Maspeth High School held its annual athletic banquet for the first time in two years on Friday, June 10, to honor the achievements and participation of its student athletes.
More than 200 students attended the event, where awards were handed out and athletes and coaches could come together to eat dinner and celebrate the end of the school year.
“There were multiple photo booths which always brings a crowd and plenty of smiles,” said Vice Principal and Athletic Director Jesse Pachter. “The annual end-of-year event is something the student-athletes look forward to every year.”
Pachter mentioned that the Maspeth school saw a decrease in athletic participation after COVID, which he credits to fatigue after months of isolation.
“Many teams struggled to field players such as varsity girls table tennis and co-ed cricket which we unable to have a season. We saw about a 20% decrease in student-athlete participation as compared to previous years,” Pachter said.
Though school sports haven’t been the same, Pachter said the athletic banquet brought back a sense of normalcy for the kids.
Pachter said that Maspeth High School is organizing club fairs and increasing its social media presence to boost participation in after-school activities.
“The pandemic has definitely resulted in students becoming more fatigued from staying home the previous 18 months, and it’s our hope that their desire to stay and play will increase,” Pachter said.
