Cutting the Nets

The varsity girl's basketball team of Heatly High School realized an outstanding accomplishment this evening. With their convincing victory (more than a twenty point margin) over the visiting team from Loudonville Christian they have completed the regular season of the Central Hudson Valley League with an unblemished, perfect campaign. This is an extraordinary feat, particularly when one considers that the team is comprised of only eight players. That limited roster has left the team vulnerable to possible setbacks in the event of a player experiencing foul trouble, injury or illness.

Nonetheless, they endured challenges beyond what you would normally expect, from team after team determined to become the one opponent that spoils the unbeaten season for Heatly. Their success emerged as another challenge. The pressure to remain on path to a season without a loss in the league grew with each passing victory. The ability to focus and maintain a commitment to their coach's strategy might have waned during stretches of contests that featured point margins wide enough to lose concentration and deviate from the game plan, with forced shots and errant passes. However, determination, discipline, and desire triumphed.

This is largely the same group of young ladies who led the varsity soccer team to the regional playoffs. They have become accustomed to winning and rather than hope to achieve success, they expect to meet with success. This is also virtually the same group of girls who attracted recognition for their high levels of performance in the classroom, receiving distinction as a Scholar-Athlete Team as a result of their cumulative grade point average exceeding 90. We have every reason to suspect that the basketball team will duplicate the honor and sustain success in academics and athletics.

The outcome of the game not only meant an unbeaten season but also the league championship. The realization of that goal precipitated the tradition of cutting down the net of the basketball hoop. This task has become a time honored tradition since North Carolina State men's basketball coach Everett Case had his team cut down the nets as a souvenir after capturing the Southern League title in 1947. It was a pleasure to watch the players and coaches savor the attainment of an unbeaten season. Their hard work and sense of togetherness were rewarded in those moments it took to snip the strings of the net before an appreciative and proud group of supporters.

As superintendent of Green Island, I consider myself the head coach of the instructional team of the Green Island Union Free School District. Naturally, I am hoping that the success of these young ladies, in soccer and basketball, in academics and athletics, will stimulate a similar drive to success throughout the school system, K-12 in any and every endeavor and challenge we encounter. Let these victories serve as momentum for success for all, at every stage, at every age. We need to identify and practice the same characteristics of perseverance, dedication, and cooperation as this great team if we ever expect to cut down the nets that have conspired to contain us in the past.