A readiness to embrace change set Ashley Flynn on her path of excellence. 

After Ashley Flynn graduated from Schuylerville High School in 2017, she was eager to begin playing soccer at Paul Smith’s College.

“I was excited. It was going to be different. I’d be with a whole new team and I couldn’t wait for that,” she said. 

Flynn’s interest in the outdoors, academic aspirations, and personality made her a good fit for the school.

“I definitely look for hard working players with integrity and who will be coachable,” said Bailey Waterbury, Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Paul Smith’s College.

WELL-POSITIONED TO PLAY ANY POSITION
Now a senior, Flynn’s readiness to fill any open position on the team during her college career made her a standout soccer player. 

“I was really, really thankful she stepped-up and filled those positions. At practice she was giving 100 percent and had a good attitude. She’s been a great teammate both on and off the field,” said Waterbury. 

From striker, to midfield, defender, and goalkeeper, Flynn’s versatility transformed her into a natural team leader. 

“It was tough playing goal because I missed playing in the field but I had to step up and put my best effort into every game anyway,” she said. 

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EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS
Exposed to leadership activities while in Schuylerville High School’s FFA program, developing these skills during times of change added tremendous value to the team’s experiences this year as well, despite competitive collegiate soccer being cancelled because of COVID concerns.

“She’s really come out of her shell and been a leader on our team. Ashley is one of those people the others girls can look to,” said Waterbury.

This year, the team started out their season with team bonding experiences including hiking, kayaking, and running.

Now, they practice three times a week and compete in weekly scrimmages against the Paul Smith’s men’s soccer team.

Knowing they can never take any day they are together for granted – whether it is for practice or for a game – the Paul Smith’s soccer team is looking forward to playing competitively again next fall, but will miss Flynn’s positive presence on the field.

“I wish Ashley the best and will miss her a lot, we all will,” said Waterbury.

After graduation, Ashley Flynn plans to move out West to become a park ranger. Her advice for other high school students looking to embrace change and compete on the college level is to start early.

“Contact the coaches, arrange for a campus visit and to meet the other players. Then, when you get to college, you’ll already know them and they’ll help you feel welcome,” she said. 

Saratoga Springs — Athlete of the Week: Molly Corcoran, Senior, Saratoga Springs High School. Molly has been a shining example of perseverance during the last few years. Joining the Varsity Girls Tennis team as a sophomore, a shoulder injury kept her from playing in the matches but she still came to help out and cheer on her teammates. Now, as a senior, she’s earned a spot as the #5 player in the singles lineup. Nominated by Rich Johns, Act with Respect Always.

The newly revamped East Side Recreational Park reopened this week.

Closed since renovation work began in the Spring, the reopening was kicked off with a ribbon cutting on Friday, October 30. 

Mayor Meg Kelly and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce were in attendance, along with school officials, construction associates, students and community members. 

“The future of East Side Rec is obviously bright,” said School District Superintendent Michael Patton.

WELCOME BACK TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The park’s renovations are part of the school district’s $15.6 million Great Outdoors Project, which was set in motion in 2016. 

The Project includes improvements to the District’s eight schools, Gavin Park, West and East Side Recreation areas.

The plan passed in May 2018, and no new taxes were levied to pay for the project. The East Side Rec improvements were budgeted to cost $6.5 million.

Completed improvements include a new field house (with restrooms, offices, and concession stand), overhauls to the stadium, baseball field turf, tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. 

New picnic areas with a pavilion, playground equipment, a paved fitness trail, lights, signage, and fencing have also been added. 

AN AMAZING PLACE TO PLAY
Students are excited to have the opportunity to make use of this incredible investment in the expansive park year-round. 

Saratoga Springs High School Senior, Nick Grosso, said he grew up playing at the park. Before the renovations there was a running joke about how much the condition of the tennis courts had deteriorated.

“In tennis, you have three surfaces that you can play on – courts that are clay, grass, or a hard surface. Here, it was a combination of all three because they were so rough and had so many cracks,” he said. 

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Carl O’Callaghan, a senior on the Saratoga High School Basketball Team said he liked seeing that there were big changes on the courts – they’ve been resurfaced, have new backboards and rims. 

Both agreed however, that the park still needed something.

“You can’t really ask for anything else, it turned out great. What it needs is more kids here,” said Grosso.

UP NEXT: THE LEGACY PROJECT VOTE
The next renovation proposal for the school district is The Legacy Project, a $129.7 million capital improvement plan. 

Building and safety improvements, energy efficiency, and educational program enhancements are included in the project, which will be funded with no additional taxes levied. 

The vote is scheduled for December 8. 

For more information about The Legacy Project, go to www.saratogaschools.org.

While going to college at Siena, I have always worked every Friday night at Dicks Sporting Goods in Saratoga Springs. One of the best parts of the job is that you get to meet and discuss fishing and hunting tactics with people from all over the capital region. Over the summer, I had the chance to talk to one father and son duo who shared the same passion for fishing that I do.

They came to me one Friday night with a tangled fishing reel and explained that they did not know what to do about it. I could tell that they were new to fishing, but seemed to enjoy it as they said they were trying to get out every single night. 

We have all been there when first starting out and it can be overwhelming dealing with the various line tangles and “bird nests” as we like to call them. After I was able to free the tangled reel and explain to them how it happened, I realized that this was not the average father and son duo, but I just could not piece together who they were. They explained to me that they were just staying in Saratoga for the summer because of the Saratoga Springs Race Track. This still was not a dead giveaway as plenty of people travel to Saratoga Springs in the summer for the track. I knew I recognized this person from somewhere, but I just could not put the pieces together. 

When the father walked away to go look at lures, I asked his son what their last name was. He replied with “Alvarado,” and I knew in that instant that it was none other than Jockey Junior Alvarado. 

When he returned, I explained to him that I was a huge fan of horse racing and that we had a shared passion for fishing. It just so happened that Junior had won three races that day, including the “Perfect Sting Stakes.” After talking about horse racing for a bit, he explained to me that they had been fishing Lake Lonely every night, but just did not know the techniques to catch fish. As a New York State Licensed Fishing Guide, I knew I had to take these guys out and show them what Lake Lonely has to offer. So, we planned on fishing during a dark day the following week.

On Tuesday night, August 18, Junior and his son Adrian met me at Lake Lonely Water Sports for an evening of Bass and Pike fishing. Adrian told me that they had not caught a single fish since arriving in Saratoga Springs and I assured him that not only were we going to catch fish, I was going to make sure he caught the biggest fish of his life. So, we set out in my 18ft bass boat prepared to catch some fish.

Based on the time of year, I positioned the boat right on the edge of a weed bed where I knew the bass and pike were waiting to ambush anything that moved past them. The best part about this spot was that we had a view of the 15th hole on the Saratoga National Golf Course, which makes for an incredibly scenic backdrop. 

For this trip I wanted to let Junior and Adrian practice their casting, while I had some live bait out from the back of the boat. This way we had two different presentations that the fish would bite. I like using slip bobbers with live bait when taking people out so they can feel the excitement when the bobber goes under. It did not take more than five minutes before Adrian shouted, “The bobber!” and he was reeling in his first largemouth bass. After a good fight, Adrian had reeled in a very nice two-pound bass. Junior soon followed and shouted, “Fish On!” and caught the next fish using a crankbait. 

Fishing soon turned into a classic father and son contest as both Junior and Adrian were catching fish left and right. By the end, I think Adrian was able to take the title of “Fisherman of the Night” and left Junior wanting to catch more next time. Adrian had also caught the biggest fish of his life when he landed a 23” Northern Pike. We finished off the night with Adrian helping me drive the boat back, despite nearly knocking his Dad’s hat off. I can gladly say that Junior and Adrian will be back next summer to win some more races and catch some more fish.

Drew Ziehnert  is a New York State Licensed Fishing Guide and owner of Ziehnert Guide Service. Ziehnert is an English Education major from Siena College.

Six days before their season was set to start, the Saratoga Springs High School Girls Varsity Swim Team found out they weren’t going to have a pool to swim in. 

Normally, they’d train and compete on the Skidmore College campus, but this year, that was no longer an option. Luckily, the Saratoga Springs Branch of the Saratoga Regional YMCA was willing to step up as a safe alternative. 

“It really wasn’t a tough decision to make, even on such short notice.   When the school reached out to us, our pool had already been open for three months, our safety and cleaning protocols were already in place, we’ve been following all NYS guidelines since we reopened, and we have phenomenal staff here at the Y.  Therefore, I was extremely confident we’d be able to accommodate them quickly, and safely,” said Executive Director Steve Butler. 

TO SINK OR SWIM
Swimming is a sport that athletes typically train for year-round, but that hasn’t been a possibility for many who are competing this year. 

“Swimming has been one of those sports that it’s been very hard to keep active in. Finding a pool to practice in was very challenging over the summer and now, has been almost impossible,” said coach Josh Muldner. 

In addition to the Y creating the opportunity for athletes to practice and compete a healthy environment, it’s the commitment of the school staff, student athletes and their families that has made the 2020 season a reality. 

Swimmers are usually up early in the morning, practicing from 5:30 to 7:30 am, but this year, to fit them in the schedule without taking pool time away from Y members, or the Y swim team, the Stingrays, the 22 girls on the Saratoga Varsity swim team don’t begin working out until 8 pm. Their swim practice ends at 10 pm.

Another layer of complexity added this year has been that only two out of their six meets will be in-person, the others are hosted virtually, with the teams competing at separate sites and the results registered remotely. 

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SWIMMING WITH THE CURRENT
Despite these challenges, Muldner, who is in his 16th season as a couch and is also a counselor with the district, has remained hopeful. 

“You just don’t know what is going to happen and if it’s going to be the last time that you’ll be together. Every day that we’re together is a gift and the Y has allowed that gift to be possible,” he said. 

The team held their Senior Recognition Ceremony at the Y Pavilion this week. At this socially distant pool-themed reception under the lights, juniors shared their personal stories about how the team’s seven senior swimmers impacted their lives in a meaningful way. 

“These girls have grown up together and its very touching to hear them speak,” said Muldner. 

If conditions allow, in addition to their virtual meets, the Varsity Girls Swim Team will compete in the Suburban Council Championship meet on November 20th & 21st and a year-end award ceremony will be held. 

“Of course, this will be very different than what we’ve done in the past, but we’re very excited to be able to offer them something,” said Muldner.

The 2021 Empire State Winter Games have been canceled because of safety concerns posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Scheduled to take place January 28 to 31, 2021 in the Lake Placid region, in recent years, the Games have attracted more than 2,000 athletes from across New York and beyond — including 15 states and three countries — to compete in more than 30 winter sports events. 

The challenges and uncertainty presented in appropriately planning, organizing, and producing events safely for the athletes of all ages and the nearly 20,000 spectators that the Games could draw proved insurmountable. 

The first Winter Games were held in 1981 and have continued annually since. For its 41st year, organizers hope to instead host a virtual or social media-based event for the Games participants. 

NEW YORK STATE ­—Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that ski resorts across the state can reopen under state-issued health and safety protocols starting Friday, November 6. 

The following precautions have been put in place. 

• Indoor capacity must not exceed 50 percent.
• Outdoor capacity on the mountain must be reduced by 25% during “peak” days or if multiple trails are closed due to unseasonable conditions.
• Gondola and lift riders must be members of the same party.
• Ski lessons are limited to no more than 10 people.

In addition, thorough cleaning of shared equipment, shuttles, food, beverage and retail services is required. Masks must be worn except when eating, drinking or skiing, and social distancing maintained. 

The announcement conforms to New York State’s new “micro-cluster” strategy to tackle COVID-19 hot spots that may come with the Fall and Winter weather. Tracking cases based on address, the State will implement strict rules and restrictions directly targeted to areas with the highest concentration of COVID cases, known as red zones, and put in place less severe restrictions in surrounding communities, known as orange and yellow zones.

“One of the lessons we learned in New York is to look ahead and stay ahead. It’s not checkers; we’re playing chess with this virus. In the fall you’re going to see an increased viral transmission rate — that’s just a fact,” Governor Cuomo said.

The Saratoga Yankees have won their third Saratoga MSBLChampionship in five years. 

Formed in 2013 by then Manager Marty Migliori, The Saratoga Yankees is one of 10 local MSBL teams. Nationally, the MSBL (Men’s Senior Baseball League) is the fastest growing adult amateur baseball organization in the country, with 3,200 teams and 45,000 members. 

Structured and well-run, the league is comprised of players looking for friendly competition who aren’t yet ready to retire into the world of community softball.

NO SURRENDER
The Saratoga Yankees’ current Manager, Jose Segura led the team, which fields players of all abilities age 28 and older, to their first tournament win in 2016, then again in 2018. In late September, they sealed their third Championship win. 

After losing the first game of the playoffs, the Saratoga Yankees were reinvigorated by a home run from Nick Paniccia and swept through the remainder of the finals, winning against the Cubs with timely hitting and flawless defense from short stop Joe Sleeman. 

“There were a lot of things the league did to make this happen. It would’ve been a long summer without baseball,” said coach and player Mark Hertel.

THE HUSTLE
The players on the Saratoga Yankees team wear many different hats. They have day jobs, families and other responsibilities, but spend two days a week during the summer season playing games on Saratoga baseball fields including at Geyser Park, East Side Rec (when it’s not under construction), and the Skidmore College campus. 

Membership fees are affordable and when needed, the team’s players, who are also local business owners, including Dan Bruno, of Bruno and Bruno Financial, and Sam Bottini, of Bailey’s Saratoga Bar and Eatery, help sponsor events. 

Hertel joined the Saratoga Yankees in 2016 when a co-worker at Global Foundries heard that he’d previously played college baseball for the University of Albany, and recommended joining the Saratoga MSBL team.

“I joined for the love of the game, because I was new to the area and wanted to meet new people. Since then, I’ve forged so many friendships I never would’ve had otherwise,” said Hertel.

THE PAYOFF – TEAM UNITY
Now, at age 52, Hertel’s role has evolved from playing to include coaching, as well. He’s even earned the nickname “Uncle Mark.”

“My biggest enjoyment is leading, teaching, and guiding the younger players. They really respect the knowledge I have. That’s my biggest contribution now,” he said.

With another championship under their belt for the Saratoga Yankees, the off-season will be a time for healing and mentally preparing before hitting the gym again this Spring. 

“That’s the secret to our success. We plan on sticking around for a while,” said Hertel.

For more information or to join the team, contact Ken Banker 518-470-7894. 

Saratoga Springs — The Saratoga Springs Varsity Soccer team won 3 to 0 against Schenectady High School this week. 

During the competitive play, scores during the second half were made by Jack Donnelly on a breakaway off an assist from Garrett Farr, Evan Hallett shot a screamer from a distance off an assist from Jack Donnelly, and Stefanos Tsitos scored a poacher’s goal from close range off a low cross from Timothee Boyer on his first Varsity touch.

Saratoga Springs High School (SSHS) varsity soccer bested Guilderland High School 4 to 3, on Saturday. Highlights from SSHS team included sophomore Evan Hallett netting his 1st varsity goal off a long-range pass from Garrett Farr; Zach Colangelo scoring a shot from the top of the box assisted by Lucas Varghese, a goal-scoring penalty kick converted by Jack Donnelly, and the game-winning goal by Garrett Hedge off an assist by Evan Hallett.

Two Guilderland goals were made by Shaun Francis, assisted once by Bugra Karaca. A goal was also scored by Guilderland’s Illia Tyrkus.

On Tuesday, the SSHS soccer team won again, this time against Albany High School, 1 to 0, with a long range shot from Evan Hallett assisted by Jack Donnelly.