Adelphi Hosts Most Physically Educated Competition for the Second Year

Winners of the Adelphi University Most Physically Educated Competition Michaela Zabicki and Malcolm Bell with Adelphi faculty Thomas A. Howard (far left) and Kevin J. Mercier, Ed.D., (far right)

Adelphi University’s Center for Recreation and Sports was a hive of activity on Friday, January 18, 2017, as athletes from 15 high schools across Long Island competed in the second annual Most Physically Educated Competition organized by Kevin J. Mercier, Ed.D., assistant professor, and Thomas A. Howard, adjunct professor. The goal of the event was to promote the importance of physical fitness to adolescents.

Students went head-to-head in a series of games and endurance tests, including a pacer test, a push up test, a basketball game and a badminton game. They also participated in an essay contest describing why fitness is important to them.

At the end of the four-hour competition, three schools emerged on top. New Hyde Park Memorial High School came in first with the highest score, followed by East Rockaway High School and Valley Stream Central High School.

Awards were also given to individual students.

The winners clearly had a passion for fitness. Overall female winner Michaela Zabicki, a junior at New Hyde Park Memorial High School and a member of the field hockey, track and field and lacrosse teams, said: “I feel like if I wasn’t physically active I would not be able to do much. It makes me feel fresh.”

Overall male winner Malcolm Bell, a junior from Baldwin High School who is on the soccer and lacrosse teams, enjoyed the friendly competition. “It feels good, and I was happy to represent my school and participate,” Bell said, adding that he especially enjoyed meeting new people.  

Also at the competition was Adelphi alumna Katie DiLapi ’11, M.A. ’14, who teaches physical education at Valley Stream North High School to grades seven though twelve. “If they get into good habits when they are younger then they will get into good habits when they are older,” DiLapi commented.

2017 Most Physically Educated Contest Winners

Essay

Gabriella Walsh                 East Rockaway High School

David Manikas                   Valley Stream Central High School

PACER Winners

Zhaneia Thybulle              Elmont Memorial High School

Nick Williams                      Lawrence High School

Andrew Machovek             East Rockaway High School

Push Up

Michaela Zabicki               New Hyde Park Memorial High School

Nick Lopez                          New Hyde Park Memorial High School

School Champions

1^st New Hyde Park Memorial High School 

2^nd East Rockaway High School

3^rd Valley Stream Central High School

Overall Winners

Female

1^st Michaela Zabicki         New Hyde Park High School

2^nd Gabriella Walsh          East Rockaway High School

Male

1^st Malcolm Bell                 Baldwin High School

2^nd Andrew Machovek     East Rockaway High School