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Massapequa celebrates winter championship teams; superintendent highlights Inspire EDU career initiative
Summary
The Massapequa Union Free School District honored dozens of county- and state-level winter athletes, with Superintendent Dr. Bill Brennan lauding a season of unprecedented individual and team success and describing an 'Inspire EDU' initiative that connected about 120 students to education-career pathways.
Dr. Bill Brennan opened the meeting with a celebration of an unusually successful winter sports season, calling out a long list of accomplishments including 14 playoff qualifiers, five conference champions, 10 county finalists, nine county individual champions, six county team champions, two Long Island finalists, and 18 state individual qualifiers. "You have all become the mountain," he said, reading a message that celebrated athletes for representing the district with pride.
A recorded message from interim athletic director Matt McCleas thanked coaches, families and athletes and framed being part of "a championship team" as a lasting achievement. Coaches then introduced individual champions and team rosters: the gymnastics squad captured a Nassau County title for the first time in nearly a decade, the track and field team produced several all-state and all-American honorees, and the wrestling program — rebuilt over four years — listed multiple county champions and a New York State individual champion. "We had the best season the winter team has ever had," said Coach Delicertie, noting 61 girls competed on the winter track roster.
Beyond trophies, Superintendent Brennan used the ceremony to highlight a new district effort, Inspire EDU, designed to foster interest in education careers and shore up hard-to-fill roles. He described a daytime event in the auditorium that brought "about 120 students" together with a panel of teachers, counselors and support staff. Students asked practical questions — "What is the starting salary for an administrative specialist?" and "How do you become a principal?" — that the panel addressed, and the superintendent said the program aimed to show students that careers in teaching, custodial trades and other school roles are attainable and come with benefits.
Coaches and school leaders thanked families, boosters and volunteers and emphasized the behind-the-scenes work that supports championship seasons. Photo ceremonies and certificates followed the remarks. The board later moved on to regular business items and the multi-part budget review that was the remainder of the agenda.
