Nowadays, the notion of a scholar athlete has become somewhat of a joke given the stories of NCAA-level jocks with free rides who are later on found to be barely literate. Thankfully, the high standards that have made the Garden City Public School system such a nationally regarded curriculum have also been a bedrock part of the district’s athletic program. Much of the credit can rightfully be attributed to Athletic Director Nancy Kalafus and the coaches she oversees. Chief among these dedicated school employees is Reid Sclafani, who has had long-running success overseeing the girls golf team and the wrestling squad. And while Sclafani recently added Male Coach of the Year and Newsday’s 2013 Coach of the Year to his mantle thanks to achievements like yet another 10-0 record for the girls golf team to go with eight straight Nassau titles, 11 straight Conference II titles and 106 straight conference matches, he’s been equally effective as an educator. As one of the school’s most distinguished business education teachers, Reid and colleague Erin McKinstry, were named winners of the 2011-12 Gold Star Teacher Award. It’s this kind of balance that cleaves to the ancient Greek axiom of healthy mind in healthy body that amateur athletic programs on all levels would do well to cleave to more often.
– Dave Gil de Rubio
