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New Brooklyn\/Queens CHSAA President Sal Fischetti (right) takes over the helm fromlongtime past president Ray Nash (left). (Photo: Courtesy of Ray Nash)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tNew Brooklyn\/Queens CHSAA President Sal Fischetti (right) takes over the helm from
longtime past president Ray Nash (left). (Photo: Courtesy of Ray Nash)<\/p>\n
The Brooklyn\/Queens Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) has a new president.<\/p>\n
Following the 48-year tenure of past president Ray Nash<\/a>, the CHSAA executive board elected Sal Fischetti, the longtime St. Francis Prep<\/a>, Fresh Meadows, athletic director, as the league\u2019s new president.<\/p>\n Fischetti\u2019s ties to the diocese run deep. He grew up in St. Margaret\u2019s parish, Middle Village, before attending the Prep.<\/p>\n He then went on to St. John\u2019s University<\/a>, Jamaica, before receiving his master\u2019s degree in education from Queens College<\/a>, Flushing.<\/p>\n The 1983 Prep grad started teaching at his alma mater full time in September 1987. This school year marks the start of his 40th at St. Francis.<\/p>\n After a memorable stint coaching varsity girls\u2019 basketball \u2014 including capturing a CHSAA New York State championship \u2014 he became the school\u2019s athletic director in 1999. He will continue to hold this position alongside both his CHSAA president title and his role as chairperson of the Prep\u2019s health and physical education department.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re still going to operate as we normally do,\u201d said Fischetti, who has also served on the CHSAA executive boards for almost 20 years for the boys\u2019 league, girls\u2019 league, and Catholic state league \u2014 primarily as treasurer.<\/p>\n Fischetti will rely on Nash as well as girls\u2019 Brooklyn\/Queens CHSAA president Denise Hillig as he adjusts to the new role.<\/p>\n Chris Hardardt \u2014 a Christ the King H.S.<\/a>, Middle Village, graduate and president of the Catholic High School Football League as well as former athletic director at Holy Trinity H.S., Hicksville, Long Island \u2014 has joined the Prep\u2019s faculty as dean of students and associate athletic director to assist Fischetti with the day-to-day operations.<\/p>\n \u201cYou adapt what you\u2019ve learned and institute some new ideas that are going to be beneficial to the association,\u201d Fischetti said. \u201cThat\u2019s what it all comes down to. For the most part, I have to take what I have in front of me, and I know how the league operates. It\u2019s all about accentuating the positives and working on the things we need to improve upon.\u201d<\/p>\n In the CHSAA, upholding the Catholic values of sport is what sets the league apart. Fischetti, of course, plans to continue the mission the league stands for through a trickle-down effect: from the CHSAA executive board to school athletic directors to individual coaches, right down to the student-athletes \u2014 all buying in to the vision of what makes this league so special.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has to be student-centered; it has to be focused on the kids themselves,\u201d said Fischetti, a member of the CHSAA Hall of Fame, Girls\u2019 CHSAA Hall of Fame<\/a>, and the St. Francis Prep Red & Blue Ring of Hono<\/a>r. \u201cThe way we operate today isn\u2019t the same as how we operated even five years ago, let alone 10, 15, or 20.\u201d<\/p>\n Keeping the \u201cC\u201d in CHSAA standing for Catholic is paramount to the league\u2019s structure. Over the past few sports seasons, Bishop Robert Brennan has been a notable presence at high school sporting events, including the diocesan basketball and baseball championships.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are very lucky,\u201d Fischetti said. \u201cBishop Brennan is a great guy, and he understands the importance of what high school sports are. He makes himself visible, and we embrace that. He has done a nice job in enhancing what CHSAA sports programs are all about.\u201d<\/p>\n The CHSAA has also been a pioneer in welcoming new sports into the fold, such as flag football and even esports. The league\u2019s inclusive structure creates more opportunities for student-athletes when a group shows interest and a dedicated coach steps up to help out.<\/p>\n Fischetti said he\u2019s looking forward to working with the diocesan athletic directors at schools of all sizes to make sure their perspectives are heard. There are some new faces throughout the diocesan sports landscape, so he\u2019s tasked with creating a standardized set of procedures for all the schools to follow.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope and expect that we\u2019re going to work together as a group to do great things,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had new people come in along the way, so we will embrace the newness of what\u2019s to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Even across the country, our local CHSAA has developed a reputation as one of the smoothest-run high school athletic associations around.<\/p>\n That\u2019s thanks in part to Nash\u2019s tireless dedication for so many years, as well as administrators like Fischetti who have bought into the mission.<\/p>\n The time has come for Fischetti to now shepherd the league\u2019s continued success \u2014 relying on the athletic directors and sports chairpeople to keep the league\u2019s Catholic identity intact.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be another great school year in the CHSAA,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New Brooklyn\/Queens CHSAA President Sal Fischetti (right) takes over the helm fromlongtime past president Ray Nash (left). 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