Vernon Edition July 2012

Jon Buzby says the Olympics can be a learning lesson. See page 3

Check out the Little League action in our Little League section, beginning on page 12

It’s Deja Vu All Over Again

Just a few short weeks after the Rockville HIgh girls won the state softball title, the Ver-non 11-12-year old soft-ball all-stars captured the District 8 Tourmament with a 10-0 victory over Windsor. Photo by Lynn Moss, Special To The Sports Department.

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Inside The Sports Department

Named Media Outlet of the Year By Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association

The Sports Department

The Sports Department Male Athlete Of The Year

Enfield’s Hugh LindoBy B. N. Mazzone,Sports CorrespondentENFIELD—Enfield High School’s Hugh Lindo woke up to a nice surprise last Tuesday morning as he learned that he had been named the Sports Depart-

ment’s inaugural Male Athlete Of The Year.

“I didn’t know this award existed,” Lindo said. “I’m really honored. I thought our teams had great seasons,

See “LINDO”, Page 4

The Sports Department Female Student Athlete Of The Year

Rockville’s Jenny MearsBy B. N. Mazzone The Sports DepartmentVERNON—Rockville High School standout Jenny Mears was basking in the Florida sun when she received yet another award: The Sports Department’s inaugural Female Athlete Of The Year. She received the news last week while she was on vacation celebrating yet another award that she won this past school year.

Mears was in Florida on an all-expense paid trip in honor of her selection (one of 25 others in the country) for the SAMMY (Student Athlete Milk Moustache of the Year) Got Milk? Athlete Award. The award is sponsored by

Got Milk? and USA Today.Mears was an All-State goalie for the Rock-

ville girls soccer team this past season and a four-year starter. She was also a standout for the outdoor track team placing third in the Class M’s in javelin. In December, Mears traveled to New York where she was honored as a national finalist for t he Wendy’s High School Heisman Trophy Award.

“This is such an honor. There are so many great athletes in the area. I am just lucky that people think of me this way,” Mears said. “I just love playing sports. I couldn’t imagine life without them. I’ve learned so many lessons

See “MEARS”, Page 4

July 20122 The Sports Department

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Our Goal is to Get You Back in the Game!ECHN Provides Rehabilitation When & Where You Need It

If you are sidelined due to an injury or illness, the good news is that you have seven great outpatient rehabilitation facilities to choose from within your own community.

Working with your physicians, we share the same goal of getting you back in the game with personalized service, quality sta!, and highly specialized programs uniquely tailored to meet your needs. You’ll receive understanding, encouragement, and respect every step of the way throughout your recovery.

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The Olympics Can Be A Lesson In SportsBy Jon BuzbyThe Sports Department

It only happens once every four years and it’s happening July 25–August 12 in London, England: the 2012 Summer Olym-pics. In addition to the usual sport, spirit, and splendor of the Olympic games, there will be several lesser known sports con-tested that will set up the perfect platform to educate your children about another country’s favorite pastime.

Here are some ideas to make watching the games more interesting and educa-tional for the entire family.

Before the Games Begin: Help each

child select a sport he or she is going to follow during the Olympics. My rule of thumb is they have to pick a sport that isn’t shown on TV in America very often during the rest of the year. Ask each child to re-search facts about the sport to share with

the rest of the family, such as the origin of the sport, equipment needed, rules in the Olympics that differ from usual rules, and so on.

Opening Ceremony: Plan a special din-ner. How about Shepherd’s pie followed by Yorkshire pudding for the night of the ceremony? While watching the ceremony, have each child share his or her informa-tion when the country where their sport originated is announced. Hint: Be prepared that every country will not be shown.

The Opening Ceremony is also a chance to discuss why some countries choose to boycott the Olympics and use sports as a political platform. You can link the conversation back to an explanation of our country’s boycott in 1980.

During the Games: Unlike years ago when only the popular sports, such as gymnastics, swimming, basketball and track were televised, now this summer the Internet will provide live feeds from just about every sports venue at some point. Make it a point to watch each child’s selected sport with the entire family.

Kids can keep track of the athletes/

teams in their sport throughout the two weeks of competition. It’s a great oppor-tunity to teach them to use print media, along with the Internet, to help them search for results and interesting stories about their selected sport. Maybe each child could give a halfway report on his or her sport after the first week of the games.

After the Games: If at all possible, have each child — and their siblings — experi-ence the sport he or she followed during the games, either by watching it in person or trying it themselves. It might be impos-sible to get your child on a horse, but if they chose equestrian as their sport, my guess is there is a competition you could watch near you in the future.

And lastly, use their interest in the sport to fuel other educational opportunities. Just because the Olympics end, doesn’t mean their chosen sport will shut down. Encourage your kids, and provide them the means, to continue to learn more about and keep up-to-date on the sport they became so interested in during the games.

The Olympics will be here before we know it, so start planning now to take advantage of this Olympic year. Make sure those two weeks of summer are a fascinat-ing learning experience for your family.

Jon Buzby’s columns appear in newspa-

pers and magazines around the country

as well as numerous websites. Email your

comments to [email protected].



Continued from Page 1but I didn’t expect an award like this. I’m sure others are deserving, but it says a lot about my teammates.”

Lindo was a standout receiver on the football team, a center on the (22-0) basketball team, and a team leader for the volleyball squad, which advanced to the state tournament quarterfinals.

“We had a great sense of family on all of our teams. We really loved each other. I had a lot of great bonds and people whom I trusted and I hope trusted me,” Lindo said.

Lindo believes that his teammates were the reason why he was able to find so much success.

“In football you need a great QB to throw you the ball, and in basketball you lean on five other guys. If you don’t have them, you don’t win. You can’t do anything alone,” Lindo said.

Lindo credits his basketball coach Cory O’Connell for getting the most of him as an athlete.

“Coach O’Connell really pushed me. We didn’t always get along and we’d fight, but I knew he just wanted me to be great. I always wanted to please him and that was tough. I can’t thank him enough

for what he taught me,” Lindo said.Lindo hopes to attend Western New

England University in the fall and play both football and basketball.

“I started the application process late, but I’ve talked to the coaches and they think things will move smoothly. I’m train-ing and I look forward to the fall,” Lindo said.

Lindo A Star In All Sports

Mears Named Salutatorian

In addition to being a high character indi-

-

nant force in three sports for the Raiders.

Photo by: Steve Palmer, TheSportsDept.

com, www.stevepalmerphotography.comMears receives her medal from Wendy’s President & CEO

-

sell, Wendy’s

Continued from Page 1from sports, had so many positive experi-ences. I just love what I do and I hope to do it for a long time.”

Mears will attend Quinnipiac University in the fall and enroll in the six year physician’s assistant program. She will try to continue her athletic career as a walk-on goalie for the soccer team.

“I am working hard with my goalie coach. I really hope that I make it, but if not I will be actively involved in intramural sports,” Mears said.

Mears was not only a standout on the athletic fields, she was also the class salutatorian at Rockville High School.

Chris Watts, Rockville,Basketball and Baseball

Boys Basketball Head Coach Peter McCann: “Chris brought a tremendous work ethic and enthusiasm to practice each and every day. Regardless of the minutes he was getting on the court during games, his primary focus was doing what he could to help the team win.”

Mike Cleary, Ellington,Baseball

Baseball Coach Keith Tautkas: “Mike had a great year for our baseball team and was our leading hitter. He was a real leader for our team both on and off the field.”

Kelly Conley, Ellington,Basketball and Lacrosse

Girls Basketball and Lacrosse Head Coach Lauren Lovetere-Beeler: “Kelly is kind, caring, smart and a leader. Kelly is also an outstanding athlete. I will go to ‘battle’ will Kelly Conley any day of the week!”

Matt Mensher, Tolland,Cross Country and Track

Boys Cross Country and Track Head Coach Brandon Elliot: “Matt has been a captain of all three teams his senior year, and has been named all-state and all-conference many times in these three sports over the past three years, along with being part of multiple state champion boys cross country and track teams. Aside from the high level of performance that Matt has at-tained, he also is a great person and teammate.”

Kristin Carr, Tolland,Soccer

Soccer Head Coach Ken Boucher: “Kristin is a great offensive player, and she has a nose for the goal and an unorthodox shot that keeps goalies off balance.”

Connor Allen, South Windsor,Lacrosse

Lacrosse Head Coach Jon Giordano: “Connor is a very good athlete and has great maturity for a high school athlete.”

Christine Thomas-Walker, South Windsor, Track

Track Head Coach Clint Bowman: “Christine was a great competitor and leader for our team

this season. She set an example for the rest of our runners and kept them in line and working hard when I needed her to.”

Cody Brown, Fermi,Football, Basketball and Volleyball

Boys Volleyball Head Coach Alexandra Pyznarr: “Cody is a great player and leader in all areas. He was a captain this year and an All-CCC player the past two years.”

Kerry Davis, Fermi,Field Hockey, Basketball and Softball

Girls Basketball Head Coach Sean Sweeney: “On and off the floor, Kerry is the consummate team leader and player. She was a basketball captain and an All-CCC selection, and led the team in most statistical categories.”

Patience Bearse, Enfield,Track

Girls Track Coach Rachel Shuttleworth: “Patience is an extremely dedicated, hard work-ing student-athlete both on the track and off. She is going on to bigger and better things next year and will certainly be missed by her fellow athletes and coaches.”

Jason Moustafa, Somers,Football and Lacrosse

Football Coach Keith Tautkas: “He always had a great attitude on the field and our kids looked up to him as a leader.”

Heather McLaughlin, Somers,Soccer

Soccer Head Coach Mike Nziolek: “Heather always had a great work ethic and attitude on the field. Because of this, she was able to have a strong impact on those around her.”

Kevin Mocadlo, East Windsor,Golf

Boys Golf Head Coach Todd Zenczak: “Kevin has made tremendous strides from the begin-ning of the year, especially on his iron play. I expect a big season out of Kevin next year.”

Marissa Simonelli, East Windsor,Track

Track Head Coach Andrew Masters: “Marissa is a fantastic hurdler and high jumper. The com-petitiveness and focus she shows demonstrates the mark of a good athlete.”

Student Athletes of the Year Honorable Mentions

July 2012 5The Sports DepartmentTolland

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Jake Tellers pre-

ball into the net at the Bowers LAX Tournament. Pho-to by: Andre Ga-rant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

Clay Keane rips one to home plate in the

Tolland LL Championship game against

the Cardinals. Photo by: Andre Garant,

The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.

com

Luke Bowden

attempts to bunt

while playing in the

Tolland LL Cham-

pionship. Photo by:

Andre Garant, The

Sports Department,

www.ajgphotoguy.

com

Max Fenner kneels out of respect for an injured player. Photo by: An-dre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

Triathlon A Huge Success

By Tom Ainsworth,Tolland RecreationHello Everyone,

Our 5th Annual Summer Solstice Triathlon was a success with good weather and lots of fun. Many thanks to the recreation staff, our volunteers and our sponsors CNC Software and Tolland Bicycle for their help and support. The results of the race can be found online at plattsys.com.

Our summer programs are starting and we have some new and interesting ones. Our summer camp is back at Crandall Park in the brand new pavilion, with new directors and some great new ideas for summer fun. There are still some open-ings available but don’t forget you have to register a week ahead for the following week. Crandall Pond is open daily for swimming from 1 to 6pm, weather permit-ting. There is a fee for swimming. Season passes are available for residents in the Recreation Office.

Check us out online for a complete listing of all the things we are offering this summer.

Go to Tolland.org, under parks and recreation, and brochures. Also while you are there check out over 300 online pro-grams we offer. They cover a wide range of topics and skills which may prove help-ful in today’s ever changing job market.

Save the date Saturday, September 15th on your calendar. That’s when we will be holding the 3rd Annual Celebrate Tolland Festival at Tolland High School. We are looking to showcase local artists and local talent. Applications for entering the Art Show are now available. The day will be filled with entertainment, games, contests, and lots of good food. If you are interested in participating, contact the Recreation Office.

As always if you have any ques-tions give us a call at 871-3610 Monday through Thursday, and we hope to see you out and about!

Become A FREE I-Member! Interact with your community, comment on stories

and columns and participate in discussion forums. Go to www.thesportsdept.com for more information.

July 20126 The Sports DepartmentAmerican Legion Baseball

Ellington Legion Cooling OffBy Danny Atkinson,The Sports Department

After a hot start to the season, the El-lington American Legion team is currently 10-8 and fifth in Zone 8. Ellington has struggled with consistency and had lost six of eight before winning three straight. The team was swept last weekend by Rockville in a doubleheader by scores of 8-7 and 3-2. Head coach Ray Mocadlo reflected on the frustrating losses a few days later.

“We came in a little bit flat at the start of the day and couldn’t seem to get going on offense,” Mocadlo said. “We never got key hits when we needed them and Rockville did. It’s as simple as that.”

He also said, “During the bad stretch we’ve been having, we’ve scored very few runs. We haven’t been able to generate offense, and weren’t able to rebound from having a bad inning or two.”

Ellington’s 15-0 victory over Manchester on Monday, July 2 may be the offensive outburst the team needs to get back on track.

“We came out in that game with the attitude that we would play hard and try to grab some momentum, and that’s just what our team did,” Mocadlo stated. “Once we got a run or two, that offensive success became contagious.”

With its depth, particularly on the mound and on defense, Ellington still has a solid chance at qualifying for the Legion play-in tournament. It will need to go at least 7-3 in its final ten games to qualify.

“If we continue to play like we did against Manchester then qualifying is very realistic,” Mocadlo said. “If we get there,

then going further will be based on who’s hot at the right time.”

RockvilleRockville is 10-10 and sits in seventh

place in Zone 8 as of July 8. On July 6th, Rockville defeated Manchester 3-1, limiting their opponent to just four hits. Rockville travels to South Windsor for a doubleheader on the 8th and faces Wind-sor at home the following day.

TollandTolland is 9-9 as of July 8, but has lost

three in a row and four of its last five. The team is in sixth place in Zone 8. Tol-land was swept earlier in the season in a doubleheader at Windsor by scores of 6-4 and 5-4.

“Windsor hit the ball very well in those games, and we struggled to get timely hits,” said head coach Dan Bracken. “Our team didn’t react well to the heat that day. It sapped some of their energy.”

According to Bracken, a lack of timely hitting has significantly hurt his team and taken away from its strengths in the field and on the mound.

Bracken believes Tolland can reverse its recent struggles and qualify for the Legion play-in tournament. He needs to see more mental toughness from his players for the tournament to become a reality.

“Our team is playing with motivation, but I still want to see more intestinal fortitude from our guys,” he stated. “Otherwise, we’re going to make it harder on ourselves to qualify. That mental toughness will have to come from within. I’m confident that

we’ll show it.”Tolland has home games versus En-

field, Manchester, and Windsor Locks on Friday the 6th, Sunday the 8th, and Tuesday the 10th.

South WindsorSouth Windsor is 10-6 and second

in Zone 8 after winning 10 consecu-tive games. During the winning streak, South Windsor has defeated strong squads in Enfield and East Hartford. The 3-2 victory over East Hartford on June 26th was the most notable. In the contest, Dan Bettigole shut down East Hartford’s offense and South Windsor was able to break a tie in the bottom of the sixth.

Pitching has been the team’s strength

all season. Bettigole and Brian Finnegan have been South Windsor’s aces, but Pe-ter Haggerty, Andrew King and Stephen Porcello have also pitched well. Haggerty tossed a one-hitter in a 5-3 victory over Windsor on Tuesday, July 3rd.

According to head coach George Yates, first baseman Robbie Linnell, Haggerty, and third baseman Anthony Garcia have performed particularly well at the plate dur-ing this stretch.

South Windsor has a very challenging stretch of games beginning on July 5th,

-

South WIndsor’s Andrew King checks the

sign from second base.

South Windsor’s Tony Garcia races for

third base.

as it plays six games in five days. Yates is optimistic about his team being able to maintain its current level of play.

“We’re looking to play one game at a time,” he said. “If we continue to play with the same level of effort and aggres-siveness we should be able to continue winning. We want to get to .500 and then continue going from there. Hopefully we can reach the state tournament.”

Enfield native Justin Thomas has con-sistently established himself as one of the very best pitchers in Connecticut. Thomas, a six foot, 185 pound left-hander who just graduated from Enfield High School and currently plays for the town’s American Legion squad, was a star for Enfield the

See “THOMAS”, Page 23

Sakura Garden South Windsor had had great success in using The Sports Department website to promote events and charity donations to the surrounding towns in Connecticut. The overall manageability of the site is astounding; you can add images and personalize it to suit your needs. Better yet, it tells you in plain English! We are very please with the site itself as well as the people working behind the scenes, and we are proud to be a member of The Sports Department site!

Rich Vasile, Sakura Garden, South Windsor

To learn how The Sports Department can help your business growplease call 860-872-0873 or email us at: [email protected]

July 2012 7The Sports DepartmentTwilight Baseball League

Foss Insurance Battling The Injury BugBy Reid L. Walmark,The Sports Department

The Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League has operated continuously since 1929 and ballplayers from The Sports Department circulation area (Tolland, Ellington, Vernon, South Windsor, Som-ers, East Windsor, Stafford, Enfield and Glastonbury) have played significant roles over the years. This season is no excep-tion, with more than a dozen area players making meaningful contributions.

Mitch Plourde (ECSU), a 2010 gradu-ate of Ellington, is in his second season with Foss Insurance. Manager Gene Johnson is looking forward to Plourde’s return from injury in mid-July. Also injured is Gary Burnham, a 1993 graduate of South Windsor, who has played in three games and is batting .308. He played minor league ball for the Phillies after play-ing at Clemson. His younger brother, Brett Burnham, was drafted by the Padres in 2003 out of UConn, but has not played yet for Foss this season and may not at all, Johnson said. Brett Burnham, a 1999 graduate of South Windsor, is a former GHTBL MVP and has led the league in many offensive categories over the years. Jeff Johnson, the manager’s son, a 1985 graduate of Rockville High School in Ver-non, has yet to play this summer for Foss. The former Eastern Connecticut player (1988) has been named league MVP and is a former GHTBL batting champion. Kevin Clements (Rockville 2006), a 2010 graduate of the University of Bridgeport, is hitting .429 with 14 RBI.

John Kuschman, of Glastonbury, graduated from East Catholic High School in 2005, where he was an All-Northwest Conference selection before playing for four years at Johnson & Wales University in Providence. Kuschman, 25, is a third baseman for the East Hartford Jets (8-9). He is hitting .297 with two home runs and eight runs batted in and .357 on-base percentage.

“He’s one of our solid contributors for sure,” said East Hartford manager Chris Kehoe. “He’s usually solid for us defen-sively.”

Kuschman enjoys the competitive nature of the wooden-bat league, whose most famous alumnus is former Yankee Bernie Williams, who played for a now-defunct Meriden-based team as a 16-year-old. “To me it beats playing softball, it’s more competitive,” said Kuschman, who reports half the players in the league have college-playing experience.

“We’re at the age where we’re still ath-letic. We’re all still competitive. It gives us something to do.”

Alex Perry, a 2005 graduate of Glaston-bury, is a part-time player for the Jets.

Peoples United Bank (10-4) and Foss Insurance (9-5) have the heaviest local contingents, each with four full-time play-ers.

Ryan Aiken, a 2003 graduate of Fermi High School in Enfield, is playing first base for Peoples. Aiken, who played at the University of New Haven, is batting .400 with two homers and 12 RBI. He was named All-GHTBL last summer. Josh

Fredettte, a 2011 graduate of Somers, played at Eastern Connecticut this spring. Manager Tom Abbruzzese calls him “a good fielding shortstop.” Matt Reimer, a 2004 graduate of Ellington High School, was named All-League second baseman in 2011. He is a 2007 graduate of Eastern Connecticut, where he played in the 2008 Division III World Series. Reimer, who is also a pitcher and outfielder, is hitting .303 and has seven stolen bases, a category he has led the league in previously. His younger brother, Mike Reimer, a 2007

graduate of Ellington, is hitting .323 with a home run in a limited capacity because he is recovering from an injury the past season at Eastern Connecticut.

Greg White, a graduate of East Wind-sor, is in his fourth year with Ferguson Waterworks (14-1). “He always keeps us in the game,” said Greg Annino, manager of the defending champions. White is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings over four starts and a relief ap-pearance. Mike Tingley (Rockville 2005),

See “KUCKUCKA”, Page 23

Dan Trubia (7) is congratulated by Rob Roy after his hit.

July 20128 The Sports DepartmentEllington

The Exchange

Club was the

Ellington Major

League regular

season champion

this year.

The third time

was the charm

for Seraphin

team captured

the Ellington

Majors playoff

title. It was

third consecu-

tive appear-

that span.

Congratulations to the Ellington 7-8th grade girls lacrosse team which won its division

at the Paul Bowers Memorial Tournament in Somers. The team was also awarded the

tournament’s prestigious Sportsmanship Award. Courtesy of: Mike Wylie

Joe Dzen shows

his “no-hitter” form

during the Ellington

Little League Ju-

niors championship

game. Dzen pitched

a complete game

no-hitter to lead

Swiss Cleaners.

The Sports Department photographers are always out and about looking for great shots of our local kids competing in a variety of sports. If you have a photo you would like to submit

to The Sports Department please send an email to [email protected]. Please include names for the caption and a brief description of the action.

Youth Photos

July 2012 9The Sports DepartmentEllington

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WATCH YOUR FAVORITE TEAMSand practice your stroke on our spacious Putting Green

243 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon CT860.649.8620

Hours: Tue, Fri, 8:30am - 6pmWed - Thu, 8:30am - 5:30pm; Sat, 8am - 2pm

Get Outside While The Weather Is

GoodBy Bob Tedford,Ellington Recreation

As the summer of 2012 continues to offer quality weather, please visit www.ellington-ct.gov. Click on town services and click on parks and recreation. A myriad of activities are available to town residents and pre-registration is required. The recreation office phone number is: (860) 870-3118. Office hours are: Monday 8:30am- 6pm, Tuesday-Thursday 8:30am- 4pm, Friday 8:30am-1:30pm.

Fall Soccer Fall soccer registrations are being ac-

cepted at either the recreation office or via active-net (Town of Ellington registration system). Check the updated parks and recreation page (Town of Ellington website) for updated travel team eval-uation dates/time frames.

Summer ActivitiesAn abundance of sum-

mer programs are available for town residents. Please review the town’s parks and recreation website. Day trips, informal volleyball, basketball, sports camps, spring triathlon (July 15, 2012), ARC swim lessons, open swim at Sandy beach, summer day camp, golf and tennis lessons,...and many other choices.

Coaching ClinicNew and returning soccer coaches are

welcome to register for Fall-2012 coaching clinics in an effort to prepare for the 2012-13 season. Two separate clinics will be offered, one for the ‘relatively new’ coach and a second for the ‘experienced’ coach.

you wish to be included on the contact list.

Special EventsAED/CPR/First Aid Training. The follow-

ing sessions will be offered free of charge to Town of Ellington Volunteers: coaches, instructors, officials.

July 17: 5pm-9:30pm, August 1: 5pm-9:30pm, August 25: 9am-1:30pm.

leave your name and phone number, the sport you are coaching, teaching or of-ficiating, and the date you have chosen to attend.

New Tennis CourtsFour new tennis courts located at the

Abram and Rachel Schwartz park located on Maple Street have gone through its first “full” spring season. Due to increased use the recreation department will be posting

an information board that will define updated USTA practice and match sched-ules, as well as the days and hours of open use.

Officiating ClinicIndividuals 14 years of

age or older who wish to participate in a Fall (bas-ketball or soccer) officiat-ing clinic, should contact

ellington-ct.gov.

Town-Wide OrdinancesPlease remember: Town

ordinances prohibit ‘ani-mals’ from being brought to Town of Elling-ton athletic facilities. The Town of Ellington does not recognize a ‘leash’ law.

Fall Programming/Special Event In-structors

The Fall program brochure is expected to become available the first week of Sep-tember 2012. If you possess a ‘specialty’ skill that may be of interest to the residents of Ellington, and wish to be considered as an instructor, please contact the recreation office at (860) 870-3118 no later than August 1, 2012.

A myriad of activities

are available to town

residents and pre-

registration is required.

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South Windsor National Once Again Showing Well In Tournament Play

It seems that once the calendar flips to July, the South Windsor National Little League teams begin to dominate the area District 8 tournaments. This season is no exception as the the 11-12 year old boys jumped out to a 3-0 start in District 8 pool play before losing 5-3 on July 7 to Wind-sor. One of the victories came at the ex-pense of a gritty South Windsor American team, 8-7.

“We can’t say enough about our Ameri-cans. We jumped out and they came back with a grand slam – they played terrific,” National Manager Mike Smith said after its game against SWA, “We’re battle tested, all three games were good, close games. We won two games in the bottom of the sixth. Every game has been a team game, we always say ‘together’”

South Windsor American has lost 3 of 4 games after a 6-1 defeat to Thompsonville on July 6. Ellington and Rockville play in Pool 1 and provided one of the most excit-ing games thus far, with Ellington getting the victory in an 8-7 come-from-behind victory on July 3. Nathan Motisi, Daniel Leonard, and Chase Kidd were been consistent standouts for Ellington, which finished 2-2. Rockville has had two one-run losses after leading early in games. Tolland has put 10 runs on the board twice thus far but Manager Kris Popovitch still thinks the team can “get the bats going” even more. The pitching has been solid overall and he added, “We’ve got quite

a few arms and we’ve been keeping the pitch counts down a bit.” Andrew Jawor-ski, Clayton Keane, and Patrick Regan have been reliable on the mound.

The 10-11 baseball All-Stars from the area have been excellent, with South Windsor National, South Windsor Ameri-can, and Ellington posting many wins to lead the charge into the final rounds. Vernon and Tolland will also play on in the finals. South Windsor National has won four games and scored in double digits each time.

In the 9/10 division, the boys have moved past pool play and are now into the final rounds of their tournament. Tolland, Rockville, and Vernon all competed hard but struggled to get wins against tough opponents such as Ellington, who finished pool play 4-0, and South Windsor, which had two teams go 3-1. In the final rounds, Ellington was knocked out of the losers bracket with a 14-7 loss to Enfield on July 5. South Windsor National advanced to the winner’s bracket, but then lost to the Manchester Americans on July 6, 6-1.

In the 13/14 All-Star league, the Tolland boys finished pool play 5-0, Ellington 3-2 and South Windsor at 0-5.

On the girls side of the 11-12 age group, Vernon was crowned as the District 8 champions after defeating Windsor 10-0 on July 3. Vernon’s pitching and defense were outstanding in the district tourna-ment. In five games, the girls allowed only

eight runs, including back-to-back shutouts to close out the title. In the title game, Morgan Bolduk struck out seven, increas-ing her total to 25 in four games. Other standout players for Vernon were Sarah Silver and Tiffany Cosgrove, who each played well in the field and contributed of-fensively. Chelsea Chatterton, Shannon Skivington, and Monica Bolduk did well at the plate to help seal the win.

Ellington and Tolland competed hard in District 8 as well, with Ellington advancing through pool play to the final round and posting a 2-2 record. The Tolland girls grabbed a win in pool play, defeating Man-

chester in a high scoring contest. This year has been an incredible year for softball in Vernon after a Class L title in high school, the young All-Star team is showing that it may be ready to fill those big shoes in years to come.

The softball 9-10s struggled in District 8 this year and no teams advanced to the final rounds of the tournament after pool play. It was an extremely high scoring tour-nament overall, with many games seeing double digit runs put on the scoreboard for both teams. South Windsor turned in a respectable 2-2 record, while Vernon was also able to earn a victory over Tolland.

all-stars clinched the District 8 title.

July 2012 13The Sports DepartmentLittle League All-Stars

Proud Supporters of Local Athletics

Kieman Caffrey is the picture of determination as he makes the pitch towards home plate Enfield catcher Nick Camp and Ellington’s Jason Leslie await the verdict on a close play

Sports Department.

July 201214 The Sports DepartmentHealth & Wellness

Cross Train For Athletic SuccessDid You Know?... A Monthly Column

Featuring Athletic Training Tips Sponsored By Integrated Rehabilitation

Services

By Julie Dutton, ATC, LAT at Inte-grated Rehabilita-tion Services

Unless you are a competitive swim-mer, you might limit your time in the wa-ter to brief dips to cool off during the summer months. Savvy athletes,

however, incorporate swimming as part of their training routine for other competitive sports because they know this strategy enhances their competitive advantage. This summer consider implementing an outdoor cross-training swimming program to augment your other training efforts.

Four Benefits of a Cross-Training Swimming Program

1. Improved FitnessMost sports involve a certain amount of

-mance. Swimming can greatly improve your cardiovascular strength, power, and

-sion to your athletic performance and overall health.

2. Enhanced RecoveryAssuming that you are performing regu-lar high intensity workouts, mixing in light workouts in the water can enhance your muscle recovery to prepare you for the next level of competition.

3. Injury PreventionOveruse injuries are often the result of

aerobic sports but can also affect those athletes who play their respective sport twelve months per year. Muscle imbal-ance, biomechanical errors and inad-equate recovery are just a few causes of chronic or recurrent musculoskeletal injuries in sports. You can avoid over-training by substituting swimming for

4. RehabilitationIf you do suffer an injury, take to the lake or pool. The buoyancy of water makes it the ideal place to rehabilitate injuries because it allows you to exercise in a non-weight bearing environment.

Interval Swimming Workout SessionSwim the freestyle stroke for 100 yards

at 50% maximum effort and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Most novice swimmers are able to com-plete 100 yards in two minutes, resulting in a 4:1 work to rest ratio.

Drills for Swimming Workout SessionAs you gain strength, you can add basic

drills to your workouts to improve efficien-cy and add interest to keep from getting bored. Each drill should be performed for

25 yards with three to five repetitions.

Catch-UpSwim the freestyle stroke keeping your

front arm stationary, extended forward pointing to your destination, while the opposite arm performs the stroke. As the working arm “catches-up” with the stationary arm, repeat the stroke with the opposite arm.

3/4 Catch-UpThe technique is the same as the catch-

up stroke, except the stationary (front) arm begins to move when the working arm is

about 3/4 of the way through a full stroke.Catch-Up with a Board or Noodle

In this variation of the catch-up stroke, your front hand is holding a kick board. As the arms trade places, they hand off the board to each other.

Fist DragSwim the freestyle stroke with your

hands closed during the entire stroke to develop power in your trunk.

For more information regarding swim-ming interval training or to schedule a complimentary assessment, contact Julie

Julie Dutton was awarded Coach of the

Soccer Association, Northeast District.

Julie is an Athletic Trainer at Integrated

Rehabilitation in the Tolland clinic. Julie

girls team and is a contributing writer for

The Sports Department.

July 2012 15The Sports DepartmentVernon

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Year-round riding in indoor and outdoor arenas.Call Kirsten 860-985-9052

Tennis Camp Held At RHSUSSI tennis staff will follow curriculums

and guidelines laid out by the USTA, which includes the highly appraised Quickstart Tennis format. At every level, participants will learn the basic fundamentals in stroke production, court movement and footwork skills, all in a low pressured environment. Most importantly it’s all about fun, with games, games and more games during each session! This Tennis Camp is suited to players who are of beginner to inter-mediate level. All children who attend the tennis camp will have a great time playing and learning the number one racket sport. Children need to provide racket.

Sports Squirts Program

The Sport Squirts program introduces children aged 3 to 5 to a variety of sports such as Soccer, T-ball, Basketball, La-crosse and Hockey, all taking place in a safe structured environment ensuring learn-ing is taking place. Activities are designed to evoke a child’s imagination in which they can Find Nemo, send Shrek into a spin or capture Jellyfish with Sponge Bob Square Pants. All activities promote hand-eye coor-dination, movement and balance and most importantly Fun, Fun, Fun.

Beginners Golf ClinicUsing a revolutionary new system, the

USSI Golf clinic is the ideal way to intro-duce youngsters to the game of Golf. Chil-dren will learn all the basic golf techniques such as the swing, grip and ball striking using unique and fun training methods as well as doing team challenges and playing in our US Open Competition. Children will experience greater success using the larger balls and club heads allowing them to strike the ball more consistently and increase their confidence which will encourage them to continue to enjoy the game of Golf.

Beginner Lacrosse Clinic

Beginner Lacrosse players will have Great fun learning this exhilarating game. The US Sports Institute lacrosse program is ideal for entry level players with no previous experience. Players can experience, Stick Handling, Passing, Scooping, Dodging and shooting as well as many other fundamen-tal Techniques. Players will grouped by age, playing ability and experience level. No previous experience playing lacrosse is required to attend the clinic.

Free BoatsCome and enjoy a day on Bolton Lake on

a canoe or paddle boat. Newhoca Beach is offering free boat rentals on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. starting July 2, 2012 through August 17, 2012. For more information call 860-870-3520.

Olivia Lisee sprints with the ball to score at a recent LAX game against RHAM. Photo by: Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

Alex Cavar sprints

toward the end of the

mile run in a recent

track meet. Photo by:

Andre Garant, The

Sports Department,

www.ajgphotoguy.com


Motorsports pagEGoff Sees Patience Rewarded

STAFFORD — It’s the first car most fans see when they enter Stafford Motor Speedway on a Friday night.

The 07 SK Light Modified belonging to Stafford’s Jay Goff is impossible to miss — parked right next to the fence adjacent to the ticket booths. There’s an obvious rea-son why Goff picked such a choice area of real estate in which to park his Modified.

“I just love the fans,” Goff said. “I park there so people can come over and look at the car. I get a lot of support.”

That fence was lined with fans on June 15 after Goff captured his first feature win of his long Stafford career.

“I got back to my parking spot and there were about 20 people at the fence, waiting to congratulate me,” Goff said. “That really made the night memorable for me.”

Here’s something else that made it an unforgettable night — it took Goff 35 years to get it.

He started his career at Stafford in 1977 in the Street Stock division when he made a couple of appearances. He became a full-time competitor in 1979 and for the next ten years raced at Stafford and Thompson International Speedway.

“Then in 1989 I stopped racing so I could raise a family,” Goff said.

He stayed retired until a few years back, when his son Aaron became involved in racing.

“I wanted to run with my son, so I got back into it,” Goff said. “He left a couple of seasons ago, but I’m still here.”

Although Goff had one of the fastest cars in the SK Light division, he didn’t have many Top 3 finishes to show for it. The valleys were outnumbering the peaks by a sizable margin.

“It was very frustrating,” Goff said. “I felt I was giving a lot of good finishes away. It seemed I was always getting involved in someone else’s wreck. And I had more second-place finishes than you could count. I even finished second once in the point championship.”

His second place status changed on June 15 when Goff was able to charge into the lead with five laps to go. Unlike his past performances, he stayed in front.

“It was very rewarding,” Goff said. “I

did have a fast car, and when I decided to make a move, the car responded. With five laps to go, I started to go easy into the turns, and I started to pull away, which sur-prised me. I had a win before at Thomp-son, but I started on the pole. This time I really had to earn it. That’s what made it memorable.”

Then the celebration along the fence made it even more memorable.

And there’s one more statistic that made the win stand out. At 56, Goff is the oldest driver in the division. He is flourishing in a division that’s filled with teenage competi-tors. Goff is fifth in the point standings, only 34 points out of the lead.

“I don’t think it’s that tough to compete against the kids,” Goff said. “The one thing that hurts them is inexperience. Many of them aren’t used to driving a heavier car. But it’s halfway through the season. Every-one at this stage knows what to do. Like any other drivers, you have to know who to run with and who you can’t.”

And Goff has run with the best of them all year long, despite some very serious wrecks.

“This year after I had a bad crash, I really didn’t know if I was going to come back,” Goff said. “We have some great product sponsors that help us out, but we didn’t have any cash sponsors.

“But my wife said ‘go for it,’” Goff said. “The repairs came out of the family bud-

get. But it made it satisfying because we did it as a family.”

Goff has a solid support system. All you need to do is look alongside the fence on a Friday night to verify that.

Dead HeatOne of Stafford’s closest point battles

is in the Limited Late Model division. Stafford’s Corey Casagrande is tied in the standings with Josh Wood of Palmer, Mass.

“I expect it’s going to be this tight for the rest of the season,” Casagrande said. “We

both have pretty good cars.”In the DARE Stocks, three Stafford driv-

ers are involved in an intense points battle. Cliff Saunders has a 10-point cushion over both Kyle Casagrande and Austin Bes-sette.

SidelinedBecause of motor problems, “Magnum”

Mike Bennett was forced to sit out the 40-lap SK Modified feature on July 6.

“We just didn’t get our motor back in time,” Bennett said. “But we will be back. I still think we have a fast car.”

CARQUEST Champions For Charities driver Ron Midford, Jr. presents Marine Corporal Greg Caron with a check for

fundraising efforts for the Greg Caron Family Fund. The CARQUEST Champions For Charities race was held at Stafford Speedway on Saturday, June 30th, and the race’s 13 drivers raised over

Midford Jr. Helps Raise More Than 6K For Greg Caron Family Fund

Courte

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Moto

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Rockville Football Absorbs First Loss Of SeasonCox Forced To Step Down As Coach As

Full Time Job ChangesBy B. N. Mazzone,The Sports DepartmentTOLLAND—It has been said that break-ing up is hard to do. However, for a local coach and athletic director that phrase has an entirely new meaning.

On June 27, Pat Cox’s four month run as the Rockville High School head football coach was brought to an abrupt end due to a change in his position at Tolland High School.

Recently, Cox has been serving as the Tolland athletic director. The job called for Cox to teach two periods per day, and then he was allowed 80 minutes per day to work on his duties as an athletic director. On Wednesday evening that all changed.

Cox went from being a teacher/AD to becoming the full time athletic director of Tolland athletics. Cox was relieved of his teaching duties and now he will take over both the high and middle school athletic schedules on a full time basis.

“This is a really unique situation,” Cox said. “I didn’t expect this to happen. I was committed to doing both jobs (RHS football/Tolland AD), and this came up on June 14th. I never expected this to happen. I am happy that the job is now a full time spot, but I also feel terrible about leaving Rockville behind.”

Cox coached Rockville from 1995-2004 under Tom Dunn. In 2005, he took over the Tolland program before stepping down

to focus on his duties as an athletic direc-tor.

This past winter Rockville had an open-ing for the head coach and Cox was eager to rebuild a program that he has a great deal of pride in.

“Rockville used to be a powerhouse. From the late 60s until Coach Dunn left. I think there are some great athletes, tough kids, who walk those hallways. I was so enthusiastic about getting things started and getting Rockville back to where it used to be. I guess it just wasn’t in the cards,” Cox said.

Upon being hired this winter, Cox met with the student athletes, implemented a lifting program, hired a full coaching staff, and even had his team involved in summer 7 on 7 activities.

“I was planning on leading this team. I honestly never expected that my title would change at Tolland. If I had known that it would, I wouldn’t have applied for this job (Rockville). I wouldn’t have put Tolland in this situation, I wouldn’t have put Rockville in this situation. I feel very badly for the principal, the ad, the kids, my staff…it’s tough. I love my job, but it’s hard to feel like you let people down,” Cox said.

Cox noted that Tolland was the only one of 32 teams in the CCC which did not have a full time AD. Although this was a unique situation, he was told that his position would not change. Cox was shocked when

he heard that money was going to become available and that there was a chance that he would have to step down at Rockville.

“I’ve been in contact with everyone. I’ve kept my coaches, AD, principal, everyone involved. I wish this didn’t have to happen, but sometimes these things just aren’t in the cards,” Cox said.

Cox noted that he loves his spot at Tol-land, but he felt like the situation came out of the blue and left the Rockville commu-nity in an unfavorable situation.

Cox did note that assistant Rob Sholtz is a candidate to take over as the head coach at Rockville. In addition to Sholtz, Cox said he expects the rest of the coach-ing staff to remain intact at Rockville.

“That’s a great staff,” Cox said. “They are energetic, young, smart, hard working. I have old Rockville guys, Tolland guys, some of my old players who have great experience.”

Rockville athletic director Steve Phelps was surprised by the situation.

“Pat was doing a good job of having our kids lifting and that stuff…,” Phelps said.

Phelps also could not confirm the hiring of Sholtz at this time.

“I’m out of town. When I get back the principal might be out of town; nothing is finalized yet. Pat has made recommenda-tions, but we aren’t sure of anything. It could take a while,” Phelps said.

Although disappointed by the situation, Cox feels that Tolland and Rockville are headed in the right direction.

“Tolland is a growing town. We have hundreds of athletes performing at a high

level and that will continue. We’ll also try to get the middle school aligned with the other CCC schools and get things in order between the two schools,” Cox said.

Cox still wishes that he had the op-portunity to turn the program around at Rockville.

“Some of my most fond memories came from Rockville High. I met great people, had great students, athletes, friends, and teams. It was wonderful. I wish we could have had the time to build that back up, and telling the kids was tough. I feel a lot of guilt about leaving,” Cox said.

“I just know that both programs are in great hands. I am confident in both Tolland and Rockville’s immediate future,” Cox said.

Patrick Cox’ return to the coaching ranks

was short lived as he was forced to step

his job status as Athletic Director at Tol-


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Eagle Soccer School Expands in Second YearBy Danny Atkinson

The Tolland Eagle Soccer School is excited to return for its second year. Once again, 100% of the proceeds will go to benefit the town’s high school soccer program. Due to the great response last year, a second week has been added to allow more flexibility in scheduling.

The Eagle Soccer School will be held on July 23–27th and August 22–26th at the Cross Farms Recreation Complex from 9 am–noon. It is aimed at boys and

girls from ages 5-12. Created in partner-ship with the Tolland Soccer Club, the school will be staffed by high school ath-letes donating their time and overseen by Tolland High School boys soccer coach Jim Leahy.

Registration materials are available on the Tolland Soccer Club website at www.

also includes a Tolland Eagles Soccer Ball shirt. For more information, you may also contact Coach Leahy at (860) 810-

Savino Named Female Athlete Of The YearBy WNEU Sports InformationSPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Emily Savino of Ellington was named the Coca Cola Female Athlete Of The Year at Western New England University on June 12.

Savino was a First Team All-Com-monwealth Coast Conference (CCC) selection and the WNE Most Outstand-ing Player this past winter. She led the Golden Bears to a 14-13 record with a 16.0 scoring average that ranked second in the conference. Savino was first in the CCC in free-throw (82.3) and second in

field-goal (47.1) percentage.

Savino will be honored at the WNEU Hall of Fame Banquet during homecoming weekend on Sept 28.

Savino was named

The Year at Western

N.E. University.

Tolland Standout Dorothy Ann Miller Earns Swimming Scholarship to Florida International

Tolland se-nior Dorothy Ann Miller has earned a partial athletic scholarship to swim for Florida Inter-national University and will be racing for FIU starting in the 2012-2013 season. Miller was an All-State swim-mer for Tolland four years running. She was an LC 200m backstroke champion, a Junior National Qualifier in the 200M backstroke and a Super Sectional Qualifier in the 400M and 200M IM,

200m breaststroke and the 200 and 100 backstroke.

At Tolland, Miller was ranked in the top three percent of her class and was president of the National Honor Soci-ety. She was a three-time Connecticut Scholar Athlete and earned the High Academic Excellence Award for Span-ish and Marketing.

“Dorothy is what I call a sleeper recruit in the fact that she has abilities that haven’t been completely tapped into yet,” FIU head coach Randy Horner said. “Her ability in the backstroke events will provide depth for the team. She was accepted in the FIU Honors College so she will be a leader in the classroom as well as in the pool.”

MILLER

The Tolland Soccer Club is seeking middle and high school age volunteers for the fall season of its TOP Soccer Division, which is open to boys and girls ages 5-18 with developmental disabili-ties. Volunteer commitment includes Tuesday evenings and Saturday morn-ings for 90 minutes, along with a smile and a positive attitude! Volunteers will

be accepted on a first come, first serve basis, as the program fills up quickly. For more information on how to volun-teer this fall, contact Buddy Coordina-tor, Mary Kay Della Camera at thedel-

874-2342. We look forward to hearing from you as our program enters its 15th consecutive season.

Tolland Soccer Club Looking for Volunteers to Work With its TOP Soccer Division

The Tolland U13 girls soccer team won the 2012 Spring Connecticut Cup Championship on Saturday, June 16th. The girls pulled out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over three-time state finalist Milford in over-time at Curtiss Park in Simsbury. Their victory represents the 5th Connecticut Cup Championship in the 30-year history of the Club. Tolland had previously won the North Central Division, and this pair of championships had only been done four times previously in Tolland Soccer history.

Team Members include: Jessica Barry, Brooke Bonadies, Victoria Brocius, Kath-erine DeLoreto, Marisa Dennis, Bailey Elliott, Hannah Lachut, Julia Lyon, Sam-mie Matteo, Catherine Moore, Cassidy Nuccio, Taylor Papa, Allie Salina, Kelly Shea, Greg Lachut - Coach, Andy Lyon - Coach

Tolland U13 Girls Soccer Team Champions of the Spring Connecticut Cup Championship

Exchange Club Team Playoff Champions of Rockville Little League

The Exchange Club won both the regu-lar season and playoff championships in Rockville Little League this season. In the championship game, Exchange Club bested TKBS Club 1-0 in a pitchers duel. The game featured no walks and no errors.

Ryan Burkhardt hurled a 1 hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs, Burkhardt singled for his second hit of the game. He was moved to second by a Francis Collin single, and scored the winning run on a safety by Michael Main.

Shane Tourtellotte went the distance for TKBS allowing only 5 hits with 8 strikeouts. Tourtelotte collected their only hit. Jonathan St. Germain and Allison Petrella also played well for TKBS. The championship capped a season that saw the Exchange Club post a 20-1 record.

Front Row (left to right kneeling holding

trophy): Pat McCoy and Ryan BurkhardtSecond Row (left to right kneeling and

standing): Devon Miville, Josh Deane, Jo-seph Santiago-Campos, Brittany Fisher, River Hutchison and Alex Deane

Third Row (left to right): Zachary Woods, Francis Collin, Michael Main and Tristan Harrison

Back Row (left to right): Gabe Llantin, Coach; Chris Burkhardt, Manager; John Miville, Coach; Marc Collin, Coach; and Todd Harrison, Coach

Maine Fish Takes Minors Title In Ellington

Maine Fish won the Minors Division championship in Ellington Little League.

July 2012 19The Sports DepartmentSouth Windsor

Since 1972

Unique PlaquesTrophiesEngraving ServicesAnd More!

DeservesAn Award!Everybo

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www.trophy-shop.com(860)871-0867

214 Hartford TurnpikeVernon, CT 06066

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Fantasy Sports

Poker Tournaments

Car Shows

Charlie King looks up in awe at his incredible hit during a Little League game. Photo by: Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

Matt Dion has all the moves of playing

for the Major Leaguers in just a few

short years. Photo by: Andre Garant,

The Sports Department, www.ajgpho-

toguy.com

The Sports Department photographers are always out and about looking for great shots of our local kids compet-

ing in a variety of sports. If you have a photo you would like to submit to The Sports Department please send an

com. Please include names for the caption and a brief description of the

action.

Youth PhotosConnor Johnson concentrates on strik-

ing out another batter. Photo by: Andre

Garant, The Sports Department, www.

ajgphotoguy.com

Jake Donald showed some true Major

League form on the pitching mound. Photo

by: Andre Garant, The Sports Department,

www.ajgphotoguy.com

July 201220 The Sports DepartmentSouth Windsor

Tennis Lessons ForAll Abilities

By Patrick Telman,South Windsor Recreation

Registration for all spring/summer programs and offerings are underway. You can register for programs at the office, by mail or online. The recreation office can be reached at (860) 648-6355. Office hours are: Monday through Friday 8am-4:30pm.

Tennis Lessons Instructed by Todd

Custer Lessons are avail-able for the beginner to advanced player. They meet at Wapping School Tennis Courts, Monday-Fri-day for two week sessions beginning on July 9, July 23 and August 6. Morning, afternoon and evening ses-sions are available. View schedule and/or register online at recre-ation.southwindsor.org.

Private LessonsPrivate Swim Lessons are offered for

both adult and child instruction. You may sign up for an individual lesson (one-on-one) or pair up with a friend or sibling within one level of each other. Private Lessons are limited to two participants per class and will be offered throughout the

Marianne Anderson

The recreation office can be reached at

(860) 648-6355. Office hours are: Monday

through Friday 8am-4:30pm.

day (morning, afternoon, and evening). Each class consists of eight thirty-minute lessons. The pre-session and Saturday session will consist of four sixty-minute

lessons. Registration will be on a first come, first serve basis. If you would like to share a lesson with another family you may split the fee of the lesson. View sched-ule and/or register online at http://southwindsor.recre-ation.org.

Bobcat Softball AcademyBobcat Softball Academy

will provide a challenging and highly instructional week of softball for girls. Emphasis is on skill de-velopment and teamwork. Directed by South Windsor High School Girls Softball Coach Amanda Roczniak,

your player will enjoy a week of instruction, skill development and fun.

Ayers Road Complex, Ages 7-15, Girls, Monday-Thursday 9am-1pm, July 16-July

Adult Programs and Classes

There are many adult fitness program offerings from Aerobics to Zumba, Boot Camp, Pilates, Yoga and more. Visit our website for a listing of all adult offerings.

We ran our !rst ad with The Sports Department (in March 2012)and we got our very !rst call on our new client specialthe same day the paper came out! Thank you!

Laura MateyaOwner, Kennedy and Company

Spa and Salon, Vernon

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To learn how The Sports Department can help your business growplease call 860-872-0873 or email us at: [email protected]

Local Kids Are Off To Cover The Olympics For

TheSportsDept.comBy TheSportsDept.comStaff Report

Former Ellington High standout ath-letes Nick Varney and Emily Savino are heading to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London this summer and they will be sharing their experiences exclusively with our online readers at TheSportsDept.com.

The two Western New England Univer-sity students will be in London from July 25-August 4 as part of a class at WNEU. As part of their assignment, Varney and Savino have studied the relationship between the Olympics and the culture that surrounds the games as well as the

Western

New England

University

students Emily

Savino and

Nick Varney

will be provid-

ing twice daily

coverage of

-

mer Olympics

in London

exclusively for

TheSports-

Dept.com

beginning July

business and marketing aspects of such a large scale event.

Both students were three-sport athletes at EHS. Varney plays club soccer at WNEU and Savino is a three year starter and captain of the women’s basketball team at WNEU.

The pair will be providing twice daily updates from their trip and are expected to attend a number of events at the Olym-pic Games including women’s basketball, equestrian, women’s volleyball, badmin-ton, tennis, field hockey and archery.

You can follow along each morning and night beginning on July 25 exclusively at www.TheSportsDept.com.


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TOURNAMENT

Entry deadline August 4

Call 860 742 9348 For Entry Form or go to website: SKUNGAMAUGGOLF.COM

Call for Tee Times Today!

(860) 646 -1151Hebron, Ct.

(860) 742 - 9705Coventry, Ct.

Willow Brook Tournament Raises Nearly One Thousand Dollars For

Prostate Cancer Awareness(South Windsor, CT)–Golfers at Willow Brook Golf Course helped raise nearly

Army Battles Prostate Cancer is a charity golf event designed to raise prostate can-cer awareness.

Since 2002, the program’s closest-to-the-pin contests have introduced the message of early detection to more than 70,000 golfers and

for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Arnold Palmer, legendary golfer, prostate cancer survivor and honorary spokesman, has expressed a great passion in the goal of using golf to triumph over this insidious disease.

“We all must take a proac-tive approach in finding a way to beat all forms of cancer,” said Willow Brook’s Head Golf Professional, Jeffrey Beyer. “Prostate cancer has affected someone in all of our lives. We want to help spread the word to our cus-tomers and others in our community that men should be screened.”

On site were representatives of “The

“We want to help spread

the word to our customers and others in our

community that men should be

screened.”Jeffrey Beyer

Head Golf Pro,Willow Brook

Reluctant Brotherhood,” the member-ship name Hartford Hospital’s Prostate Cancer Support Group uses to identify themselves. Their goal is to help those af-flicted to better understand their treatment options and the opportunities for living a happy and healthy lifestyle. Bob Brass was

instrumental in making this event a success.

Highlights of Willow Brook’s Campaign for Arnie’s Army included:

accompanied by a family member.

-test with all proceeds going to Arnie’s Army.

golfers to participate.Each player will receive a

one-year subscription to Golf Digest Magazine, a prostate cancer awareness card, and an Arnie’s Army token of ap-

preciation as a thank you for participating in the event and supporting the cause.

“We want to give dad a special gift and there is no better day than Father’s Day when dad is foremost on our minds,” Beyer added.

M E E T T H E

The Sports Department would like to introduce Andre Garant as our dedicated youth sports photographer. Andre has been covering events

for us on a freelance basis since June 2011 and will now be providing quality photos of your children in all nine towns that we serve! If you are a coach or

parent at the elementary and middle-school age and would like to have Andre cover an event for you, please e-mail him directly at

[email protected]. Andre is very excited about his new role with The Sports Department and looks forward to meeting you and your families!


(with this ad-limit 1 person per ad) for any skating session listed

DAYTIME HOURS EVENING HOURSTues, Wed, Thurs*10:00am-12:00noon.....$5.75

3rd MondayChristian Gospel Music Skate6:00pm-9:00pm ...... $8.50**

TuesdayAdult Skate (18 and over)7:30pm-10:00pm ..... $6.75

Thursday - Cheap Skate6:00pm-9:00pm ...... $8.50**

Saturday7:30pm-11:00pm .... $9.75

Friday5:00pm-7:00pm ...... $5.757:30pm-11:00pm .... $9.75

Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat1:00pm-4:00pm .......... $6.75Sunday1:00pm-5:00pm .......... $6.75

SUMMER HOURSJUNE 23 - AUGUST 20

Includes admission, roller skate rental if needed & all you can eat pizza. $5 admission for spectators.**Tot Skate and Bounce*

DrivingRecordhave aFew Dents & Dings?To find out more about our auto insurance —Call me....Stop by...Log on — it's your choice!

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Af!liated Companies. Nationwide Life Insurance Company. Home Of!ce: Columbus, OH 43215-2220. Nationwide, the Nationwide Framework and On Your Side are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

The Sports Department July 201222


TSD LOCAL DIGEST

CJSA Connecticut Cup

The South Windsor Boys U14 soccer team defeated Naugatuck 3-2 on June 16th in Simsbury to win the CJSA Connecticut Cup.

South Windsor defeated Norwich, Shelton, Greenwich, Farmington and Naugatuck in the CJSA CT Cup tournament.

South Windsor's U14 team took home the CJSA Con-necticut Cup this spring.

Ellington Middle School The Ellington

Middle School base-ball team won the Connecticut River Athletic League regular season championship with a 10-1 record this sea-son. The Wildcats are coached by Erick Knickerbocker.

Courtesy of: Erick Knickerbocker

Rachel Tshonas of

Ellington and Kelsey Lewis of Tolland were chosen to play in the Class M/S CT High School Coaches Association Junior Select Softball All

Star Game on June 19 in North Haven.

Tshonas was voted Most Valuable Player for Team East. She started and pitched three scoreless innings, giving up only two hits and had a run scoring hit in the 3-1 victory.TSHONAS

(with this ad-limit 1 person per ad) for any skating session listed

THURSDAYTiny Tot

Skate & BounceLate Matinee Skate

Evening Skate

*Includes roller skate rental if needed. **Includes admission, roller skate rental if needed & all you can eat pizza. $5 admission for spectators.

9:30-11:30.....$5.75*Cheap Skate

6-9pm ...... $8.50**

5-7pm...........$5.75

7:30-11pm.....$9.75

Morning Skate

Matinee Skate10am-Noon......$5.75

1-4pm..........$6.75Top 40 Skate

7:30 - 11pm.....$9.75

FRIDAY SATURDAYSpring Special

1-5pm.......$6.75Closed On:

May 13 (Mother’s Day)May 27 (Memorial Day)

SUNDAY

The Exchange Club won both the regu-

lar season and playoff championships in Rockville Little League this season. In the championship game, Exchange Club bested TKBS Club 1-0 in a pitchers duel. The game featured no walks and no errors.

Ryan Burkhardt hurled a 1 hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs, Burkhardt singled for his second hit of the game. He was moved to second by a Francis Collin single, and scored the winning run on a safety by Michael Main.

Shane Tourtellotte went the distance for TKBS allowing only 5 hits with 8 strikeouts. Tourtelotte collected their only hit. Jonathan St. Germain and Allison Petrella also played well for TKBS. The championship capped a season that saw the Exchange Club post a 20-1 record.

Front Row (left to right kneeling holding trophy): Pat McCoy and Ryan Burkhardt, Second Row (left to right kneeling and standing): Devon Miville, Josh Deane, Joseph Santiago-Campos, Brittany Fisher, River Hutchison and Alex Deane, Third Row (left to right): Zachary Woods, Francis Collin, Michael Main and Tristan Harrison, Back Row (left to right): Gabe Llantin, Coach; Chris Burkhardt, Manager; John Miville, Coach; Marc Collin, Coach; and Todd Harrison, Coach


Activity pagE

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Kuckucka Sporting 1.31 ERAContinued from Page 7is 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings over three starts and four appearances. He graduated from East-ern Connecticut in 2010 and has earned All-GHTBL honors as a hard-throwing left-hander. His stats have improved since a rough outing in his first start. Tingley’s teammate on the Rams and the Warriors, Jamie Kukucka (Rockville 2005; Eastern Conn. 2010), has pitched in independent leagues in the minors. Annino says he has velocity and “breaking stuff to go with it.” Kukucka is 3-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 16 innings.

Jack Ceppetelli, of East Windsor, has

been manager of the Vernon Orioles (10-3) since 2001. Dan Trubia, a 1999 graduate of Tolland High School, is batting .325 with a homer and eight RBI as first baseman. In previous years, the 2003 UConn graduate had played in the infield and pitched. Tony Trubia, a 2011 gradu-ate of Western New England College, is hitting .189. “He has phenomenal hands for shortstop,” Cappetelli said about the 2007 Tolland graduate. Sean Conlin, a 1991 Somers graduate, has been with the club since 2004. He holds several career records at Lynchburg (Va.) College. Conlin is 1-0 with a 0.78 earned run average in nine innings.

Continued from Page 6minute he stepped on the mound for the school. As a senior, Thomas led Enfield to the NCCC championship game and earned a number of accolades, includ-ing spots on the All-NCCC and Con-necticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) teams.

Thomas’s biggest strength is his ability to challenge hitters with a versatile array of pitches, all of which he can consistently throw for strikes. Though Thomas’s best pitch is a nasty fastball, he also has a strong curveball and changeup that he can get strikes with at any time in the count. Thomas’s formidable arsenal allows him to pitch with more aggressiveness than most hurlers his age.

“I try to attack hitters with my fastball to get ahead in the count, and then attempt to get them off balance with my other pitches,” he said at the end of the high school season. “I try to understand the hitter’s mindset so I can then confuse him when I’m out there.”

Though he has not played Legion

Thomas A StandoutFor Enfield

consistently due to prior commitments and a small injury to his thumb, Thomas is hav-ing a solid season for the Enfield team. He is using the summer to build up strength and to experiment with his pitching.

“My thumb’s held up and my arm’s been strong,” stated Thomas. “I feel like I’ve been able to command all my pitches. So far, I’ve seen improvement in my velocity. I’ve been using the summer to work with different holds and grips on the ball. I’m hoping that by doing this, I’ll be able to develop another pitch or two, such as the slider.”

Enfield Legion head coach Jim Kraucu-nas spoke on the impact Thomas has had on the team.

“Justin is making an impact in a lot of areas,” he stated. “He’s pitched well and has been pounding the zone every time he’s out there.”

Thomas earned a full ride to Quinnipiac late last year. He is looking forward to making an impact with the Bobcats.

“I’m extremely excited to meet my team-mates and coaches,” Thomas said.

Become A FREE I-Member! Interact with your community, comment on stories and columns and partici-

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(860) 652-3000www.MonacoFord.com767 New London TurnpikeGlastonbury, Ct 06033

The ALL NEW2013 Escape

Vernon Edition July 2012

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Transcript of Vernon Edition July 2012