Northport High School was honored on Sept. 5 as one of five Suffolk County schools to receive the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Sportsmanship Promotion Award for the 2018-19 school year. 

Mark Dantuono, the district’s director of health, physical education and athletics, said that the award is granted to high school athletics programs that illustrate exemplary effort in displaying overall sportsmanship to the game, as well as their opponents, coaches and referees.

Mr. Dantuono said that each of the district’s varsity and junior varsity teams demonstrate sportsmanship by placing banners, promoting positive play throughout the high school’s hallways.

“We’re trying to promote strong character and commitment and really being respectful as a competitor,” he said. “Our kids are good kids. Our student athletes, they get it done.”

Mr. Dantuono explained that districts are encouraged to apply for the award via an online application, which is later reviewed by a state-wide committee to determine eligibility.  

He said that the Northport-East Northport School District stood out among the rest as it was recently recognized, for the second consecutive year, as a school of distinction by the athletic association. The honor is given to schools, whose student athletes maintain an overall Grade Point Average of 90 or above. “That just added to our resume to be eligible for the state-wide recognition that we received,” Mr. Dantuono said.