Maria Laterza Named Fontbonne Hall Athletic Director
The former pro basketball player has introduced a new dual-sport policy at the Bay Ridge school.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Basketball
Live Poll
Do you support allowing student-athletes to play multiple sports during the same season?
Former professional basketball player Maria Laterza has been named the athletic director at Fontbonne Hall Academy in Bay Ridge. She has already implemented a new policy allowing students to participate in multiple sports during the same season.
Why it matters
Laterza aims to leverage her extensive background in professional sports to provide students with enhanced resources for leadership and development. Her approach draws on evidence suggesting that student-athletes who participate in multiple sports often perform better than those focused on a single discipline.
Before her tenure as an administrator, Laterza scored 1,000 career points during her time at Bishop Kearney High School. She later played at Marist University and for the Italian national team, even competing in the 2015 EuroBasket Women's championship.
The players
Maria Laterza
She is a former professional basketball player who previously worked for the NBA international basketball operations office.
Linda Strong
She currently serves as the assistant athletic director at Fontbonne Hall Academy.
Fontbonne Hall Academy
This is a secondary school located in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The details
To manage the logistics of students competing in multiple sports, Laterza and assistant athletic director Linda Strong are utilizing improved communication and scheduling flexibility. This initiative is designed to foster a more robust athletic environment at the Bay Ridge campus.
Timeline
2007: Maria Laterza graduated from Bishop Kearney High School.
2015: Laterza played in the EuroBasket Women's basketball championship.
2017: Laterza launched the NBA Academy Women's Program.
2019: Bishop Kearney High School permanently closed.
September 2026: Maria Laterza became the athletic director at Fontbonne Hall Academy.
Season Trajectory
Laterza is applying the development principles she utilized while launching the NBA Academy Women's Program in 2017 to her new role in high school athletics. This strategic shift at Fontbonne Hall Academy aims to modernize the school's athletic department by prioritizing broad-based athlete development.
Students at Fontbonne Hall Academy can now commit to multiple sports teams during a single season, changing the participation landscape for high school athletes. This flexible scheduling allows students to diversify their extracurricular resumes while managing their academic and personal commitments.
The takeaway
By removing barriers to dual-sport participation, the school is encouraging students to become more well-rounded athletes. This model promotes physical versatility and may lead to improved long-term athletic success for participants.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in local Basketball.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Tablet.
Live Poll
Do you support allowing student-athletes to play multiple sports during the same season?
