Here at Greenport, sports are in full swing with some of our best records in years! Sports hosted by Greenport High School include Boys Junior Varsity (JV) and Varsity (V) Soccer, Football, and Golf. The Girls play field hockey and volleyball. Additionally, neighboring schools combine to make up such fall sports. These Athletics include JV and Varsity Tennis, combined with Southold, and JV and V Girls Soccer, combined with Southold and Mattituck.
While most play sports for the competitive atmosphere and the rush of excitement, athletics aren’t just about competing. It's a great way to develop communication and team skills. Similarly, sports can be a great way to connect with people all over the island, whether through new teammates or opponents. The sense of community and camaraderie in sports is a powerful bond that unites us all.
Sports often positively impact the school community; however, sports can have adverse effects. The rigorous schedule, training, and time taken away from academics hinder school performance and mental health.
When asked why someone would not want to play High School sports, Lou Swain, Assistant to the Athletic Director, described it as the following: “People try things, and they don't like it, that's fair. If you try it and don't like it, it is what it is. We say try everything till you find something you like”. That is the beauty of Greenport; students have the opportunity to find what they love.
Several Greenport students who play fall sports were interviewed about their sport. These interviews start with John Harvey, a junior on the varsity golf team who has “been playing for four years” and believes that a way to practice and improve their game is to just “keep practicing.” When asked how someone gets into playing the game of golf, Harvey said, “[By] Interest, curiosity or [a] suggestion by other people.” When asked if he's ever gotten a hole-in-one, Harvey said, “Never had a hole-in-one, [but I’ve] been close.” He exclaims that accomplishing this is one of the “Hardest things of all sports.”
A hole-in-one is an incredible thing to achieve. Approximately 450 million rounds of golf are played in the United States each year. According to studies, a hole-in-one will be scored roughly every 3,500 games. That equates to only 1-2% of golfers hitting a hole-in-one. Out of the estimated 25 million golfers, 250,000 and 500,000 hole-in-ones are made annually.
Golf is a complex sport. Many Professional Athletes have claimed golf to be the most technically demanding sport. On one hand, golf isn’t physical, which may seem pleasing and distasteful, but it is mentally grueling.
However, Football is a very physical sport. Football involves extensive contact from collisions and increases the risk of injury, making it one of the most physically demanding sports. Senior Zander Mazzaferro said, “It's a tough sport” when asked about Football and its toughness. Football is a challenging sport, and when asked the hardest thing about football, Mazzafero's answer was “How physical it is.”
Many physical injuries can come from playing football. Such injuries include neurological issues such as concussions, mental illness, and memory loss. Repeated blows to the head cause these. Muscular injuries include ACL tears, arthritis, heart conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, and inflammation. The football team will have a rough, rugged season, but their continuous drive to fight will push them forward. Despite the challenges, their resilience and determination inspire us all. They have had a fantastic start to the season so far.
The boy's Varsity soccer team is also fighting hard during their current season. Senior Captain Luis Maye Masin was asked about his role and position on the team and stated, “I play center mid, and… a captain on the Varsity Soccer team.” The center midfielder is considered one of the most essential positions in soccer. Center midfielders control the middle of the field, supporting both the defensive and offensive sides of the pitch. Moreover, Center mids must have exceptional technical skills such as precise passing and vision, the ability to dribble around defenders, and the ability to shoot at any given chance.
Quick thinking and creativity in high-pressure situations are also crucial attributes of the position. When asked what lessons were learned in Greenport, Masin responded, “Enjoy the game; don't take it too seriously all the time.” Masin wants all future soccer players at Greenport to “Enjoy your years; they go by quickly.” As Masin said, “Enjoy your years playing what you love, and play every game like it is your last.” Their joy and passion for the game are infectious, reminding us why we love sports.
The volleyball team personifies this statement. Here's what Senior and Captain of the girl's volleyball team Olivia Nockelin had to say about the positives of being on the team. : “It's good getting to know everybody and… everyone as a team”. Nocklin is a middle hitter/blocker. The middle blocker, sometimes known as the middle hitter, is the tallest player on the volleyball team. Their primary role is being the first line of defense against the opposing team's hits.
Things like hand signals, eye contact, and body language are used to convey messages quickly and discreetly during games. Teams also establish clear non-verbal signals for specific plays, strategies, or adjustments, ensuring effective communication even in noisy or crowded environments. Nockelin says that the team knows to “Call if you're going to hit the ball, calls like middle, outside, middle back, down, good. For good servers, call deep. Regular servers, call short. Communication all around, talk louder, giving teammates tips on how they can improve, nobody being harsh on each other”. Communication is one of the most essential things in almost all sports. Having good communication could skyrocket a team’s performance.
Another sport that requires communication is Field Hockey. Field Hockey is an outdoor game played by two opposing teams of 11 players, each using sticks curved at the striking end to hit a small, hard ball into their opponent's goal. Senior and Varsity team Captain Aly De La Noval, who plays right mid “feels like this season looks pretty good. We've had a few tough losses, but there's still [much] of the season to go.” De La Noval has been playing field hockey since 8th grade and feels that “the most exciting part about playing field hockey is getting the opportunity to play playoffs.” Field hockey is very similar to soccer regarding positions and rules, except players must use their sticks instead of their feet to play the ball. Midfield players will have to be able to shoot, tackle, mark, dribble, and pass and read the play accurately.
To improve their record this year De La Noval feels that “We could communicate more and… work on our stick skills. [Having] a good connection with your teammates also allows you to be better overall, so I think that goes into play as well”. Having skills is vital, but it's not everything. Field hockey also has a lot of penalties and fouls, and De La Noval stated, “If I could change something about the game, it would probably be the [number] of penalties that are called. I know some of them are for safety measures, but [most] them tend to be unnecessary sometimes.”
Sports isn’t just about winning. While it is nice going home after winning a hard-fought game, the most crucial part of playing sports is enjoying your time and making sure you're having fun.