As nightfall descended on Mineola on the Friday before Halloween, the Hampton Street Stadium did not have to wait for Saturday afternoon for the Mineola Mustangs to take the field.

On Oct. 29, the Mineola Mustangs borrowed a page out of the football playbook of the high school football-crazed towns of Texas by hosting a Friday night football game.

The matchup against Cold Spring Harbor featured enthusiastic fans, a performance by the Mineola Marching Band and the playoff-bound Mustangs football team almost pulled out a victory with a big play late in the game.

Superintendent of Schools for the Mineola School District Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli applauded the efforts of Mr. Amitrano, the staff of the athletic department and the booster club for helping to make the athletic department successful.

Dr. Licopoli, who attended the night football game, said he felt a sense of school and community pride. It is part of the vision Mr. Amitrano has brought to Mineola athletics.

At Mineola, the success of the athletic program isn't measured solely by wins and losses. Dr. Licopoli explained that the vision of the department is to cultivate the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork.

Over the last three years, the Mineola Athletic Department seems as though it has taken a step to the next level. Gone are the days when the football team has struggled to field a team. Now, playoffs are a norm. Two years ago, the team even made the county final in a game that was played at Hofstra Stadium.

The girls volleyball team has also seen its share of success with a conference championship this year and an appearance in the county semifinals last year.

The boys soccer team in 2002 won its conference before losing to Cold Spring Harbor in the first round. The boys also made the playoffs this year.

The girls bowling team won its conference two years ago. The girls lacrosse team won its conference last year. The baseball team won its conference last year and the softball team appeared in the county semifinals in 2003.

Then, there is the emergence of a track program that was not only reborn at Mineola, but has been extremely successful.

Mr. Amitrano attributes the success of the athletic program to more students being involved in athletics. Over the last three year span, Mr. Amitrano said he has seen the number of student athletes grow.

Participating in athletics takes a major commitment from students as does other activities. There are practices, games and the responsibility of staying in shape in addition to going to class and school work.

Mr. Amitrano has also instituted a strength and conditioning program whereby students put in a certain amount of hours during the summer in the high school's weight room, which is supervised by a member of the coaching staff.

Mr. Amitrano said the purpose is so the students are physically fit to play sports as they see the benefits of strength training, become healthier and develop a healthy lifestyle that will benefit them throughout their lives.

As a result, strength has dramatically increased.

Mr. Amitrano also attributes the success of the athletic program to the parents who are also committed to their sons' and daughters' participating in athletics and the coaching from Mineola's athletic staff. The athletic director points out that some of the coaches are products of the Mineola system.

At the varsity level, teams play to win. But for the Mineola athletic program, the journey to winning is equally important. Mr. Amitrano explains that it is important to display sportsmanship, teamwork and dedication, aspects of not only being a good athlete, but being a good person and a solid sportsman.

Mr. Amitrano has also tried to make the athletic experience a memorable one for the student athletes. Besides scheduling a night football game, in May, the baseball team had the opportunity to play in KeySpan Park in Coney Island, the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones. On Dec. 28, the boys and girls basketball teams will play at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, prior to the ECAC tournament.

Mr. Amitrano said he is trying to do things to bring the program out in the public light, to give athletes coming up through the middle school and the junior varsity teams something to look forward to. In the process, the student athletes in the program are hopefully having experience they will remember.

While it's important for the student-athletes to succeed on the field, it's also important they fulfill their academic responsibilities. Mr. Amitrano said that student-athletes' academics are monitored and those not keeping up with their academics are identified and in list of goals is set that a student needs to meet in order to keep participating in athletics.

Mr. Amitrano, who took over as athletic director in 2001, has tried to continue the tradition of the Mineola athletic program. He has had help from the coaches, the board of education, the administration, parents and members of the athletic booster club such as Laurie and Brian Donahue, he said.

Dr. Licopoli points out that Mineola is able to have a successful athletic program with facilities that are less that optimum. The athletic facilities are expected to be addressed in upcoming capital projects. One proposal to be considered is building a stadium with lights and at the high school and converting the Hampton Street School stadium into a baseball complex.