New White Plains High School Athletic Director Chip Salvestrini
Photo credit: Douglas Geller

Replacing a legend is never easy, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the world of sports. Still, eventually it was time for Joe Montana to hang up his cleats, for Don Mattingly to wash the eye black off his face, and for Michael Jordan to start wearing jeans again. In every situation, someone just as competent has always been ready to take the reins and move forward where his predecessor left off.

Such is the case with the seat Nick Panaro left empty earlier this year when he retired from his longstanding position of White Plains High School Athletic Director. After working in the school system for 38 years, Panaro decided it was time to close the book on what had been a very memorable, successful career. Taking his place at the beginning of this school year has been Chip Salvestrini, who has recognized the challenge left to him and has approached it with a winning attitude only appropriate for a member of the Tigers.

“My experience in White Plains has been very positive, but very, very busy,” he says.

As well it should be. Salvestrini is not only the new Athletic Director of the high school, but he has also been named Coordinator of Physical Education for the entire district, K – 12. This dual role marks a return to the consolidation of these two programs. During the last few years, two different people ran Athletics and Physical Education separately. (Jody Cole, former Director of Health and Physical Education, retired at the end of the 2009 school year as well.)  

While Salvestrini may be new to White Plains, he is certainly no stranger to this professional field. Before taking his current job, he was Athletic Director of Danbury School District and, prior to that, he held the same title at Ridgefield High School. Each of those tenures lasted about eight years. Salvestrini also served as Athletic Director and as the head football coach at New Milford High School and he was Athletic Director of Lehman College in the Bronx as well. 

Although the school year is still young, Salvestrini has definitely prioritized to this point, focusing on both small-scale and long-term goals. “So far, I’ve been spending a lot of time getting to know everyone—the players, the coaches, and the teachers,” he reports. He has also established a list of objectives he hopes to address during 2009-2010 and throughout the school years to come. Specifically, Salvestrini aims to utilize Loucks Stadium as a source of revenue, expose the younger students to the facilities White Plains offers, and enhance the Physical Education program. “Whether it means getting better equipment, using a better maintenance program to take care of the equipment, or something else, I want to improve P.E. for students in every grade,” he says.

And that is exactly whom Salvestrini always thinks of first—the students. “The bottom line is that we are trying to make things better for the kids,” he emphasizes. “With anything you do, you try to tinker and make it better.” In order to do this, Salvestrini maintains a focused, always-be-prepared attitude that continues to keep him one step ahead. “You never want to see the bottom fall out,” he warns. “You always need to be proactive and see what’s behind Door #2; you need to be prepared for whatever is back there.” It is this kind of mindset that already has him considering how to replace the turf on the football field even though it isn’t ready to be replaced yet.

Still, Salvestrini recognizes the already favorable assets within the White Plains system. “The community support, without a doubt, is a strength, along with the program itself,” he says.

Speaking of strengths, the new Athletic Director is particularly proud of how the Tigers performed during this most recent fall season. Almost every team, including swimming, field hockey, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, and football, competed in a Sectional event. The girls tennis team and the boys soccer team each won the League Championship as well.

Salvestrini hopes to channel this success as he tries to earn his own stripes. “I’m trying to become part of the White Plains team and learn more about the culture,” he says. “I’m trying to take the experience I have and fit it into the direction White Plains is going in.” Although he understands the significance in taking over for someone like Mr. Panaro, whom he cites as having been “wonderful and very supportive,” Salvestrini is up to the challenge and ready to deal with any issues that may arise. And, as is so often the case with the Tigers, he is equally ready to stand with his teammates in the end and celebrate the triumphs that result from all that effort. 

Former NFL player and 1994 graduate of Stepinac High School Eric Ogbogu (center) was greeted by the 2009 Crusaders Varsity football team when he visited to donate $20,000 worth of equipment.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Archbishop Stepinac High School.

Once a Crusader, always a Crusader.

Eric Ogbogu graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School in 1994, after an illustrious academic and football career. Ogbogu moved on to play football at Maryland University, where he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1998 Hula Bowl and an Academic All-American.

Ogbogu’s efforts were rewarded after college when the defensive end was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Jets of the National Football League. Ogbogu played a combined seven years in the NFL with the Jets (1998 – 2001), Cincinnati Bengals (2002) and Dallas Cowboys (2003 – 2005).

Ogbogu is presently a marketing executive and spokesperson for Under Armour and is featured in television commercials and on promotional billboards. On Thursday, October 8, the former gridiron star visited his high school alma mater and, along with Under Armour, donated $20,000 worth of football cleats, shirts, shorts and other equipment to the Stepinac football team.

Despite all of Ogbogu’s success, he has never forgotten his Stepinac roots.

“Eric supports Stepinac every year. He gives a lot back to the football program that gave him so much during his high school playing days,” commented Crusaders Head Coach Mike O’Donnell.

Ogbogu was greeted by the undefeated 2009 Varsity football team when he visited. The Crusaders were sustaining an impressive 5-0 record at the time. 

Eric’s brother Chuck also graduated from Stepinac in 1996. He passed away at the young age of 26 years old from natural causes. He was attending Thomas More College in Cincinnati.

Eric Ogbogu was inducted into the Stepinac Football Hall of Fame, along with Chuck (posthumously), on September 20, 2008, at the Knights of Columbus in White Plains.

New York Knicks (l-r) Joe Crawford, Nate Robinson, and David Lee greeted youth from Children’s Village, in Dobbs Ferry, for a day of fun and education at the Knicks’ training center in Greenburgh, N.Y. on Monday, October 12.
Photo credit: Albert Coqueran

Forward David Lee signed a one-year contract for $8,000,000 to remain with the New York Knicks for the 2009-10 NBA season. Lee resides in White Plains during the season and notes that he is happy to still be in the area. “Yeah, I am still in White Plains,” Lee said with a smile during Media Day at the Knicks’ training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y.

This will be Lee’s fifth year with the Knicks, having been drafted by them in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft after graduating from Florida University.

Lee’s 2008-09 statistics indicate that he could have received a multi-year deal with another team, but he wanted to remain in New York. Knicks guard Nate Robinson also signed a one-year deal. “Every player has to look out for their own interest, but the fact that they wanted to be Knicks and stay in New York helped this situation,” stated team President Donnie Walsh.

Lee led the NBA last year with 65 double-doubles while averaging 16 points and11.7 rebounds per game to go along with a .549 field goal shooting percentage. “It is not about money. I am excited to be back here in New York. I think the Knicks were excited to have me back and I am excited to be in a Knicks uniform,” said Lee.

On Monday, October 12, Lee, Robinson, and their teammates greeted the youth from Children’s Village at the Knicks’ training center in Greenburgh. 

The Knicks accompanied the children to the weight room, where strength & conditioning coach Greg Brittenham instructed the teenagers in weight training.

The Knicks also supervised a basketball clinic and skills contest featuring prizes for the winners. The children also received authentic Knicks jerseys autographed by their favorite players.

Rhyme Time?

Poet laureates take notice: the Knicks are holding open auditions for their Poetry Slam Contest on Saturday, November 7, at the Manhattan Center. Youth from the ages of 13-19 years old who are interested in participating should register at KnicksPoetrySlam.com and prepare a one-minute poem. $300,000 worth of scholarships, grants and prizes will be awarded to the winners. There will be a College Fair associated with the open auditions, also at the Manhattan Center, on the same day.