Community Corner

Lacrosse Coach Publishes Children's Book about Bullying

Greg Filaseta releases a 36-page picture book "No Body Likes A Bully" this month effort to reach out to elementary school children.

Hauppauge resident Greg Filaseta is self-publishing his second children's book,"No Body Likes a Bully" this month. Filaseta draws on his personal experience as a youth sports coach to reach out to young children on a hot topics in schools.

The 36-page picture book "No Body Likes A Bully" attempts to send elementary school-aged children the message that school should be a bully-free zone and how to deal with bullying if it happens. It comes nearly a year after " a whimsical Christmas story in October 2010.

"Bullying is a major topic in schools, especially now with cyberbullying on Facebook, MySpace and other sites," Filaseta said.

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While working as a substitute teacher and a boys lacrosse coach, Filaseta said bullying is a real issues that he confronts and deals with on a daily basis.

"Being a coach, I've had kids in third grade and seniors in high school - I see it every day. With younger kids, it's name calling. When you get to the older kids, it can be a big issue," he said.

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Filaseta's book tells the story of a young lacrosse player who get picked on at school. The player turns to his coach and teammates to help confront the bully in a positive manner, where the lacrosse player and bully's relationship takes a surprising turn.

The story unfolds in a series of rhymes in Dr. Seuss like style, according to Filaseta. It is fully illustrated with bold pictures.

"It teaches children it's not right to pick on people, that school should be a bully-free zone. They should tell a parent, a teacher, a coach or a friend, and find a positive and effective way to deal with bullying," he said.

Some of Filaseta's former lacrosse players might find some of the book's characters have similar names, he said, a tribute to them. Hauppauge residents will recognize the book's lacrosse coach is named Coach Goody is named in honor of Jerome Goodfellow who was the longtime coach of Hauppauge's varsity team.

"He was my coach and we had a great relationship," Filaseta said. "It will be a nice surprise for him."

He has dedicated the book to anyone who has ever been picked on or the victim of bullying. Filaseta said he hopes to get out and read the book in Hauppauge's elementary schools to have the conversation with children directly.

"No One Likes a Bully" is available for purchase on Xlibris.com and will be available through online sites like Amazon.com in the upcoming weeks.


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