Fort Lee Takes One Step Closer to the Spring Sports Season

On one of the warmest days of winter, many eyes started to look forward to spring at Fort Lee High School.

After the final bell of classes on Monday, many boys and girls rushed through the hallways to sign-up for their favorite spring sports teams.

With baseball, golf, softball, track and tennis to choose from, a lot of the students made commitments to join teams which made their coaches very happy.

“I think it was great,” said track coach Ed Garrison of the turnout. “I think we are going to have a very large turnout which is really good.”

But not all teams were completely filled this afternoon.

Where some teams are very deep, others may still have openings like the freshmen softball team.

“What I was unhappy with was the turnout for the freshman,” said Bob Aughey, the varsity softball coach. “It didn’t seem like enough and that concerns me a little bit.”

However, there is a growing trend that is helping many of the teams the athletes play for.

Multiple coaches are joining together to help make the teams even better and to see the athletes grow even more.

For example, the track team is looking to add two coaches from the football team in the upcoming spring season. The measure still needs to be approved by the Fort Lee Board of Education but the move could aid the efforts of both the football and track teams as well.

At the same time, boy’s varsity basketball coach John Ziemba is urging a few of his players to join track and a few wrestlers will also be doing the same when their season comes to a close.

In softball, coach Aughey also has a few of the girl’s basketball players on his team including senior third baseman Brianna Mattessich.

Sign-up day was a long time coming for a lot of people including coach Aughey.  

“Oh God, I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” he said. “I’ve been doing this a long time and when it stops being fun and enjoyable and excitable, that is when it is time to get out.”

But now it is just about getting started for the spring season.

Athletes are reminded that they must have their $150 activity fee in by Friday, February 18th. A current physical and signed concussion policy is also due on the same date.

Here are some things to look forward to in the Fort Lee 2011 Spring Season:

• The Bridgemen baseball team will travel to Florida this spring to play a few games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
• The girl’s tennis team hopes to repeat as division champions after going 8-0 last year and winning the American Division of the Big North Conference.
• Coach Bob Ciccone won his 100th game last year with Fort Lee’s golf team. He looks to add to that number with another season on the links set to begin shortly.