By YASH KUMAR
A half dozen Jericho High School students were selected by their coaches to attend the 15th Annual Student-Athletes as School Leaders Conference at Hofstra University. They were identified by their coaches as future leaders, and at the conference learned how to become triple competitors working to improve themselves, their teams, and the game as a whole. The 6 students are juniors Michael Mesbah, Corey Wong, Aaron Jaffee, Kristina Kallansrude, Samantha Balko, and Lucy Peters.
The students who attended the conference were seen as athletes who could help train younger players and guide their teams. Varsity basketball player Aaron Jaffee stated, “It was a good feeling knowing that my coaches and teachers believe in me and see my potential as a student-athlete leader.” He added, “It was an honor to be chosen because there are so many people who play sports and strive to be the same type of leader as me.”
The keynote address was delivered by motivational speaker Aric Jackson who inspired the athletes to look deep within themselves to reach a higher level of play. Jackson emphasized the courage of leadership and later in his next address motivated the student athletes to pursue their goals and dreams.
When asked about the speaker’s impact, varsity basketball player Corey Wong stated, “He was really inspiring and instilled his values into us that are needed to excel on and off the court. What I took away was don’t be scared to overcome your own personal hardships. They shouldn’t define who you are but they should inspire your actions.”
Jericho Schools Curriculum Associate of Health, Physical Education and Athletics John Mankowich believes the conference was a positive experience. He said, “The 6 Jericho students were separated and grouped with kids all across Nassau County, and they talked about different leadership styles and how each of their respective schools do things in regards to sports. I liked how the workshops gave them a good idea of what goes on in their school and what goes on in other school districts across Nassau County. I felt the workshops taught these students how to be leaders, whether it’s emphasizing effort or motivating teammates when coming back from a loss.”
Corey Wong is excited to apply what he learned. “I have to be better for teammates when serving as a vocal leader for my team, and ultimately help our team get more wins and make a run in the playoffs,” he said.
Overall, the conference was a success. Mr. Mankowich said, “We hope that the kids who attend take pieces from the conference and use them on and off the field to better themselves and their peers.”
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