The J. Taylor Finley Middle School boys’ volleyball team has been reinstated after an absence of many years. Tryouts will begin on Monday, January 18 in the school gym.
The squad will be coached by Washington Primary School physical education teacher Eric Mininni, who has coached on the varsity, JV and middle school levels during his career.
Getting the team up and running again is a priority of the district’s athletic office. Sign-ups in the nurse’s office have not yet begun, but parents of seventh and eighth graders can send a message to Huntington athletic director Jim Hoops (jhoops@hufsd.edu) to indicate their son is interested in playing volleyball on the Finley team.
A 10 meet schedule has been issued by Section XI. It looks like a great year lies ahead. Meets have been scheduled at home with West Islip Udall, Stimson, Candlewood, Great Hollow Blue and West Islip Beach. Away contests are set with East Northport, Lindenhurst White, Central Islip, Northport and West Hollow.
The first meet will be held in the Finley gym on February 7 at 5 p.m. against visiting West Islip Udall. The season wraps up with a meet on March 14 at home against West Islip Beach at 5 p.m.
Mininni has been a Huntington physical education teacher since September 1998. A graduate of Oceanside High School, he obtained an undergraduate degree at Towson State University in athletic training and physical education and a master’s degree at Adelphi University in health.
Mr. Minnini has coached middle school, junior varsity and varsity boys’ and girls’ volleyball, middle school boys’ track and field, junior varsity girls’ tennis and middle school boys’ tennis.