The Huntington High School girls’ softball program is enjoying its best turnout of players in many years this week. A similarly large turnout is expected when the J. Taylor Finley Middle School team meets for its first day of tryouts on Monday, March 28.
However, many of the players who are now on the field have little experience and some lack their own gloves and bats. When the Blue Devils were faced with a similar situation after Huntington’s intention to field a girls golf team was made known, a call went out for golf clubs, bags, balls and even tees. The response was nothing short of overwhelming with a dozen bags being donated along with dozens of clubs and hundreds of balls and related items. Someone even donated a think instructional book.
Now the call has gone out anew. Local residents with surplus baseball gloves and bats are encouraged to reach out to athletic department coordinator Michael Marinello (631.673.2017 or mmarinello@hufsd.edu) and arrange to donate them. The items can be dropped off to the high school gym area or Mr. Marinello will pick them up.
The Blue Devil varsity team is led by head coach John Walsh and assistant coach Eric Mininni. The JV is coached by Alex Nelson. Marissa Bergmann will be coaching the team at Finley.
“We have a really great group of young women on our teams this year and we have some very talented players,” Walsh said. “We could use some additional gloves and bats for players who do not have their own. If anyone in the community can help us out, that would be wonderful.”