Bronx Science’s Satina flies north to join Eagles

During her four years at Bronx Science, perhaps one of the greatest challenges dual-sport star Christina Satina had to master was balancing her heavy classroom workload with a very demanding sports schedule.

But it was a balancing act she perfected over time.

“It was very difficult, particularly with basketball,” Satina said. Coach Michael Mei “was strict with us with practices. We’d practice three hours a day after school, six days a week. Every Monday through Saturday we’d practice. We’d get Sunday off and that was it. So it was a lot of work.”

But that rigorous schedule helped Satina develop into a more disciplined athlete, and one who thrived at the prestigious school.

“At first I would procrastinate a lot, but by sophomore year I told myself I had to crack down and get on top of my stuff,” Satina said.

“I started to get more responsible with my workload, which helped a lot — especially during the long basketball season.”

And it’s that personal discipline Satina says will serve her well when college begins in late August.

“I think that will help me a lot, because in college, you have much more freedom and you’re taking less courses,” Satina said. “So that leaves you more time to do your work.”

Satina’s collegiate destination will be Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, the home of Boston College.

“I really wanted a school that was kind of close to New York and not totally far out like California,” said Satina, who was also a stellar softball player for the Wolverines for four seasons. “But I wanted to be far enough away so that I had my independence and really had a chance to be on my own. And I found Boston College. I went and visited the school, and I just fell in love with it.”

Satina’s early Bronx Science days were not exactly joyous ones, mostly due to the school’s legendary academic standing.

“It just seems like yesterday I was a freshman and I remember looking at all the seniors and being so scared and wide-eyed because of the reputation Bronx Science has,” Satina said. “It was very daunting, but here I am now. Graduated.“

Satina’s Bronx Science experience, a bumpy one at first, left an indelible mark.

“I’m definitely going to miss a lot of the people there,” she said. “When you first get to Bronx Science, making friends is a big challenge. But once you acclimate yourself to the environment, and once you start your classes, you start to meet some amazing people. I met a lot of them in my four years, and I’m really going to miss a lot of them.”

Satina, who plans to major in political science, hopes to also keep basketball as a big part of her college life. To that end, she has a rather ambitious plan once she lands in Chestnut Hill.

“I’m trying my hardest to train because Boston College is a Division I school, and it’s going to be difficult to make the team because D-I is the cream of the crop,” she said. “But I’m going to try to be a walk-on in my freshman year. So I’m working out a lot at the gym and trying to get better, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Satina is working out at a local Planet Fitness for nearly two hours each day, six days a week. She only has Sundays off. Sound familiar?

“Yeah, just like basketball season at Bronx Science,” she said, laughing.

Basketball also provided Satina’s fondest sports memory at Bronx Science.

“We were big rivals with Mott Haven, and we were always battling back and forth with them,” Satina said. “So this year they had an undefeated record and we lost to them the first time we played them at their house. So it was really important for us to beat them when they came to our house. So in the last game of the (regular) season, we beat them by one point, and I just remember the camaraderie and how great of a game it was and how exciting it was. So that was one of my favorite memories.“

But Christina’s graduation will not mark the last Satina to play ball at Bronx Science.

“My sister Carlissa is going to be a freshman next year,” Satina said. “She’s been playing basketball just as long as I have.”

So might big sister return to her old high school to catch her little sister’s act next season?

“I’ll definitely have to come back and check out some of her games for sure,” Satina said.