Blue Devil Fall Teams Win Sportsmanship Awards

Six Huntington UFSD fall interscholastic athletic teams have captured Section XI Sportsmanship Awards. Each of the squads will be given a certificate to display at the respective school.

At Finley, three teams won Section XI Sportsmanship Awards, including boys’ and girls’ cross country and field hockey. The teams were coached by Jarrad Richter, John Walsh and Marissa Bergmann.

At Huntington High School, the varsity girls’ gymnastics and girls’ swimming and diving and boys’ soccer teams also won county Sportsmanship Awards.

Following every game, opposing coaches submitted ratings for players, coaches and fans to Section XI, which compiled the figures. The athletic organization has put a heightened emphasis on good behavior and conduct following a spate of inappropriate actions across Suffolk. The general decline in sportsmanship is being blamed at least in part for a shortage of officials in every sport.

Huntington athletic department officials intend to make a new push to emphasize good sportsmanship on every level in 2024/25. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Stay in the Game sportsmanship program recognizes schools that complete an entire year without a disqualification penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct for a coach and player on all levels of competition. Schools qualifying will receive a decal to display.

“It is the duty of all those concerned with high school athletics to emphasize the proper ideals of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and fair play under all circumstances,” according to Section XI. “The values to be derived from playing the game fairly should be stressed and any actions which tend to destroy those values should be discouraged. Courtesy should be shown toward opponents, officials, supervisors, spectators and administrators. Efforts must be made to achieve a thorough understanding and acceptance of the rules of the game and the standards of eligibility and to respect the integrity and the judgment of the sports officials. It is important for all to recognize that the purpose of athletics is to promote the physical, mental, moral, social, and emotional well-being of the individual players. Most of all, it is the duty of all concerned with high school athletics to remember that an athletic contest is only a game and should be kept in that perspective.”