SCHUYLERVILLE — After five seasons with the women’s lacrosse team at UMass, Schuylerville alum Amy Moreau said she wasn’t quite ready for her playing career to end. 

This summer, Moreau has been playing professional women’s lacrosse with Athletes Unlimited at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks Glencoe, Maryland. She said the experience has been “amazing.”

“I loved my five years at UMass, and I loved playing at Schuylerville. When I was finished, I wasn’t really finished playing and competing,” Moreau said. “When I got the opportunity to play here, it was a no-brainer for me.”

A graduate of Schuylerville High School, Moreau recorded 76 points in 79 career games at UMass. She scored 35 goals in 19 games during the 2023 season, and was named Atlantic-10 Midfielder of the Year, according to the UMass Athletics website.

Moreau said her time playing professionally with Athletes Unlimited has been “unreal.”

“I grew up watching some of these players play in college and play on the world stage,” said Moreau. “So getting here now, and being able to play with them on an equal playing field, has really been rewarding.”

Moreau is also playing for a cause, supporting the ‘Kendra’s Kindness’ Fund through the HEADstrong Foundation. The fund was created to support families of those going through cancer in honor of Kendra Muscella, the mother of Moreau’s former UMass teammate Olivia Muscella, their website states.

“Throughout my time at UMass, we’ve been raising money for them through HEADstrong. Obviously, I just want to carry that on here,” Moreau said. “I’m just so happy that I’m able to raise money for that by playing here.”

The league competes with four teams, which are redrafted every week. Players are scored individually, and can earn points for stats such as goals, assists, saves, and caused turnovers, as well as team wins and being named a game MVP.

At the end of each week, the top four players in the league standings become team captains, and draft their teams for the week from the remaining players, according to the Athletes Unlimited website. 

Moreau said adjusting her style of play to fit with new teammates each week has been a valuable experience.

“My (lacrosse) IQ has just risen so much being here, having to kind of change my play each week to fit into a different team and fit that mold,” Moreau said. “Each team operates differently. I have different roles on every team, or have had. … I think that’s been really great for me.”

This is especially valuable as Moreau prepares for her next role, she said, joining the staff of the Davidson College women’s lacrosse team as an assistant coach. Her hiring was announced by the school in a July press release.

“I want to say, like, 40 percent of the women here are college coaches, which is really helpful for me and where I’m going next,” said Moreau. “I’m really looking forward to the two coaches that I’ll be joining at Davidson. They’re amazing already, and I’m so excited to learn from them and work with them.”

Moreau credited UMass head coach Jana Drummond as inspiration for her coaching career, saying they developed a strong relationship during her time in Amherst.

“My relationship with (Drummond), and how she was able to create such a good team culture and a successful team culture, I just wanted to pay that forward as well,” Moreau said. “I have loved being with her, watching her, and learning from her. I’m excited to do that for someone else.”

Moreau also credited her coaches at Schuylerville, and said the local community is “so special.”

“I have told everyone that I’ve ever met that I would not want to come from any other town,” said Moreau. “I still have parents from teams that I was on when I was 14 (years old) texting me, watching me, and following me on TV. That’s so special.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga Bridges’ 20th Annual J. Michael Fitzgibbons Memorial Golf Classic raised over $60,000 on July 30 at the Edison Club. 

The day featured a scramble format, BBQ luncheon, beverages courtesy of DeCrescente Distributing Company, Saratoga Eagle and Hixny, a zip pullover sponsored by Performance Industrial, Awards Ceremony, MVP Health Care goodie bags filled with items from Adirondack Trust Company/Amsure, DeCrescente Distri-buting Company, Hixny and assorted treats, course contests, and a silent auction. 

Prizes were awarded to: 

1st Place – Dan Cardella, Mandy D’Andrea, Matt Horton, Diane Jorgeson

2nd Place – Tom Beck, Dave Dannett, Rich Flaherty, Brian Joyce

3rd Place – Jami Burnetter, Aaron Buzzell, Chris Pontiff, Patty Tesch

Most Honest – Stacey Barss, Annie Finn, Kathleen Kimball, Trina Morris

Men’s Closest to the Pin on Hole #5 – Matt Cummings

Women’s Closest to the Pin on Hole #11 – Diane Jorgensen

Men’s Longest Drive on Hole #18 – Jack Kelleher

Women’s Longest Drive on Hole #6 – Diane Jorgensen

Saratoga Bridges hosts this event to keep the J. Michael Fitzgibbons’ memory and spirit alive and are exceedingly grateful for the Fitzgibbons’ family and their friends as their support has ensured that the tournament has grown and continues to raise funds to empower individuals’ lives. Saratoga Bridges’ CEO Jane Mastaitis presented Carol Fitzgibbons with a collage print entitled, “Downtown,” created by collaborative artists for her ongoing help. 

A portion of the fundraiser proceeds benefit the J. Michael Fitzgibbons Memorial Scholarship Fund. Annually, one of their staff members is awarded an educational scholarship in Michael’s memory. The scholarship was established to honor their long-time Board Member who passed away unexpectedly in 2005. Saratoga Bridges encourages their staff to seek academic opportunities whereby they can elevate and enrich their own service delivery skills.

For more information on Saratoga Bridges’ fundraising events or to become a sponsor, please contact Pamela Polacsek at ppolacse@saratogabridges.org or 518-587-0723 ext. 1255.

SARASOTA, Fl — Ten middle school kids (6 girls and 4 boys) from Saratoga Rowing Association flew down to Sarasota, Florida to compete in the U15 coxed quad sculling competition at the USRowing Youth Nationals.

The girls U15 coxed quad (four girls, and one female coxswain) came in seventh place overall, after competing in the 2000-meter time trial (4th place), the semi-final (3rd), and the final (7th).

The boys U15 coxed quad (four boys, and one female coxswain) came in third place overall after competing in the 2000-meter time trial (2nd), the semi-final (1st), and the final (3rd).

The kids are all members of the Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA), that trains and races on Fish Creek out of the SRA boathouse. They are coached by Abbie Albright.

Girls U15 coxed quad:

Caroline Jackson – stroke seat

Sophie Sampanthar – 3 seat

Pisa Bonitatibus – 2 seat

Rylie Sheldon – bow seat

Emelia Acquavella – coxswain

Boys U15 coxed quad:

Ian Dodds – stroke seat

Parker Mansfield – 3 seat

Jacob Dorflinger – 2 seat

Sam Corp – bow seat

Abbie Bertani – coxswain

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has donated $18,000 to the Saratoga Shredders, covering the cost of bicycles and helmets for elementary school students in grades 2-5 in the Saratoga Springs City School District.

The grant was provided by Tara Gaston and Matthew Veitch, the Saratoga County Supervisors representing the City of Saratoga Springs, a press release states.

“We are thrilled to gift these funds to Saratoga Shredders, who are piloting this exciting new program in our schools,” said Gaston in the release. “As City Supervisors, we aim to help bring equity to Saratoga families. This donation will remove financial and transportation barriers and provide children with access to bicycles at an early age. We are excited to bring bicycles and safe bicycle practices to the youth of Saratoga Springs.” 

“We were fortunate that there was funding available to purchase the bikes for the students,” said Veitch in the release. “It’s great that we can help out the Shredders organization, which in the end will benefit the health and well-being of children in our schools. We look forward to hearing about the success of this program from Shredders and the School District as it moves forward.”

The $18,000 donation will cover the cost of 30 bikes, 30 helmets and a skills progression-based PE curriculum for the elementary school kids, according to the release. 

Saratoga Shredders is still looking for donations to cover the cost of the trailer that will house and transport this fleet of bikes between the 6 elementary schools, the release states. To become a donor, visit www.saratogashredders.com/bikes-in-schools.

LIMA, PERU — Nate Keeve from the Jason Morris Judo Center earned the 100kg title at the Peru Open. Keeve was 4-0 on the day and earned valuable points on the world ranking list towards qualifying to the 2024 Olympics in Paris. 

This result qualifies Keeve for the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile, October 28-31, along with JMJC teammates Kell Berliner and Nicole Stout.

FORT EDWARD — Saratoga Catholic rising junior Ryan Gillis was perfect on the mound on July 18, throwing four perfect innings for the Saratoga Stampede 16U before the team earned an 11-0 mercy-rule victory over the 17U Northeast Hurricanes.

While the game was shortened due to mercy rule, Gillis showed no shortage of dominance, striking out 10 consecutive batters across four innings en route to the victory.

Gillis said he was “excited to go out there” entering the game, noting that he formerly played travel ball in the Hurricanes’ organization and was facing several of his former teammates. 

“I used to play for that organization, and I knew some of the kids on that team,” said Gillis. “My mindset was just staying focused, locking in. It just kind of gave me a boost going out there.”

The first batter Gillis faced was retired on a groundout to shortstop, with the second batter popping out to third base. Gillis then struck out the next 10 batters in a row.

He said the key was “staying focused,” noting that his teammates helped pick him up on the offensive side.

“Not letting anyone get in your head, and just doing your own thing basically,” Gillis said of his mindset. “Just locking in. My teammates picked me up hitting-wise, and they gave me a comfortable lead. We just stayed focused.”

Gillis, who competed in his first season with the Saratoga Catholic varsity team in the spring, said the Stampede squad has been enjoying its summer season thus far. The 16U Stampede team features many of the Saints’ varsity players from this past spring.

“Everyone’s hitting the ball pretty well,” said Gillis. “We’re having a good time, just having fun playing ball in the summer.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs High School has introduced a computerized TouchWall to the SSHS Sports Hall of Fame, according to a Facebook post from Rich Johns, president of Act With Respect Always.

“In January 2022 I worked closely with the Athletic Director at Saratoga Springs to bring the newest, state-of-the-art, computerized TouchWall to the Saratoga Springs High School’s Sports Hall of Fame,” said Johns in the Facebook post. “I was given permission and I gladly accepted to raise the necessary funds. In four months, with the generosity of so many friends, $20,000 was raised to buy the best of the best.”

“I was personally able to use the wall as a tool to educate myself on all of the past accomplishments of the former student-athletes, coaches and teams that have excelled while attending the prestigious school and athletic programs,” said SSCSD Athletic Director John Goodson via email.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It has been another successful summer for the Saratoga Springs Little League, with both its 11U and 12U All-Stars teams qualifying for the New York State Little League Tournament yet again.

The Saratoga Springs 12U squad made its return to states in grand fashion, allowing just nine runs total across 11 games en route to the state tournament. Head coach Chris Lansing said the team’s pitching and defense were “fantastic” on the way to states.

“We did really well. My pitching was fantastic, my defense was fantastic,” said Lansing. “We kind of struggled to hit early in a lot of games, but came on in the fourth or fifth inning.”

Lansing, who said he began coaching the team during the fall of their 10U season, said that the current group of 12U players is the first from Saratoga Springs Little League to qualify for the state tournament for three consecutive years.

“We’re actually the first Saratoga Little League team to go to states with a group at (ages) 10, 11, and 12,” Lansing said. “And in fairness, there were a couple teams a few years ago that could’ve done it, probably had a good shot, but the COVID year kind of wiped that out for them.”

He said it was “meaningful” to be able to return to states with the team.

“I’m so proud of the boys,” said Lansing. “It was really important to me to come back here, and let them soak it in that last year. … I really felt like they deserved it.”

The 12U team opened pool play of the state tournament on Monday, falling 5-2 to Massapequa. Lansing said despite the loss, he felt the team “hung in there.” The squad bounced back on Tuesday, defeating Penfield 5-3. 

The Saratoga 12U team finished pool play Thursday with a game against East Greenbush that ended after press time. Check saratogatodaynewspaper.com for updates on Thursday’s results.

Lansing said he emphasized to the team to “have fun,” noting one of his main goals was for the team to enjoy the experience.

“I really just have been preaching for them to have fun and soak it in, because this is obviously the last time they’re going to come here,” said Lansing after Monday’s game. 

The Saratoga 11U team finished 5-0 in district play, defeating Mechanicville-Stillwater in the District Championship to advance to the state tournament. 

While the 11U All-Stars were eliminated following an 8-2 loss to Harrison District on Sunday, head coach T.J. Jordan said the experience was ultimately a chance for the team to “enjoy the moment.”

“It’s like life,” said Jordan. “You live it one day at a time, and enjoy it, because the next day’s not guaranteed.”

Jordan said the team enjoyed their time at states, saying, “These kids are great.”

“We drew that late game the first day, so we kind of just hung out, playing cards,” Jordan said. “I enjoy spending time with them, and they love hanging with each other.”

The 11U squad earned wins over Mechanicville-Stillwater, Rotterdam-Carman, and Scotia-Glenville en route to the district title. Jordan highlighted the matchup against Scotia-Glenville, noting that Saratoga trailed 3-2 before rallying to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning.

“We have this weird tradition where we take away on the coin flip,” said Jordan. “Win or lose, we take away. In that particular game, we were down 3-2 going into the top of the sixth. It was our last ups, we laid a bunt down and ended up coming back and winning 4-3 that game.”

The team opened its state schedule with a matchup against Penfield, falling 12-0, prior to its elimination matchup against Harrison.

While the team was unable to come away with a win, Jordan said it was “great” to be able to bring the squad back to states after coaching the Saratoga Springs 10U team to the state tournament last summer.

Lansing said the Saratoga Springs Little League program as a whole is “super strong right now.”

“I think that says a lot, and I think the program is incredibly strong,” Lansing said. “I think baseball in Saratoga is really strong right now.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Camp Abilities Saratoga, a week-long summer camp offering adaptive sports and recreational opportunities for children and teens who are blind or visually impaired, returns July 30 to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Hosted at Skidmore College, the camp is a service project of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club, and initially began in the summer of 2014, said Immediate Past President John McDonald. 

McDonald described the camp as “an active educational sports camp” for blind or visually impaired children and teens. The camp is open to ages 10 to 17, and has hosted roughly 215 campers in its 10 years, McDonald said.

“It’s multi-faceted, really, what we offer to them,” said McDonald. “It helps build their self-esteem, their confidence, introduces them to the world of adaptive sports, and all of the things and opportunities that sports bring to them.”

The camp also offers kids an opportunity to experience a week away from home in a college-like setting, with McDonald noting the camp may also be the first time that many younger campers are spending time away from home.

“With that whole week together, they’re spending time with their peers, who have the same challenges that they do,” McDonald said. “They’re on a college campus for a full week, so it gets them that opportunity to kind of feel like what it would be to go away to college. It’s just huge, what those offerings are for the campers.”

Campers participate in a wide variety of adaptive sports throughout the week, including soccer, baseball, track and field, tandem biking, judo, swimming, and more. McDonald emphasized that all sports offered at the camp are adaptive.

Campers also travel off-campus for activities around the city, with McDonald listing examples such as bowling at the Saratoga Strike Zone, kayaking on Saratoga Lake, and visiting the Saratoga Ninja Lab in Malta.

McDonald emphasized that the camp is free to attend, with a variety of fundraising efforts that help campers attend at no cost to them or their families.

“Through our fundraising and grant-writing, the camp is 100% free for campers,” said McDonald.

McDonald said the camp receives strong support from businesses in the local community.

“Locally, we get a lot of support,” said McDonald. “We do a program at the Ninja Lab. We do skating at the ice rink. In the past, we’ve done golf at Saratoga National.”

McDonald also noted that Jason Morris of the Jason Morris Judo Center initially began working with the camp in its first year, saying judo is “a very popular event with the campers.”

While the camp is a service project of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club, McDonald also said many other area Lions Clubs step up to offer their support each year, including the Ballston Spa, Greenfield, Duane, and Glens Falls Lions Clubs among others.

“A number of them do dinners for us in the evening,” McDonald said. “There’s probably 20 clubs that, in some way, either financial or hands-on, help support the camp.”

The camp’s nightly dinners are also donated by local businesses and organizations, with McDonald saying Mama Mia’s, P.J.’s BAR-B-QSA, and the Ballston Spa and Greenfield Lions Clubs are among those who are providing meals this year.

Campers are set to arrive Sunday, July 30. The camp runs throughout the week, with campers staying in dorms on the Skidmore College campus. A majority of camp activities are held on the Skidmore campus, with transportation arranged for the off-campus activities.

The camp will hold a picnic in the Saratoga Spa State Park on Friday, McDonald said, and conclude on Saturday, Aug. 5, with a closing ceremony where parents can arrive to observe their children participating.

“We do a closing ceremony, and then the parents get to see the kids in some of the sports they’ve participated in,” McDonald said. “Another big part of the camp is (that) we do an assessment of the camper’s skills, and how they’ve progressed.”

McDonald said the assessments are sent to both the children’s parents and their school.

“Lots of times, kids don’t get the opportunity. They may be in a school system that doesn’t provide the opportunities for them,” said McDonald. “That assessment … it shows that these students, while they might be blind or visually impaired, it doesn’t mean they can’t participate.”

McDonald said it is reaching 10 years is “a huge milestone” for the camp.

“This just fits perfectly with what we’re looking to do as Lions,” McDonald said. “To reach that milestone, it’s a huge accomplishment that we’re very, very proud of.”