The battle is on! That was the attitude of the players at the third annual Special Education Academy of Deal (SEAD) football tournament, affectionately known as the Battle of the Gridiron SYs. The tournament was held on the corner of Park Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Deal, NJ, recently.

SEAD is a special education program, started by Morris A. Cohen, that is available to the children of our community who have learning disabilities, such as Down syndrome, and other neurological challenges. Since its founding, SEAD has given neurologically impaired children the opportunity to attend a school where their special education and therapeutic needs can be catered to, in a mainstream environment. The school currently holds 25 kids, five in each class. The goal of the program is to integrate these chidren into mainstream schools. Special education costs are very high and could well exceed $30,000 per child annually, depending on individual needs. Every teacher is trained and certified in special education and is dedicated to their field. Classroom instruction is set by specialists of various disciplines: physical, occupational and speech therapy, behavior modification, socialization and recreation. SEAD is located in Eatontown, NJ.

“It was an amazing event,” said Gitta Seruya, one of the event coordinators. “It was a fantastic tournament with a great BBQ.” The weather held up for this 23 team, five-on-five tournament.

“The guys had a blast, and it was a full-day event. Even though the sun wasn't shining it was a great turnout,” said Maya Nasser, another coordinator. Jimmie Ades, Jakey Dweck, David Kassin, Alfred Sutton and Elliot Maleh organized the tournament. Maya Nesser, who works at SEAD, supervised most of the event, specifically the food, along with helper, Gitta Seruya.

Each game lasted 45 minutes or to three touchdowns, whichever came first. Teams were awarded two points for a win and one point for a tie.

Everyone enjoyed barbecue and great food. Hatzalah was a big help, lending its services over the course of the day. The tournament's major sponsors were Century 21, LT Apparel, Stillwater Capital, AND 1, TSI, Team Red Studio and Isaac Ash, who donated the sharpest socks for the event.

The coordinators and committee members would like to congratulate everyone for their outstanding work this year.

The winners were: Jake Braha, Marc Braha, Sammy Sebbagh, David Farca and Mikey Mizrahi.

The coordinators plan to help again next year with the return of the Battle of the Gridiron SYs. They appreciate everyone's support for the SEAD program and hope to continue doing their part through the football tournament.
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Charlie Shrem graduated from Yeshivah of Flatbush high school this past May.