The percentage of students participating in various aspects of the Herricks Athletics program is rising – while the percentage of scholarly athletic teams remain high.
Thoses were among the points Jim Petricca, director of athletics, physical education and intramurals, for the Herricks School District told the Herricks School Board at its meeting last week. Some 885 of the high school’s student population of 1,500 participated in some extracurricular athletics program last year, with 597 of the 1,000 students in the middle school also opting to play some sport competitively after school hours.
Interest in field and track has accelerated, according to Petricca, partly because of a newly installed running track at the high school, and the success of junior Aakash Pillalamarri, who earned all-county honors in cross country running last year, going on to compete in the state championship in his event.
“A lot of things go in waves. We’ve had something special at the high school and kids want to be part of the team,” Petricca said of Wheatley’s success in track.
Both basketball teams had strong seasons last year, while the wrestling team also showed some muscle. But football numbers are up as well, although Herricks certainly has no reputation as a force in the sport. Volleyball numbers also are up at the middle school, Petricca said.
Over the last five years, middle school students have formed a third competitive team in volleyball, baseball and softball. There are 8th grade teams, 7th grade teams and mixed squads in those sports.
“We usually have a lot of kids come out for these sport. that’s why we’ve increased it,” Petricca said.
Meanwhile, 19 of Herricks’ 24 teams achieved status as “scholar teams” last season with a percentage of players on each team maintaining A averages in their classes. The number and percentage of students on each team varies by sport.
The creation of a boys and girls swimming teams last year enabled senior Nicole Honey to become a county champion diver this season, while finishing second in the state championships. Honey will be attending Rutgers University on a full scholarship next year. Girls varsity badminton also was added to the school district’s athletics programs a few years ago.
The high school track was refurbished with $700,000 in district funds from an $8 million bond that was floated by the school district several years ago. A $50,000 state grant arranged by state Sen. Craig Johnson ( D-Port Washington) will produce new infields for the baseball diamonds at the high school and the middle school for the spring season.
But Petricca points to Herricks athletic boosters as a strong source of support in maintaining and improving facilities for the teams, as well as demonstrating their support in person.
“The athletic boosters have really been doing a terrific job to our events. It just makes the kids feel good about themselves and want to come out for a sport,” Petricca said.
Two new outdoor scoreboards at the high school and one at the Herricks Community Center are the result of Herricks boosters’ fund-raising efforts, Petricca said, noting that boosters also purchased new hurdles and high jump equipment for the track and field team, along with new shotput and discus cages, that enabled Herricks to play host to the divisional championships last year.
Herricks sports boosters have also done a lot of work on the Herricks Hall of Fame, Petricca said, with one current project in the works to produce a single vertical banner to hang in the Herricks gymnasium that will list all of the school’s team title winners in each sport over the years.
