Summer Recreation

Averill wins street hockey tournament

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See more photos from the hockey tournament here.

It was not your ordinary day at Seamans’s Neck Park in Seaford. Instead of tennis balls floating through the air on the courts, there were hockey balls sliding across the ground. Instead of tennis racquets, there were hockey sticks.

Approximately two dozen teams of youth hockey players, ages 9 to 13, arrived at the park on Aug. 12 for the annual Town of Hempstead hockey tournament. The parks represented were Seaman’s Neck Park, Forest City Park in Wantagh, Rath Park in Franklin Square, Averill Park in Elmont, Newbridge Park in Bellmore, Salisbury Park in Westbury, Veterans Park in East Meadow, and Azalea Park in Levittown. Averill boasted the winning team.

“The coaches should get all the credit,” said Town of Hempstead Recreation Director Barbara Simms, referring to the people who run the recreation programs at each park. Every child received a medal upon completion of the tournament, along with shirts for the winners.

The idea of a street hockey tournament was born 22 years ago, and it started with only four teams. This year, there were 40 teams among two days of play.

“We have been practicing a lot,” said 13-year-old Chris Surace, of Seaford. He was on one of four teams that Seaman’s Neck Park entered into the tournament, which were coached by his mother, Doreen. Chris Surace has been playing hockey for two years.

Since players are only allowed to compete until they are 13, Surace and his friends played in the tournament for their final time. “I am happy to be here,” he said.

“I really enjoy playing the sport,” said Joseph Rose, of Wantagh. As a member of one Forest City Park’s three teams, Rose looked to be the aggressor on the court. He said he loves to have fun with his teammates.

“I like playing goalie. It’s a lot of fun,” said Chris Mogenis, the goaltender for a Seaman’s Neck team. “I like making saves. I like watching the game from the crease and I see how the game is going.”

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