SARATOGA SPRINGS — Born in France, raised on classical music, reborn amongst rockers in New York City, and now settled into the soulful life of a singer-songwriter, Stephen Thirolle is far from your average tennis coach.

“They’re both ways for me to play, intellectually [and] physically,” Thirolle told Saratoga TODAY about his twin endeavors: playing tennis and playing guitars. “Cooperative play lives in both worlds and has freedom in both of these worlds. It’s a cool thing. I’ve only come to appreciate that in my adult life. As a kid, I didn’t really see them as two bridges to the same place. But now I kind of do.”

Thirolle is an assistant tennis coach at Skidmore College, where he serves as “the on-court guy,” playing and traveling with the team. He also has private clientele and runs summer tennis camps on Skidmore’s campus.

He was the recipient of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2018, and he won the United States Professional Tennis Association’s College Coach of the Year Award in 2019. Before all that, he was captain and MVP of his high school tennis squad, achievements that allowed him to continue playing the sport at Middlebury College. 

But music reigns supreme as his greatest passion.

“I’m sure I’ll drop my tennis racket before I drop my guitar,” Thirolle said.

The tennis guru began studying classical piano at the tender age of five. An early teacher was Stanley Hummell, a revered concert pianist who lived most of his life in the Capital Region and performed at both Carnegie Hall and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

“He was 6’8’ with a shock of white hair, a real gentleman,” Thirolle recalled. “That was an amazing experience, having a Gandalf-like figure being my musical mentor.”

While he was learning to tickle the keys, Thirolle’s house was filled with the varied sounds of world music. Russian folk, Swiss yodeling, samba, Charlie Byrd, Stan Getz, Beethoven, and Bach were all part of the budding musician’s sonic diet. But he also engaged in a covert operation inside his bedroom, listening to pop music on the radio at a low volume, lest his superiors should hear. During this clandestine activity, Thirolle would be introduced to the cerebral folk-rock of Bob Dylan and the psychedelic, orchestral sounds of The Beatles. He eventually became hungry to add more instruments to his repertoire.

“I learned all those band instruments on my own after I was raised with classical piano,” he said. “It was easy for me to learn guitar. It was easy for me to play the drums. I was very fluid and learning super-fast.”

After college, Thirolle embarked on a 20-plus-year sojourn to New York City, where he said his adult self began to emerge. He fell in with some rockers, played in bands, and experimented with songwriting.

“In New York, I tried to write really hard rock,” Thirolle said. “I was very impressed with all my friends who were down at Don Hill’s and Brownies and CBGB. They were playing that hard rock, and I was like, ‘Oh, I can do that too.’ But that was never necessarily my bag. I think I wanted to write songs that could stand on their own and not have to have a band behind it. I think that everything I write now is a standalone song that has bones, structure. I can play it on my own. It satisfies. It hits.”

A journey from classical to pop to rock has resulted in the acoustic-driven, singer-songwriter sound of Thirolle’s latest EP, “The Waters and the Wild,” released in May 2025. With shades perhaps of John Lennon and Dave Matthews, the album’s vibe feels like it’s somewhere between breezy and pensive. Some of the tracks draw inspiration from sources as varied as the poet W.B. Yeats and the cities of London and Barcelona. Other songs, such as “In New York City” and “Darling Luna,” are directly inspired by Thirolle’s own life.

Although Thirolle has bounced around from France to the Capital Region to New York City to Europe, he ultimately chose to settle here in Saratoga Springs. The Skidmore tennis coach and moonlighting musician moved here with his wife to begin his “family phase.” His wife founded a local hair salon. His father-in-law plays bass in his band. His daughter probably isn’t old enough yet to play an instrument, but perhaps one day she will.

In the meantime, Thirolle is eager to keep recording, writing, and performing. He played at the Grateful Den in Glens Falls last month and is already booked for two more shows at Saratoga Winery later this year.

“The Waters and the Wild” is available on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Bandcamp. 

For more info, visit Stephen’s website: stephenthirolle.com.

BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Country Club board of directors recently announced the hire of Head Golf Professional Michael Decker, PGA.

Decker has served as the head golf professional at McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton since 2021. Decker is a former ‘Merchandiser of the Year’ and is known locally for his founding of the largest PGA Junior League in the Northeastern New York PGA section. 

“Working in concert with the PGA and a dedicated group of members who volunteered their time on our search committee, the board had the privilege of hiring Mr. Decker, who emerged from an impressive field of candidates,” said Club President Dan Loewenstein. “His proven success, strong Capital Region experience, and commitment to excellence will elevate the golfer experience and strengthen Ballston Spa Country Club as one of the area’s most welcoming and rewarding places to play.”

In addition to a new head golf professional, the Ballston Spa Country Club is coming off its 100-year anniversary in 2025. This milestone coincided with the construction of a new clubhouse, which is open to the public for dining and offers views of the golf course.

ALBANY — Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake) and Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh (R,C-Ballston) recently honored the New York State Class B Champion Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School field hockey team and boys’ cross-country team by presenting them with legislative resolutions and honoring them at the state Capitol.

The field hockey team won their second-straight state title on Nov. 16 with a 1-0 shutout. Since 2012, the program has won 12 sectional titles, 5 consecutive Suburban Council titles, and now, three New York State Class B Championship titles.

The boys’ cross-country team captured their state title on Nov. 15. They have now won eight of the last nine New York State Class B Cross Country Team Championships, with 13 State Titles overall.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For Spring 2026, Skidmore College men’s soccer team is preparing for an ambitious spring season that includes high-level competition, an international trip, alumni and community engagement, and continued program growth.

The highlight of the spring will be the team’s international trip from March 7–15, traveling to Cologne, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands. The experience is designed to provide student-athletes opportunities for cultural immersion, as well as competitive playing opportunities.

While in Cologne, the Thoroughbreds will:

• Participate in a guided tour of the historic city, including the iconic Cologne Cathedral and Old Town along the Rhine River

• Visit RheinEnergie STADION, home of Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln

• Train under the direction of FC Köln academy coaches

• Attend a professional match

• Compete in a friendly match against FC Köln International Talent Program

The team will then travel to Amsterdam, where they will:

• Tour the Johan Cruijff ArenA, home of AFC Ajax

• Train locally and play a friendly match against SV Parkhout

• Experience Amsterdam’s rich history through guided cultural activities

The trip represents an opportunity to challenge the group competitively while strengthening team chemistry and broadening global perspective.

Beyond their international adventures, Skidmore will host their spring match on Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. against St. Michael’s College on Wachenheim Field. It’ll be a rematch between the Thoroughbreds and Purple Knights from last spring, when Skidmore won 1-0. This year’s game will serve as an evaluation opportunity as the program continues to build toward the fall season.

The program looks forward to welcoming alumni back to campus during its annual Spring Alumni Weekend on April 10-11. Saturday’s schedule includes an alumni panel and small-group conversations with the current team, as well as a small-sided alumni vs. current team tournament.

Spring and summer also mark a period of community outreach and recruiting for the program.

The program will host the April Break Youth Camp (April 6–10) and Summer Youth Camp (August 3–7) for youth players in the surrounding Saratoga communities. The program will also host multiple ID Clinics throughout the spring and summer.

WILTON — On Jan. 31, Professors Dan Ladd and Harrison Hatton, both instructors at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Saratoga, received their black belts from third degree black belts Professors James and Jesse Bruchac at Alliance Saratoga headquarters in Wilton Mall. 

Dan Ladd, a former All-American Schuylerville wrestler and former #1 ranked amateur MMA fighter, has made a name for himself in jiu-jitsu, winning many international events, as well as capturing bronze in the 2023 IBJJF Master Worlds in Vegas. 

Professor Harrison Hatton, also a judo black belt, has competed and won in multiple local and international jiu-jitsu events, recently capturing open class gold at the 2025 IBJJF Tampa International Open.