The Jewish Link and The Humble Toast would like to recognize Eli Schneck as this week’s Sportstar of the Week. The Yeshivat He’atid fifth grader is a star for the Bergen County Flag Football League Humble Toast Lions and back-to-back first line in TABC Jr Hockey. During the TABC Jr Hockey winter season Eli was awarded MVP of playoffs and championship. During the spring season he helped lead his team back to the championship. When asked about Eli, his dad and BCFL coach Ezra Schneck told The Jewish Link, “Eli plays with tremendous passion. A strong leader, Eli is team-oriented and looks to make the extra pass and distribute the ball to the open players. He has a particular knack for coming through in pressure situations, such as a tight hockey playoff game or a last minute TD drive.”
Eli congratulations on being recognized as this week’s sportstar of the week. Who are your role models?
Sports role models: my dad, my uncle and my older brother Avi. I grew up playing hockey in the basement with my uncle and my older brother Avi. My mother and my uncle grew up in Montreal, so hockey is in our blood. We would play two-on-one and they always included me even though I was much smaller. But we had so much fun and I look up to them. And my father because he always plays sports with me.
Non-sports role model: My mother is very caring and always makes sure that me and my siblings are happy and have everything we need. She always drives me to my games and practices and she is the best.
What are your favorite sports?
Hockey, football and basketball. I love them all. Hockey is probably my favorite because I grew up playing hockey. I’m also a huge basketball fan and love playing the game. Football is probably the favorite sport that we play in school and I play with my friends. When I was 3 years old, I always brought a ball with me to shul to play with while I sat next to my father during davening. The whole shul came to expect me to come to shul with a ball in my hands.
What is your greatest sports accomplishment?
Scoring five goals in the TABC jr Hockey championship game in the winter to lead my team to 6-5 victory, paving my way to postseason MVP and first line all star.
Who is your favorite athlete and why?
Carey Price because I grew up watching him and went to games as much as I could when the Canadians came to town.
What is your earliest sports memory?
Going to Ben Franklin Middle School with my grandparents. I tried to throw a softball into the basketball hoop but I couldn’t score because I was so little.
What do you like to do when you are not playing sports?
I like playing video games and hanging out with friends.
What is your pregame routine?
Chill and warm up. Spit on my gloves in football.
What is the best thing about being a Sportstar?
Having fun and competing to win with my friends and teammates.
The Humble Toast Star of the week will receive a $25 gift card to The Humble Toast. Please send nominees for an upcoming The Humble Toast Jewish Link Stars of the Week to [email protected].
