Tag Archives: bb

SCBCA Remembers Longtime Port Jeff Coach Al Desiderio

Before a scrimmage against Amityville, the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association honored legendary Coach Al Desiderio.

Coach Desi’s family and Port Jeff alumni were invited onto the field, and former coaches spoke about the lasting impact Coach Desi had on his players and fellow coaches.

The ceremony culminated with Coach Desi’s son, Ronny, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. It was a beautiful day to honor Coach Desi’s incredible legacy.

He was a business teacher and coach for the Port Jefferson School District from 1958 to 1995.

Coach Desi is the longest-tenured high school baseball coach in Suffolk County’s history, having coached at Port Jefferson for 37 years. He has coached his teams to over 400 wins, including 10 league championships and 20 playoff appearances.

He was inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Desi was also a professor of business management at Suffolk County Community College for over 40 years.

Always willing to help others, he was involved with the Miracle League of Long Island and helped bring the first softball team to Suffolk County for autistic and handicapped children.

Middle Country and Longwood Recognized by Team Up 4 Community

Middle Country and Longwood placed second and third, respectively, in the winter Long Island Holiday Sports Heroes Challenge hosted by Team Up 4 Community.

The final stats for winter 2024: 36,429 athletes dedicated 198,831-plus hours to community service, giving back $1.8M in impact!

Middle Country hosted a Hoops for Hope event to raise awareness of cancer. Coach Andrew Gallo conceived the idea for Hoops for Hope during his wife’s third day of chemotherapy treatment. He was inspired to give back to the community that had shown immense generosity during such a challenging time. Choosing Positively Pink as the event sponsor was a meaningful decision, as its founder, Maria McMullen, is a close friend of his wife and a former Middle Country teacher.

Throughout October, Longwood’s Junior High, Junior Varsity, and Varsity cheerleaders turned each home football game into a celebration of support for breast cancer awareness with their “Tuck for a Buck” fundraiser. The cheerleaders took their spirit beyond the sidelines, rallying fans and collecting donations in the stands with pink pom poms in hand.