“You fouled me!”
“Did not!”
“Yeah, you did.”
“You’re crazy if you think that was a foul!”
“Mom, Chris fouled me!”
SOUND FAMILIAR? New York City siblings most certainly have their rivalries. The also know how crucial it is to have your brother or sister on your side. In a highly competitive town of 8 million, our siblings make it a point to support one another. They band together on the diamonds of Hecksher Field, the kickball turf of the Great Lawn, the blacktops of Riverside Park and the courts at Carl Schurz. They revel in playing together against kids from other apartment buildings, neighborhoods or schools. When we asked if they’d rather play against or with their siblings, an overwhelming majority of 5 to18-year olds proclaimed “same teams.” And what’s the numberone reason for not going up against your brother? “He knows all your moves!”
| DEVON (15), SUZANNA (12) & BENNET (9) VARRICHIONE Suzanna: Playing with your siblings makes you better. Devon: When you’re younger playing with your siblings makes you more competitive. But as an older brother, playing with my younger siblings teaches me to be more aware of my physicality. Suzanna: Bennet taught me how to throw a football. Bennet: Yeah I did. (Smiling proudly) Sometimes we play catch in the house. But in the summer we like to go over to Central Park. It’s so easy to go over there and play on the same team with your sister and brother. Devon: We would go to the park a lot when we were younger and play soccer against each other. But we all play so many sports now it’s hard to find time when one of us doesn’t have a game. Suzanna: I like going to my brother’s games. We support each other. |
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DYLAN (12) & CASEY (10) TIN New York Junior Tennis League Dylan: We like to play tennis against each other because a lot of times there’s no one to play with. Sometimes we argue about who gets the point, but mostly I win. |
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OLIVIA (7) & ISABELLA (5) CRANSHAW Super Soccer Stars Isabella: It’s fun kicking the ball around and my sister helps me. Olivia: Yeah, I teach her things about the game and some tricks and stuff. |
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BRIANNA (11) & SYDNEE (7) JENKINS Chelsea Piers Brianna: Our dad got us involved in gymnastics. When he used to change our diapers he would stretch us and saw that we were flexible. |
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| JARED (12) & CODY (10) REM 92nd Street Y Coby: Jared can still swim faster than me but when we play ceiling laser tag, it’s usually a tie. |
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JOHN M. (9), CONNIE (9) &TINA (9) KOUTSOS JOHN (9) &TEDDY (7) KOUTSOS Super Soccer Stars John M.: Everyone freaks out that we’re triplets. They get all shocked and are like “wow.” Connie: Sometimes it can be annoying because we all have to agree. Like for a birthday party, we can’t do something if one of us doesn’t like it. |
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SEIJI (8) & MEGUMI (10) MURAKAMI Manhattan Fencing Megumi: For his first competition, I told him not to go in with such high hopes. Seiji: Yeah, but I went in positive anyway and won first place. |
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BIANCA (13)& PRICILLA (13) SIGNORE New York Junior Tennis League Bianca: In team sports, we want to play on the same team. But in singles, we’re really competitive! Pricilla: I beat her today…but it was a lucky day. |
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MEGAN (13) & ALEJANDRA (16) BASALDUA New York Junior Tennis League Alejandra: We’re siblings so we have to fight. It’s like a rule. |
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SAMANTHA (9) & JESSICA (6) STERCK 92nd Street Y Samantha: We are both competitive and risk takers. But we’re not competitive against each other. I show her how to do tricks, and she learns from me. Jessica: I just learned a handstand to a bridge! |
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| NIALL (9) & EVAN (7) MCSTAY Yorkville Athletic Association Evan: We are super competitive with each other. In basketball, Niall still wins because he always blocks me. Niall: Yeah, but Evan NEVER passes! |
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MORGAN(11), CAROLINE (10),TREVOR (8) & ASHLEY (6) POTTS JCC in Manhattan Trevor: I like swimming because I’ve always liked water, even as little kid. Caroline: Yeah, like when you tried to play in the toilet. (All laugh) |
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NORA (13) & DANNY (13) MCNULTY New York Junior Tennis League Nora: They ask us questions like if we have telepathic powers. But we don’t. |
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LAUREN (12) JENNA (9) MURPHY New York Junior Tennis League Jenna: When we play together, we learn from each other. Lauren: Sometimes when we play, Jenna tricks me. |
| PIERSON (7) & TRUMAN (10) SHELTON Manhattan Fencing Truman: If one of use loses when we compete against each other, he gets really mad at the other. |
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REBECCA (8) & CHRIS (8) CHAN Chelsea Piers Chris: She’s taller than me so she can beat me up easy, but I always beat her in golf! |
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APRIL (12) & CAITLIN (9) TSANG New York Junior Tennis League April: The best thing about playing with my little sister is I’m always able to beat her, but the worst part is, she may beat me one day when she gets older. |
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NATALIE (10), ALEXANDRA (7), CHIARA (5) & LIAM (3) TAN Chelsea Piers Natalie: Skating is so graceful, I think we all get a little nervous before we compete, but not once we get on the ice. |
ELI MANNING ON GROWING UP WITH PEYTON
“I remember the first time I beat him in basketball. There wasn’t
really a whole lot we could compete in growing up. He was five years
older than me.
We had a ping-pong table, a bumper pool table and those games we used
to play. I don’t remember when I won at those things, but I can
remember the first time I beat him in basketball. That was the first
time it was a real competitive sport—I was finally at the age where we
were even enough where I could handle him. I don’t know if it was
really fair. I was in the middle of basketball season, I think, playing
for my high school, and he hadn’t shot a basketball in about five
years, so I probably had an advantage over him. It was one of those
tight games, like 9-8, playing to 10, you got to win by two. I was at
the top of the key and he went for a steal, which didn’t work. I got by
him and went for the dunk and that’s how it ended. It was one thing to
lose to your little brother, but to get dunked on the last play, he
wasn’t too happy about it.”
—Eli Manning, QB New York Giants
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