2025 Sportsperson of the Year: Aaron Hubbard
You don’t have to win a championship to be a champion.
And you don’t have to score many touchdowns or points to make an impact.
Greenport High School senior Aaron Hubbard is a shining example of what someone can accomplish while overcoming serious obstacles.
Hubbard has bilateral club feet, spina bifida and hydrocephalus, and walks with a limp, but that hasn’t stopped him from participating in sports, thanks to a series of surgeries at Stony Brook University Hospital.
A few years ago, Hubbard needed a wheelchair to get around the school. Today, after 14 surgeries, not only can he walk to classes, he can also participate in sports as the football team manager and a member of the basketball squad.
Nothing discouraged him, which is why Aaron has been named the Suffolk Times’ 2025 Sportsperson of the Year.
“Aaron has overcome more than most people can imagine, yet brings unmatched positivity and enthusiasm to his teammates every day,” athletic director Brian Toussaint said. “He’s always excited for game day, high-fiving classmates in the halls and hyping up fellow athletes — and truly represents what sportsmanship at Greenport is all about.”
Hubbard’s perseverance and desire were not lost on Porters coaches.
“Aaron is a kind-hearted young man with a passion for sports,” said head football coach Tim McArdle. “He is at every football practice with a big smile on his face, showing his true love of athletic competition. Whether it be during drills or a scrimmage, Aaron is always around, letting the players know if they are bringing it or not. I always love seeing Aaron on game days, as his excitement for the pregame speech and kickoff are infectious.”
Last January, head basketball coach Justin Moore acknowledged what Hubbard has meant to the team and students.
“Aaron is very important to our team,” Moore said. “Aaron has been through a lot. These kids have been growing up with Aaron their whole lives. They’ve been around when Aaron went through surgeries and was in a wheelchair. It was possible that he was never going to walk. So for him to be able to be up and walking and being able to come out on the basketball court and run and play in games is a blessing.
“He definitely makes us all look in the mirror and see that it could be worse, and we don’t need to complain, because he’s not.”
In an interview with The Suffolk Times in January 2025, Hubbard talked about his challenges.
“I had casts on both legs at one point,” he said. “Mainly, I was in the wheelchair, really, all my life. To get out of the wheelchair, it feels amazing, feels really nice. It really felt like I accomplished something.
“The doctors made sure that I was good and healthy and ready for basketball and all these other sports that I play.”
He might not be a basketball team regular, but Hubbard has become the heart of the Porters.
“He really just showed us that no matter what your circumstances are, you can always persevere and always be a part of the team and still be passionate about the stuff that you love,” said his cousin Taiquan Brumsey, a forward who graduated in June.
Another graduate, guard Nelson Shedrick, has witnessed Hubbard’s dedication.
“He’s the hardest worker on the team,” he said. “He’s always showing up to practice super early and puts in a lot of work. He’s here for JV, the varsity, the junior high. Just being always around basketball.”
On Jan. 20, 2024, the 5-foot-3, 140-pound Hubbard received the surprise of a lifetime. Wearing number 22, he was called in as a late sub in a 70-56 loss at Smithtown Christian.
Running down the court on defense, he got fouled. “I didn’t know that they were going to stop the game, but that’s when I heard the whistling,” he said. “They wanted me to shoot free throws.”
Hubbard sank both attempts, to the delight of the cheering crowd, then nailed a basket.
“It really was an amazing opportunity,” he said. “I look at the article almost every day, just to see what I accomplished. It feels good, but I’m not done yet. We’re not done yet, trying to accomplish more goals for basketball.”
Moore worked with Smithtown coach Daniel Skaritka in advance to arrange for the late-game highlight.
“It was definitely a big honor for Aaron,” Moore said. “His teammates were happy for him. It was a big night, because one thing we preach is family. For them to see one of their teammates have an honor to be able to do that, knowing what he went through, it was a blessing to see.”
Skaritka nominated Hubbard for the Suffolk County basketball Ed Lynch Unsung Heroes Award, which he won in 2024.
“I was shocked,” Hubbard said. “Props to him. It felt really amazing getting that award. If it wasn’t for coaches and my supporting team, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now.”
Previous Winners
2024: Billy Hickox
2023: Bob Gammon
2022: Jovan Booker
2021: Dylan Newman
2019: Skip Gehring
2018: Frank Massa
2017: Grace Syron
2016: Phil Reed
2015: Mattituck boys baseball team
2014: Mat Litchhult
Editor’s Note: There was no Sports Person of the year named in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
