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Grab a Pole & Cast a Line: Academy for Lifelong Learning Offers Freshwater Fishing Class

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Academy for Lifelong Learning is offering a 2-session freshwater fishing course on May 30 and June 6, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus (50 Pine Road in Saratoga Springs). Registration is open to everyone.

The presenter, Captain Jim Mason, is a New York State fishing guide, YouTube fisherman (Jimjam Fishing YouTube channel), and fishing facts writer. He’ll be offering tips and tricks with live demonstrations and hands-on videos.

For more information or to fill out a registration form, visit www.allsaratoga.org. 

Skidmore Lacrosse Player Named Rookie of the Year


Photo of Skidmore lacrosse player Mike Aiello via Matt Milless/Skidmore Athletics.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore College freshman Mike Aiello has been named the Liberty League Men’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Year, making him the first Thoroughbred recipient of that award since 2009. He also received All-Liberty League Honorable Mention.

Aiello finished the season with a team-high 35 goals and 46 points, ranking fourth in the Liberty League in goals per game (2.33) and second in shots per game (8.93). He also had 10 multi-goal games and scored at least once in each of his first 14 contests.

Other Skidmore lacrosse honorees included David Koffler, who was voted to the All-Liberty League Second Team, and All-Liberty League Honorable Mentions Marty McFadden and Michael Dearborn.

Koffler played in and started all 15 games this season, scoring 14 goals and six assists for a career-best 20 points. He also scooped up 28 ground balls and caused four turnovers. Additionally, he finished with 60 shots (31 shots on goal) and had a game-winning goal against New Paltz.

 McFadden finished third in the Liberty League averaging 1.86 caused turnovers per game. He also scored three goals and had an assist for a career-best four points.

Dearborn ranked second in the Liberty League, averaging 1.93 caused turnovers per game. He finished his debut season for Skidmore recording a team-high 29 caused turnovers.

Kentucky Derby Winner Skipping Preakness; No Triple Crown at Belmont


Belmont Stakes logo via the New York Racing Association (NYRA). 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Sovereignty, the horse that won this year’s Kentucky Derby, will not compete in the upcoming Preakness Stakes, it was announced on Tuesday. As a result, there will be no opportunity for a Triple Crown winner at the Belmont Stakes, which is being held at the Saratoga Race Course on June 7.

“We received a call today from trainer Bill Mott that Sovereignty will not be competing in the Preakness,” said Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST Racing, the company that operates the Pimlico Race Course, host of the Preakness. “Bill informed us they would point toward the Belmont Stakes. We extend our congratulations to the connections of Sovereignty and respect their decision.”

Sovereignty upset Derby favorite Journalism on a sloppy track in front of a reported crowd of 147,406 spectators. The race was viewed by an average of 17.7 million viewers, according to NBC, which made it the biggest Kentucky Derby television audience since 1989. The all-sources betting handle of more than $234 million also shattered previous records.

The decision by Sovereignty’s connections to point towards Belmont rather than Preakness set off contentious online discourse among horse racing fans, some of whom advocated for changing the scheduling of the Triple Crown races to encourage more Triple Crown attempts. Others debated the need for more cooperation among track operators, while others still argued that the Triple Crown would simply have to become less important to the sport.

Despite bailing on the Preakness, Sovereignty is expected to compete at the Belmont Stakes, which is being held for the second year in Saratoga while construction continues on Belmont Park in Long Island.

Saratoga Racers Star Injured in Car Accident


Photo of Shaheem Sanders via the Saratoga Racers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Shaheem Sanders, one of the top players on the Saratoga Racers basketball team last season, was seriously injured in a recent motor vehicle accident, according to a statement issued by the team last weekend.

An update from Sanders’ mother stated that Sanders successfully underwent surgery, but would have “a long, hard recovery” ahead.

“I can still play basketball, I just have to go through rehab,” Sanders said in a video message posted to his Facebook account.

Sanders was a double-double machine for the Racers in their inaugural ABA season, regularly leading the team in rebounds.

The 2024-25 season was Sanders’ first in the ABA. He previously played for Schenectady High School, Cayuga Community College, and SUNY Morrisville.

B-Spa Native Selected 9th in Pro Softball Draft


Image via the @AUSL_Blaze X account.

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa native and Duke University softball standout Ana Gold was selected by the Blaze as the 9th overall pick in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) college draft on Saturday night. The draft was broadcast on ESPNU.

The AUSL will feature four teams playing a 24-game season in a traditional format. The league’s commissioner is Kim Ng, the former general manager of the Miami Marlins and a former assistant general manager for the New York Yankees.

Gold’s college career at Duke includes a career slash line of .309/.412/.610. To those numbers, she’s added 49 homers, 7 triples, and 28 doubles for the Blue Devils since her freshman year in 2022. She’s also stolen 50 bases and totaled nearly 200 hits in a little more than 600 at bats.

At Ballston Spa High School, she was ranked the No. 39 prospect in the country (according to Extra Innings Softball), was named three times to the Suburban Council’s First Team, and was a two-time Second Team All-Stater.

The Blaze also selected Virginia Tech’s Emma Lemley and Florida Gator Korbe Otis in the draft.

Retired MLB Player Launches Premium Youth Glove Company


A Kali baseball glove. 
Photo via Kali Gloves.

EAST GREENBUSH — Kevin Smith, an East Greenbush native whose MLB career culminated with a stint on the 2024 New York Yankees, has a new venture keeping him busy during retirement: a premium youth glove company called Kali Gloves.

Smith, a Columbia High School grad who also played with the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics, co-founded Kali Gloves with Matt Talarico, the Yankees’ former director of speed and baserunning.

The idea for their new collaboration was born in the Yankees clubhouse, where players and staffers struggled to find a high-quality, customizable leather glove specifically designed for kids and little leaguers. Smith began taking matters, quite literally, into his own hands.

“We started to cut up gloves in the locker room,” Smith told Saratoga TODAY. “I was cutting up my own gloves trying to figure out a way to make them easier to close [and] have them fit little kids’ hands better…We took our experience of seeing kids always using the wrong glove, making it harder for them to be good at playing catch and play the game and have fun, and we paired it with as many innovations as we could to say, ‘Okay, this is the glove that I want my kid to have.’”

The key ingredient in the Kali Gloves recipe is Japanese kip leather, which is lighter and softer than traditional rawhide, but durable enough to hold its shape after years of wear, tear, and ground balls. It’s also easier to break in, and it does a better job molding itself to the smaller hands of young athletes.

According to Talarico, one unnamed MLB All-Star said he liked a Kali glove designed for Talarico’s daughter better than four custom gloves designed just for him. “He couldn’t believe there was a youth glove that felt like that,” Talarico said in a message posted to the Kali website.

This All-Star apparently wasn’t the only major leaguer to try out a Kali glove. Smith said that Yankees ace Max Fried recently wore one at Yankee Stadium.

“A lot of former players and coaches are buying it for their kids,” Smith said. “That was the best thing because they’ve been around the game for so long.” 

The swanky-looking gloves are all 10.5 inches, an ideal size for kids learning baseball basics. They also feature elastic wrist laces that prevent slipping and sliding, elastic finger loops that ensure correct hand placement, and palm slits that help the gloves maintain their shape and performance over time. All told, the Kali glove distinguishes itself from both cheaper competitors and pricier custom gloves that can sometimes take up to a year to receive. (By contrast, a mint-colored Kali glove imported from Japan takes only 3-4 weeks to arrive.)

Smith said that designing and manufacturing these youth gloves began as a hobby, but soon blossomed into a booming business.

“We went through a bunch of prototypes that started catching on and a lot of people were interested in them, so we figured we’d make a few more, and it’s been really fun,” Smith said. “The long-term vision is to be a youth athletic company trying to make premium products for kids, ones that help them play the game and love the game better.”

It might not be long before Smith, who is settling into a post-playing career in Arizona, starts designing gloves for his own kids: an 18-month-old and a 7-month-old.


A young Kevin Smith, who grew up in the Capital Region as a
New York Yankees fan before becoming a Yankee himself in 2024. Photo via Smith’s X account.

“I got to play in the big leagues and my wife traveled with me and we had a lot of fun but now we’re trying to grow a family, and the hotel life with two little kids wasn’t going to be ideal,” Smith said. “My family still lives in Albany [and] we’re in [Arizona] raising a family.”

Last season, Smith played in two games for the Yankees, the team he grew up idolizing as a youngster. “I was one of those kids watching [Derek] Jeter every night,” Smith told the YES Network’s Jack Curry during spring training.

Perhaps now, young New Yorkers watching the Bronx Bombers on TV will have better gloves to bring with them to the ballpark.

Racing Museum Announces 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees


Smarty Jones at the 2004 Preakness Stakes. Photo by Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club. Photo provided by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs added seven inductees to its Hall of Fame last week.

  • Racehorse Smarty Jones, a finalist for the first time, was the lone selection in the contemporary category
  • Racehorses Decathlon and Hermis, as well as trainer George H. Conway, were chosen by the 1900-1959 Historic Review Committee
  • Edward L. Bowen, Arthur B. Hancock III, and Richard Ten Broeck were elected by the Pillars of the Turf Committee

The 2025 Hall of Fame class will be enshrined on Friday, Aug. 1, at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on the museum’s website. The event is open to the public and free to attend. Tom Durkin will serve as the master of ceremonies.

Smarty Jones

Bred in Pennsylvania by Someday Farm, Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality—I’ll Get Along, by Smile) raced from 2003 through 2004, winning eight of his nine career starts, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in his sophomore season, and he won the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Male in 2004. Owned by Roy and Pat Chapman under their Someday Farm banner, Smarty Jones was trained by John C. Servis and ridden exclusively by Stewart Elliott. On May 1, 2004, Smarty Jones became the first undefeated Kentucky Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977, with a 2¾-length victory over Lion Heart before a crowd of 140,054 at Churchill Downs. Two weeks after his Derby victory, Smarty Jones romped by a record margin of 11½ lengths in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course with 124,351 in attendance. He earned a career-best 118 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, the fifth of six times he achieved a Beyer of 100 or higher. Smarty Jones was retired after a failed attempt at a Triple Crown sweep in the 2004 Belmont Stakes. He earned a record of 8-1-0 from nine starts and earnings of $7,613,155. He won his eight races by a combined 47½ lengths.

Decathlon

Bred in Kentucky by the Nuckols Brothers, Decathlon (Olympia—Dog Blessed, by Bull Dog) raced from 1955 through 1957, compiling a record of 25-8-1 from 42 starts and earnings of $269,530. Purchased at Keeneland in 1954 for $15,500 by Robert J. Dienst (the president of Ohio’s Beulah Park) and campaigned under his River Divide Farm banner, Decathlon was trained by Rollie Shepp. In his three years of racing, the bay colt won 18 stakes and was twice named Champion Sprint Horse (1956, 1957). He set track records at Monmouth Park, Suffolk Downs, and Tropical Park, equaled two track standards at Tropical, and matched the world record for 5½ furlongs (1:031/5) at Tropical in the first division of the Inaugural Handicap in 1956. Following his racing career, Decathlon stood at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, where he sired 165 winners from 253 foals, including 12 stakes winners. Decathlon died in 1972 at the age of 19.

Hermis

Bred in Kentucky by Hiram Berry, Hermis (Hermence—Katy of the West, by Spendrift) raced from 1901 through 1905 with a record of 28-8-6 from 55 starts and earnings of $84,155. A chestnut colt, Hermis was trained by Charles Hughes (July 1901 through August 1902), Jack McCormick (August 1902 through October 1902), and Alexander Shields (June 1903 through July 1905). He raced for a variety of owners, including H. M. Ziegler, L. V. Bell, and Edward R. Thomas (who paid a record $60,000 for the horse), among others. Hermis was retrospectively recognized by The BloodHorse-published book “The Great Ones” as Horse of the Year in 1902 and 1903; Champion 3-Year-Old Male in 1902; and Champion Older Male in 1903 and 1904. Overall, he won 14 stakes, earned victories at eight tracks (Aqueduct, Brighton Beach, Gravesend, Hawthorne, Latonia, Morris Park, Saratoga, Sheepshead Bay), and carried 132 pounds or more in four of his wins. He was exported to France in 1910 and was sent to Belgium three years later. What became of Hermis is a mystery, as all knowledge of the horse’s whereabouts were lost during World War I.

George H. Conway

Conway (1873-1939) is best known for training Hall of Famer War Admiral to a sweep of the 1937 Triple Crown and to an overall record of 21-3-1 from 26 starts and earnings of $273,240 from 1936 through 1938. A native of Oceanport, N.J., Conway also conditioned Hall of Fame member Crusader, as well as standouts Speed Boat, War Glory, and War Hero, among others. In addition to the Triple Crown, Conway trained War Admiral to victories in the Eastern Shore Handicap, Chesapeake Stakes, Washington Handicap, Pimlico Special, Widener Handicap, Queens County Handicap, Wilson Stakes, Saratoga Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Saratoga Cup, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Rhode Island Handicap. Suffering from heart trouble, Conway announced his retirement a week after War Admiral was retired to stud in 1938. Conway died on June 20, 1939, at his sister’s home in Oceanport.

Edward L. Bowen

Bowen (1942-2025) was a prolific racing journalist and historian for more than 60 years and served the sport in various other capacities, including 24 years as president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. A native of Welch, W. Va., Bowen was an Eclipse Award-winning journalist, editor in chief of The BloodHorse, author of 22 books about horse racing, and chairman of the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame Nominating Committee from 1987 through 2024. He was the inaugural recipient of the Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Award for meritorious contributions to the Museum in 2023. The prior year, Bowen was the Thoroughbred Club of America’s Honor Guest.

Arthur B. Hancock III

Hancock III was born in Nashville, Tenn., and for six decades has been a significant presence in American racing and breeding through his establishment of Stone Farm in 1970 near Paris, Ky. A member of one of the sport’s most distinguished families, Hancock’s grandfather, Arthur B. Hancock, Sr., founded Claiborne Farm, while his father, Arthur B. “Bull” Hancock, Jr., expanded the business to where it became arguably the most important breeding farm in the U.S. during the 20th century. In his capacity as an industry leader, Hancock has served on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, as a director of Keeneland Association and Fasig-Tipton Company, and as a member of The Jockey Club. He co-founded the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA), a group dedicated to eliminating performance-enhancing drugs in racing. Hancock is also a devotee of bluegrass music and has written songs that have been recorded by artists such as Grandpa Jones, Willie Nelson, and Ray Price. He released an autobiography in 2024 titled, “Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption.”

Richard Ten Broeck

Ten Broeck (1811-1892) was one of American racing’s most prominent and accomplished figures in the 19th century, enjoying success as a racehorse and racetrack owner, thoroughbred breeder, and international racing pioneer. During the 1830s, Ten Broeck became associated with Col. William R. Johnson, one of America’s most renowned racing figures. By 1840, Ten Broeck was racing horses in his own colors in St. Louis, New Orleans, and New York. Ten Broeck’s stable began to rise to prominence and he was known as a leading turfman in the South when he took over management of the Bingaman (Louisiana) and Bascombe (Alabama) courses in 1847. In 1851, he purchased Metairie Race Course in New Orleans for $27,000. Under his management, Metairie became the premier track in the country in the decade prior to the Civil War. Ten Broeck later purchased Lecomte, Prioress, and Starke to race in England and became the first American owner to win an important race in that country. Ten Broeck raced in England for around 30 years. He became the first American member in the English Jockey Club. Ten Broeck regularly returned to America between English racing seasons and purchased 525 acres near Louisville, Ky., naming it Hurstbourne Stud in honor of the Duke of Portland’s estate in England. He eventually sold Hurstbourne and moved to Oakland, Calif., where he died a recluse in a small cottage.

Spa Catholic Baseball Team Wins Annual Tournament


Image via Saratoga Central Catholic Saints Athletics. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball team won the 36th annual Phil Waring Memorial Tournament last Saturday, defeating Duanesburg 7 to 3 in the first game and besting Fonda 10 to 0 in the second contest.

Hunter Fales was crowned Tournament MVP. Fales and Ronan Rowe both notched their 100th career hits in the game against Duanesburg.

In the first game, reliever Brian Selif pitched 3 scoreless innings for the Saints, striking out a whopping 8 batters. At the plate, Fales went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, while Kihl Kelly was 2-for-2 with a triple. 

In the second game, Luke Dejnozka took the mound for 5 innings, allowing only 2 hits and whiffing 6 batters. Fales, Kelly, and Jason Pescetti also smacked doubles at the plate.

Heading into two games this week against Hoosick Falls, the Saints were an undefeated 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Wasaren League standings.

Saratoga and Katie Davis Shine in New Netflix Show


“Race for the Crown” poster via Netflix. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — “A Star is Born” has been adapted for the screen four times, most recently in 2018 with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The fifth adaptation might have to be set here in Saratoga Springs, where native daughter Katie Davis has solidified herself as a bona fide leading lady, thanks to the new Netflix documentary series “Race for the Crown,” which premiered on Tuesday. 

The show, which chronicles the lead up to the Kentucky Derby, the Derby itself, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, explores both the downtown and iconic racecourse of Saratoga through the eyes of Davis, a female jockey who tosses out memorable one-liners such as: “If I didn’t become a jockey, I would’ve liked to have been on a SWAT team just to knock doors down.”

The fifth episode of the six-episode series introduces viewers to Davis while she plays with her kids at a family home in Saratoga. Throughout the penultimate and final episodes of “Race for the Crown,” Davis gushes about her hometown.

“I grew up here in Saratoga,” Davis proudly states. “It’s such a special place. My daddy bought this [house] in 1995. We all just come for the summer and camp out.”

Although Davis comes from a family of jockeys, the show spotlights her unique status as a woman in a male-dominated sport.

“There’s not many women that ride Saratoga, so when the fans see a woman, they’re all like ‘yeah, this is awesome!,’” Davis says. “My arms are bigger than most men, but I’ve learned that it’s not about how strong you are, it’s more about finesse and connecting with horses.”

A montage of clips showing Davis riding at Saratoga is followed by scenes that demonstrate the everyday challenges of being a female jockey, such as when a parking attendant at the Pimlico Race Course won’t allow her to enter a jockeys-only parking lot.

Davis, with tears in her eyes, also speaks about being told by a former agent that she wouldn’t be able to make it as a jockey. Of course, that didn’t stop her from doing it anyway.

“If somebody says I can’t do something, watch me,” she says.

After an unsuccessful attempt to win the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico, Davis returns home to ride Union Trail during a race at the 2024 Belmont Stakes Festival. She wins in a runaway, prompting cheers from spectators as she enters the Saratoga winner’s circle.

“Man, just like riding in Saratoga alone, it’s like going to Yankee Stadium,” Davis says after the victory.

The show also follows Davis as she strolls downtown with her husband and kids during the Belmont on Broadway event.

“Saratoga, it’s such a family environment,” Davis says. “People are always friendly. So when I rode the first year here, I wanted to connect with the fans because that’s what’s important to me because they are our livelihood. They are going to keep us going in this industry.”

Netflix viewers are treated to shots of a crowded downtown, where Davis chats with and embraces friends and fans. A few b-roll shots show a Saratoga mounted police officer, the Adirondack Trust building, green Belmont banners affixed to lamp posts, and local shops like Uncommon Grounds and James and Sons Tobacconists.

“There are just a handful of towns in the world where their charm derives from the fact they are racing towns,” says racing broadcaster Nick Luck. “Newmarket in England, Deauville and Chantilly in France. In the United States, Lexington, Kentucky, and, of course, Saratoga. Even though the Belmont Stakes is not at its spiritual home, it is at a very important venue and one which will never give you a free pass.”

Almost the entire sixth episode is set in Saratoga, with particular focus on Jayson Werth, a former MLB star and co-owner of ‘24 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch. Werth’s unexpected, Cinderella-story win at Belmont serves as the final emotional crescendo of the series.

Saratoga makes a couple cameo appearances in earlier episodes of the show as well. In episode one, trainer Todd Pletcher is seen at the Oklahoma Training Track, and billionaire horse owner Mike Repole chats with the Netflix crew as he walks around barns and offices in the backstretch.

All in all, “Race for the Crown” serves as a flattering advertisement for the Spa City.

Celebrated Saratoga Running Coaches Retire


A sign in Saratoga Springs celebrates the many achievements of the Blue Streaks’ cross country program during the Kranicks’ tenure.
Photos via the Saratoga Springs City School District.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Art and Linda Kranick, the head coaches of the Saratoga Springs girls track and field program, retired last week, according to a statement released by the district.

“It is with a profound mixture of gratitude and sadness that I announce the retirement of our esteemed coaches, Art and Linda Kranick, who have dedicated their lives to the success and development of our distance running program since 1985,” the statement said. “Their impact on our athletics and the larger realm of cross-country and track and field is unparalleled, and their departure marks the end of an extraordinary era in our school’s history. As stated previously, this is due to a private medical situation, and we ask for your grace and empathy during this difficult time for Art and Linda.”

“As we celebrate their storied careers,” the statement continued, “we recognize the countless lives they have touched through their dedication, passion, and unwavering support. Art and Linda’s commitment to fostering teamwork, resilience, and a love for the sport will have a lasting influence on all who have had the privilege of learning from them. Since the inception of their coaching careers, Art and Linda have molded our distance program into the most successful in state history.”

In their nearly 40-year career, the husband-wife coaching duo garnered almost too many accolades to count.

The Blue Streaks girls cross country team was crowned state champions dozens of times throughout the Kranicks’ tenure, beginning in 1987 and culminating with another state title in 2023. For two years in a row (2020 and 2021), they were ranked the best team in the entire country. In 2004, the squad won the inaugural Nike Cross Nationals Team Championship. That ‘04 team, said MileSplit NY, is often considered one of the best cross country teams ever. 

In 2005, the boys team also won the Nike Cross Nationals, making Saratoga the first-ever team to win the title in both genders. As recently as 2022, the Kranicks were named the National High School Cross Country Coaches of the Year. Notable Blue Streak cross country stars in years past have included two-time Foot Locker National Champion Erin Davis and 2018 NCAA First Team All-American Aidan Tooker.

In recent years, the Kranicks had come under scrutiny for alleged instances of abusive coaching, which were detailed in a legal complaint filed in October 2023. In that document, 1989 graduate Kristen (Gecewicz) Gunning said that the running program was “a toxic culture of control and abuse of middle and high school girls all in the name of winning.” 1999 graduate Lauren Hogan said that some aspects of the Kranicks’ program “caused immense damage to me both mentally and physically.” An updated version of the legal complaint also included more than a dozen witnesses who made various claims against the cross-country and track program. The claims spanned from the 1980s to 2022.


Art and Linda Kranick pose alongside student-athletes after being named the 2022 National High School Cross Country Coaches of the Year.

Despite the allegations, the Kranicks never lost the support of the Saratoga Springs School District, which rehired them even after the abusive coaching claims. Many runners, students, parents, and other members of the community also defended the Kranicks following the legal complaint.

At a school board meeting in March 2024, standout varsity runner Emily Bush said, “As much as I love this sport, I can tell you all confidently that I would not be doing it if I felt like I was in an abusive environment. The skills I’ve gained are invaluable and I can’t stress that enough.”

At that meeting, five parents of current or former Saratoga runners also expressed support for the Kranicks’ program. One of them criticized local media outlets for only highlighting negative aspects of the program. Another, Carl Strock, said he sympathized “with those who thought the program was extreme. I thought it was too. You don’t get to be national champions by taking it easy, by having a lot of days off. You get to be national champions by pushing yourself and by others pushing you.”

In August 2024, Superintendent Dr. Michael Patton told Saratoga TODAY that he did not have any concerns about the Kranicks moving forward. “I’ve been here for seven years and have gotten to know the Kranicks very well,” Patton said. He added that, in the past year, the Kranicks had met all of the athletic department’s expectations.

A report published in March 2024 by the Harris Beach law firm seemed to question the district’s decision to rehire the Kranicks. But the report also noted that there were a number of people who praised the Kranicks “for their successes and positive contributions.”

Following a national title victory in 2022, then-senior runner McKinley Wheeler said that “it really meant a lot” to be a part of the Blue Streaks team. “All the effort and work Mr. and Mrs. Kranick put into this program, and our training, and our success, is just really moving,” she said. “They’re really great coaches, and just overall great people. Going through these years, and being able to go to these meets and experience what we did, I’m just really grateful.”

The Kranicks have been tentatively replaced by Tom Reilly as the girls head coach, with Shane Cassidy acting as his assistant.