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Center Moriches Athletic Director and NYSPHSAA representative Jeremy Thode hands East Hampton Athletic Director Joe Vasile-Cozzo the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Sportsmanship Promotion Program award on September 21.
Jeremy Thode, a former colleague of Joe Vasile-Cozzo, has known the East Hampton athletic director for over 20 years, and said he can attest to the way he’s instilled ethical and moral values in student-athletes in East Hampton and beyond.
That’s why the current Center Moriches athletic director said during the September 21 Southampton Board of Education meeting that he was honored to present Vasile-Cozzo and the district with a 2021 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Sportsmanship Promotion Program award.
“It’s not necessarily how well you do in every game, but how you promote sportsmanship across your athletic program,” Thode said. “I was in Commack as athletic director and moved to CM, where Joe was prior to here, and I still use things that Joe did in Center Moriches — the practices, the policies and the procedures. I’m not going to change things that work well.”
Vasile-Cozzo said Monday the recognition, which the district applied for, is an extension of all Bonackers — that there’s a lot of hard work put in between the coaches, the athletes and the parents.
“They’re all really trying to buy in to a concept that we’re trying to do things the right way here, as best we can. And I’m really proud of it,” the athletic director said. “It’s about sportsmanship, doing things ethically correct and showing integrity as we represent East Hampton.”
Board President J.P. Foster agreed last Tuesday that the honor is a testament to the leadership of administration and coaches and dedication of the kids.
“The Sportsmanship Promotion Survey is designed to assess how schools are promoting positive sportsmanship within their athletic departments,” NYSPHSAA states on its website. “The award is presented to schools which have developed proactive approaches in keeping sportsmanship in the forefront with their students, coaches, spectators and communities.”
Thode, who used to sit on Section XI Executive Board, is Conference IV’s vice president, Awards, Finance and Safety Committee chair, is the girls lacrosse chairman and represents Section XI on the state sportsmanship and oversight committees, said Vasile-Cozzo represents the East Hampton community and its athletics programs at the highest level in Suffolk County. Vasile-Cozzo, who was presented with a plaque by Thode at the board meeting, is the Constitution, Placement and Tournament Committee chair for Conference III and the girls soccer and boys and girls bowling chairman.
“This certificate and plaque means that you have gone above and beyond to show integrity, sportsmanship and all of the right things that we should be teaching and learning in athletics,” Thode said. “Your athletic program, community, athletes, coaches all do a wonderful job. It’s well-deserved in East Hampton.”
