by Jim Mancari

Seven new inductees joined the 224 members of the CHSAA Hall of Fame May 9 during the 28th annual ceremony and dinner held at the Brynwood Golf and Country Club, Armonk, N.Y.

All proceeds benefit the Msgr. Matthew Peters-Bernard Gallagher Scholarship Fund. Both were former presidents of the league.

This year’s class featured an eclectic mix of dedicated men with representation from all five boroughs of the city.

Though he’ll always be remembered from his playing career at St. Francis Prep, Brooklyn, Jim O’Brien was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach. He’s been a college basketball coach for the past 27 years.

The CHSAA Hall of Fame Class of 2013 includes, top row from left: Tom Murray, CHSAA President N.Y.C./Bronx; James Carey, Msgr. McClancy; Harry Hart, Power Memorial/Blessed Sacrament; Jim O’Brien, St. Francis Prep; and Ray Nash, CHSAA President Brooklyn/Queens. Seated from left: Frank Cardascia, Football/Basketball Official; Lou Piccola, Xaverian; Connie Meibauer, Msgr. Farrell; and Kevin O’Meara, Holy Cross/Iona Prep. (Photo by Jim Mancari)

After playing at Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass., O’Brien had head coaching stops at St, Bonaventure, N.Y., Boston College and Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. He was named Coach of the Year in three different conferences, and he owes his methods of preparation to his days at the Prep.

“The CHSAA was the league to be in,” O’Brien said. “Now when I mention the CHSAA, not only is it respected in New York, but on a national level, people know about the CHSAA.”

O’Brien currently is the head basketball coach at Emerson College, Boston.

From his days at St. Thomas Aquinas, Flatbush, Lou Piccola was always surrounded by the Catholic influences of sports, which led to his CHSAA Hall of Fame induction.

He played baseball and basketball at Nazareth R.H.S., East Flatbush, before spending 37 years as a coach of both sports at Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge. He held a .650 winning percentage in basketball and won two N.Y.S. Federation titles.

He also led the baseball team to the school’s first-ever CHSAA city championship in 1990 during his first year as varsity head coach.

“You were forced to prepare in the Catholic high school leagues,” Piccola said. “The level of competition was at the highest. It’s an unbelievable fraternity of coaches.”

Piccola continues to coach basketball at Colts Neck H.S., N.J., where he recently recorded his 500th career win.

For the past 34 years, James Carey has called Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, home, serving in a variety of roles. He’s currently the school’s principal but was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his time as the Crusaders’ track and field coach.

As head coach, his teams won 10 Brooklyn/Queens championships, five CHSAA city championships and two Mayor’s Trophy championships. He also coached more than 40 individual city champions and more than 70 individual diocesan champions.

Carey earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C., a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Adelphi University, Garden City, L.I., and a doctorate in school administration from St. John’s University, Jamaica.

He said his time spent as a coach prepared him well for his post as a school administrator.

“It’s all about teamwork,” Carey said. “You treat the school environment like a team, like in track and field. It’s just bigger and more complex. You need good people around you to do a good job.”

Frank Cardascia from the Bronx started officiating Catholic Youth Organization basketball games in the 1960s. His tenure as an official has landed him in the CHSAA Hall of Fame.

He was a member of the Bronx Umpire’s Alliance, the Uptown Association and the Metropolitan Football Association. He started officiating football games in the CHSFL in 1973 and then moved on to both football and basketball.

“[The CHSAA is] probably the best football and basketball league in the city and probably the state as far as the competition and the coaching,” Cardascia said.

He currently spends his time between Boynton Beach, Fla., and Yonkers, N.Y., and has served on the CHSFL Board of Governors since 2000.

Connie Meibauer dedicated his professional life to the sport of swimming at Msgr. Farrell H.S., Staten Island, which earned him a CHSAA Hall of Fame induction.

He founded the program at the school and spent nearly 40 years as the head swim coach and a teacher at Farrell. He led his team to 252 varsity wins, six team championships and five dual-meet championships. He also served as the swimming league chairperson.

“I was very fortunate to have some outstanding swimmers,” Meibauer said. “My value was to teach them how to be respectful and how to conduct themselves no matter what the other teams did. That’s what we did.”

Though he’s retired from teaching and coaching, he’s often seen poolside at Farrell as the Lions’ biggest fan.

A 1967 graduate of Power Memorial Academy, Manhattan, Harry Hart’s time on the basketball court as a player and coach led to his enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

He holds the single-game rebounding record at Power with 38 boards. After graduating Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y., in 1971, he spent 42 years as coach and educator in the CHSAA and beyond.

He coached basketball at Cardinal Hayes H.S., the Bronx; Stonehill College, Easton, Mass.; Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel H.S., New Rochelle; Iona College; and the Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel, White Plains, N.Y.

He has also served as athletic director for Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel. He said the CHSAA taught him a strong work ethic, which he’s carried throughout his coaching career.

“I’ve been associated with this league for 50 years in every way possible as a player and coach,” Hart said. “It’s been a really good 50 years.”

Finally, Iona Prep, New Rochelle, golf coach Kevin O’Meara was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He ran track at Holy Cross H.S., Flushing, and has been an administrator, teacher and coach at Iona Prep for the past 32 years.

Since becoming the golf coach in 1989, O’Meara’s teams have won seven CHSAA championships and have made the playoffs in each of the 20 seasons the team competed in the league.

O’Meara joins his father, Bill O’Meara, as the only father-son coaching combination to be inducted into the CHSAA Hall of Fame. Bill coached basketball, football and golf at Holy Cross and was inducted posthumously after passing away in 1979.

“My father was very well respected in the league, and to be in the same club as him because of my achievements is very satisfying and a warm feeling,” O’Meara said. “It’s a connection that not everyone can get.”

O’Meara and the other coaches and officials would agree that the mission of the CHSAA took precedence over winning or losing games. It’s always been about helping young student-athletes develop their faith.

“It’s not just a job,” O’Meara said of his time as a coach. “It’s your life.”

by Jim Mancari

There may not be a better way for a team to earn its first win in program history than how the Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, junior varsity softball team earned theirs.

In the first game on their brand new field, the Lady Crusaders plated 15 runs in the first inning en route to a 17-2 victory over Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village.

The McClancy softball team earned its first win in program history (Photo by Jim Mancari)

“It feels good to be part of history, but I actually feel better for the girls,” said head softball coach Frank Cammallere, who has been an assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach at McClancy for the past six years under Don Kent. “It’s more about them. They put in a lot of hard work, giving up a lot of their time. It’s been a learning experience for them as well as for me, so I’m happy for them.”

The school went coed in fall 2012 and has welcomed a vibrant girls’ sports program. The girls’ volleyball team reached the Brooklyn/Queens championship game in the fall, while the girls’ basketball team captured the Brooklyn/Queens title in just its first season.

Freshman pitcher Kayla Boggs picked up the first hit and first RBI at the new McClancy field with a first-inning run-scoring triple that just stayed fair down the left field line. From there, the team worked out seven straight walks against Lady Royal pitcher Emily Shergalis.

“When I hit the triple, I think that got everyone happy and hyped up,” Boggs said. “They wanted to do their best and follow that up, so it just kept progressing from there.”

Freshman shortstop Eireann Corbett cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple later in the inning, and several batters later, freshman catcher Ashley Martin delivered a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle.

When the dust settled after the bottom of the first, the Lady Crusaders had batted around twice and gave Boggs a 15-run cushion.

Boggs found herself in a few jams on the mound, but she was able to minimize the damage and hold the Lady Royals to just two runs in four innings. She also recorded eight of her 12 outs via the strikeout.

McClancy freshman pitcher Kayla Boggs (Photo by Jim Mancari)

An enthusiastic crowd was on hand to cheer on the Lady Crusaders – who all wore matching eye-black – in their first home game. The team is made up of 19 freshmen competed against other junior varsity teams made up of both freshmen and sophomores.

Coach Cammallere jumped at the opportunity to coach this team, since he still plays softball competitively and has played softball all over the east coast of the country and in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The players are excited to continue learning the game this season and keep improving their skills on the softball diamond.

“The coaches have helped us a lot, and we’re going to progress through the season to become a better team,” Martin said.

Though the Lady Crusaders have higher expectations than just winning one game, this win will forever be etched into the McClancy record books, as the seeds of another competitive softball program have been planted here in New York City.

“It’s the first win in Lady Crusader softball history,” Boggs said. “This will be remembered.”

by Jim Mancari

Don Cooper vividly remembers growing up in Maspeth, Queens.

He and his buddies played sports every day – mainly as Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) stars in baseball and basketball for St. Mary’s of Winfield, Woodside.

He said he didn’t have a care in the world and can still recall the schoolyards, gymnasiums and baseball fields where he played.

“It was a great time; we were just playing sports,” Cooper said. “That’s all we did. It was basketball and baseball. Looking back on it, it was a blast. We played hard, and we played to win every single day in the schoolyards.”

That competitive mentality prepared Cooper for his current job as the pitching coach of the Chicago White Sox. He’s been able to steadily rise through the baseball ranks, and he credits his CYO days in Maspeth, Woodside, Jackson Heights and all over New York City for his success.

White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper walks his pitchers through a series of drills during spring training in Glendale, Ariz. (Photo by Ron Vesely © 2013 Chicago White Sox)

Cooper, 56, played baseball and basketball for Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, starting in 1970. He was a pitcher and corner infielder and helped lead the Crusaders to three straight city championship appearances. His efforts landed him a perennial spot on The Tablet’s Baseball All-Star team and a 1997 induction into the McClancy Hall of Fame.

Cooper said that he’d always remember the positive influences instilled in him by his McClancy coaches: Don Holden, Dan Mascia and George Bruns. Cooper was actually a member of the basketball team when Bruns was signed by the New York Nets in the spring of 1973.

From there, Cooper played baseball and basketball at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), Old Westbury, L.I. After a successful college career, he was drafted as a pitcher in 1978 by the New York Yankees at age 22.

“My focus from the third grade up was that, ‘I’m playing Major League Baseball,’” Cooper said. “That was my dream, and that’s what I always sought after. I was blessed enough to get that dream fulfilled.”

Cooper made his Major League debut on April 9, 1981 for the Minnesota Twins – becoming the first McClancy graduate to reach the big leagues. His pitching career included stints with the Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and Yankees.

While his playing career did not last as long as he would have liked, Cooper said he was lucky enough to be asked to become a pitching coach in the White Sox minor league system. It turns out that he was hired to the organization by Sammy Ellis, who was Cooper’s coach at NYIT.

Cooper spent 15 years in various roles in the White Sox system, but in July, 2002, he was promoted to take over as the pitching coach for the Major League club. He’s currently the third-longest tenured pitching coach with the same team in the majors behind only Dave Righetti (San Francisco Giants) and Rick Anderson (Twins).

Under his tutelage, the Sox won the 2005 World Series – the team’s first since 1917. Cooper also holds a .500 career winning percentage as a manager when he finished 1-1 after Chicago fired Ozzie Guillen in late September, 2011.

Cooper said he feels much more comfortable as a coach in the big leagues than he ever did as a player. He turned his dream of playing professional baseball into a reality, and he now takes pride in helping young players achieve that same dream.

But more so than just facilitating his players’ jump to the big leagues, Cooper’s job with his pitchers is to help them build careers. He’s already groomed White Sox lefty phenom Chris Sale into a budding superstar, and Jose Quintana and Dylan Axelrod are the next up-and-comers for the Chicago pitching staff.

This season, Cooper and the Sox will play a two-game series May 7-8 at Citi Field, Flushing, against the New York Mets. He’s already planning to visit the McClancy baseball team and his old McClancy teammate, Nick Melito, who is currently the Crusaders’ head coach.

Looking back on his 34-year professional baseball career, Cooper said that he views everything as a blessing. He said that it was no accident that God put the right people – including teammates, coaches, family and friends – in his life to help him along his journey.

“I’m running the course that God laid out for me,” Cooper said. “I didn’t know at one time that I was on a course; I was just going. I’ve come to realize that I’ve been on His course the whole time.”

As his career continues, he said that he will never stop having fun being involved with the game. That all started from his days in Queens, which have helped him become a difference maker in the lives of so many young pitchers.

“I’ve got the best seat in the house,” Cooper said. “I’m watching the best game on the planet played by the best players on the planet.”

As of now, the Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, junior varsity girls’ basketball team can say that it owns a 100 percent success rate in capturing the Division II Brooklyn/Queens diocesan title.

That’s because the Lady Crusaders won the league championship in their inaugural season as a team. McClancy went coed in fall 2012 and has welcomed a vibrant girls’ sports program.

The 2012-2013 Division II JV Brooklyn/Queens champion McClancy Lady Crusaders (Photo courtesy Msgr. McClancy M.H.S.)

The team earned a 41-16 victory March 2 over St. Edmund Prep, Sheepshead Bay, relying on a 17-6 run in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

The Lady Crusaders finished the season with a 19-5 record and were a perfect 12-0 in league play.

Even more impressive than its record is that the team is comprised of only freshmen, since the school opted to gradually go coed rather than offer enrollment to upperclassmen. However, that didn’t stop the team from gaining the confidence necessary to hoist the Brooklyn/Queens crown.

“Building up their confidence was key to going forward,” said head coach Brenda O’Riordan. “We also stressed the importance of teamwork and that if we could work together, then we would be able to compete with anybody.”

Team chemistry proved to be the defining factor of this year’s Lady Crusaders squad. Though the girls played together for the first time in early November, O’Riordan saw the makings of a successful team right away.

“It was the way they jelled as a team immediately that made this group special,” she said. “They have really formed strong friendships off the court that has led to a mutual trust and drive to succeed on the court.”

Not only did the players on this year’s team make history by being part of the first-ever female class at McClancy, but now they can say that their names will be forever etched in school’s sports record books.

“We are the first class of girls, and we made our school proud,” said forward Kayla Boggs from St. Joseph’s parish, Astoria. “We have shown that with the hard work we put in, we can strive and accomplish our goals.”

“We learned from each other because we trust each other,” said Melissa Perez from Our Lady of Miraculous Medal parish, Ridgewood. “I’m happy we got to experience this season together.”

The scary thought for the rest of the league is that McClancy was so successful in just its first year. Now that this group has a year of experience, the makings of a basketball dynasty might be on the horizon.

“Things are only going to get better,” O’Riordan said. “They have set the bar high for themselves, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they will continue to push to improve their game.”

But even more important than winning basketball games and diocesan titles, the Lady Crusaders will cherish the friendships they’ve made from their first year playing together as the program continues to grow.

“I feel like I have a second family,” said center Ashley Martin of St. Mary’s Gate of Heaven parish, Ozone Park. “We’re all like sisters and will always have this special bond.”

by Jim Mancari

Give a call over to Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, these days, and you’ll hear the voice message thank you for calling the “Home of the Crusaders and Lady Crusaders.”

That’s right, the 2012-2013 Lady Crusaders will be part of the first-ever co-ed class at McClancy since the school’s founding by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in 1956.

The McClancy administration is 100 percent on board with this change and is excited to kick off a unique school year.

“There are so many more opportunities out there for women, and they should get those opportunities,” said James Carey, McClancy’s principal for the past 16 years. “In every field of work, they’ve proven themselves over and over again.”

The initial idea of going co-ed was discussed in 2000, when the school brought in a consultant to look at the feasibility of making a switch. At the time, McClancy decided that it would fulfill its current strategic plan before taking further steps.

However, the demographics in the neighborhoods surrounding McClancy showed a 4-to-1 ratio of female to male students in the Catholic grammar schools — a statistic that the administration monitored closely. In order to continue their Catholic education, many of these girls were travelling each day to Manhattan, since there was no local option.

New McClancy students, from left, Tatiana Plasencia, Kayla Johnson, Davina Saltos and Alexia Mikellides pose in the school’s lobby on their first full day of school. (Photo by Tom Hopkins/Msgr. McClancy M.H.S.)

“There wasn’t an institution in this area that services the girl population,” said Christopher Tonkin, McClancy’s assistant principal for academics and supervision and a 1996 graduate. “That was one of the major things.”

Five years ago, the transition to a co-ed institution started gaining steam. The administration sent letters home to parents asking whether they would send their daughter to the school if it were co-ed. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

“My parents always said that if this (McClancy) was a co-ed school, then my sister would have gone here because they were happy with the education we received,” Tonkin said.

After receiving the blessing of Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the school announced in April, 2011, that it would be turning co-ed for the fall of 2012. This gave young ladies interested in the school time to prepare for the TACHS Exam and make their decision.

At first, some alumni were skeptical, since it would alter the fraternity atmosphere of the all-boys school. But once it was explained that now the other 50 percent of the population can share in the high-quality educational experience, many alumni jumped on board.

Though interest by upperclassmen to transfer in was high, McClancy only accepted freshmen girls for this school year, rather than take students away from other Catholic institutions. Becoming completely co-ed will happen incrementally over the next four years.

Over 600 applicants – boys and girls – applied for admission for fall 2012. Normally, McClancy’s freshman class is comprised of roughly 150 students, so the administration expected an enrollment of 75 boys and 75 girls this fall. However, an exorbitant amount of qualified applicants resulted in a freshman class of 205 students.

“We said we were going to do everything we can to get these kids in and to give them the opportunity to be here,” Tonkin said.

In preparation for the switch, McClancy held co-ed transition meetings in which specialists were brought in to discuss the changes. As it turns out, 85 percent of the faculty has worked in some capacity in a co-ed environment.

“We will periodically review everything that is happening to make sure the girls are feeling comfortable,” Carey said.

While addressing the faculty before the school year, McClancy President Brother Joseph Rocco, S.C., presented the challenge of continuing the school’s mission in a co-ed institution.

“I said to them, ‘Welcome today to the new McClancy High School. It’s no longer business as usual,’” said Brother Rocco, who is celebrating 50 years since first entering McClancy as a freshman in the fall of 1962.

McClancy students, from left, Stephanie Vazquez, Daniel Ruiz, Myya Cox, Gurjeet Singh, Allyson Velazquez, William Musmacker, Alexander Piatkowski and Nathalie Lopez stand outside their new high school. (Photo by Jonathan LaCovara/Msgr. McClancy M.H.S.)

Going hand-in-hand with becoming co-ed, McClancy is seeing the results of its capital improvement campaign come to life. The school renovated the locker rooms and lavatory facilities for the young ladies, and a new library, media center, art room and gym floor – inscribed with “Lady Crusaders” at one end – were other highlights.

As part of a new tradition at McClancy, the freshmen attended a half-day orientation on Sept. 5 as an informal way to get acclimated with the school. Faculty members gave tours, and students got the chance to meet their classmates. The boys and girls interacted very easily, since many came from co-ed elementary schools.

“It’s nothing new to them,” Tonkin said of the switch. “It’s new to us. For them, it’s same-old, same-old. For us, it’s a new chapter.”

The students themselves are also eager for the switch. The “small-school” atmosphere of McClancy attracted many local female students.

“The teachers know you, and they care about you,” said Maria Lopes, a freshman who attended Our Lady of Fatima School, Jackson Heights, which is just a few blocks from McClancy. “They made us feel important and excited.”

“Every girl feels special that we are the ones that are making history,” said Ashley Macias, a freshman who also attended Our Lady of Fatima. “It’s a big change, but over time, we’ll get used to it.”

The McClancy girls will help reinvigorate the school in writing a new chapter in its tradition-filled history.

“It will be fun and exciting when these girls graduate for the first time,” Carey said of the new Class of 2016.

The McClancy slogan is “The school that makes a difference,” and with the co-ed switch, the school will now be able to make a difference in the lives of both young men and young women.

by Jim Mancari

With Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, going co-ed this fall, six new female teams have been added to the school’s sports program, which was previously comprised of nine boys’ teams. Young women will have the chance to participate in soccer, volleyball, basketball, track and field, cheerleading and softball.

As part of the process of becoming co-ed, the McClancy administration surveyed prospective students last fall at open houses to gauge what sports would interest them. For the fall, soccer and volleyball will institute a new chapter in the school’s sports history.

Since only freshmen have been accepted, both teams will compete at the junior varsity level, with aspirations to move up to varsity in the coming seasons.

With the switch, McClancy’s fifth-year athletic director, Gerry O’Riordan, will have an increased workload, but he said he’s excited that he’ll get the chance to shape the school’s future sports programs. A 1990 graduate of the school, he played soccer while there and coached soccer and handball for 11 years.

The 2012 Msgr. McClancy junior varsity volleyball team (Photo by Jim Mancari)

“When it comes down to it, we’ll have almost one-third of our female students playing volleyball and soccer,” he said.

In addition to buying new equipment and uniforms for the Lady Crusaders, O’Riordan embarked on a three-month search to hire the new coaches. The school had so much interest in these positions right away that it did not even have to publicize the openings — a major credit to the school’s strong sports tradition.

“These new coaches will be able to build their programs,” O’Riordan said. “It’s going to be their project.”

One of these new coaches is Robert May, a Belfast, Ireland, native who will be starting the girls’ junior varsity soccer program. He’s coached basketball and run the soccer clinic at St. Joan of Arc parish, Jackson Heights.

“I’m Irish, so all we do is play soccer,” May said. “The opportunity came along to coach, and I said I’d love to do it, especially since it’s the first one.”

The girls’ soccer team will compete in the junior varsity ‘AA’ division of the CHSAA. Many of the teams they’ll play have already been together for a year, so the Lady Crusaders will look to establish the building blocks for future success.

“It’s a learning curve season,” May said. “We’re going in there with the idea of ‘Let’s see what we can do. Let’s be competitive.’ That’s really all I’m asking the girls to do. If we remain competitive, I’m quite confident that we can start off on the right foot.”

Tryouts for the team were held Aug. 20, so the players had a few weeks to adjust before starting school. May said that the team has gelled well, and everyone already seems to be comfortable with each other.

“The team has been looking really good,” said Victoria Ramirez, a freshman forward from Valley Stream, L.I. “We’ve been practicing a lot and even sometimes scrimmage with the guys. Some of the guys stay back and help us out.”

May has been quick to remind his players that they’ll be making history at the school as the inaugural soccer team. He likened his players to sponges, enthusiastically absorbing information in preparation for the start of the season.

“We’re the first girls soccer team at McClancy, and we are hoping we can win so it can be a good accomplishment for the school,” said Bella Reinoso, a freshman soccer player who attended St. Gabriel School, East Elmhurst, and Our Lady of Fatima School, Jackson Heights.

May said he hopes his team starts to get noticed as they show what they can do on the field.

“I would like to get recognition as far as the team solidifying itself in the JV division and earning the mutual respect of the other teams,” he said. “Are we in for some bad days? Of course we are. But at the end of the day, I want the girls to say, ‘That was fun! Let’s do it again next year and see what we can do.’”

The team opens its season at home on Sept. 18 against The Mary Louis Academy, Jamaica Estates.

Just as the girls’ soccer team is gearing up for action, the McClancy volleyball team has begun laying the foundation of its program. Junior varsity volleyball head coach Danielle DeStefano takes the helm of the Lady Crusaders after coaching last year at St. John’s Prep, Astoria, and spending the last eight years coaching CYO volleyball at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Astoria.

“I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to start the program from the ground up,” DeStefano said. “That doesn’t happen every day.”

The volleyball team, which will compete in the CHSAA’s Division II, will be comprised of 12 young women, some of whom have never played the sport before. However, the players have looked to DeStefano to teach them the fundamentals of the game.

“She’s (DeStefano) really an amazing coach,” said Ashley Martin, a freshman hitter who attended St. Mary Gate of Heaven, Ozone Park. “She treats us like we’re her own children.”

DeStefano said that although this will be a learning year, the team will not be using that as a crutch. She’s impressed with the improvements the team has made in just a short time.

“Now they’re asking to stay later after practice,” DeStefano said. “They want to be here because they see how good they’re getting and their improvement. They don’t want to hear about days off.”

Freshman lebaro and team captain Tatiana Plasencia has echoed her coach’s sentiments. As the voice of the team, the Our Lady of Fatima alumna said she’s excited to be a part of the first-ever volleyball team.

“Even though we are new, we are going to leave something that people can remember us by,” Plasencia said. “I want us to have the potential of a varsity team by the end of the season.”

The volleyball team will be featured in the first-ever female sporting event in McClancy history Sept. 17 as they play a road match against Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst.

Though female sporting events will be new at McClancy, the school’s ideal of using sports to enhance a Catholic education will remain in the forefront.

“Our philosophy is that it’s great to win, but developing sportsmanship, character and teamwork amongst our athletes is most important,” O’Riordan said.

The Crusaders and now Lady Crusaders will be continuing that sports tradition this fall and beyond.

Career Night for Holy Cross Knight

Kevin Ogletree, a 2005 graduate of Holy Cross H.S., Flushing, made a name for himself Sept. 5 on the NFL’s opening night. The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and St. Albans native caught a career-high eight passes for a career-high 114 yds. and scored the first two touchdowns of his professional career. Dallas earned a 24-17 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

St. Augustine D.H.S. Alumni Reunion

St. Augustine D.H.S. Alumni Association will conduct its alumni reunion and Hall of Fame induction dinner on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Fort Greene. The day will include the induction ceremony, a cocktail reception, Mass and dinner.

The Class of 1962 will celebrate its 50th anniversary, while graduates from 1967, 1957, 1952, 1947, 1942 and the 1930s will also be honored.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Charlie O’Donnell at 718-857-2700 ext. 2255 or codonnell@blmhs.org.