Category: High School Sports

First New Jersey statewide girls ice hockey tournament will start this season

Chatham athletic director Bill Librera is organizing the first statewide girls ice hockey tournament in New Jersey this season.

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Lexi Campbell never meant to be a figure skater.

Though Campbell took to the ice immediately, she wasn’t particularly interested in becoming a delicate, graceful nymph.

Even at age 5, she wanted to play hockey.

With the encouragement of her figure skating coach – who noticed she “skated like a hockey player” after landing jumps – Campbell tried a Randolph boys rec team. She hasn’t stopped playing hockey since.

“Hockey, no matter what team I’m on, has brought me my second family,” Campbell said. “I felt like I was home, doing what I love most, and what I know how to do. Just being out there with the team, being able to help all the new players too, it’s not about me. It’s about me helping them learn what I know how to do best. Seeing them get happy when they make their first accurate pass, or their faces light up when they lift the puck over the goalie for the first time, it’s absolutely priceless.”

Campbell is a sophomore defender for the Randolph High School girls ice hockey team, as well as for the Ironbound Elite travel program. She played alongside boys in Randolph, watching the high school team play in the NJSIAA championship game when she was in elementary school and “wanting that glory and that feeling.”

Campbell may finally have her opportunity this winter.

Chatham senior Caroline Hannon smiles as she skates by the bench during hockey practice on Nov. 19. (Photo: Viorel Florescu / NorthJersey.com)

Chatham athletic director Bill Librera is organizing the first statewide girls ice hockey tournament, run concurrently with the NJSIAA Tournament. The girls final will be played at Codey Arena the same night in early March as two of the boys Group semifinals.

Read the Daily Record for more.

Mental Edge: How to be mentally prepared when coach calls your name

Mental Edge breaks down the proper mindset of a second-string player, and how they can prepare for their moment.

The hardest position on any team is not being the main offensive weapon or defensive specialist. It is not easy being a second-string player when you put in all those hours of training and practice, but then you don’t play when it’s game time…

It can be discouraging, frustrating and confidence breaking.

Many second-stringers give up because they do not see the immediate fruits of their labor. They start buying into the notion that they are not as good as the starters. Their poor attitude can keep them on the bench. You need to be mentally tough, work as hard as or harder than the starters, prove yourself in practice, be patient for your opportunity, be mentally sharp on the sidelines and ready to perform when your time comes.

Being a second-stringer requires a unique mindset that keeps you positive, focused and ready to play at a moment’s notice — and that’s harder than being a starter. Remember always that you are a part of the team and you can contribute in many ways, including pushing your teammates and making them better. Stay positive, work hard, take advantage of every opportunity you get on the field and prepare fully for when your chance to play comes.

Circumstances change all the time in sports. You may be second string today but your opportunity might come tomorrow. You must be ready physically and, more importantly, mentally. Be mentally ready by staying focused on the moment, trusting your skills, and playing with confidence.

Playced Recruiting Column: Assume Nothing

High School athletes can’t assume they know where they stand as a college recruit. Playced has more.

USA TODAY High School Sports has a weekly column on the recruiting process. This isn’t about where just the top five-star athletes are headed but rather a guide to the process and the pitfalls for student-athletes nationwide. This week’s article is written by Ross Hawley, the president of Playced Athletic Recruiting. Playced.com is an industry leader in college recruiting. Their technology-based recruiting service identifies the right colleges for potential recruits to pursue and provides a recruiting platform for student-athletes of all talent levels and ages.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of the word assumption is; the act of taking for granted or supposing. In many instances, assuming is not something you want to find yourself doing because when you assume, there’s a great chance you’re not accounting for every detail. In other words, you’re simply not seeing the whole picture.

So, I have a question for you high school athletes looking to play at the next level: Do you know the truth about where you stand as a college recruit, or are you just assuming you do? I sure hope you know exactly where you stand! Because, one of the worst things you can do is to trust something is happening, when in reality it’s not. In fact, not knowing the truth just might cost you the opportunity of playing in college. Here are a few assumptions you need to absolutely avoid as you navigate your recruiting journey.

 Don’t assume someone else is handling it for you

For the record; college recruiting is all about you. If ever there was a right time to be selfish and opinionated, now would be that time! You have to decide what you want out of your college career, both academically and athletically. This isn’t just a decision that will affect you right now, this is a decision that will impact the rest of your life. If you think that someone else should take care of that for you, you should probably reconsider whether you really want to play in college, or not.

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Now, you might be fortunate enough to have a helpful coach or play for a really good team. Even then, never assume that someone else is doing the heavy lifting for you. Be involved in the process and express to your support system what you want and need. If someone is helping you, know exactly how they’re helping and what they’re doing. Bottom line: you should be driving this process, regardless of the amount of help you are getting, or not getting.

Don’t assume getting attention is going to lead to an offer

Of all the assumptions you can make, this might be the most dangerous of them all! Why? Because when you land on a coach’s radar, even if it is just one, recruits tend to put it on cruise control. They think that the scholarship offers are going to come pouring in and they can just sit back and chill. Don’t let that happen to you. If a college coach takes notice of you, the process is just beginning.

The difference between a coach noticing you and a coach making an offer is like the difference between dating and marriage! There’s a fact-finding, getting-to-know stage and there’s a ready-to-settle down, commitment stage. Just because a college coach is paying attention to you, doesn’t mean they’re going to offer you roster spot or scholarship. Mutually, you and the coach should be figuring out if you’re a good fit for that program. Until you’ve received and accepted an offer from an interested coach, don’t assume it’s going to happen.

Don’t assume it’s just going to happen one day

This one’s especially intended for you high school juniors and seniors. If you haven’t been seen yet, how is that going to change now? That’s not meant to sound sarcastic, trust me. But it should serve as a dose of reality. With every passing day, your recruiting window is shutting, and as frightening as that can be, it’s the truth. If you have the desire to play in college and you think that eventually the college coaches will notice you, you might be right. But, are you willing to bet a college career on it?

Stay away from this assumption by understanding the most basic principle of recruiting: you have to be noticed to be wanted and you have to be wanted to be offered. It is on you to do whatever it takes to get a coach to see you. Make it happen!

Athletic secretary at Lincoln Way Central charged with stealing from an athletic club

Police said that an athletic secretary at Lincoln Way Central was operating two different financial books in order to steal from an athletic club.

A secretary at Lincoln Way Central (New Lenox, Illinois) High School has been charged with stealing more than $30,000.

Melissa McGrath is facing five counts of theft, two counts of theft by deception, two counts of identity theft and two counts of forgery, per a statement from the Will County sheriff’s office obtained by the Chicago Sun Times.

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School administrators found that McGrath was running two different financial books in order to steal, per the sheriff’s office . She would present one spreadsheet to Athletic Boosters and a different one to the school district. Police said that investigators learned she forged signatures of athletic club board members.

McGrath was arrested Friday. She is being held on a bail of $200,000.

Warren Wolf — a legendary coach at Brick, Lakewood (New Jersey) — dies at 92

Warren Wolf, who was head football coach at Brick Township and also Lakewood in New Jersey, has died. He was 92.

Warren Wolf, who was the Brick Township High School head football coach for 51 seasons from 1958-2008 and was also Lakewood High School’s head football coach for one season in 2010, died on Nov. 22 at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. He was 92.

Wolf’s death was confirmed by current football coach Len Zdanowicz.

Others who played for or coached with Wolf said they were also informed of the death. At Wall High School’s football playoff game, the public address announcer shared the news with the crowd and extended condolences to the Wolf family.

A family member declined comment.

Warren Wolf: The legacy of the legendary coach

Edelson: Shore Conference owes Warren Wolf a debt of gratitude

Wolf, whose 364 career wins are second in the history of New Jersey scholastic football to the 373 the late Vic Paternostro of Pope John of Sparta had, was also heavily involved in politics during his life.

Wolf was the mayor of Brick, an Ocean County councilman, a Brick councilman, an Ocean County freeholder, a state Assemblyman, and a member of the Brick Township Schools Board of Education at various stages of his life.

Read the Asbury Park Press for more.

Across country, 34% of public, private high schools do not have access to athletic trainers, study shows

A new study suggests that 34% of U.S. public and private high schools have no access to an athletic trainer.

A study recently showed that more than half of California schools either don’t have an athletic trainer who’s fully qualified or don’t employ one at all.

Another recent study reveals that this issue is not just prevalent in California.

It found that 34% of public and private high schools in the U.S. have no access to an athletic trainer. Also, 47% of schools that have access to athletic trainers only received part-time services.

“School districts, school education boards, state legislators and state athletic associations continue to take a reactive, rather than proactive, approach to addressing safety concerns,” Robert Huggins, the lead author of the study, said in a statement.

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Similar to the study conducted for California, across the United States there is a difference in care between private and public schools. Among private schools, 45% had no access to an athletic trainer. For public schools, that number is at 31%.

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“The safety of student athletes must be the top priority for schools with athletic programs, not just in rhetoric, but in allocation of resources to put the appropriate personnel in place,” NATA President Tory Lindley said in a statement.

The study was conducted by the Korey Stringer Institute. It was published in the Journal of Athletic Training, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s (NATA) scientific publication.

Rome Shubert, who survived a gun wound, has committed to the University of Houston for baseball

He survived a gunshot wound to the head when his high school was targeted in a shooting. Now, Rome Shubert has decided on the University of Houston for college baseball.

A Santa Fe High School athlete who survived a gunshot wound to the head when his school was targeted in the 2018 mass shooting has committed to the University of Houston baseball team.

Rome Shubert officially signed the papers on Tuesday and posted photos on Twitter.

“Blessed to be signed to the University of Houston,” he wrote. “Can’t wait to continue to play baseball at the next level. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. Go Coogs!”

Shubert was one of 13 people injured in the May 2018 tragedy, and told ABC13 that a bullet went through the back of his head and came out.

The signing isn’t the first milestone in his recovery. Earlier this year, Shubert won a playoff game for the Santa Fe Indians.

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Read the Corpus Christi Caller-Times for more.