Suffolk judge makes big pitch: Outreach House

BY MICHAEL DOBIE | Staff Writer

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The good-natured taunts began as soon as the leadoff batter laced David Freundlich's pitch into centerfield for a single. Freundlich smiled.

Freundlich is a Suffolk County Family Court judge. His green-clad softball team was composed of other judges and court officers.

The opponent were teens from Outreach House II, a residential treatment facility in Brentwood for kids with serious substance abuse problems. Most had landed in court, where they were given a choice: Do time in Outreach House or prison. The man who sent many of them to Outreach was Freundlich.

"It's weird," said Kris, a 16-year-old from Smithtown playing rightfield. "A year-and-a-half ago I was in court ... Now they're sitting here offering to play with us, giving us a chance to get our life together. It's, like, very respectful or whatever. I have a lot of gratitude."

So does Freundlich.

"They see us in a different realm," said Freundlich, who started the games against Outreach House eight years ago. Now the two sides play yearly in basketball, softball, volleyball and soccer.

"You see them not as a respondent in front of you, you see them as children which is what they are," Freundlich said. "The kids know me, they talk to me, they're not afraid, they're not scared. They're going to slip up, I understand that, that's why they're there. But I'm not going to throw away the key."

Improving communications with the judicial system is one of many roles played by sports for the 56 teens at Outreach House.

"The recreation and the sports is almost part of a clinical treatment plan an important aspect of relapse prevention," said John Venza, vice president of adolescent services for the entire Outreach program, which includes facilities in Ridgewood and Flushing. "When they get out of here, are you going to join a gym and stay in shape, or are you going to go back to what you were doing before?"

Since residents are 18 or under, phys ed classes are part of Outreach House's high school curriculum. During structured and free rec periods, residents can lift weights, ride stationary bicycles or play handball, basketball, volleyball, badminton and floor hockey. House manager Dave Vizzini runs a popular learn-to-golf program that culminates with two residents getting to play an 18-hole course with Vizzini. Residents also play other rehab centers in basketball, volleyball and softball.

"A lot of them are pretty unhealthy, they don't eat, they're not really doing much besides hanging out with their friends," Vizzini said. "Once they get some food in them, once they start utilizing the gym and they de-tox . . . their color comes back, they start getting in shape."

Preparing to play the judges had other benefits.

"In the last month or so that we've been practicing, I've been, like, clinging. We're a lot closer, we sit with each other at meals," said Tim, a 17-year-old from Holtsville who abused Ecstasy and other pills. "It makes it a lot more, like, easier so when you go through troubles and you have feelings you can just go and talk to your teammates because we already have that bond with them."

Cesar, an 18-year-old alcohol and marijuana abuser from Five Towns, played shortstop and said the softball game "makes you realize that you could have fun without drugs."

The kids from Outreach ended up losing to the judges, 20-7. The final score was not the point.

"You've always got to remember how wounded these kids are," recreation therapist Matt Matera said. "When you realize what they've been through in their life you realize them being out here, doing the right thing, is tremendous."