PYA Spring Season Registration Under Way

Baseball, developmental lacrosse, softball, tennis and roller hockey will all be offered

With the cold air moving out and no sign of snow in the forecast that can only mean one thing – Port Washington Youth Activities’ spring sports season is about to begin. PYA has announced that the final registration date for its spring sports is March 17 so sign up quickly to be part of the action.

This spring PYA once again offers a full slate of sports for all boys and girls that includes baseball, softball, tennis, developmental lacrosse and roller hockey. PYA baseball, softball and lacrosse fields located at the end of Glen Lane in Port Washington are some of the best playing fields on Long Island. PYA’s baseball and softball programs are sanctioned by Little League, which also has approved PYA’s safety plan for its facilities.

Please read below for more details on the various programs PYA offers.

Knights of Columbus ‘Shoot Out’

The results of the Knights of Columbus #1227 Basketball “Shoot Out” are as follows.

10-Year-Old Boy

1. Mike Gallagher

2. David Cytryn

11-Year-Old Boy

1. Anthony Sila

2. Sebbastian Reyes

Port Wildcats Are Undefeated U16 Division Soccer Champs

The Wildcats went undefeated and finished first in their U16 division for the second time in two years in the Long Island Junior Soccer League. Team consisted of the following players: Jordan Abrams, Daisy Aguilar, Katy Ansel, Juliana Chester, Rachel Chieco, Sydnie Cohen, Emily D’Annunzio, Mara Davis, Alexandria Dover, Stephanie Martinez, Anna Meyding, Kayla Pollock, Hanna Rosenblum, Emma Schildkraut, Avanti Shroff, Gabriella Tardera, Kim Zhirzhan. Coaching staff consisted of Head Coach Dominic D’Annunzio of Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Assistant Coach Artie Dover, and Trainer Lee Rogers.

On The Bay: February 1, 2012

Port Rowing Team Wins the Dorman Cup at the First Annual Gold Coast Classic

Monika Dorman, a resident of Sands Point, and an avid rower, had a dream for many years of starting a rowing club for the children of Port Washington. In 2010, Monika, along with Mitch Tamkin, a former high school, college and U.S. Junior Team rower, Bo Hansen, a former Danish National Lightweight rower and Steve Panzik, a former high school, collegiate and U.S. Junior Team member, and community advocates, formed Friends of Port Rowing. In April 2011, under the leadership of Steve Panzik, executive director and head coach, 94 novice rowers in seven (donated) boats took to the water from the Village Club of Sands Point. Within a year – they are celebrating their first year anniversary right about now – this group bought boats, hired coaches, and launched what was to become an incredibly successful rowing club.

In just one year they have become the largest rowing club on Long Island, with over 150 new and experienced rowers enrolled in the “sold out” Winter Training Program. Since that first day in April, 2001, the team won five races at their first regatta, the Big Duck Regatta, a gold medal for boys four at the Long Island Championship, and a huge win for the girls four at the New York State Championship. And that was just the spring season. In the fall, the team won two races at the Head of the Passaic, coming in second in the team points race and winning 13 medals (five Gold, four Silver and four Bronze) at the Snowflake Regatta in Riverhead. The varsity boats also competed at the Head of the Charles in Boston and Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia. For those who are unfamiliar with rowing, these last two regattas are major competition.

Schreiber Wrestlers Having Successful Season

The Schreiber High School Wrestling Program is having an outstanding season! Their current dual meet record heading into playoffs is a strong 15-3.

After starting the season with a 48-39 win over Westbury at home, the Vikings have gone on a convincing roll beating opponents by scores of 72-12 Carle Place, 40-17 South Side, 57-21 Oceanside, 50-30 Hampton Bays, 70-9 Hempstead, 57-27 Wheatley, 71-9 Garden City, 43-28 Uniondale, 58-21 Carle Place, 60-21 Hicksville, 72-12 Bellmore, 51-31 North Shore and 54-30 Mineola. Port’s tough losses this season came at the hands of Powerhouse Baldwin, Farmingdale and Chaminade.

On The Bay: January 25, 2012

Quantum Key West Race Week took place last week, while we up north had a snow storm, high winds and all the weather that winter brings to the northeast United States. So, for readers who happen to be sailor/racers, don’t get too bummed out looking at the dreary rainy day, I thought it would brighten everyone’s spirits to take a look at this perennial favorite regatta down south.  

According to press releases, the regatta was a huge success, with a frantic finish as several boats snatched victory with strong performances on the fifth and final day.

Barking Mad, who has sailed in Western Long Island Sound at the Manhasset Bay Fall Series in years past, pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the 25-year history of the regatta, winning the Farr 40 class despite suffering a dreaded DNF. Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., did not finish Race 2 after a scary man overboard incident. That type of result usually proves fatal in a no-throwout series, but the Barking Mad team kept plugging away - winning three of the final five races to pull out an improbable one-point victory.  “I wasn’t too optimistic that we could win the regatta after what happened in that second race, but we just had to keep sailing with the understanding that every point was crucial,” Richardson said. “We got better as the week went along and everything just sort of fell into place at the end.” Local sailor/racer John Thomson, Jr. was the motivation behind the launch of the Farr 40 class back when racers were looking for the great racing boat.  One has to believe that he is quite proud of the accomplishments of the class and the individuals who have made the fleet a force in any regatta they attend.

Schreiber Sports – “Scores and More”

The midterm week off will get our teams ready for the final stretch of the winter season. With three more weeks to go, all of our teams are vying for post-season position.

Kicking off this Friday will be a rematch of the girls basketball game vs. Hicksville. The Lady Vikings lost by two the first time these teams played. It is PYA night, so let’s pack the gym and get our girls a win.

The wrestling team has been the winter’s shining team. Currently holding a 15-4 dual meet record, the team has two second-place tournament finishes, Wheatley Cup Champions and have qualified as the top seed in the Division A Tournament this weekend.

On The Bay: January 18, 2012

The Annual Frostbite New Year’s Regatta is always the highlight of the holiday season. Not only is the on-the-water competition really good, but the festivities connected with the event are great fun. Last week, this column highlighted one of the “awards” given to the Race Committee for their superior demonstration on how to try to burn down Kraus’ Kastle. What readers need to know is that they really didn’t want to burn down the float, but because they grill yummy lunch each Sunday out on the bay (in freezing temperatures, mind you) they may have gotten just a tad bit lax in watching the burgers. Oh, well, these awards are all in good fun, like the Mooseheads that are given out at the end of each season. Come to think of it, both events are aimed at Race Committees…. Maybe we need to have a seasonal roast of the racers and their teams… I am sure we could come up with some really “dopey” things that go on in a race… you know, those things that are never mentioned at the bar after racing.

Piranhas Finish Undefeated Season

A group of local sixth grade girls are a part of a U-12 travel soccer team called the Piranhas. This past fall, the Piranhas finished an undefeated season, going 10-0, finishing in first place in their division. This team has come a long way, in that just a short two years ago, when the girls were just starting out in travel soccer as fourth graders, their record was 0-8-1. Congratulations to the Piranhas on their hard work and well-earned, successful season!

On The Bay: January 10, 2012

While the New Year holiday brings out the celebratory nature in even the most reclusive, there is a group of sailors who tone down their celebrations because they have a date to keep – on the water. Yes, they would be our frostbiters who sail during the “off season” out in small boats when the weather turns really cold. Known as the Annual Frostbite Regatta, teams from up and down Long Island Sound show up to launch their boat off of the Manhasset Bay YC dock. MBYC is the organizing authority for this event, and has been for the past 80 years when the first event took place back in 1932 with a group of men over at Knickerbocker YC on January 2. That first regatta was a very different one than what took place this past New Year’s. In 1932, it rained, it hailed and it snowed; grog and chowder was served all day. The first day of this year’s regatta saw little wind, but on the second day, after a delayed start, the wind came in just fine – but no rain, hail or snow.