Dr. James Wright, the former South Huntington school district athletic director, has been inducted into the New York State Athletic Administrators Hall of Fame.
He served as athletic director from 2001 until his retirement in 2021.
He has been a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and New York State Athletic Administrators Association for 20 years. In Section XI, he was a Conference 1 president and served on seeding, finance, and policy committees while chairing Girls Cross Country, Fencing, and Softball.
He is now the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) chair for softball and represented the NYSAAA on two NYSPHSAA Strategic Plans.
Continuing his involvement in scholastic athletics and administration after retiring as athletic director, Wright remains a huge advocate for school athletics. “Sports prepare students for what they will encounter in real life,” said Wright. “You learn to deal with adversity and have the opportunity to grow mentally and physically.”
Wright has independently created a seven-course program for health and physical education directors (PEHPC) and created a program for aspiring and new Athletic Administrators (AAMPD). Wright has been New York’s delegate to the NIAAA Delegate Assembly four times. He is an NIAAA national faculty member for LTC 707 and has presented various workshops on technology, social media, mentoring coaches, and concussion management locally and nationally.
Amanda (Hertig) Cullinan Scholarship
Huntington High School seniors who participated in the Blue Devil athletic program are encouraged to apply for the Amanda (Hertig) Cullinan Student-Athlete Resiliency Award by May 15.
The $2,500 scholarship will be presented for the first time this year. It honors a Class of 1996 member who starred on the girls’ lacrosse team and who also served as the high school’s student government president.
She died last May after a four-year battle with breast cancer. She served as a head coach of the varsity girls’ lacrosse team at Northern Guilford High School, and was the mother of three.
All senior four-year college bound student athletes are eligible to apply for the award, but do not have to be planning to play a college sport. Click here for the application.
Schools: New Athletic Directors; Construction Projects Underway