Flushing Football gets a boost

Flushing football Coach Jimmy DeSantis couldn't wait to get his hands on the $10,000 check from the New York Jets, courtesy of their Heads Up! Program. He planned on using the funding for video equipment and video editing, so his jayvee players could see themselves on film, in addition to purchasing much-needed practice gear.
But that wasn't what made DeSantis's morning. Seeing Jets owner Woody Johnson and linebacker Victor Hobson, along with Public School Athletic League officials and New York City School Chancellor Joel Klein, address the Flushing players in the school library, emphasizing school and grades and discipline and responsibility, made him smile.
&#8220The number one thing for me today is they're reinforcing everything I am telling the kids,” he said. &#8220Sometimes when they hear it from home, or from me, it's just the coach saying it. [Hopefully] this will hit home even better.”
But football was also a hot topic Tuesday morning, when Johnson presented Flushing - one of eight New York City schools the Jets will make donations to - with the funds they sorely lacked.
&#8220We want to give young people the chance to play football,” Johnson said, &#8220because things you learn in football are unique. The idea of discipline, learning a playbook, working out, there's a lot to learn.”
Hobson took questions from the students, touching on practice habits, his mindset out on the field, and what it takes to succeed. &#8220It starts with hard work,” he told the wide-eyed youngsters. &#8220You have to do more than the next guy. … It's what you do on your own to make yourself a better player.”
The scene at Flushing seemed light years away from 2004, when the program, in the developmental stages, couldn't seem to get off the ground. A once proud program, it was disbanded in 2002, brought back two years later, but the new coach, Adam Sotiryadis, couldn't cut it. So they brought in DeSantis, who at the time had been teaching at Newtown and coaching the defense at Bayside.
&#8220I knew Jim's character,” said Carla Nasso, the athletic director. &#8220His work ethic was what we were looking for. He's kind of the old-school mentality of coaching the kids, not just football but discipline, leadership, character and stepping up. Jim has been working 12 months of the year nonstop.”
There is still a long way to go at Flushing. The team is 1-2 this year on the jayvee level. They should move up to varsity next fall, probably in the Cup Division, the PSAL's lowest level. But as sophomore fullback and linebacker Brian Singh put it, &#8220We're building it back up.”