BESTOFLONGISLAND.COM WINNERS GUIDE BETHPAGE BEST OF LONG ISLAND 2020 127
BEST INTRAMURAL
LEAGUE–YOUTH
SOUTH SHORE SHARKS
Mott St, Oceanside
Southshoresharks.org
The South Shore Sharks are providing
opportunities for youth to play competitive
baseball at a reasonable cost. They are
committed to making each time on the fi eld
better than their last. They want to teach kids
valuable skills that they can carry with them
through college and beyond. The South Shore
Sharks are giving the youth a way to practice
endurance and teamwork — things that are
extremely important later in life. With a full
trophy case dating back to 2014, the South
Shore Sharks are the team you want to cheer for.
Here’s to the best intramural youth league on
the island!
BEST ISLANDER
CASEY CIZIKAS
Casey Cizikas was picked by the Islanders in
the 2009 National Hockey League entry draft
and has played for them ever since. Born in
Toronto, Ontario, Cizikas played four seasons
with the Mississauga St. Michael Majors in the
Ontario Hockey League, followed by two seasons
with the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport
Sound Tigers for two years after the NHL draft,
before ultimately joining the Islanders for the
2011-2012 season. Described as a player who
has lots of energy and relentlessness, Cizikas
earned his fi rst Bob Nystrom Award in 2018 for
the 2017-2018 season, and earned his second
in 2019.
BEST ISLANDER–
ALL-TIME
BRYAN TROTTIER
Bryan Trottier spent 15 seasons playing for the
New York Islanders. Born in Saskatchewan,
Canada, Trottier has been skating since he was
a child. Throughout his career, Trottier helped
lead the Islanders to four Stanley Cup wins and
was one of only eight players to score multiple
fi ve-goal games. With the Islanders, Trottier
played the most career games (1,123), scored
the most career points (1,353), the most career
assists (853) and had the most assists in one
season, with 87 during the 1978-79 season.
Since 2014, Trottier has served as the assistant
coach for the Buff alo Sabres, and in 2017 he was
named as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players
in history.
BEST LONG
ISLAND DUCK
JOE IORIO
Joe Iorio is the right-handed relief pitcher
for the Long Island Ducks, an American
professional baseball team founded in 1988.
The West Islip native had a 3.09 ERA in 32
appearances in the 2019 season and also ranked
fi rst among Ducks in innings pitched with 128.1
and fourth in the club with 92 strikeouts. Iorio
has played two seasons with the Ducks and
has played six seasons of professional baseball
overall. He was selected to pitch the Atlantic
League All Star Game and tossed a scoreless
inning out of the bullpen. Prior to joining
the Ducks, Iorio spent his fi rst four seasons
in the Frontier League with the Washington
WildThings, Southern Illinois Miners and River
City Rascals.
BEST MARINA
EMPIRE POINT BOATING CENTER
2 Empire Blvd, Island Park
(516) 889-1067 empirepointmarina.com
Since 1985, Empire Point Boating Center has
been serving the Island Park community for all
of their boating needs. Empire Point Boating
Center has a 35-ton lift on site, allowing them
to haul and launch up to 60-foot yachts. They
also have brand new fl oating docks with 65 slips,
“double fi ngered” docks and ten jetski ramps.
While docked, boaters can enjoy 30 and 50 amp
electric for their boats, and also a patio area
with a barbecue, a gated yard and a changing/
bathroom area. Plus, Empire Point Boating
Center has onsite parking as well as 24-hour
surveillance, ensuring that your boat is safe
while docked.
BEST MARTIAL ARTS
WAVERLY MARTIAL ARTS
620 Waverly Ave Ste K, Patchogue
(631) 569-2090 waverlymartialarts.com
Karate chop your way into success with the help
of Waverly Martial Arts! Learn how to use your
body’s natural instincts through challenging
classes taught by experienced instructors that
dive into hand-to-hand combat techniques that
will simultaneously whip you into shape and
prepare you to defend yourself when you need
it most. Whether you’re young or old, amateur
or ready to compete like the Karate Kid, you
will leave Waverly with soaring confi dence and
a sense of peacefulness as you hit the streets.
You’ll never know how strong you truly are
until you sign up for a class with the best on the
island!
BEST MINI GOLF
TIKI ACTION PARK
1878 Middle Country Rd, Centereach
(631) 471-1267 tikiactionpark.com
Golf is one of Long Island’s most popular
outdoor sports, but it certainly isn’t for everyone.
Luckily, for those of us who are sun-averse, don’t
have our swing quite down and want to keep our
kids busy, there’s mini golf. Tiki Action Park is
a tropical-themed mini golf paradise perfect for
the whole family. Its 18 long courses are spread
out among elegant waterfalls, winding streams,
spacious caves — all leading to a goldfi sh pond
that houses their famous 10-foot Tiki Fountain.
The facility is happy to host school fi eld trips,
company outings, social groups and camps of all
kinds. When it comes to the best mini golf on the
island, Tiki Action Park is a hole-in-one!
BEST PARK
JONES BEACH STATE PARK
1 Ocean Pkwy, Wantagh
(516) 785-1600 jonesbeach.com
Take in the great outdoors of Long Island at
Jones Beach State Park. Jones Beach is home
to 6.5 miles of beautiful white-sand beach on
the Atlantic Ocean and made up of more than
2,400-acres of maritime environment on the
south shore. The park has little development
or advertising, creating a natural and relaxing
environment that takes visitors back to presuburban
Long Island. From swimming and
fi shing to surfi ng and even golfi ng, there’s no
shortage of activities to take part in on this
scenic isle away from the mainland. Play in the
sand, cast your line and soak up the sun at the
best park on the island.
BEST POOL HALL
RAXX POOL ROOM–
WEST HEMPSTEAD
510 Hempstead Turnpike, West
Hempstead
(516) 538-9896 raxxpoolroom.com
There’s no better place to sink that 8 ball than
the best pool hall on the island. Raxx Pool Room
is the perfect place for a weekday game with
coworkers or a weekend night out with friends
and family. With 29 tables available, you surely
won’t have to wait long to break. Looking to put
your skills to the test? Raxx hosts the American
Poolplayers Association every Wednesday and
their Straight Pool League every Friday, as
well as a number of tournaments throughout
the month. There are a ton of other reasons to
come in; all your favorite beers on tap, amazing
wing deals and weekend DJ’s that will have you
grooving while you shoot. Head to Raxx Pool
Room and rack em up!
BEST POOL HALL
(NATIONAL
WINNER)
DAVE & BUSTER’S
Multiple Locations
(888) 300-1515 daveandbusters.com
Pick up a cue stick and challenge a friend to a
game of pool, or let the good times roll at Dave
& Busters. Pick out a pool cue and play on their
handcrafted mahogany and rosewood-railed
tables! 8-ball is the most popular game, but
it has many regional and international rule
variations. Common diff erences may include
slop shots (the unintentional pocketing of
billiard balls), fouls and whether a player can
win the game instantly by sinking the 8-ball on
the break. With this many options to spend the
evening, you never know how much fun you will
get into at Dave & Buster’s!
BEST RECREATION
CENTER
FREEPORT RECREATION
CENTER–FREEPORT
130 E Merrick Rd, Freeport
(516) 377-2314 freeportny.gov
The Freeport Recreation Center has everything
you need throughout the year. With activities
for adults and children alike, the Freeport
Recreation Center has classes, events and free
space to keep anyone busy. The entire center
is wheelchair accessible, and the indoor pool
(which is open all year round) is equipped with
a lift. Plus, their senior center serves as a central
hub of various activities for people over the age
of 60. Registration for memberships is open for
Freeport residents and nonresidents alike, just
be sure to check out their website to see when
registration kicks off for the diff erent seasons.
BEST SKATE SHOP
BUNGER SURF SHOP
50 E Main St, Babylon
(800) 698-7873 bungersurf.com
Bunger Surf Shop has been the premier place
on Long Island to purchase all things surf gear
since 1962. The owner, Charlie Bunger, Sr.,
began surfi ng at the age of 18 and eventually
began to shape boards of his own. At one point,
he was cranking out 1,500 boards a season due
to surfi ng experiencing a surge in popularity on
the East Coast and has attracted a number of
team riders from Eric Eastman to Alex Fawess.
At Bunger’s, you can rest assured that the gear
you get is perfect for catching waves at any time
of the day.
/jonesbeach.com
/Southshoresharks.org
/empirepointmarina.com
/waverlymartialarts.com
/tikiactionpark.com
/BESTOFLONGISLAND.COM
/raxxpoolroom.com
/daveandbusters.com
/freeportny.gov
/bungersurf.com
