Sports

The Batavia Lions Club will host its Second Annual Bike Tour on Saturday, June 11. This year there are two tour options from which participants can chose.

In addition to the 32-mile “Tour Ride," a six-mile “Family Ride” will be available.

Check-in time for the 32-mile ride is 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for the Family Ride.

The 32-mile ride begins at 8 a.m., and the six-mile ride begins at 9:15 a.m.

Check-in and the start of each event will be at the parking lot on the corner of Alva Place and Bank Street in Batavia.

Pre-registration postmarked by Thursday May 26 is $30. After that date, the registration fee is $35. The fee for all children under 10 years old is $15.

The first 50 riders registered by May 26 will receive a gift bag from our sponsors including an “official” ride T-shirt. All entrants must wear an approved safety helmet. All participants must be 16 years of age or be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian.

The tour route winds through the beautifully rich agricultural area of Genesee County that surrounds the City of Batavia. There will again be water and snack stops, help if needed along the way, traffic guides at busy intersections, and emergency roadside assistance. The tour route is flat with very few hills.

The club's address is P.O. Box 456, Batavia, NY 14020. Email is batavialions@yahoo.com. Or contact Dominic Lovria at 343-7198.   

Once again Batavia Downs will play host to another $7,500 scholarship race for local, college-bound students. The event will feature students from area schools accompanied by professional harness racing drivers in a one-mile dash for the cash on Saturday, Sept. 10.

"We are once again pleased to help support the education of students in our community in such a unique way," said Todd Haight, general manager of Live Racing at Batavia Downs. "We were so pleased with how well our first dash for cash was received, we immediately went back to our partners and requested we give it another go.

“Not only did the five participating students earn valuable scholarship funds, but also a greater understanding of the sport of harness racing, which was our main goal."

Last year, Kaley Falkowski, of Batavia High School, with professional Jim Mulcahy sitting alongside in a double-seated jog cart, bested four other students.

This year, Batavia, Oakfield-Alabama and Notre Dame high schools will each be represented by one student. The remaining two spots will be chosen by lottery. All schools can use any criteria they wish to pick their students.

During the summer, the students will attend at least five training sessions at the track with their driver to learn the safety and skills needed to drive a horse. Then between the fourth and fifth live harness races on Sept. 10, they will line up behind the starting gate and compete for scholarships of $3000, $2000, $1200, $800 and $500, depending on where they finish.

The approximate time of the competition that evening is between 7:30 and 8:30.

Once again, the scholarship event is sponsored by the horsemen, breeders, owners and raceways of Western New York through the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State, the Western New York Harness Horsemen's Association, Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs Casino.

Batavia Downs Casino, America’s oldest lighted harness track, opens for its 65th racing season on Monday, July 25, for 72 racing dates.

Post time is 6:40 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in August. There will also be a special 1:15 matinee on Sunday, Aug. 29; Monday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day), which features a day-night doubleheader; and Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day). For more information, visit <http://www.batavia-downs.com/>

GCC Golf Team Has Runner - Up Finish in Regionals, Advances to Nationals - Places Four Players on All Region Team

The GCC Golf team headed to the Region III Golf Tournament  in Cortland NY at the Cortland Country Club on May 16th and 17th not really sure about what to expect.  They qualified with a little less strain than 2010, their first year of competition for the renewed GCC sport, but there were a lot of question marks.

They were confident, but wary of Onondaga CC, who was .75 of a point behind them in team scoring average for the season at third place.  GCC was coming off an upset tournament victory over Monroe CC on May 8th  at the MCC Invitational, so they had high expectations.

Those expectations materialized with an invite to Nationals as the team performed at a level that no one really could have predicted.

In the two day aggregate tournament where four scores count from five players for the team event, and individual scores are also tallied, the teams from the nine schools that qualified for Regionals that finish first and second are invited to Nationals, and the top 5 individual low scores - not including scores from the first and second place teams - also make the trip.

On Day one, which was played in very wet and rainy conditions after a four hour delay, GCC's Kyle Harman, a transfer student from Erie CC who won Regionals in 2010, took the individual lead with a 72.

It was a personal best score for Harman for tournament play. 

GCC also positioned themselves in second place as a team, shooting 311, behind MCC (302), and one stroke ahead of Onondaga CC (312).

Day two's play got started as scheduled at 9am under wet conditions with light rain throughout the day.

Harman stumbled a bit to a 78, but every other player on GCC's team shot personal best tournament scores!  Corey Kocent and Mark DeCook each shot even par 72's, Matt Ferdinand shot a 73, and Alex Muench shot 79, for a team score total of 295 for the day, tops in the field followed by MCC (298) and Onondaga CC (308) .  The 295 score blew away the GCC team's previous best tournament score of 309 in 2010.

GCC also placed four players on the 2011 All Region Team as Harman, Ferdinand, Kocent, and DeCook each earned the honor.

Two day totals for the competing teams were:

302  298  600 MONROE CC
311  295  606 GENESEE CC
312  308  620 ONONDAGA CC
328  316  644 NIAGARA CCC       
332  315  647 JAMESTOWN CC
333  324  657 MOHAWK VALLEY CC  
351  336  687 BROOME CC 
338  352  690 TOMPKINS CORTLAND CC
334  358  692  CAYUGA CC                

Medalist for the event was MCC's Shane Dobesh with a two day total of 148. GCC's Matt Ferdinand and Kyle Harman joined Onondaga CC�s Alec Stoianoff and MCC�s Anthony Colosi in a four way tie for second place at 150.

GCC Golf Head Coach Tom Tucker and Assistant Coach Tom Moynihan will be accompanying the the GCC Golf team to the NJCAA Division III Nationals at the Chautauqua GC, Chautauqua NY on June 6 through 10

GCC Golf Team Has Runner - Up Finish in Regionals, Advances to Nationals - Places Four Players on All Region Team

The GCC Golf team headed to the Region III Golf Tournament  in Cortland NY at the Cortland Country Club on May 16th and 17th not really sure about what to expect.  They qualified with a little less strain than 2010, their first year of competition for the renewed GCC sport, but there were a lot of question marks.

They were confident, but wary of Onondaga CC, who was .75 of a point behind them in team scoring average for the season at third place.  GCC was coming off an upset tournament victory over Monroe CC on May 8th  at the MCC Invitational, so they had high expectations.

Those expectations materialized with an invite to Nationals as the team performed at a level that no one really could have predicted.

In the two day aggregate tournament where four scores count from five players for the team event, and individual scores are also tallied, the teams from the nine schools that qualified for Regionals that finish first and second are invited to Nationals, and the top 5 individual low scores - not including scores from the first and second place teams - also make the trip.

On Day one, which was played in very wet and rainy conditions after a four hour delay, GCC's Kyle Harman, a transfer student from Erie CC who won Regionals in 2010, took the individual lead with a 72.

It was a personal best score for Harman for tournament play. 

GCC also positioned themselves in second place as a team, shooting 311, behind MCC (302), and one stroke ahead of Onondaga CC (312).

Day two's play got started as scheduled at 9am under wet conditions with light rain throughout the day.

Harman stumbled a bit to a 78, but every other player on GCC's team shot personal best tournament scores!  Corey Kocent and Mark DeCook each shot even par 72's, Matt Ferdinand shot a 73, and Alex Muench shot 79, for a team score total of 295 for the day, tops in the field followed by MCC (298) and Onondaga CC (308) .  The 295 score blew away the GCC team's previous best tournament score of 309 in 2010.

GCC also placed four players on the 2011 All Region Team as Harman, Ferdinand, Kocent, and DeCook each earned the honor.

Two day totals for the competing teams were:

302  298  600 MONROE CC
311  295  606 GENESEE CC
312  308  620 ONONDAGA CC
328  316  644 NIAGARA CCC       
332  315  647 JAMESTOWN CC
333  324  657 MOHAWK VALLEY CC  
351  336  687 BROOME CC 
338  352  690 TOMPKINS CORTLAND CC
334  358  692  CAYUGA CC                

Medalist for the event was MCC's Shane Dobesh with a two day total of 148. GCC's Matt Ferdinand and Kyle Harman joined Onondaga CC�s Alec Stoianoff and MCC�s Anthony Colosi in a four way tie for second place at 150.

GCC Golf Head Coach Tom Tucker and Assistant Coach Tom Moynihan will be accompanying the the GCC Golf team to the NJCAA Division III Nationals at the Chautauqua GC, Chautauqua NY on June 6 through 10

Leadership Genesee’s eighth annual Golf & Bocce Ball Tournament is set for Monday, June 13.

It begins at 11:30 a.m. at Terry Hills Golf Course. The Gold Sponsor of the tournament is Innovative Energy Systems.

Teams may sign up for the four-person scramble that includes lunch, green fee, cart and buffet dinner for $100 per person by May 27. On June 8, the price is $110.

Registration for Bocce Ball is $50 per person by May 27 and $60 by June 8. Bocce registration includes lunch and dinner. Dinner only is $30 per person and must be pre-paid by June 8.

For team registration, sponsorship information, or information about Leadership Genesee, contact Leadership Genesee Director Peggy Marone at 343-3040, ext.118.

Registration forms are available at leadershipgenesee.shutterfly.com or you can pick up a registration form at Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County, 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

Leadership Genesee creates an experience promoting active leadership for Genesee County and is a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension that offers equal program and employment opportunities.

On the six year anniversary of her perfect game, Katie Brownell throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the Oakfield Little League baseball game between the Dodgers and the Athletics.  At the time, Katie was the only girl playing Little League baseball, she played for the Dogders .  This year, the only other girl to play, Hannah LaGrou will retire after playing on the Athletics for four years.  Since her perfect game, Katie has excelled in Soccer, Basketball and Softball.  When asked about the transtion to softball, Katie remarked that it took a while to adjust but now that she plays Varsity Softball at OACS, she loves it.

This is a news release from Genesee Community College.

The Genesee Community College Board of Trustees this week approved a revamped Fitness and Recreation Management degree program proposed by Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Eunice M. Bellinger and Director of Health and Physical Education Rebecca L. Dziekan.

The program adds an academic track for students wishing to pursue a career in personal training, as well as a track for students interested in golf management. Both fields are rapidly growing throughout Western New York.

The redesigned program will now be submitted to the State University of New York, and then to the New York State Education Department, for review and approval.

Students completing the program receive the Associate in Applied Science degree, and possess the academic credentials necessary to immediately find employment. As part of their academic requirements, students complete a semester-long co-op or internship in a work setting.

Graduates in the personal training track can work as coach assistants or athletic assistants, or as personal trainers. Personal trainers, often employed by health and fitness centers, health organizations, and recreational agencies, help people of all ages learn fitness skills, including weight loss, cardiovascular strength, and general conditioning. A growing number of physicians and health professionals recommend the use of personal trainers to individuals who face illness or health challenges, as well as to healthy individuals seeking to meet new fitness goals.

Graduates in the golf management track can work as staff members or managers of golf clubs, golf instructors, or contractors to golf clubs and other recreational facilities. Golf is a rapidly growing sport, and golf facilities and golf-related programs continue to expand across the region. The growing popularity of golf among senior adults, an increasing portion of the area's population, means that employment opportunities in the field will continue to grow over the next decade.

Students in the personal training track will complete courses in health sciences for coaching, personal training, and emergency response. Students in the golf management track will complete courses in teaching methodology, golf course management and planning, turf and pest management, and equipment design. Students in both concentrations will also complete a variety of general education courses, including mathematics, accounting, computer information systems, business, and liberal arts electives.

"Our Fitness and Recreation Management program is strong, but breaking the program into two academic concentrations will be good for students and good for our communities," Dziekan told trustees. "Jobs in both the personal training and golf management fields are on the increase, and this is a great time for students to enter these professions.

"But just as important, these programs will prepare students to become part of what we call the 'fitness infrastructure' of Western New York. Our graduates will help area residents become healthier and improve their overall fitness and lifestyles."

In its new strategic plan, the State University of New York identified "a healthier New York" as one of six key goals for the 64-campus SUNY system. Bellinger said that the new academic concentrations support SUNY's emphasis on improving the health of citizens.

In addition to the Fitness and Recreation Management degree program, Genesee offers a Sport Management degree program (Associate in Science), which focuses on the management of athletic and recreational organizations and business enterprises. The college also offers a Physical Education Studies degree program (Associate in Science), geared toward students interested in coaching or teaching careers. Both the Sport Management and Physical Education Studies programs are ideal for students wishing to transfer to baccalaureate colleges.

The Batavia Muckdogs and the New York-Penn League announced Thursday that the league’s philanthropic arm, the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation, will once again sponsor a scholarship program.

It allows area high school seniors the opportunity to compete for one of three $2,500 grand-prize awards.

The 2011 NYPL Scholarship Program is open to any graduating senior from a public or private high school, who has been accepted at any two or four-year college or university, vocational or technical education institution or program.

Applicants will be judged based on academic performance, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and the impact the Muckdogs and Minor League Baseball have had on their lives.

The Scholarship Program will consist of two stages – a local round and a divisional round.

In the local stage, applicants from throughout the Muckdogs’ home market will compete against each other to determine one winner who will represent Batavia in the final round.

At the divisional stage, the Muckdogs’ representative will compete against the winners from the Auburn Doubledays, Jamestown Jammers, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, State College Spikes and Williamsport Crosscutters for the Pinckney Division’s $2,500 award.

Any finalist who does not win the top scholarship will receive a $250 book award.

In total, the New York-Penn League Scholarship Program will award $10,250 in scholarships this summer to deserving high school graduates from the NYPL’s 14 markets.

Scholarship applications are available by contacting the Batavia Muckdogs at (585) 343-5454 or by visiting the official Web site of the New York-Penn League, http://www.newyork-pennleague.com

The deadline to submit applications is June 30 and finalists will be selected in late July and honored at an August home game.

Here's a press release from Batavia Downs:

Congratulations goes out to Heidi Rosario of Buffalo who won Friday night's (May13) Western OTB/NHHC handicapping contest qualifier, in the clubhouse at Batavia Downs Casino.

Rosario bested leader Hyland Clark in the final contest race.

She’ll represent Western OTB in the $50,000 National Harness Handicapping Championship to be held at the Meadowland Racetrack on July 9th. Best of Luck to Heidi and many thanks to everyone that participated.

Later this year Western OTB and Batavia Downs Casino will host a qualifier for the 2012 Horse Players World Series. Details will be announced soon. Check out www.westernotb.com <http://www.westernotb.com>  for more information.

Earlier this year, Corey Brown and a few of his college friends found themselves on a wild goose chase when looking for adult sports leagues to join in their spare time.

"We were searching around for leagues and eventually got sick of it," he said. "We wondered, 'Why can't you ever find sports leagues unless you hear about it from a friend of a friend of a friend?'"

Instead of throwing in the towel, Brown and his buddies got to work to solve the problem. They did some more digging and eventually created the Web site, LeagueHound.com.

"Basically, we're doing the work for other adults like us who want to find sports leagues in their area," he explained. Brown enlisted the help of his friends, Eric Bartz, Tyler Kossow and Candice Lymburner for the project.

Now, LeagueHound is growing every day. Although he isn't living in Batavia anymore, Brown (who is working on his Master's degree at Niagara University) still has a soft spot for his hometown.

"Sports can mean a lot to someone from a small town and that's probably why this was so important to me," he said.

He admits that he knew nothing about creating Internet sites when he began, but by mid-February, he had learned the basics and began putting things together. When asked when the Web site would be finished, Brown laughed.

"It will never be finished. New sports leagues can always be added, and we're not trying to put something together for just Western New York or just New York state. Actually, at first we wanted to make a nation-wide Web site, but we figured New York would be a good start."

Brown and his colleagues started with Buffalo and Rochester and have begun to branch out towards Syracuse in their search for sports leagues.

"We'll work towards the big cities and then try to fill in the gaps in between," he said.

Researching isn't easy, as the college students have found. Brown said it takes weeks to get even a small city covered.

"You have to look in every community center and every bar... there are actually a lot of leagues out there, they are just hard to find. It's the most difficult thing to deal with but we want to be the ones to do it so our clientele doesn't have to."

LeagueHound.com is up and running - ready for more sports leagues looking for players to send along their information and more potential players to look for some adult sports to enjoy.

GCC's Mark DeCook tees off at hole 11 at the MCC Invitational

On Sunday May 8th, in the last scheduled tournament before Regionals, GCC’s second year golf team accomplished several firsts. They won their first golf tournament, they had their first medalist, and they were the first team to beat MCC this season in a big upset, snapping a long winning streak.
 
MCC went into their own tournament at their home course - the Webster GC in Webster NY - as the heavy favorite, as they usually are. They were on a season long win streak, and they had not lost a tournament since they lost at nationals three years ago.
 
GCC had late tee times in the 11 team event, and their players were paired against Monroe CC and Onondaga CC, both the teams that beat them for first and second place on Saturday at the GCC Invitational.
 
GCC’s realistic goal for the day was to beat Onondaga for second place and to get in a good mind set for Regionals. It turned out that their sites were set too low.
 
It was a beautify sunny day, and it looked promising early on as Mark DeCook and Matt Ferdinand each had good front nines to lead both of their groups handily. Kyle Harman and Corey Kocent were involved in closer matches in their respective groups. Corey and Kyle finished strong however, with Kocent making par at the last hole in semi darkness to shoot a 75 and was medalist for the event.
 
GCC shot 311 as a team, with Kocent’s 75, Harman’s 77, Ferdinand’s 78, and DeCook’s 81. Alex Muench and Adam Bishop also participated for GCC. MCC shot 316 to take second place, and Mohawk Valley CC shot 328 for third.
 
On Saturday, May 7th, GCC hosted their GCC Invitational at the Batavia Country Club on another great day for golf.
 
Even though it is GCC’s home course, the Batavia Country Clubs greens seemed to bewilder GCC’s players. Tee to green they played well, but their putting as a group just wasn't good enough.
 
GCC gave it a good shot but they finished 3rd behind Monroe CC (305) and Onondaga CC (315) with a score of 320. Mark DeCook finished tied for fourth individually with a 77, Matt Ferdinand shot a 79, Kyle Harman carded an 81, and Corey Kocent shot an 83. Adam Bishop and Alex Muench also participated.
 
MCC’s Tim McCall was Men’s medalist with a score of 72.
 
The Hudson Valley CC Women’s Golf team won the Women’s division, and Stephanie Rahn from Mohawk Valley CC was the Women’s medalist with a score of 101
 
GCC’s golf team qualified for Regionals for the second straight year, which will be held Monday May 16th and Tuesday May 17th at the Cortland Country Club in Cortland, NY. They depart next Sunday for a practice round, with hopes of finishing first or second in the tournament which would qualify them for Nationals in June.