9 minute read
Sports
Sports & Recreation
WITH Jim Hague
ogsmar@aol.com
Spikes, hits, kills: Sights and sounds of Kearny volleyball camp
KEARNY – Sure, Kearny is readily known as “Soccertown, USA,” after the United States National Team that played in the 1990 World Cup featured three players, namely Tony Meola, John Harkes and Tab Ramos, all hailed from Kearny.
But after seeing the popularity of another sport, namely volleyball, simply explode in recent years, maybe volleyball could run a close second locally.
After all, if you take a trip past West Hudson Park and see the volleyball courts there being utilized or perhaps a jaunt around the newly refurbished Gunnell Oval and the new volleyball court there, you might just think that volleyball is earning its proper place of prominence.
“Volleyball is certainly healthy in Kearny,” said Kearny High School head boys’ volleyball coach Bill Mullins.
After all, Mullins’ Kardinals enjoyed a great season this past season, a volleyball campaign that resulted in the Kards competing in both the Hudson County Tournament and NJSIAA state sectional finals two months ago.
And Mullins hosted the first volleyball camp held in the town in three years, a camp that welcomed nearly 70 youngsters to the Kearny High gymnasium recently.
“We had a great season this year,” Mullins said. “I think it helped to stir up some interest in the sport. Hopefully, it can continue in the future.”
Mullins said that he welcomed a host of volleyball newcomers to the camp.
“It helps the kids get a chance to know me before high school,” Mullins said. “It helped them to get an interest in volleyball and want to play the sport. You see a lot of interest in volleyball now. Kids never got a chance to see volleyball played before. Now, they saw it and they said that they wanted to give it a shot. We had a good turnout. This proves that there is an interest in playing volleyball. It’s becoming a popular sport. The kids want to learn.”
Mullins and a lot of his former and current players helped to teach youngsters all the proper fundamentals in the sport – like blocking, hitting, passing, receiving.
“We also had some fun games for the kids,” Mullins said. “It definitely helped to keep things mov-
It’s hoop heaven for host of young ladies at Kearny camp
Photo by Jim Hague More than 75 young ladies participated in the Kearny High School Girls’ Basketball Camp, under the guidance of Kearny High head coach Jody Hill (center).
By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
KEARNY - Makayla David is a 12-year-old soon-to-be seventh grader at Walker Middle School in Nutley.
But when it came time to attend a summer basketball camp, David went where she felt comfortable.
“I wanted to come to Kearny to be with Coach Jody (Hill),” David said. “I’ve come to this camp three times. I was really excited to hear that there was going to be a camp this year.”
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic caused the entire world to shut down a year ago and forced anyone and everyone indoors to remain safe and free from harm. It also meant that the camp run by Hill – the local basketball legend, the Hudson County Sports Hall of Famer, the 2,000-point scorer at Harrison High School and for the last two decades, the head girls’ basketball coach at neighboring rival Kearny High – had to be canceled for the first time in history.
Hill said that she was not sure whether the camp would even take place this summer.
“To be honest, we were debating back and forth whether to have it,” Hill said. “At the last minute, we decided to go for it. I was struggling with the pandemic. It was such an awkward feeling. But as soon as I realized it was going to happen, I was happy with the turnout. We didn’t even put out fliers promoting it.”
With that in mind, more than 75 girls showed up in the Kearny High School gymnasium recently, much to the delight of Hill.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” Hill said. “It was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up. I was getting the chance to meet some of the kids who are coming up. It was a chance for those kids to know me and for me to know them.”
Hill was impressed with the athletic ability of the girls in attendance.
“But I’m always pleasantly surprised with the amount of talent we have in the area,” Hill said. “I’m also impressed with the eagerness of the kids to learn the sport. They were all willing to catch on quickly and turn their athletic ability into becoming basketball players. I am glad that the parents felt safe to send their kids to us to learn in a good environment. It just felt normal having the kids here again.”
David said that she enjoyed learning about ballhandling drills – and there’s no one better to learn from locally about handling the basketball than Hill, one of the all-time best point guards in the history of Hudson County girls’ basketball.
“I learned some dribbling skills and how to handle the ball,” David said. “I play soccer as well, but I’m better at basketball. I was reeally excited to be here with the other girls. It meant a lot to me to be here.”
Arelis Ruiz-Martinez is an
KEARNY
Continued from Page 9
11-year-old who will enter the sixth grade at Franklin School in a few weeks. It was Ruiz-Martinez’s first time at the Kearny girls’ basketball camp, although Arelis’ older sister Esmeralda was a standout player for Hill at Kearny the last few years.
“I know the camp helped my sister a lot, so I thought it could help me,” RuizMartinez said. “Basketball is my favorite sport. I always go into my backyard and play, but I wanted to get the chance to play with others. I was happy to learn how to dribble with two basketballs at the same time. It was hard in the beginning, but it got easier by the end of the week. I’m so glad I came. It was a lot of fun. I plan on coming again next year.”
Isabella Altieri is an 8-year-old resident of Livingston, but she made sure she came to the all-girls’ camp in Kearny.
“I was real excited about it,” Altieri said. “I learned a lot about dribbling. I learned how to dribble with my left hand. I used to only dribble with my right. I’m glad I came, because I had a lot of fun.”w
Sophia Sosa is also a resident of Livingston, but the 9-year-old fourth grader wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else this summer.
“I learned how to do the spider dribble,” Sosa said. “I feel like I’m a better player now. This encourages me to want to play more.”
Hailey Paris is a 12-yearold Kearny resident who will attend seventh grade in a few weeks.
“It was so great to learn ballhandling skills with Coach Jody,” Paris said. “It was the first time I came to this camp, but I’ve been playing basketball for a long time. I thought I could learn some new things and have some fun and it was a lot of fun.”
Paris is a competitive dancer, but she was glad to be playing basketball this summer.
“I usually have a dancing schedule all over the place, but this was so much fun,” Paris said.
So what’s harder to do, dancing or basketball?
“I think basketball is harder,” Paris said. “But I’m really not experienced in basketball. Now I’ll be ready when time comes to play basketball this year.”
Needless to say, the Kearny Girls’ Basketball Camp was a rousing success, thanks to the legend who ran the show.
“It was really a lot of fun to have the girls back in the gym,” Hill said. “I think everyone missed it last year.” That’s an understatement.
Photo by Jim Hague Kearny girls’ basketball head coach Jody Hill (right) looks on as several young ladies work on their ballhandling skills. Front row, from left, are Katalyna Aguilar, Brinley Sullivan, Sophia Sosa, Macey Hill and Isabella Altieri. Back row, from left, are Emma Peso, Hannah Paris, Isabella Osorio and Veralynn Peso.
ORTHODONTICS ORTHODONTICS SAVE $500 * SAVE $500 *
** RegularRegular FeeFee $5,995$5,995
FunctionalFunctional andand straightstraight wirewire orthodonticsorthodontics NewestNewest aligneraligner systemssystems includingincluding InvisalignInvisalign AverageAverage casescases takestakes lessless thanthan 1212 monthsmonths Dr.Dr. TrovatoTrovato isis a a generalgeneral dentist.dentist.
ContactContact usus today:today: 201-991-0177201-991-0177 | | trovatofamilydentistry.comtrovatofamilydentistry.com
Most Insurances Insurances Accepted Accepted
“Make your vision picture perfect... picture perfect... See what you’ve been See what you’ve been missing. Visit our offi ce!” missing. Visit our offi ce!”
Family Eye Care
Eye Exams • Contact Lenses • Pediatric Care
Your Eye Care Professionals Dr. Maria Domingues
Lic # 27OA00630100 Dr. Jayswinder Kaur
Lic# 27OA00689700 Dr. Marina N. Megalla
Lic# 27OA00690300 Dr. Carla Domingues
Lic # 27OA00646200
348 Ridge Road • Lyndhurst
Dr. Prakash J. Doshi
Premier Care
TALKS
Dr. Hector Aguilar
THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS OF QUITTING SMOKING
Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult things many people will ever do, but it also offers some of the fastest results of any positive health change. After just one hour without cigarettes, both heartrate and blood pressure begin to drop toward normal levels. After just one day, the risk of heart attack begins to lower and the body begins to cleanse itself of harmful gasses from smoking, including carbon monoxide. In under a month, lung function starts to improve, and circulation improves continuously over the first few months. One year of living smoke-free will cut a person’s risk of coronary heart disease in half, and risk of stroke goes down to around the five-year mark. When you’ve decided to quit smoking, just remember that you don’t have to do it alone. There are many helpful support groups and hotlines. Sometimes just knowing that someone understands and shares your struggle can help you stay smoke-free for good. To schedule an appointment, please call PREMIER CARE ASSOCIATES OF WEST HUDSON at 201-998-7474. Our office is located at 512 Kearny Ave., Suite B. We can see patients on a walkin basis. P.S. Quitting smoking brings health improvements from day one to year twenty, at which point all the health risks it caused will drop to the level of a person who has never smoked.
Email any questions or comments to: premiercare@gmail.com
