SARATOGA SPRINGS — Nick Grosso becomes Saratoga’s first ever Section II Singles Champion, and Toga Tennis gets second place after a hard-fought match in the Section II AA Team Finals.

The Individual Sectional II Tournament for high school tennis was held on Tuesday, June 15. After defeating Ashrith Rao (6-2, 6-2) from Bethlehem in the semi-finals, Grosso advanced and defeated Albany Academy’s Will O’Brien (6-2, 6-0) to claim the Section II Boys’ Tennis Singles Champion title. Grosso ends his tennis career at Saratoga with a perfect 18-0 season. 

Also held this past Tuesday were the Section II Doubles Championships. Saratoga’s doubles team of Andrew Blaha and Vincent Devito finished third. 

Back on Friday, June 11, two of the area premier tennis programs, Saratoga and Bethlehem, faced off in the Section II Team Finals. Bethlehem defeated Saratoga 5-4 to win the championship title. 

Saratoga came out strong in the first three singles matches – Nick Grosso defeated Ashrith Rao, Andrew Blaha defeated Will Bievenue, and Jackson Katusha defeated Graham Hardiman. Then there were numerous three set matches, such as the 4th and 6th singles matches. In the 4th, Vincent Devito lost to Bethlehem’s Hayden Brown. In the 6th, Ian Hill defeated Bethlehem’s Tao Xie. Coming back to the results of 5th singles match, Liam Chartrand lost to Bethlehem’s Aden Haas.

In the doubles matches, Ryan Clancy and Kevin Rosas lost to Jack Burman and Emi Torlasco, Devin Kim and Toby Webber lost to Nyle Dennin and David Bievenue, and Nate Krackeler and Declan Ladd lost to Joey Mocerine and Conner Darcy. Both the 2nd and 3rd doubles matches were 3 sets as well. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — If you don’t know a dink from a volley or want to improve your game, sign up for a Pickleball Workshop. 

Both workshops will be on Thursday, July 1. The Beginner Workshop for ages 14+ will be held from 12-2 p.m. and is geared toward those who have never played or who are interested in improving their skills. The Intermediate Workshop for ages 18+ will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. and is geared towards those rated at a 2.5-3.5 level interested in improving their game. 

Both workshops will be held at the East Side Rec Pickleball Courts located at 226 Lake Ave. Fees are $45 for city residents and $65 for non-city residents. Fees after June 24 are $70 for city residents and $90 for non-city residents. 

You will need a paddle, sneakers, and water. Coordinator is Ken Henderson, Director, Traveling Pickleball Pros. 

Register early to secure a spot. Email recreservations@saratoga-springs.org with questions. 

Girls Basketball

Spend the week working on drills and scrimmages in preparation for the Championship Friday Awards Ceremony! This camp is for ages 5-14, and runs July 12 to July 16 from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at East Side Rec (226 Lake Ave). Fees are $80 for City residents and $90 for Non-City residents. After July 5, fees increase to $105 for City residents and $115 for Non-City residents. Players need to come prepared with a mask, water, and sneakers. Coordinator is Tony DeVizzio, SSHS Basketball Coach. 

Intro to Ice Skating

Come build your skills at the ice rink with the best! Intro to Ice Skating is open to those who are just learning to ice skate or are looking to improve their skills. The level-based system of teaching provides a clear path for advancement. Instructors have many years of experience teaching and emphasizing fun and safety while providing proper technique in ice skating basics. Intro to Ice Skating is for ages 3 and up, adults included. This camp runs July 13 to August 17 from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. at the Weibel & Vernon Ice Rinks (30 Weibel Ave). Fees are $65 for City residents and $85 for Non-City residents. After July 5, fess increase to $90 for City residents and $110 for Non-City residents. Participants need to come prepared with a helmet, warm pants, and a jacket.  Coordinator is Jill Ramos, USFA Quadruple Gold Medalist, over 25 years of experience. 

Running

Running camp for girls ages 5-9 will take place June 28 through August 21, M/W/F from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs HS Track. This camp is free. Participants will need a mask, water, and sneakers. Coordinators are Art & Linda Kranick. 
Running camp for girls ages 10-18 will take place June 28 through August 21, daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Saratoga Spa State Park (Mall area between HMT and Victorian Pool). This camp is free. Participants will need a mask, water, and sneakers. Coordinators are Art & Linda Kranick. Running camp for boys ages 10-18 will take place June 28 through August 21, Mondays-Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Pitney Meadows Community Farm (223 West Ave). This camp is free. Participants will need a mask, water, and sneakers. Coordinators are Shane Zanetti and Tom Reilly. Running camp for families and children ages 4-9 will take place June 28 through August 21, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Pitney Meadows Community Farm (223 West Ave). This camp is free. Participants will need a mask, water, and sneakers. Coordinators are Shane Zanetti and Tom Reilly. 

Softball

This co-sponsored clinic with Miss Softball focuses on softball fundamentals. Drills will be used to develop the skills necessary to become a successful softball player. This is for ages 5-14. This clinic will run from June 28 to July 2 from 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (10 Adams Rd). Fees are $80 for City residents and $90 for Non-City residents. After June 21, fees increase to $105 for City residents and $115 for Non-City residents. Players need to bring their own mask, glove, bat, helmet, cleats/sneakers, and water. Coordinator is Saratoga Miss Softball and Saratoga Thunder.

GLENVILLE — Teri Takemori, from the Glenville-based Jason Morris Judo Center, was promoted to Shichidan (7th Degree Black Belt) by the United States Judo Federation on June 1. 

Takemori is originally from Alexandria, VA where she started Judo at her father’s (Jimmy Takemori) nationally renowned club, Washington Judo. Teri started at the age of 10 and quickly was a top junior competitor winning High School Nationals. She then went to school at San Jose State, who had a good college Judo team. After graduating from San Jose State, she moved to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO to continue her Judo training. 

Teri enjoyed a prolific senior career which was highlighted by her 1985 Gold Medal at the prestigious Pacific Rim Championships held at the famed Kodokan in Tokyo, Japan. Teri medaled at the US Senior Nationals eight times and reached the podium at the US Open five times. After her prolific competitive career, Teri rose in the ranks of the refereeing world to achieve the highest international level, which was an “A”, culminating in being chosen to referee at the 2003 World Championships in Osaka, Japan. She was also an Olympic alternate referee for the 2004 Games. Takemori also co-founded the internationally renowned Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) in 2000 with her husband, 4x Olympian, Jason Morris. The JMJC has created 9 Olympians, 408 International Medalists, and 133 US Senior National Medalists in its 21-year history. The JMJC also hosts the annual Morris Cup Judo Championships held at the Burnt Hills High School. 

LOS GATOS, CA — The American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) kicked off their 10th season on June 4. They are diving into digital currency and have some other exciting new announcements as they take the forefront in modernizing the sports entertainment industry. 

The AUDL is the only professional Ultimate sports league in North America, with 22 teams in four divisions across the U.S. and Canada. Each team competes in a 12-game regular season schedule, with top teams entering a playoff round and divisional winners advancing to a final four style Championship Weekend. 

When Josh Moore founded the league a little over a decade ago, it was centered here in the Northeast, and you could buy a franchise for only $2,500 on Craigslist. It was when Rob Lloyd, current AUDL Chairman, came on board in 2013 and took over the franchising, that the league started growing fast. 

“One of our pillars is to become truly global in terms of awareness of the sport,” said AUDL Commissioner and CEO, Steve Hall. Hall has been involved with the AUDL since 2015 when he bought the Charlotte franchise and then joined the board in 2018. 

Today, over 5 million people are Ultimate fans. As the AUDL describes it, Ultimate is a “fast, flowing, and highly athletic low-contact sport.” Players advance down a football field, 7 on 7, in an attempt to make a pass into the end zone to score. The sport mixes the techniques of soccer with basketball, as players need a pivot foot because they cannot run with the disc.

AUDL game plays have generated coverage on ESPN’s Sports Center Top 10, Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, and more. You can see highlights on AUDL’s social media, and watch full-length games on Fox Sports 2 every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. or stream them on audl.tv or online at www.theaudl.com. 

In a competitive industry, the AUDL is a step ahead of other sports leagues as they embrace online sports betting and digital currency. Not only is the AUDL now on DraftKings, but they have also announced their first collection of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). The AUDL has compiled a digital library of iconic plays made by legendary AUDL players into video-based NFTs called MoMintz, available at www.audlmomintz.com.

“NFTs help players increase their brand, and give them a chance to become brands in modern ways,” said Hall. “It is the digitalization of sports memorabilia.” 

More exciting news involves our home team, the New York Empire. Players will start wearing “wearables” – a GPS tracker for sports from STATSports. They will be testing out the Apex Pro Series to calculate their speed, heart rate, etc. during games. The New York Empire were the 2019 Champions, and the team is a top three contender already this season.

“The New York Empire has some of the greatest players, and will be a powerhouse for years to come,” said Hall. 

The AUDL will also be coming out with their first console-based Ultimate video game very soon. They are working on the prototype now, and are hoping to get it on the market by Championship Weekend in September 2021. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Bridges and SAANYS Challenger Teams took the field this past weekend for an exciting night of “Under the Lights” baseball.

On Saturday, June 5 at West Side Field, the Saratoga Springs Little League Challenger Division held their annual “Under the Lights” baseball game – Saratoga Bridges, coached by Walter Thompson, versus SAANYS (School Administrators Association of New York State), coached by Paul Hebert. 

The Challenger Division is a Little League adaptative baseball program that gives players with specialized needs a place to join in and play the game of baseball in the community. The Little League Challenger Division® is a nationally known program established in 1989, and accommodates players ages 4 to 18, or up to 22 if still enrolled in school. 

Both Coach Thompson and Coach Hebert have been coaching the Challenger Teams for six years now, and are looking to create a soccer program for the kids in the fall. Robert Kelly, District Coordinator for Special Education for Saratoga Springs City School District, credits Coach Thompson and Coach Hebert with being a major a reason for the success of Saratoga’s Challenger Division.

True to baseball, Challenger Night included a singing of the National Anthem by Challenger players Shaedan Smith, Sean Monahan, and Regan Perella, and a ceremonial first pitch. Regan, along with three other players – John Bulan, Chris Erskin, and Ian Hurlock – received jackets provided by Mrs. Fitzpatrick. Little League players and Majors (12-year-olds who are graduating out of Little League) wore their uniforms and their jackets to join the Challenger Teams on the field during the National Anthem. 

Mrs. Fitzpatrick, who was in attendance to hand out the jackets, is the wife of a late Little League sponsor. Along with sponsoring the Fitzpatrick’s Little League Team, she donates personalized jackets to Little League Majors and Challenger players each year. 

Several players could be seen getting pumped up before the game. Shaedan said that he was ready to hit home runs, just like players from his favorite team – the Boston Red Sox – do. 

“It’s athletic, fun, everyone is kind, and my dad and friend Luke have helped me out a lot,” said Henry Spaeth, about why he likes playing baseball in the Challenger Division – he is in his third year.

In their pre-game interviews, players collectively agreed that offense – hitting and running the bases – is the best part of baseball. 

Saratoga Springs Little League’s® adaptive baseball program is in its 6th year and is only one of few in the region. Not only were parents invited to cheer on the players, but so were all of their teachers, teacher aides, therapists, counselors, and other school staff. Derrick Legall, President of the Saratoga Little League, said that this Challenger Night had the biggest crowd turnout yet. 

“These kids need an outlet so they can play,” said Legall. “Let’s invest in our kids because they need to succeed – they are the future. West Side is the best side!”

BALLSTON SPA — Seven Ballston Spa seniors have committed to collegiate-level athletic programs at Division I and Division II schools. 

On Thursday, June 3, the annual recognition ceremony was held at Ballston Spa High School for the seniors who will be continuing their athletic careers at DI and DII colleges and universities in the fall. 

“They have done special things for the district and their teams,” said Athletic Director Dave Sunkes at the ceremony on Thursday. “Unfortunately, they got the raw end of the deal, with Covid for the remainder of their career here.” 

These seven seniors are: 

• Chance Checca who will be attending Marshall University to play baseball.

• Gregg Dort Jr. who will be attending Frostburg University to play lacrosse.

• Ana Gold who will be attending Duke University to play softball.

• Erik Gottmann who will be attending the Viginia Military Institute to play lacrosse.

• Corinne Pepper who will be attending Monmouth University to swim.

• Heather Pritchard who will be attending Southern Connecticut State University to play lacrosse.

• Antonio Rossetti who will be attending Mercyhurst University to play lacrosse.

The Senior Awards Night also took place later that evening on June 3. Ana Gold and Erik Gottmann received the Suburban Council Excellence in Leadership Award. This award is given to a male and female student-athlete each year who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in athletics.

“I picked the Virginia Military Institute because of its prestigious academics, good athletic teams, and because I want to join the military,” said Erik Gottmann, who wants to study civil engineering. “Lacrosse has helped me become hard working and shaped me into the person I am.”

Erik’s peers have also found colleges that will be good fits for their respective futures, playing the sports they love and keeping up with their studies. 

The academics and life on campus of Marshall University are what Chance Checca likes about his future school. Chance said that at Marshall he can continue what he wants to do in life – play baseball and study business, and possibly physical therapy too.

These student-athletes have all learned something from their time in the athletic programs and from the coaches at Ballston Spa that they will take with them to college.

Heather Pritchard said that when she visited Southern Connecticut State University, she fell in love with everything they had to offer, and she plans on studying nursing. Heather has found her group of friends through playing lacrosse at Ballston Spa, and has also learned how to take leadership roles. 

Corinne Pepper said she picked Monmouth University because they had both the major she wanted and a fast swim team. She plans on studying Physical Education and Health.

“Swimming for Ballston Spa has taught me hard work and dedication,” said Corinne. “And it has brought me a good group of friends.” 

Aerial Treetop Adventure Tours, Mountaintop Yoga, Outdoor Adventure Summer Camps and More

QUEENSBURY — West Mountain is open for summer fun. Tickets for Aerial Treetop Adventure Tours, Mountain Biking, Mountaintop Picnics, Scenic Chairlift Rides and Hiking are now on sale. Apex Summer Fun Season Passes are also now available. The summer season pass, for ages 7 and older, includes unlimited mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, hiking and Aerial Treetop Adventure Tours.  For groups of 10 or more, please contact shannon@westmountain.com. West Mountain’s Treetop Adventure Park requires a reservation at least 48 hours in advance for summer season passholders.

Other happenings at West Mountain include Mountaintop Yoga to take place at the summit of West Mountain on Saturdays at 11 a.m. Hot Yoga Queensbury will lead the 60 minute all levels Vinyasa Flow class. Meet outside the base lodge 15 mins prior for check-in and health screen. The cost is $40 which includes lift ticket to and from summit.

West Mountain’s Outdoor Adventure Summer Camps are returning this summer and begin July 5. Eight weeks of camp are offered this year where kids explore the great outdoors as they engage in activities including hiking, climbing and organized games and activities that will strengthen their bodies and minds. For more information and to register visit westmountain.com/camps.

West Mountain is also now booking summer and fall weddings and special events. West Mountain offers indoor and outdoor space for special events. Rent out the West Mountain Bar and Eatery, main lodge or NW lodge, or host your event outdoors/ under a tent with the mountain as the beautiful backdrop.

For more details on summer events and information on event booking visit westmountain.com

SARATOGA SPRINGS — After a perfect 13-0 season in the Suburban Council, and Section II AA semi-finals win, Saratoga Varsity Boys’ Tennis Team advances to the finals. 

 In a grueling match with a high heat index on Monday, June 7, Toga defeated Albany Academy with three singles wins and three doubles wins. The level of talent on both teams was also extremely high. In the 1st singles match, Nicholas Grosso fell behind in the 2nd set but was able to separate himself in the 3rd set and come away with the win against Will O’Brien. In the 2nd and 3rd singles matches, Andrew Blaha and Jackson Katusha, who were previously undefeated, lost to Dhev Jammula and Zain Magdon. In the 4th spot, Vincent Devito, a sophomore, defeated Theo Angelopoulos. There was another great win from eighth grader Liam Chartrand in the 5th spot, who defeated Nick DeMarco. 

For the first time this season, all three doubles teams swept their opponents. In the 1st doubles match, Ryan Clancy and Kevin Rosas defeated Q Nigro and Will Frasier. In the 2nd doubles match, Devin Kim and Toby Webber defeated Jon Dailey and Arjun Nair. And in the 3rd spot, Nate Krackeler and Declan Ladd defeated Jonathan Farbman and Ethan Bowden. 

Coach Rich Johns, who helps out the team, relayed that Head Coach Tim O’Brien was extremely pleased with the efforts of the entire team during their semi-final sectional match, and proud of how the doubles teams won their matches. 

Toga Varsity Boys’ Tennis will advance to the Section II AA Finals against Bethlehem at Central Park in Schenectady. The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 8, but was cancelled due to weather, and has been rescheduled for Monday, June 14 at 3:30 p.m.

In addition, Section II’s tournaments for individuals were held on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (June 9, 10, and 11), also at Central Park in Schenectady. There will be no state tournament this year for tennis.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association, Inc. will host a two-day job fair on Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12 to recruit workers for the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which begins on Thursday, July 15 and continues through Monday, Sept. 6.

As announced by NYRA and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on May 27, the 2021 summer meet will re-open to fans at near full capacity following a season without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The job fair will take place at Saratoga Race Course within the open-air Events Pavilion. Interviews will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 11 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 12.

Prospective summer employees should enter through the main gate at Union and East Avenues and park in the main lot. Unvaccinated individuals are required to complete a temperature check prior to entry, wear facial coverings while at Saratoga Race Course and adhere to social distancing guidelines to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

Opportunities at this year’s job fair will include: hospitality ambassadors; guest services; cashiers; admissions attendants; parking attendants; Bets Squad representatives; white caps/ushers; box office; betting clerks; general labor; security; porters; cooks; waitstaff; bussers; concessions supervisors and cashiers; cleaners; TV production; and technology support.

Positions are available with NYRA, Integrated Staffing, Levy Restaurants, AllPro and Union Square Events. 

Applicants must be at least 15 years of age with New York State Certified Working Papers; prospective security guards, cashiers and betting clerks must be at least 18 years of age to apply. Security guards must have a high school degree or GED to apply. All applicants must bring a photo ID and social security card or I-9 alternative.