Reggie Carter only spent three years as the assistant principal of , yet had a profound impact on the school.
“He did things for students and teachers (and) the community that people still today talk about,” athletic director Ralph Amitrano said Friday night in between a and basketball doubleheader held in honor of the former New York Knick. “He was a role model, he was a leader, he was a representative of what it meant to be a Mineola community member.”
Carter ranks among the top all-time scorers at the University of St. John’s and was a former New York Knick. He served as assistant principal beginning in 1996 until his death from a heart attack in 1999.
Each year the school recognizes a member of the girls and boys teams to receive the award. Also, in 2000, it was decided by players that one captain of the boys’ team and one captain of the girls’ team would wear Carter’s number 35 to honor his memory.
“Reggie Carter was a quiet leader who led by example,” girls’ coach Denise Zunno said. “He believed that whatever time you were given to improve upon your skills – be it academic or athletic – you should always make the most of it. If you have a two hour practice, make each moment count. Practice as though you were in a game, run as hard as you can to improve your fitness and speed, run through each drill making corrections, and striving for perfection, all for the sake of personal growth and achieve success.”
This year the awards went to Jimmy Bulva and Krystie Kern. Of the senior guard, Zunno said she could not remember Kern missing a practice in the four years she had been playing and praised her for working her way from the JV level to varsity in her sophomore year.
Bulva was first selected to the All-Conference team in his sophomore year, following it up by being named conference player of the year and All-County as a junior. Off the court, Bulva volunteers helping elementary students teaching sportsmanship and skill and plans on going to New York Institute of Technology after graduation. This is Bulva’s second straight year winning the award.
All ticket sales as well as funds in a donation jar at the door will go toward the Reggie Carter scholarship fund which will be awarded to two seniors at the end of the year, though not necessarily the ones from the basketball teams.
