Finley Boys’ Volleyball Ready for Sophomore Season

The J. Taylor Finley Middle School boys’ volleyball team was reinstated last winter following an absence of many years. With the first season back a complete success, hopes are running high for the sophomore campaign. Tryouts will begin on Tuesday, January 17.

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.

Eighth graders Lucas Biancardo, Eric Heinz, Zachary Matthews, Dylan Michaelson and Charlie Stanforth all played on last year’s team and are eligible to return this winter.

Michaelson (48 sets, 38 aces, five kills), Biancardo (24 sets, 22 aces) and Heinz (75 passes, 28 aces, 15 kills) were among Finley’s top players last season. (A kill is recorded whenever an attack is unreturnable by the opposition and is a direct cause of the opponent not returning the ball or any time the attack leads directly to a blocking error by the opposition. A kill leads directly to a point.)

The team is bused immediately after school to Woodhull Intermediate School, where it practices in the gym there. Games will be played in the Finley gym. A Hudl camera has been installed in the Finley gym so games can be livestreamed and viewed on the Finley Blue Devil Sports YouTube channel.

Send a message to Coach Mininni at emininni@hufsd.edu for more information if you are interested in playing. No previous experience is necessary.

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 Babylon, Great Hollow-Blue, Commack-Gold, West Islip Beach and Candlewood. Away contests are set with Stimson-White, Lindenhurst-White, West Hollow, Stimson-Maroon and Northport.

The first meet will be held in the Finley gym on February 3 at 4:30 p.m. against visiting West Babylon. The season wraps up with a meet on March 10 at home against Candlewood at 4:30 p.m.

Every student needs to get re-qualified by the school nurse for each sport season. The nurse can only clear those who have completed a physical exam within the past 12 months and who present an interval health history form. Questions should be directed to Finley nurse Kay Khokhar at kkhokhar@hufsd.edu.

The following forms must be submitted to the nurse:

• Private Physical Exam Form (link below)

NYS Private Physical Examination Form for Athletes

• Interval Health History Form (link below)

Interval Health History for Sports Participation (English/Spanish)

All Blue Devil sports student-athletes are also required to submit a blue parent permission form to their coach no later than the first day of tryouts/practice.

The form can be found at this link:

Parent Consent Form for Athletes (English/Spanish)

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. He completed his administrative certification through Stony Brook University.

Mr. Minnini has coached varsity softball, 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.