Newsday Athlete of the Week is East Islip's Danika Tidridge

When East Islip coach Robert Sconone was recruiting players for the school's first flag football season, he realized quickly there was one name he had to have on the roster.

Danika Tidridge.

"A bunch of the teachers told me about Danika and how great of an athlete she is," Sconone said of Tidridge, who also plays soccer. "I actually didn't know who she was until February."

Now she's the "hearbeat of our team," as Sconone describes her. 

He said of East Islip's winter workouts, "We were still trying to figure things out, and all I see is Danika running by everybody, making plays, catching the ball, and I was like, 'This girl is sick!' "

"She loves football, she likes to learn," he added. "She loves the challenging parts of the game."

When Tidridge saw the opportunity to play the sport she loves to watch with her family, she knew she couldn't pass it up.

"I always loved watching football on the TV, and my parents are big football fans," Tidridge said. "I've been saying since eighth grade, 'If flag football came to my school, I want to play.' "

Tidridge has been making the most of the opportunity. She had 175 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns to lead East Islip in a 24-6 victory against Eastport-South Manor, handing them their first loss of the season in Suffolk II on Friday.

She also had 165 yards and the deciding TD on 15 carries in a comeback 7-6 victory against Kings Park on Monday. For her efforts, Tidridge is Newsday's Athlete of the Week.

"She is helping this first group set the tone," Sconone said. "She's happy to be at practice every day; she's laughing, smiling, asking questions, just enjoying her time. As a coach, it makes it seem easy and worth it all."

He added: "Danika's toughness and overall attitude is something I have rarely seen in an athlete. We had a great lineman named Sebastian Regis play for us, and he won the Hansen Award. We always talk about him, and she reminds me of that kind of greatness.

Tidridge loves playing in high-pressure moments. "I do better when there is pressure on me," she said. "At those big times, I make those big plays. It encourages me to push harder to get those wins."

But you won't just find Tidridge on the field pulling flags and scoring touchdowns. She also scores goals for the school's soccer team in the fall. This past season, she had 13 goals and 13 assists. The junior has committed to play Division I soccer at Boston College.

"This is a dream come true. I've been working for this opportunity since I was 6-years-old," Tidridge said. "The coaches are a big reason why I chose Boston College. They see a lot in me and how I can help the team grow and improve."

For now, she is focused on making a deep postseason run for her hometown, which she genuinely loves.

"This is where I grew up my whole life. It holds a place in my heart," Tidridge said. "We're one of the first flag football teams in Long Island, I want to put on a show and make East Islip proud."