Many of New Hyde Park’s students are athletes year-round, playing a sport for all three of NHP’s seasons. Recently, athletic director Mr. Maguire facilitated the #Play3forNHP campaign. This campaign pushes for current three-sport athletes to continue their athletics for the entire year, as well as encourage new athletes to play during other seasons.
“The three-sport athlete idea came from checking Twitter, checking Instagram, looking for ideas that promote student-athletes to compete in more than one sport, more than two sports, ideally three sports,” Mr. Maguire said. “The foundation of any good athletic program is to have multi-sport athletes so what I wanted to do was to come up with a campaign, ‘Play 3 for NHP,’ with the incentive of a T-shirt and bagel breakfast. So what I’m doing right now is tracking how many three-sport athletes we will have and celebrate them every year.”
As any athlete knows, doing multiple sports demands commitment and time management to balance training and school.
“I try to get all my work done during free periods and then I have nothing to worry about after school,” three-sport athlete and senior Julia Lopez said. “Sometimes I have to study before or after practice, but usually, I’m able to fit everything in my schedule.”
By doing multiple sports, athletes have the opportunity to create some of their most significant memories on the court or field. They often experience diverse challenges allowing them to grow and thrive, making new friends along the way.
“I think my most memorable moment is winning our first playoff game in 24 years this fall with the football team,” senior Anthony LaSala said.
“Yeah, [playing multiple sports] definitely made me more friends and it gave me something to do after school,” senior Alexa Stec said.
Upon its implementation, #Play3forNHP has the support of many students, with many citing the camaraderie it can create within a team and the exhilaration of winning a game.
“I feel like student athletes who participate in three sports help their school gain recognition and the sports the athlete is participating in,” senior Jonathan Rennhack said.
“You gotta do something while you’re in high school,” senior Robert Kuskowski said. “Whether it be a job, a hobby, or a sport, plus if you’re going to have fun, you might as well get good exercise while doing it.”
