Nutley Student-Athlete Earns ‘Best Teammate Award’

NUTLEY, NJ — The Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center recently gave a big shout out to 37 high school athletes – including a teen at Nutley High School– who are raising the bar for what it means to be a “good teammate.”

For the ninth consecutive year, the museum honored student athletes from member schools of the Super Essex Conference (SEC) in a celebration of the qualities that its namesake, Yogi Berra, was himself well known for.

The honored students include Kaitlyn Gavidia, who plays on the girls' varsity soccer and track teams at Nutley High School.

According to the museum:

"Her coaches said, 'Kaitlyn, who was injured, stayed involved with her teams by attending every practice and game. She was often the third 'coach' on the bench cheering on her teammates and helping to energize the players."

Recipients of the 2021 Investors Bank Best Teammate Award, selected by their respective athletic departments, “exemplify the strength of character, sportsmanship and supportive spirit that, though often unheralded, are vital to a team’s success.”

During a virtual ceremony to celebrate their success, the young athletes got a chance to hear from Dale Berra, the Hall Of Famer’s youngest son, who spoke about his experience playing on the same team as his dad when Yogi managed the New York Yankees and Dale played on the team.

The younger Berra reminded the students that being a great teammate isn’t just about statistics – it’s about putting the team first, showing respect for others and persevering.

The museum’s executive director, Eve Schaenen, congratulated the teens for setting a good example for others during the coronavirus pandemic.

“There has been so much personal sacrifice in the last 14 months,” Schaenen said. “Sports seasons were cancelled, or cut short, or modified to account for the public health crisis we have all lived through. And yet, your athletic directors still chose you as Best Teammate. What that says so clearly, this year more than ever, is that the qualities of a great teammate are identifiable in you … because of who you are as people, as much as who you are as athletes.”

Bill Brown, chief retail officer of Investors Bank, the longtime sponsor of the event, also congratulated the students.

“The Best Teammate Award shows that you make your teammates better because of who you are,” Brown said.

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