By:Brian T. Dessart
Five years ago, East Rockaway Athletic Director Dominick Vulpis got the idea to combine East Rockaway and Malverne into a sole lacrosse program, and that goal has officially become a reality. The new program will save a hurting Malverne team, which has seen a lack of participation and has only recorded six boys' varsity wins since 2001, including five last season, and will create the very first East Rockaway lacrosse team.
"[The merger] has rounded out the positions and brought more athleticism," said East Rockaway/Malverne boys' coach Craig Caputo. "This has raised the bar on every player."
Even though Malverne sported girls' and boys' lacrosse programs for the last five years -- three as varsity sports -- this will be East Rockaway's debut season, thanks to the financial support of the Malverne School District in return for the fiscal favors East Rockaway extended to Malverne in the Rocks' golf program.
The Mules, with Athletic Director Brenda White, have agreed to fund the entire lacrosse program, with the exception of transportation for East Rockaway to and from Malverne High School -- the practice and home turf for the new team -- leaving East Rockaway to pick up that portion of the tab.
"This is sharing resources -- piggybacking," Vulpis said. "Combining two teams offers kids an opportunity they wouldn't have because of the numbers being too low."
In order to alleviate the transportation costs for East Rockaway, the newly formed program hosted a lacrosse jamboree last Sunday at East Rockaway High School. Kids from ages 8 to 18 were treated to a morning breakfast followed by a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) highlight video. The day was capped with a skills clinic featuring the expertise of Long Island Lizards' two-time MLL All-Star and Bethpage High School graduate A. J. Haugen, along with All-American and Long Beach graduate Kenny Garcia.
The event raised $3,000, including a $500 voucher given to East Rockaway after graduate Ksenia Ferrand was named the top female athlete in Nassau County last year.
"This event was two-fold," said East Rockaway/Malverne boys' assistant coach James DeTommaso. "It was to raise money for transportation and to open up the community to the world of lacrosse."
Along with DeTommaso, who was a Farmingdale High School and Johns Hopkins University All-American, the girls' team will be assisted by Krissie Kallinikos. Both DeTommaso and Kallinikos are staff members at East Rockaway High School.
"I want to bring lacrosse to the kids in East Rockaway," said DeTommaso, who is also a Lizards' assistant coach and was the varsity lacrosse coach for three years at Mepham High School. "I want to give the kids the same opportunity that I had through lacrosse. It's an addicting game."
According to DeTommaso, most of the East Rockaway athletes had never played lacrosse before this season, and most didn't start practicing until the Thursday before the season's opening. "I am amazed how quickly they are picking up the skills and fundamentals," DeTommaso said.
With two rival high schools -- separated by a mere 1.5 miles -- gelling together as one, this season will be a learning experience for both.
"A lot of the [Malverne] girls changed their attitudes, because they now have to fight for a position," said East Rockaway/Malverne girls' coach Danielle Argento-Ecker. "For me, this is a growing year. They are just learning. They need one year to get their feet wet."
And according to Caputo, the rivalry between the two schools' sports programs has turned into a comradeship on the lacrosse field. "I haven't heard one negative word about the situation," he said.
The forming of this new squad extends beyond the confines of East Rockaway and Malverne, and Town Councilman Anthony Santino was just one of several politicians who attended last Sunday's event. "This is another great step forward for East Rockaway," Santino said. "Together, along with everyone from Malverne, I know this is going to be something special for the kids in our community."
