Sports

Sports & Recreation

New Nutley grid coach Vick hosts camp for youngsters

By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com

NUTLEY – He might be on the job as the new head football coach at Nutley High School for only a few weeks, but J.D. Vick is well aware of his commitment to the entire community.

“I want to connect with the kids in the (Nutley) youth football league,” said Vick, the long-time assistant coach at the school who was appointed to replace the retired Steve DiGregorio. “I want them to know that we’re all Raiders and we’re in this game together.”

That meant Vick coordinating a youth football camp for the youngsters of the town.

It was going to be a challenge this year, considering the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic put a cramp in practically everything of a social nature.

“We got a little bit of a late start,” Vick said. “It was delayed a bit getting the word out. It was the first time we were having a camp in several years. Even if we had just a few kids register, we were going to have it.”

So nearly 50 youngsters gathered at the newly refurbished Nutley Oval recently to learn a little bit about the game of football from the soft spoken mentor from the great state of Alabama with connections to the great Crimson Tide.

“It was a great week to learn some skills,” Vick said. “The Oval is such a special place. It’s a great place to watch a game, but it’s great to get these kids on the field.”

Vick said that he especially enjoyed the aspiring seniors who will be key members of the 2021 Nutley football team interacting on a daily basis with the youngsters, players like Anthony Alberti, Frankie Contella, Matthew Harbison, William Mielnicki, Paul Scutti and Vincent Miller, who were out there in the summer swelter working with the campers.

“It was great to see our players interacting with the kids,” Vick said. “Our seniors developed strong relationship with these kids. Football is a great way to teach the kids about life. We need to have a strong relationship with our youth.”

Vick thanked Nutley Recreation coordinator Frank DeMaio for his help in getting the camp off the ground.

“We want to have that relationship continue,” Vick said. “I want everyone to know that we’re all in this thing together.”

Vick said that he was encouraged to witness the interaction between the current Maroon Raiders and the future Raiders.

“It’s fun to see their responses,” Vick said. “There really is enthusiasm for football in Nutley. The participation numbers are up with our team. It’s all part of building a program.”

It doesn’t hurt that the Maroon Raiders enjoyed an undefeated Super Football

Photo courtesy of J.D. Vick The Nutley Football Camp was a success at the Nutley Oval recently.

WITH Jim Hague

ogsmar@aol.com

Future sluggers, hurlers hone skills at Lyndhurst camp

LYNDHURST – Lynd-

hurst High School head baseball coach Patrick Auteri has been either involved or was the chief organizer for the Lyndhurst Youth Baseball Camp for over a decade, going back to the days when the immortal Butch Servideo was then the head baseball coach and the school’s athletic director.

When Servideo retired a few years back, Auteri stepped into Butch’s shoes, both as head coach of the

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