sports

One Last Lap: Saying Goodbye to 13 Years of Chappaqua Sports

June 3, 2017 by Gillian Hand

Walking through Chappaqua on a Saturday morning, you see bright green specks spread out across the Recreation Field. It is a team of AYSO kindergarteners, featuring miniature players with uniforms down to their ankles and stubby shin guards strapped to tiny legs. Among the mass of little athletes, you spot a girl standing off to the side.

She sprouts curly pigtails from the sides of her head, sports her very first pair of cleats, and holds a bright pink soccer ball in her small hands, although she has no idea what to do with it yet. Right now, all she can think about is her own excitement. She has no idea how busy, crazy, and extraordinary her life will become after these very first moments of her Chappaqua sports career.

That girl is me. Thirteen years later, I am not much different, even after a whirlwind of sports, teams, practices, games, coaches, teammates, schools, and memories.

For as long as I can remember, I have been playing sports in Chappaqua. I have hit almost all of them–soccer, track, basketball, lacrosse, softball, swimming, tennis–and have proudly worn the names of Chappaqua and Greeley across my uniforms.

I always wanted to be doing something, and luckily for me, I always had a home on a Chappaqua team.

Things changed, naturally; these past few years, it became less likely to find me on the upper soccer field at Gedney Park, but much easier to catch me warming up on the Greeley track or out on a run around town. Even so, Chappaqua sports are among the most defining aspects of my 18 years in this town. In this ode to the crazy schedules, amazing memories, and incredible friendships that went along with these many years of sports, I can finally say thank you.

As I near the end of my ninth and final season running for Greeley, I find myself struggling to describe just what track did for me. Despite being an individual sport, track is united, supportive, and team-centered; the friendship I feel for and from my teammates is unparalleled, and it is this camaraderie that has kept me coming back each season.

We train and compete together, and we savor all that the experience has given us, championing each personal athletic achievement and celebrating the relationships that got us there. Looking back, these connections were there every step of the way, from the track to the field and beyond.

Of course, my athletic experience was not perfect. There were injuries. There were bad moments. There were times when I lost my confidence, and others when I questioned my participation altogether. Really, I was never the best at what I did. I was never the athlete you noticed, the girl who stood out amongst her teammates and competitors.

But on the eve of my graduation from Greeley, everything looks different. As the things that I thought would last forever become “lasts” themselves, I choose not to remember the negatives. How could I? I have so much to be thankful for. It was a wild ride, and I would not change a thing.

For me, the ending is perfect. Greeley track and field won the League Championship, and I am coming full circle with one last season of soccer on the coed high school AYSO team. However, it is bittersweet. It is certainly not easy to walk away from 13 years of Chappaqua sports. Somehow, the fields at Gedney Park will always belong to me. The Greeley track will always feel like home, even when it is being reconstructed.

And when I walk through town on a Saturday morning and see young athletes running around in front of their cheering parents, I will think about the incredible years they have ahead of them. It is their turn now.

While I am excited for what lies ahead, part of me will always be here, in a green uniform three sizes too large, kicking my pink soccer ball around the field next to Town Hall. And who knows? Over college breaks, you just might catch me on a run around Chappaqua. Some things never change.

Keeping Kids Safe on the Sports Field

August 31, 2016 by The Inside Press

White Plains Hospital Experts Aim to Equip Parents with News They Can Use as Fall Sports Season Gets Underway

Just in time for the beginning of team try outs, games and practices, three highly regarded experts from White Plains Hospital will present a valuable talk on sports safety for kids. The informational session is open to the public and will provide parents, coaches, and caregivers with the tools they need to prevent injuries and accidents among school-aged kids, as well as guidance on what to do when injuries do occur.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2.6 million children ages 19 and younger are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for sports and recreation-related injuries, including sprains and strains, and injuries involving growth plates and repetitive motions.

“Playing sports provide tremendous physical and social benefits for kids,” said Michael Schwartz, MD, orthopedic surgeon with White Plains Hospital Physician Associates Orthopedic Specialists who specializes in sports medicine, “but it is extremely important for parents and coaches to know how they can prevent physical injury among their competitive young athletes, and how to react when an injury occurs.”

The talk will be held on Thursday September 15^th from 6:30-7:30 PM at the North Castle Public Library, Whippoorwill Road East, in Armonk. It is part of the Hospital’s Take Charge of Your Health Community Education series, free of charge and open to the public.

Panelists are Dr. Samantha Lowe, a pediatrician with a background in emergency pediatrics; Dr. Michael Weintraub, a neurologist specializing in brain trauma, cerebral concussions and other neurological issues; and Dr. Schwartz. Pediatrician Dr. Ellen Lestz will provide introductory remarks. Dr. Lestz, Dr. Lowe and Dr. Weintraub are based at White Plains Hospital Medical and Wellness, a multispecialty outpatient facility in Armonk, while Dr. Schwartz practices out of White Plains.

Advance registration is not required, but interested individuals can call Jamie Bocchino at (914) 681-2650 or email JBocchino@wphospital.org for more information.

Yankee’s JOE GIRARDI: “Sports Talk Speaker” To UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK

February 2, 2016 by The Inside Press

(From left) Richard Leroy of Briarcliff Manor, Carl Finger of Scarsdale, Jeff Kapelus of New Rochelle, New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi, Barbara Bel of Scarsdale, David Perlmutter of Chappaqua, Scott Zemachson of Scarsdale, and Ken Fuirst of Chappaqua.

Yankees Manager Joe Girardi served as guest speaker at UJA-Federation of New York’s 10th Annual Sports Talk. The event took place on Thursday, January 28at Mulino’s at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester, New York. It drew nearly 250 guests who came to support UJA-Federation’s life-changing work and hear from Girardi, who has guided the Yankees to five playoffs and one World Series Championship since being named manager in 2007.

A Purchase, New York, resident, Girardi successfully translated the skills he learned during his 15 years as a Major League Baseball catcher into his winning career as manager. As a major league catcher, he played for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Yankees. He also dedicates much of his time to philanthropy, particularly his Catch 25 Foundation, which provides support to those afflicted with ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and fertility issues.

Guests had the opportunity to hear about the work of UJA-Federation, which over the course of its 99-year history has become the largest local philanthropy in the world, supporting a network of nearly 100 nonprofit organizations that serve every population from early childhood to old age, and that offer critical assistance in almost every life circumstance.

“It’s amazing how we’re immediately on the ground — whether that’s here in New York during Hurricane Sandy, in Israel during last summer’s rocket attacks, in Japan following the earthquake, or in Ukraine when the Jewish community came under threat. The impact we make is extraordinary,” said Event Chair Ken Fuirst of Chappaqua. “But the difference we make isn’t only in France or Israel or even downtown New York. We touch lives right here in Westchester.”

Event chairs were Barbara Bel of Scarsdale, Carl Finger of Scarsdale, Ken Fuirst of Chappaqua, Jeff Kapelus of New Rochelle, David Perlmutter of Chappaqua, and Scott Zemachson of Scarsdale. Richard Leroy of Briarcliff Manor served as auction chair.

About UJA-Federation of New York 

For nearly 100 years, UJA-Federation has inspired New Yorkers to act on their values and invest in our community for the biggest impact. Through UJA-Federation, more than 50,000 donors address issues that matter most to them, pooling their resources to care for New Yorkers of all backgrounds and Jews everywhere, to connect people to their Jewish communities, and to respond to crises close to home and around the globe. Working with nearly 100 beneficiary agencies, synagogues, and other Jewish organizations, UJA-Federation is the world’s largest local philanthropy; our reach spans from New York to Israel to more than 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit our website at www.ujafedny.org.

House of Sports Gets New Owners!

August 24, 2015 by The Inside Press

HOS - Press Release Customized-1 Elmsford, NY, August 19, 2015 – American Skating Entertainment Centers, LLC, (“ASEC”) the largest independent owner/operator of ice skating and indoor sports facilities in the United States, has teamed up with Robert Martin Company and Diamond Properties to acquire the House of Sports. Constructed in 2012, the House of Sports is a 100,000 square foot, state-of-the-art indoor sports facility offering lacrosse, basketball, soccer, baseball, volleyball, camps, birthday parties, and Athletic Republic performance training.

“We are extremely excited about the opportunity to purchase this incredible sports property, accelerating our growth and demonstrating our commitment to Westchester County”, stated Shane Coppola Chairman and CEO of ASEC. “House of Sports will complement our successful Westchester Skating Academy and Playland Ice facilities allowing us to continue to provide the best sports and recreation experiences for the residents of the County and the tri-state region. We will leverage our experience and reputation for outstanding customer service to transform House of Sports into the most popular and well-respected indoor sports business in the United States.”

Frank Lombardy, General Manager of House of Sports, commented, “I truly believe that this is a great opportunity for our customers, coaches, employees, and partners. Under ASEC’s leadership, best-in-class customer service, and operating standards, we are confident that we can take House of Sports to the next level. We will continue to offer all of our sports programming and work more proactively to attract Westchester-based youth sports organizations to our facility.” To learn more about the House of Sports, please visit houseofsportsny.com or call Frank Lombardy, General Manager, at 914-479-5419.

About ASEC

Founded in 2006, ASEC is the largest owner/operator of ice skating and indoor sports facilities in the United States. Headquartered in Westchester County, NY, ASEC operates 17 facilities in New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Arizona, and California, including the iconic Toyota Sports Center in Los Angeles, which is home to the LA Kings and LA Lakers.

About Robert Martin Company

Robert Martin Company, headquartered in Elmsford, NY, has been a leader in real estate investment, development and management for over 55 years. Emerging from its start as a local home builder and becoming, for several decades, Westchester County’s largest diversified developer and builder, Robert Martin Company has developed and acquired over 20 million square feet of real estate across virtually every asset class. Today, RMC and its affiliates continue to hold real estate that includes office, retail, industrial, residential and undeveloped land, as well as investments in service, utility and restaurant (predominantly Dunkin Donuts) businesses.

About Diamond Properties

Diamond Properties is commercial real estate business located in Mount Kisco, New York that focuses on the acquisition of commercial properties with potential for substantial improvement through hands-on property management, market repositioning, and capital upgrades. Since Diamond Properties was founded in 1993, they’ve acquired 58 properties, including office, warehouse, retail, residential, and land in 5 states, and they currently own 44 of those properties, totaling in excess of 3,700,000 square feet. They continue to pursue an intense capital improvement and leasing program that, when combined with quality-driven customer service, has enabled them to deliver consistently high tenant satisfaction and lease renewal rates. For more information about Diamond Properties, visit their website at http://www.diamondproperties.com. For information on current space availabilities, call Mark Blandford at 914-773-6242 or email mblan@dpmgt.com.

Editor’s Note: This release was courtesy of the American Skating Entertainment Centers

Hey Coach!

May 27, 2014 by The Inside Press

By Eric Kratz

It is hard to believe that it’s been 14 years since I started coaching. The kids I coached at the beginning are now young men and women that can out-play me in the sports I helped them learn, but that’s what’s supposed to happen.

I became interested in coaching in 1992 after walking into a client’s office and admiring his wall filled with team photos. I had many long talks with him about how much work, but tremendous joy it was coaching his son. I was hooked…but a few things had to happen first. Like get married, have kids and buy a house somewhere in Westchester.

Fast forward to about 2002 and me running up and down the sidelines at the Boys and Girls Club coaching five-year-old boys on the basketball court.

I learned quickly that self-confidence and a love for the game were the most powerful things I could teach. Some kids have natural talents; others need to work hard to achieve basic skills. At the beginning of every season I would try to figure out where each kid could play at the start of the season that would get them into the game but not shake their confidence. As they learned and developed, I slowly moved them around to other positions. I explained this strategy to the kids and they really got it. Unfortunately, some parents didn’t. It still amazes me how some people are focused on playing time and winning at such a young age, when we really should be concentrating on teamwork and fundamentals.

The first time I coached 5th grade rec baseball we had a really interesting combination of kids. We were the Mets, and we played like our namesake. (I’m a Mets fan, but, let’s face it, being a Mets fan is tough). We had one really talented kid–I think he is now playing for Greeley–but the other 12 needed a little work. Some of the kids never played before. I tried to build their confidence throughout the season. I first put them in positions I thought they could handle to build up their confidence, then slowly moved them around, telling them what they needed to work on to get better.

By the end of the season, we had kids that could play several positions pretty well. We worked on the basics, base running, how to communicate and, most importantly, to support each other. All the teams made the playoffs, the top two got to play under the lights at the Rec field with the whole league watching in a championship game. It was a great experience. Too bad our town does not have more night sports events like high school football, but that’s another article for another time…

“It still amazes me how some people are focused on playing time and winning at such a young age, when we really should be concentrating on teamwork and fundamentals.”

We were not supposed to get past the first round, but we kept on winning. The kids played with confidence and supported each other. We ended up winning the championship in extra innings. I know most of them probably forgot about it the next day, but it was the realization of my amateur coaching dreams.

This spring will be the last season that I coach a sport. It has been a fun ride. I hope the kids I coached enjoyed the experience and will have the confidence to compete in anything. I moved my office recently, and kept one wall to hang all of my team pictures.

Sometimes, when the day is not going the way I would like, I take a few minutes to look at the pictures and remember all the fun and great reactions the kids had when they made a nice play. I hope that wall of photos, and maybe this story, inspires others to coach and continue the tradition.

Eric Kratz has been living in Chappaqua since 1997. When not coaching, Eric owns a software company and can often be seen jogging along Seven Bridges Road.