The past between the Cherry Grove residency and Suffolk County Police is a sometimes dark and complicated one. We revisit the subject every summer in our history columns. However times change. Now, decades later, the two groups meet every August and play a match of volleyball. Grovettes versus Coppettes, also known as the Cherry Bowl Tournament, is a favorite annual event on Fire Island. Dating back to 1984, the games are all in good fun, but make no mistake, both teams play hard and they play to win. It is also a game filled with pomp and ceremony.
Suffolk County Police Department takes these games seriously enough to dispatch the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums Marching Band. Cherry Grove has cheerleaders, singers and other entertainers. The August 2, 2023 games were one more step in this proud tradition. The tournament is played in three games and the skills of both teams is always too close to call. This year the Copettes prevailed, with the final score being 23/21. Stay tuned for additional coverage by veteran Fire Island News columnist, Robert Levine. In the meantime, enjoy the photos!
