Massapequa High School’s Challenger basketball teams came together for friendly competition after school on Feb. 25, as hundreds of fans cheered on about two dozen players representing the main campus and the Ames campus. It was also senior night, as two longtime players were recognized.
The Challenger program provides students with special needs the chance to join a sports team and participants mostly compete against athletes from other districts, with Amityville, Bethpage and Levittown among the regular opponents. The program is open to grades 6-12, including ungraded and above 12th grade students. There is soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, cheerleading in fall and winter and track in the spring.
The Feb. 25 hoops contest in the Massapequa High School gymnasium featured players from main campus team in their home navy blue uniforms against ninth graders from the Ames Campus in their road whites. The event began with warmups, the Pledge of Allegiance and player introductions. Basketball coach Sal Calderone and cheerleading coach Kathleen Wegener recognized two seniors who have been a part of Challenger basketball and cheer for several years, Madison Buckvar and Olivia Razzano.
The game featured four eight-minute periods, with player switches halfway through each quarter to ensure everyone got an equal chance to play and to score. There were loud cheers from the crowd of students, staff, parents and community members after each basket. Cheerleaders rallied support from the sidelines.
Joining the players on the court were their buddies. The students, who are members of the Best Buddies club or players from Massapequa’s basketball program, are an integral part of Challenger athletics. Mr. Calderone noted that the buddies provide support before, during and after a game, and foster positive social interaction.
“It’s been a great year,” he said of the Challenger basketball season, which began in January. “It’s nice that as a community, everybody supports these athletes 100%.”
Mr. Calderone said the Challenger teams have the same experience as varsity and junior varsity teams, getting uniforms and coverage from the Sports Broadcasting Club. There is a pasta night for the players every season and this spring will feature the first awards banquet. The two high school teams are also taking part in a Challenger basketball clinic hosted by Lynbrook.
“The support is from top to bottom,” Mr. Calderone said, noting that board of education trustees and central administrators are regulars at the games. “Everyone wants to make sure that these athletes have smiles on their faces the entire time.”
Mr. Calderone said that he takes great pride in watching the athletes grow their knowledge of the game and become better players. Their hard work, along with the support system around them of peers and adults, makes Massapequa’s Challenger sports program a shining light in the district.
He and Ms. Wegener are supported by several staff members including Angelica Fred, Maria Fred, Johann Greene, Zaire Goddard, Julia Hahl, Lucrezia Jambelli, Mike Leitke, Kathleen Mangialardi, Melinda McDermott, Diane McGrath, Cathy Mroczka, Erica Murphy, Joe Nolan, Agnese Paladino, John Pietrosante, Katie Reilly, Calogero Hughes Saporito, Matt Smith, Catherine Stackpole, Patricia Valentine and Kristine White.