Kellenberg Memorial High School Athletes Win Awards at Fall Athletics Banquet

The Bernie Ward Commitment Award which is named after our beloved former faculty member, coach and colleague Bernie Ward is for the athlete who has displayed the most passion and commitment towards bettering themselves and their teammates during the season

JV A Football: TJ Catapano of Seaford embodies the essence of this award, just show up every day and do your job to the best of your ability. TJ did just that for six days a week for the 11 weeks of the season; not one day could the coaches recall a day where we got a sub par effort from TJ. In addition to this, TJ was always at our after practice lifting sessions and attentive in our Monday film sessions. TJ was a leader both on the field and off of it, his tough play often inspired his teammates in games and we knew we could always count on him as a runner and pass catcher as evidenced by his big catches in the team’s comeback efforts against Chaminade and Xavier.

Freshman Cheerleading: This cheerleader has been a part of the Kellenberg cheerleading program since the Latin school. Meredith Kass has shown 100% dedication to the sport of cheerleading since she first put on a Kellenberg cheerleading uniform. Her positive attitude and drive for perfection have demonstrated what being a member of this team means to her and that there are no limits to hard work. Her commitment towards her teammates, coaches, and the sport shows each and every practice. This seasons Bernie Ward Commitment award goes to Meredith Kass of Seaford.

Girl’s JV Volleyball: Selecting a recipient of the Bernie Ward commitment award from this group was nearly impossible. Each player was instrumental in our success. Each player brought a positive attitude and excellent work ethic to each practice and every game. However, one player stands out as a representative of what Kellenberg athletics is all about. This young lady provided leadership both on and off the court. There were instances that this athlete took younger players under her wing and patiently guided them through position play. This athlete is not only an excellent athletic talent, she is responsible and faith-filled and positive and reliable. She could be counted on to convey a message to the team, she could be relied upon to give affirmation to certain players at the request of the coaching staff. This young lady embodies all that is good in athletics; work ethic, great attitude, on court and off court achievement and team over self. It is a great honor to present the Bernie Ward Commitment Award to simply a lovely and talented young woman, Clare Calabro of Seaford.

The Most Improved Player Award is for the athlete who displayed the greatest amount of improvement and growth in their skills which contributed to the success of their team.

Congratulations to Matthew Gornstein of Seaford on winning the most improved player award for the freshmen boy’s cross country team.

Girl’s JV Volleyball: The choice for most improved goes to a young woman who continuously strived for better. This athlete challenged herself and her teammates each day. When asked to execute a specific attack, or utilize specific footwork, she dedicated herself to complete mastery of the skill. This young lady was asked to perform Herculean tasks, especially in our championship match. As coaches, we asked her to transition every single ball in an effort to hold St. Anthony’s block. Such a team player is this fine athlete, that she did exactly that, offering herself and her teammates the opportunity to offensively dominate the Friars. Taking coaching instruction and delivering makes a good athlete become an outstanding athlete. This is exactly what happened to our most improved player. Her contributions are immeasurable, and it is thanks to her attitude, work ethic, and coachability. It is with great pride we select Kylie Grubb of Wantagh as our most improved player for the 2015 season.