Here's another recipient, better late than never:
Rylee
Iannaccone, Weehawken
A female athlete at a small Group I enrollment
school usually has to participate in more than one sport. That’s just the way
it is for athletes at schools like Weehawken.
Well,
Rylee Iannaccone certainly did her
part during her four years as a Weehawken athlete. Iannaccone was a volleyball
player in the fall, a member of the swim team in the winter months and softball
during the spring. That’s quite a busy schedule.
“It
was pretty tough,” Iannaccone said. “My teammates always helped me. My teachers
and coaches always knew that my academics were a priority.”
So
Iannaccone was overjoyed to learn that she was Weehawken’s top scholar/athlete
for 2020.
“I
was told to watch a video with all the school award winners,” Iannaccone said. “When
they said I won this award, I was shocked. I was so happy. It felt so good to
be recognized.”
Iannaccone
first started playing softball when she was younger. She actually began playing
T-ball baseball with and against the boys when she was about seven years old.
“I
always loved being competitive with the boys,” Iannaccone said. “Of course, I
always tried to beat them.”
She
eventually graduated to softball and played all the way through high school,
except for this past spring, when the slick fielding second baseman had to sit
out action with her teammates due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
“This
was our last year to do it all,” said Iannaccone, who played for Weehawken head
coach and former Hoboken High All-Hudson County hurler Raquel Roder. “It’s a shame that we never got the chance to play it
out. It’s disappointing. It’s the worst thing that could have happened.”
Iannaccone
was part of a major revival for the Weehawken softball program, which competed
for the Meadowlands Division championship of the North Jersey Interscholastic
Conference in each of her first three seasons.
“It
was the best feeling in the world,” Iannaccone said. “I always looked up to the
older girls who also did well. We wanted to keep things going and do a lot of
the things they did. It was so nice to be a part of that.”
Iannaccone
joined the volleyball team as a freshman after never having played the sport
before.
“I
was a competitive cheerleader,” Iannaccone said. “But I wanted to do something
different. I never even tried volleyball before. All my friends in town were
playing volleyball.”
Iannaccone
was the setter on the Weehawken team.
“I
liked being the setter, because it was like being the quarterback of the
football team. I think I was a decent volleyball player. My coaches said that I
have a lot of hustle.”
And
Iannaccone was always a swimmer, but never a competitive swimmer before
entering Weehawken.
Through
it all, Iannaccone was always a very good student, posting a 4.0 grade point
average. She is headed to Rutgers University-New Brunswick in the fall. Rylee
is currently undecided about a major, but she has the desire to possibly go to
law school in the future and maybe become a defense attorney, helping victims
of domestic abuse.
“Of
course, I took a lot of pride in my grades,” Iannaccone said. “My parents
(mother Kathy and father Steven) made sure that I maintained my
grades.”
Even
though Iannaccone’s career didn’t end on the field, she treasures her time
participating in athletics in Weehawken.
“I
have no regrets at all,” Iannaccone said. “Playing sports was one of the best
things in my life. I learned about being responsible, how my teammates depended
on me. How I had to be accountable and how I had to pull my weight. I had to
learn about working with others. Coming from a small town like Weehawken, I was
fortunate to know everyone and made connections with other people. I learned
how I’m supposed to act for the rest of my life and how responsible I have to
be.”
Seems
like Rylee Iannaccone is well on her way to becoming a very responsible defense
lawyer.
I have known Ms Iannaccone and family for many years. She is a wonderful person.. Look out Rutgers “Here she comes”❤️🌹❤️
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