For more than half of his adult life, Jerry Kokkinos has devoted himself to the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) of the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Recently, he was honored by the Junior Knicks as the organization’s Coach of the Year. Over nearly two decades, Kokkinos has been a shining example of what it means to be a volunteer youth sports coach and administrator.
Growing up in Astoria, Kokkinos was surrounded by sports in the community. He specifically gravitated toward soccer and basketball.
As an 18-year-old college student, he embarked on his CYO coaching journey by leading a sixth-grade boys’ basketball team at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Astoria. The following season after St. Francis discontinued its program, Kokkinos coached many of the same players over at St. Joseph’s parish in Astoria.
He remained at St. Joe’s in various coaching roles across multiple sports for the next 11 years. He then moved on to his current stop, Immaculate Conception parish in Astoria, where he currently serves as the CYO parish athletic administrator and the basketball athletic director.
This is all in addition to his full-time job in higher education administration at Columbia University in Harlem. He also coaches middle school basketball and high school varsity soccer at the all-girls’ Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria, whose home gymnasium is at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.
Under Kokkinos’ leadership, the Immaculate Conception basketball program grew to 32 teams this past season — 21 boys’ teams and 11 girls’ teams from grades 2-8. He helps to coach some teams when needed and also oversees the parish’s skills-based instructional program for the younger children.
Serving more than 400 kids, the Immaculate Conception CYO program is one of the few in the Northwest Queens area.
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While coaching at St. Joseph’s, Kokkinos ensured the girls had equal opportunities as the boys. The girls did not have their own teams, yet a small handful played on boys’ teams.
In one memorable instance, while coaching third graders, Kokkinos started five girls on the court at once against a team of all boys. The girls held their own very well, which led to a larger discussion about starting a specific girls’ league.
“That’s where the inspiration came from,” Kokkinos said. “Why do we not have all-girls’ teams?”
At Immaculate Conception, he began a full girls’ CYO hoops program, among the first in the area. He and the fellow volunteer coaches have given these young women a chance to build their confidence and learn valuable life lessons through the sport they love.
Without his knowing, several parents nominated Kokkinos for the annual Junior Knicks contest, now in its eighth year, presented by the Hospital for Special Surgery. Among thousands of nominees, 15 — including Kokkinos — were selected as semifinalists. Each semifinalist was interviewed, and then three finalists were picked.
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Kokkinos was among the final group invited to the Feb. 19 Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. As he was seated for what he thought was his final interview, Knicks small forward Mikal Bridges surprised him with the award trophy, since the committee had already decided that Kokkinos was the winner.
Right before the game, Kokkinos appeared on the jumbotron to the crowd and was presented with a $20,000 check, which will be used for CYO equipment and to refurbish parts of the Immaculate Conception gym.
“We appreciate the Junior Knicks recognizing this program and the work being done at the local level,” said CYO Executive Director Daniela Cracolici. “This funding will have a meaningful impact on the athletes and help continue to grow opportunities within the parish community. Congratulations to both Jerry and our CYO Immaculate Conception program.”
Kokkinos also met Knicks legend John Starks backstage. Overall, it was a whirlwind experience that he’ll never forget.
“This is not only for Immaculate Conception; it’s a community award,” Kokkinos said. “It’s definitely a CYO award. I couldn’t have done the work without my colleagues, who also have volunteered their time over these last two decades.”
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When it comes to the meaning of youth sports, Kokkinos has stayed the course in this changing environment. He’s kept his sights on what is truly important: the development of young people through friendly competition.
“It’s meant to be for the kids to grow as people and to learn values on and off the court or field,” Kokkinos said. “Responsibility, respect, teamwork: These are things they need to know in school and when they get jobs. They’re also developing social skills as they make new friends. It’s never only about wins and losses.
“As long as I do this, I will always try to have the kids as the highlighted center stage. It’s about them and their experience, and I want them to look back and say that they had a really positive experience.”
Kokkinos now moves on to the national level of the Junior NBA Coach of the Year competition. He said he’s continuously learning new things and is always happy to pass along his knowledge and experience to CYO coaches from any sport and any parish throughout the diocese.
While this is an individual award, the support of the parish and the families helped make it all possible. This is the ultimate example of someone who’s paid it forward in the neighborhood that was such an integral part of his own upbringing.
“When I started volunteering at 18 years old, I never thought it would reach this point,” Kokkinos said. “It was nice to be acknowledged, but without the program and without the kids, the award doesn’t happen. It’s all about them.”