Coach Reid Sclafani
keeps the bar high in and
out of the classroom
Garden City is well known for its tremendous athletic programs with many of the student athletes receiving accolades throughout the school year. But the success of the overall program isn’t only the result of the performances of the players but also because of the hardworking and knowledgeable coaching staffs that the middle and high schools have leading our teams.
As Athletic Director Nancy Kalafus has mentioned many times, “the coaches in Garden City make my job very easy.” One of the coaches who puts in many hours throughout the year is wrestling and girls golf coach Reid Sclafani. Sclafani was recently presented the male Coach of the Year at the annual TMA coaches outing by Kalafus.
Sclafani’s golf teams have enjoyed winning four of the past six Long Island championships, eight straight Nassau titles, 11 straight Conference II titles and 106 straight conference matches. He was named Newsday Coach of the Year in 2013 after his team finished with another perfect 10-0 record.
“The seniors talked about making sure they weren’t the ones who went out without winning, because that’s all they’ve known since they’ve been on the team,” Sclafani said. “Girls have started such a good tradition here that they don’t want to mess it up. They feel a lot of that pressure, and it’s not easy, but it really motivates them to work hard.”
During the winter months Sclafani can be seen working long hours with the Garden City wrestling team – either in the gym, in the weight room or at meets. The boys and their parents continually acknowledge the dedication of Sclafani and the rest of the wrestling staff for the tireless efforts, noting that it is their work ethic that pushes the student athletes to put in the hard work and self-discipline that a sport like wrestling demands.
This past season was more of a rebuilding year for the Trojan grapplers, but throughout his years associated with the team Garden City has had its fair share of county and state wrestlers.
Sclafani has also earned recognition for his work in the classroom as one of Garden City’s distinguished business education teachers. He and Erin McKinstry, were named winners of the 2011-2012 Gold Star Teacher Award. The award is presented to the teaher whose students in a business class achieved a 90 percent pass rate on the online financial literacy certification test sponsored by the W!SE Financial Literacy Program. And not only have the teachers earned the honor individually, Garden City High School has received Blue Star recognition.
