Blue Devils Focus on the Player Experience

A five star experience; that’s what the Blue Devil athletic program is looking for. Why join a team and put on a uniform if it isn’t fun and rewarding? Surveys have established the indisputable fact that the No. 1 reason why high school kids participate in interscholastic athletics is to have fun. Every other possible reason trails far in the distance.

The Blue Devil athletic program is focusing more than ever on what officials call the “player experience.” It’s what Huntington UFSD student-athletes encounter as members of a program that’s more than 110 years old.

Officials have been speaking to athletes individually and in small groups as well as talking to coaches, parents, alumni and school and department leaders across the district.

Recently, some were asked a simple question: “What is the No. 1 thing the athletic department can do to enhance the player experience?”

“Helping with navigating the college recruiting process is important to many of them,’ one alum said. “But that’s still only a select group. At the end of the day most of them just want to feel a part of something bigger than themselves. Letting them know and feel that they are all part of the community of student athletes is huge. It’s the pride that comes with wearing the uniform.”

That’s a sentiment shared by athletic department officials and one they have been discussing with current members of the coaching staff.

“I think the number one thing that will enhance a student’s athletic experience is making sure you love what you’re doing,” sophomore Elizabeth James said. “If you don’t love it, you can’t put your all into it to have a desirable outcome.”

A current varsity head coach, who played for the Blue Devils and graduated from Huntington and who went on to play in college and captain the team, answered the question like this: “Giving them the best physical resources like equipment and enough field and court space; giving them the personnel resources (knowledgeable and supportive coaches) to be successful and providing a culture and community that backs them no matter what the outcome is.”

A physical education teacher who also coaches four teams offered this point of view: “I would say the most important thing is good coaching. Surrounding them with coaches who love and care about them is the number one thing in my opinion.”

There was a diversity of opinion among current athletes on what would improve the player experience. “I think incorporating the mental aspect of sports into the teams at the high school would be very beneficial,” a current junior said. “This could be done by having our coaches create distinct team goals with players and also possibly having someone like Coach K from the recent Section XI student athlete conference work with certain teams. Further, if our coaches have discussions with us about the mindset of the sport, it would definitely enhance the player experience.”

Hope Bilkey feels that pre-season workouts “that the seniors can put together and run if the coaches can’t make,” would improve the overall player experience.

Evan Spagnoletti believes more publicity, team photos, etc. would improve the experience of athletes. He would like to see more announcements over the high school’s public address system.