Displaying items by tag: SaratogaWilton Youth Baseball

Known as America’s pastime, baseball has gotten us through the tough times. 

Sports, however, including recreational youth baseball, fall into Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan, which means that they will be among the last activities to resume. 

Right now, Saratoga hopes to have at least a partial season.

“We are absolutely hoping to play,” said Joe Rigabar, President of Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball.

THE OUTLOOK

Baseball practices typically begin in April, but now, hopes are that the fields will reopen for play by late June or early July. 

Once they do, baseball still won’t look the same as it has in previous years. 

“It will obviously be different. There’s not going to be six games going on at once with spectators all around. We’ll have to adapt and have some changes but we think it’s important for kids of all ages to get back out there and play at some point,” said Rigabar.

Social distancing and limiting physical contact may mean restricting the number of spectators and the number of kids in the dugout. The concession stand will likely be closed. 

“We’ll do whatever it takes to get the kids out on the field and playing,” he said.

KEEPING BASEBALL ALIVE

While best practices guidelines have been released by several national youth sports organizations, Rigabar said it is not entirely clear what the state, county, and local guidelines for reopening will be. 

Working with other local youth sports representatives, a reopening plan was submitted to local officials, so once they’ve been given the go-ahead, they hope to be able to move very quickly to begin the season, he said.

While they wait, Rigabar’s two sons, ages 12 and 8, have been practicing at home.

“We were pretty excited for this season and when that was taken away from us, there was a lot of sadness. The kids, including my son, Jack, have worked really hard to get to this point, so it’s been really challenging, but we’ve been getting outside almost every day and have been continuing to have fun. We just hope to keep a love of baseball alive for him and for all of his buddies.”

HEALING THE COMMUNITY

Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball is comprised of nearly 500 families, with participants in a Cal Ripken division for younger children, the Babe Ruth Division for ages 12-15, and the Blue Sox travel team. 

Early on, a letter was sent to families letting them know about the delays and offering a refund of registration fees if they had health concerns or were experiencing financial hardships.

“I’ve been very pleasantly surprised. While there were probably some who didn’t register who normally might have, of those that did, only three percent have backed out and asked for a refund of their registration fees,” said Rigabar.

No community sponsors have pulled out either, although the leagues did make the decision not to pursue new small business sponsorships this year. 

“Financially, we’re in a place where baseball can continue. It is important to our kids and our community. People need this and want this.”

[Photos provided]

Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball Champs
WILTON - Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge #161 – On Saturday, February 10, 2018 the Boys Grade 4/5 Saratoga-Wilton Elks Team won the Saratoga Springs Recreational Basketball League Championship with a score of 44-22.  Members of the Lodge watched several games throughout the end of the season. The boys played with confidence and determination and the Lodge was very proud to have sponsored this team of fine young men.

The Saratoga-Wilton Basketball Team was undefeated the entire season and to celebrate their victory the Lodge is holding a special Bowling/dinner Banquet for the youth and their families at the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on February 23^rd and will present trophies to the Champs.

Saratoga Regional Y
Over 50 Basketball League Scores
WEEK TEN Scores - Wednesday, February 14

 Game One                             D’Andrea’s Pizza Parlor –  62                           Gennaro’s Pizza -                52

Four players scored in double figures as D’Andrea’s Pizza Parlor defeated Gennaro’s Pizza 62 – 52. Mike Scanlon paced the winners with 22 points and was aided by 17 from Alex Marin, 13 from Tim Ward, and 10 points from Scott Waterhouse. Kevin Reilly rimmed a game high 26 points for Gennaro’s and Mark Sohl added 16 points for the losers.         

 D’Andrea’s Pizza Parlor – 62            Mike Scanlon (22), Alex Marin (17), Tim Ward (13),

                                                                Scott Waterhouse (10)

Gennaro’s Pizza – 52                          Kevin Reilly (26), Mark Sohl (16)

Game Two                            Post Time Wine & Spirits - 58                           Village Photo, LLC – 48

Post Time Wine & Spirits used a strong 2^nd half effort to defeat Village Photo, LLC 58 – 48. Post Time’s Ed Benway was the game high scorer with 24 points while Jim Eliopulos chipped in 22 points. For Village Photo Lamont Williams snapped 16 and Pat Reidy 15 points.

 Post Time Wine & Spirits – 58          Ed Benway (24), Jim Eliopulos (22)                               

Village Photo, LLC – 48                     Lamont Williams (16), Pat Reidy (15)

 Game Three                          West Side Sports Tavern – 56           Nemer Chrysler – 48

Nemer Chrysler’s 2^nd half rally fell short as they lost to West Side Sports Grill 56 – 48. Joe Twomey of West Side and Tom Kelly of Nemer both tallied 24 points while John Mooney added 23 for West Side and John Bishop added 16 for Nemer.

West Side Sports Tavern – 56           Joe Twomey (24), John Mooney (23)                            

Nemer Chrysler – 48                           Tom Kelly (24), John Bishop (16)                          

Game Four                           Mama Mia’s Café – 75                     Jones Steves – 60

Bobby Hanson’s league high 41 points led Mama Mia’s Café to a 75 – 60 victory over Jones Steves. For Jones Steves, Rory Wilson rimmed 31 points, and Andrew Sephas added 17 points. Reggie Durden banked 16 points and Andy Kramarchyk12 points for Mama Mia’s.

Mama Mia’s Café – 75                     Bobby Hanson (41), Reggie Durden (16), Andy Kramarchyk (12)

Jones Steves – 60                                                Rory Wilson (31), Andrew Sephas (17)

Blue Streaks Ice Hockey
SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Saratoga Blue Streaks Varsity hockey team played the Guilderland/Mohonasen/Scotia-Glenville Storm in a Section 2 Tournament Play-in game at 6:45 PM on February 16^th at the Weibel Avenue Ice Rink.  Saratoga won the game 4-0 with goalie Brad Hipsley recording his fourth league shut out. For Saratoga, Sam Jacob scored the first goal with an assist from Ryan Seales; Matt Shamberger scored the second goal; Ryan Jones kicked off the second period with an assist from Zak Ogden; and Mack Ogden scored the final goal with an assist from Ryan Seales. Saratoga Goalie Brad Hipsley had seven saves and GMS-G Goalie Daniel Cooper had 26 saves.

Schuylerville Skiing
SCHUYLERVILLE – Hannah Klingebiel, a sophomore from Schuylerville, has made it to state finals for skiing. Section II competes at States on Feb. 26 and 27 at Bristol Mountain at Canandaigua, NY.

Photos provided by Kim Schaffer. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Pierce Byrne is a 9-year-old with a big love for baseball. His favorite team is The Mets and Giancarlo Stanton, Chris Bryant, and Jose Altuve are his favorite players.

“My dad has played catch with me since I was really little. Then when I turned two, I got my first helmet and first real Mets jersey from my aunts and my grandma sent me my first t-ball set from Ohio,” Byrne said.

In June, Pierce went to Yankee Stadium after winning an MLB Pitch, Hit, and Run local competition at Gavin Park held by Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball. He won three out of the four categories; Pitching, hitting, and overall in the 7/8-year-old group.

The National Competition at Yankee Stadium was state level in which he came in second. Had he won first place, he would have advanced to the all-star game. The competition consisted of each kid throwing six pitches and seeing how many strikes they got, hitting a ball off a t and calculating how far and straight it went, and then they ran the bases and calculated the time it took. It was based on a point system and if you came in first, you advanced to the all-star game in Florida. Byrne has competed in similar competitions, the Elks Hoop Shoot and MLB Home Run Derby.

“So I was able to compete at the sectional level that was also held at Gavin Park. Then the champions competition at Yankee Stadium, but only if I had one of the top three overall points for all of the Yankee market which included New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut,” Byrne said.

Byrne is a pitcher, first baseman, third basemen, shortstop, and catcher. He also plays basketball.

“Stepping onto the field was unbelievable! It was so much different than being in the stands. There was a crew cleaning and prepping the field for the game and for us. There were even bomb sniffing dogs going around the field. When I looked around the stands, it was like a dream come true,” Byrne said of the Yankee Stadium experience.

“It was certainly a good competition and Pierce is a fantastic player,” said Steve Kantscheidt, Community Outreach board member of Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball.

Byrne was not able to meet any of his heroes at the competition but he did get to see Aaron Judge hit a 459-foot home run.

Byrne’s said his favorite thing about baseball is, “playing with my friends, hitting long balls, and throwing strikes.”

The thing he looks most forward to about the upcoming season is, “being back on the field.”