ABOUT US
MISSION
Athletes Helping Athletes (AHA) is an organization of helping professionals, professional athletes and high profile amateur athletes dedicated to promoting activities for young athletes that highlight the life lessons and skills inherent in sport so that they can experience the benefits and true value of athletic participation.
Through the Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT), AHA trains and prepares high school student athlete leaders to address complex social issues within their communities. In addition, AHA promotes educational programming for parents and coaches emphasizing the importance of their participation in the development of the young athlete.
AHA’s mission is to inspire leadership through sport, while addressing social issues such as life skills, sportsmanship and civility, substance abuse prevention, violence prevention and physical activity.
STAFF
“Congratulations to AHA for another successful year of leadership programs.” Pat LaFontaine, former NY Islander and Ranger, NHL Hall of Fame Inductee
WARREN BREINING
Director
Warren D. Breining received his B.A. degree from Adelphi University and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from Stony Brook University. While attending college, Mr. Breining also served in the media relations department of the New York Islanders. He spent five years with the Nassau County Drug and Alcohol Commission and two years with the Suffolk County Youth Bureau.
In 1983, Mr. Breining became the executive director of the Phil Esposito Foundation He was responsible for creating and implementing a series of career transition programs for active and retired athletes. The Foundation also conducted programs to prevent drug and alcohol abuse among active and retired athletes, and, for those with substance abuse problems, to aid in the referral for professional counseling.
In 1985, Mr. Breining founded Athletes Helping Athletes, Inc., as a not-for-profit company and created the Student Athlete Leadership Team Program that includes drug and alcohol abuse prevention and civility/sportsmanship programming for elementary, middle and high school students.
In addition, Mr. Breining has, for the past several years, developed and conducted Sports Parenting and Coaches Education programs for Suffolk PAL Hockey and Long Island CYO.
JIGGS McDONALD
Board Member
A member of the Professional Hockey Hall of Fame, Jiggs is recognized as being one of the finest play-by-play announcers in the National Hockey League. He has called games for the Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Flames, New York Islanders and Florida Panthers.
A native of Ayr, Ontario, Canada, Jiggs was seen and heard on hockey broadcasts for the USA Network, ESPN, ABC Sports and Turner Broadcasting. In 1992, he entered the world of basketball calling Olympic action for CTV in Canada.
Mr. McDonald is a Director of Athletes Helping Athletes and participates in all facets of the Student Athlete Leadership Team Program, where he specializes in conducting communications workshops and moderating Sports Forums.
MICHAEL HELLER
It is with great pride that AHA announces the appointment of Michael Heller to the Board of Directors of Athletes Helping Athletes Inc. Mike has been an important contributor to AHA from the very beginning. As the Athletic Director of Rockville Centre, Mike was one of the first AD's to embrace the Student Athlete Leadership Program and lent considerable time and resources to its creation and development. Since his retirement from Rockville Centre Mike has served as an advisor to the Program Coordinators of the Student Athlete Leadership Program in addition to his duties as an advisor to Education Candidates at Hofstra University.
CAMILLE McCUE
Administrative Assistant
Camille has provided administrative program support for Athletes Helping Athletes since 2000. With a background in event planning, she coordinates numerous workshops for trainers and students in addition to providing administrative assistance
TRAINERS
“SALT seeks to develop caring and considerate young people and leaders.” Bernie Stein, SALT Trainer
Leslie Allen:
An honors graduate from the University of Southern California, Leslie is a former NCAA and WTA champion. In 1981, she became the first African American woman to win a major pro-tournament since Althea Gibson’s 1957 US Open victory. She is the founder of the Leslie Allen Foundation.
Dan Bedard
A graduate of Plattsburgh (NY) State College and Ohio University, Dan played professionally as a hockey goaltender for teams in France and Sweden, coached the Peewee Islanders for 13 years and was formally the Director of Amateur Hockey Development for the Islanders. He is the Director of Sports Management at Adelphi University.
Jay Bryant
Jay received degrees from Long Island University and Adelphi University. As a collegiate basketball player he earned academic honors before joining the Harlem Magicmasters and Harlem Rockets education and entertainment teams. Currently, he is vice president of the Magicmasters and Rockets.
Ed Card
Ed was a power lifter and a member of the 1980 and 1984 United States Bobsled Teams. Ed is AHA’s resident expert on performance-enhancement substances.
Kyle Copeland-Muse
A graduate of and All-American tennis player at Pepperdine University, Kyle is now a teaching tennis professional. Professionally, she competed in singles and doubles at all four Grand Slam tournaments, reached world doubles ranking of 38. Today, Kyle remains connected with tennis through the US Open, the Arthur Ashe Endowment for the Defeat of Aids and Win4Life.
Larry Hardesty
A graduate of the School of Business at City College of New York where be played basketball, Larry was recently named to the school’s Sports Hall of Fame. He was formerly the sideline radio reporter for New York Jets games and currently, he can be heard regularly on ESPN Radio.
Bernie Stein
Bernie spent 32 years teaching in secondary schools and more than 20 years as a practicing psychotherapist. He is a graduate of Brooklyn College with a B.A, received an M.S. in counseling at C.W. Post, and an M.S.W in social work from SUNY Stony Brook.
Billy Taylor
A former New York Giant who graduated from Texas Tech University where he set the record for most touchdowns in a game (5). In his four years with the Giants, Billy was the team’s leading rusher for two years and touchdown leader one year (11).
NOTABLE PAST TRAINERS
- Mary Pat Beirne: St. John’s University Student-Athlete Development
- Rickie Davis: NY Cosmos
- Phil Esposito: NY Islanders
- Walt Frazier: NY Knicks
- Bruce Harper: NY Jets
- Bud Harrelson: NY Mets
- Nancy Hogshead: Olympic gold medal swimmer
- Dave Jennings: NY Giants
- Brian Kelly: NY/NJ Metrostars
- Pat Lafontaine: Islanders, Sabres and Rangers
- Nancy Lieberman: Professional basketball Hall of Fame
- Dennis O’Sullivan: NY Jets
- Jen O’Sullivan: NY Power
- Tim Regan: NY Red Bulls
- Robin Roberts: Collegiate basketball and current newscaster
- Mark Semioli: NY/NJ Metrostars
- Tauna Vandeweghe: Olympic swimmer
- Kristy Whelchel: NY Power
- Mookie Wilson: NY Mets
- Donald McPherson: Syracuse University All-American Football Player and Philadelphia Eagles
- P A R T N E R S -
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