3 Photos
Southampton's Katie Terry in the long jump.
East Hampton girls track head coach Yani Cuesta tries to record some results in the rain.
Southampton’s Elizabeth Terry gives a few pointers for the shot put to East Hampton’s Daniela Yanza.
Almost begrudgingly it seemed, winter track athletes throughout Suffolk County got their seasons underway, albeit outdoors, this past weekend, while ongoing talks — concerning an insurance issue — continued between Section XI and Suffolk County Community College to get the athletes back inside the Brentwood campus.
The start of the season was postponed two weeks ago because of the million-dollar discrepancy in an insurance rider to cover use of the college’s athletic facilities by area high schools, as talks continued between the governing body of Suffolk County high school athletics and the community college. Section XI Executive Director Tom Combs did not provide an update on the talks this week, but a spokesperson for the college said on Friday that the talks were continuing.
“Suffolk County Community College continues to work with Section XI in an effort to resolve their liability insurance issue and is holding open the remaining meet dates for them. We look forward to again hosting Section XI’s competitions as soon as the liability insurance requirements are met,” said Drew Biondo, director of communication for the college. “Although we have no obligation to do so, the college is actively trying to assist Section XI in obtaining the necessary coverage because we want to see this problem resolved for the athletes, coaches, and families.”
Southampton hosted East Hampton/Pierson/Bridgehampton during the storm that came through the area on Saturday. Although it was raining hard at times, the girls seemed to enjoy being out there, cheering on both teammates and competitors.
East Hampton girls track head coach Yani Cuesta said that while she and Southampton girls track head coach Eddie Arnold recorded results, they both decided not to score the meet since outdoor meet performances can’t count toward the state indoor championships.
“Because of the rain, we did not contest the high jump, but we were able to do every other event in winter track,” she said. “But the elements we dealt with are precisely why these meets don’t work. Although something is better than nothing, I don’t want this to be what we do for the rest of the season. I want the girls to understand how being indoors changes the element of competition, how the 200-meter track changes the feel of the same race on a 400-meter one. Also, not having to wonder whether the meet will be canceled or not if the weather is too cold, snowy, rainy.”
Westhampton Beach track teams competed at Half Hollow Hills West while Hampton Bays competed at Bayport-Blue Point, both on Sunday. Although it wasn’t raining, it was cold, Westhampton Beach girls track head coach John Broich said. Broich also said he brought his 40-plus girls to compete against a Hills West team that had about a dozen or so athletes, so his team swept a lot of the events.
Broich was not happy last week when he found out that a second weekend of meets was not going to be indoors. He got on the phone and called just about every local elected official he could, he said, including Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s office and Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming. Broich said Bellone’s office connected him with New York State Public High School Athletic Association Executive Director Dr. Robert Zayas, with whom he said he had an open and honest conversation.
“I called Section XI and asked them if they were going to provide some sort of statement because when you’re silent, as they have been, people just keep coming up with these theories,” Broich said. “They’re not communicating. Even if it’s bad news, at least they let people know what’s going on.”
Whether the student-athletes will be able to get back indoors for this week’s meets remains to be seen, or heard, as of Monday. Renting another space, such as St. Anthony’s in Huntington, or the Ocean Breeze Complex on Staten Island, or the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City, doesn’t seem to be a viable option for myriad reasons. St. Anthony’s already hosts regular crossover and postseason meets for Nassau’s Section VIII and the Catholic High School Athletic Association. And Ocean Breeze and the Armory present transportation issues for some schools, and whether or not the athletes need to be vaccinated to compete in those venues is another question.
“It’s absurd to me that this hasn’t been resolved yet at this point,” Broich said.
