Boys Varsity Fencing Team recently won the Nassau County Championship it seemingly spelled the end of an illustrious high school fencing career of Oyster Bay High School senior Jack Greenfield.

Delaney Eichorn, Maggie McNamara Compete at Junior Olympics!

Local residents Delaney Eichorn and Maggie McNamara have qualified for the Metropolitan Swimming Junior Olympics to be held in West Nyack, New York. The athletes will be competing for their club team Long Island Aquatic Club during the three day competition.

Long Island Aquatic Club, located in Garden City, is the premier USA Swimming Club on Long Island. The team regularly sends swimmers to compete at regional and national competitions, and has already qualified seven swimmers for the USA Swimming Olympic Trials this summer.

Committee Prepares for Polar Plunge on March 11

Members of the Polar Bear Plunge committee enjoyed lunch at the Coach Grill after a visit to Roosevelt Park in preparation for the March 11th Polar Bear Plunge!

The convivial group included Mary Brosky, a Development Manager at the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, Inc. and the coordinator of the Polar Bear Plunge event; Pat Quinn the Community Outreach manager for UCPA of NC who helps get community involvement in the Polar Bear Plunge event; as well as co-chairs Frank Ozol, past chief Atlantic Steamer Fire Company; and co-chair Jack Sullivan.

Islanders Partner With Center for Missing, Exploited Children

March 29 Game Is Fundraiser

The New York Islanders are partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for a special fundraising night Thursday, March 29 when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 7 p.m. To go along with the donations and support of Islanders fans and all hockey fans in the area, Islanders Owner Charles Wang plans to personally match the total donation from the evening.

“It’s terrible that this is even an issue we have to deal with in our country, but it’s a big problem,” Wang said. “These are our children we’re talking about. They’re our future. We have to protect them as best we can. This is one of many steps we need to take and I look forward to the rest of the NHL and professional sports communities joining us in this fight.”

Snow Doesn’t Stop RunNassau Series Kickoff

Just 398 hardy soles braved the inclement weather on Saturday morning, Feb. 11 at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration, and when the snowflakes had settled 22-year old Bradley Raxenberg of Woodbury and 31-year old Shari Klarfeld on Plainview emerged as the top male and female finishers overall. The OBVR 5 Kilometer Run was the kickoff event of the new RunNassau Series of races leading up to the Long Island Marathon in May.

Saint Dominic’s 8th Grade Team Captures CYO Basketball Championship

“Congratulations to the Saint Dominic’s 8th Grade Lady Bayhawk CYO Basketball team on their resounding victory on Sunday, Feb. 12 against a previously undefeated team from Infant Jesus (Port Jefferson) to capture the NSCYO championship in 8th grade,” said Kevin J. McLaughlin.

Under the coaching expertise of Karen Testa, assisted by Andrew Galgano, the Lady Hawks prevailed in a very hard fought game, 51-43. The game was a real nail-biter throughout and unquestionably a total team effort. So intense was the game that Faith Smith, the Saint Dominic’s all-league point guard, played with what turned out to be a dislocated shoulder for the last 15 minutes of the game!

OBHS Boys Fencing Team Wins Nassau County Championship

Coach John Bruckner Selected as the Boys Nassau County Coach of the Year

The Nassau County Coaches Association selected Coach John Bruckner as the Boys Nassau County Coach of the Year. This distinction is earned for more than just racking up wins. Coach Bruckner instills pride, sportsmanship and a solid work ethic in the fencers of Oyster Bay High School. Not only did he lead his Boys Fencing Team to become Nassau County Champions, but his boys and girls teams both earned Scholar / Athlete Team Awards.

Every season the academic averages of all varsity sports teams are taken collectively, and each team with an average that’s greater than 90 percent is honored with the Scholar/Athlete Team distinction by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). For the 2011-2012 season, eight of the nine varsity teams had an average GPA of 90 percent or greater. The Girls’ Fencing Team led the pack with an impressive team academic average of 97.321 percent. The Boys Fencing Team was a close second with a team academic average of 96.571 percent.

Town of Oyster Bay Hosts NHL Legend O’Ree

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto recently took special occasion to present Hockey Pioneer Willie O’Ree, the first black player to ever play in the National Hockey League (NHL), with a proclamation on behalf of the Town of Oyster Bay.  

Supervisor Venditto proclaimed Jan. 18 to be ‘Willie O’Ree Day’ in the Town of Oyster Bay, to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of Willie breaking the color barrier in the NHL.

Islanders Playing First NHL Game at Barclays Center

Game to be held October 2 against New Jersey Devils

The New York Islanders will play the first-ever NHL game at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Oct. 2, when they take on the New Jersey Devils at 7:30 p.m. The preseason game will mark the first hockey event at Barclays Center, the new major sports and entertainment venue, which will officially open on Sept. 28 with the first of multiple Jay-Z concerts. The game will also mark the first NHL game to be played in Brooklyn.

“We’re extremely excited to play the first NHL game in the new, state-of-the-art Barclays Center,” Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said.  “We already have some of the most passionate fans in the league supporting our young team, and we are looking forward to expanding our base into Brooklyn.”