Sports are very popular at Curtis, with many teams for each season. However, there are some students that play uncommon sports outside of the teams offered at Curtis.
One student in particular, Freshman Nadiya Kumaravel, plays cricket. As a long-time sports fan, when she saw her brother playing the sport, she decided to give it a try. In fact, her decision to play turned out to be a wise investment, as she was selected to play on the New York Rockettes.
According to Nadiya, football and baseball are similar to cricket. “Students should become more interested in cricket because it’s a great sport,” Nadiya explained. “If people started playing and getting more exposed to it, the sport would gain even more interest.” Nadiya added that she would definitely play cricket for Curtis. “Of course I would play if there was a team here. I would be glad and happy to join it. I would be proud that the game is played all over the world.”
Diana Valentino, a sophomore, practices archery. She became interested when she first witnessed the sport at eight years old, at the Otter Lake Camp Resort. She explained the possible reasons for archery’s unpopularity at Curtis: “People don’t have enough space to play this sport and it all depends on the community they live in. Archery isn’t showcased a lot, outside of its association with fantasy genres.” In Diana’s opinion, students should be more interested in archery because it’s exciting, good for hand-eye coordination, and very calming.
Ms. Boylan, a swimming coach and an English teacher, also coached a fencing team for ten years at Staten Island Tech. When she first came across the team of 30 girls, they were missing a coach. Ms. Boylan didn’t want to see the girls lose a chance to invest in their passions, so she decided to take up the mantle. “I had to go to fencing school and learn how to fence,” Ms. Boylan explained.
She believes it’s an uncommon sport because it is not shown on TV often. “It should be more popular because it opens up new experiences. People, and especially students, can gain new knowledge and enjoy a whole new adventure,” said Ms. Boylan. She also added that Staten Island has its own fencing club, which is open to anyone. They have all the equipment and gear for you to practice, even if it’s your first time.
While these aren’t offered at Curtis, student athletes have found ways to practice their respective sports. Investing your time in an uncommon sport may lead you down a new path, and open doors for you in the future.
