COLIN DAVIS, Staff Writer
This year has been a year of milestones in the NBTHS Basketball programs as both head coaches hit winning milestones with Boy’s coach Breheney hitting his 1000th career and Girl’s coach Zielinski recently hitting win number 100. In a recent interview with Coach Zielinski, he elaborated on his greatest achievement over his coaching career saying “On the court? Finishing on top of the White Division twice, in 2002 and this year. Overall greatest accomplishment? Seeing our players go on to success in college and beyond. It’s a coach’s main goal and seeing it happen makes me feel proud.”
This kind of milestone isn’t something that isn’t built overnight or alone. You need people committed to turning something into an extreme positive. You need people willing to be there for you to help you achieve something big. He said when asked who he’d like to thank for his success “Thanks go out first and foremost to all of our players and parents for their commitment and dedication. Especially in recent years, the leadership demonstrated on our team has been spectacular, and that tone has been set by our seniors in the last three years (this year's seniors: Adriana Barnes, Kamiyah Robinson, Tianna Strachan, Anishka Jain). A major part of our success has been our great assistant coaches, especially the current ones, Coach Shamy and Coach Lynch. Also a special thanks to Coach Breheney, a great friend and mentor for many years. Finally, thanks to the school and district leadership for entrusting me with the responsibility for both this program and the football program over the years.”
Sure, the achievement here is great, but any good coach is always looking towards the future, looking at what comes next. The future is always key and success is something that everyone looks for. Coach Zielinski has a certain idea for how the success of the team can pour into next season and the ones after that saying “We have several of our best players returning next season (Niyell McCargo, who was the Player of the Year in Middlesex County, Megan Farrell, Anne Marie Quagliata, Kelly DeGaetano), so that is encouraging. But more than that, what's important for continued success is a shared commitment to our collective goals. I've been pleased to see a sense of purpose and dedication to the team concept passed down from year to year through our team leadership. If that continues, success will continue. Of course, other teams are good and they work hard too, so you never know how many wins and losses we'll have, but hopefully, we will always play to our potential.”
Of course, congratulations are in order for Coach Zielinski and we here at the Banner wish him nothing but success and prosperity in the future.