On Our Minds

Details: Published: 02 May 2013; Created: 02 May 2013; Last Updated: 20 May 2013; Hits: 5385

tennis The Scarsdale Recreation Department and the New York Junior Tennis League Scarsdale chapter are seeking youth players and volunteer parents to reestablish the "Scarsdale Spring Youth Tennis League" for Scarsdale boys and girls from third grade to eight grade. Registration for the Scarsdale Spring Youth Tennis Leagues for boys and girls from third grade to eighth grade will take place on Monday, May 13th between 6 PM and 8 PM at the Middle School tennis courts. Rain date and registration will continue on Tuesday , May 14th between 6PM and 8 PM. Youth should bring their tennis racquets to practice play.

Registration can also be done online with the Scarsdale recreation Department at recreation@scarsdale.com or with the New York Junior Tennis League - Scarsdale Chapter at proscars@aol.com or call Bob Harrison at 725-0962 for information. The registration fee to the Rec Department is $ 15 per player.

This great program was started in 1984 with 39 teams and peaked in the mid 1990's with 85 youth tennis teams with over 600 participants.

We are reaching out to each neighborhood athletic association including Edgewood, Fox Meadow, Greenacres, Heathcote, Quaker Ridge and IHM to select area tennis chairs to organize the coaches and teams in their area in order for the rec department to set up a schedule of matches at the middle school tennis courts. There would be matches among all areas with boys and girls leagues.

In each age group with singles and first and second doubles matches so all youth can play at their skill level. The matches would be held Monday to Friday from 6 pm to 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday with one match per week. Matches would be scheduled not to conflict with other spring sports. Parents, remember tennis is a lifetime sport that you and your children can enjoy as a family playing on the village's 26 tennis courts.

We need Scarsdale parents to volunteer their time to the youth tennis program. You don't have to be a tennis star to organize a youth tennis team. Please contact the recreation department at recreation@scarsdale.com or the New York Junior Tennis League - Scarsdale Director, Bob Harrison, at 725-0962 or proscars@aol.com to reestablish the great youth tennis leagues of the past. Get your children involved in the lifetime sport of tennis.

Registration information for our youth will be provided to respondents. We look forward to hearing from you.

Details: Written by: Charles Miner; Published: 01 May 2013; Created: 01 May 2013; Last Updated: 01 May 2013; Hits: 4235

EdgemontTennisAkshatSanghavi After a rough start in league play, Edgemont ran past both Scarsdale B and New Rochelle this week, winning both matches 6-1. Coach Jeff Menaker feels this is the boost Edgemont needs to start their run toward playoffs. Junior Jacob Weiss said, “I feel like we have a lot of winnable matches coming up, and I see us going on a run, and getting a good seeding in playoffs”. Edgemont’s next three matches are against Pelham, Bronxville (who Edgemont lost to 4-3 earlier this season), and then Pelham again.

When I asked Edgemont head coach Jeff Menaker about what he expects from his youngsters in the second half of the season he said, “our young players are growing into their games, and I expect that to pay its dividends later this season”.

Keys to the Match:

Cole Chidekel and Charlie Miner won their last two matches in one 2^nd set tiebreak and one 3^rd set tiebreak. When asked what the key was to winning the two tiebreaks, Cole explained, “it’s easy to get down on yourself after a second set loss, but if you want to win a tiebreak, you have to stay mentally tough and completely dialed in, as Charlie and I did to in both matches”.

Kartik Subbanna bounced back after a hard fought loss against Scarsdale B, and won his match in third singles 6-1, 6-2 against New Rochelle. He said about his win, “The key to my victory was my consistency and staying focused throughout the whole match”.

First singles player Allan Xu faced a familiar foe, a player he had lost to three times in the past. When I asked him what his mindset would be coming into the match, he said “it’s always been close, so I stuck to my game plan and this time I played the better match”. Allan played a great match and won 6-1, 6-4. Edgemont hopes to keep the winning streak alive for the last four games of the season. EdgemontTennisAllanXu

SCORES

Edgemont defeats Scarsdale B: 6-1

First singles: Allan Xu won 7-6 6-1
Second singles: Akshat Sanghavi won 6-3 6-4
Third singles: Kartik Subbanna lost 7-6 6-4
First doubles: Aaditya Jain/Terren Klein won 4-6 7-5 10-8 (third set tiebreak)
Second doubles: Jacob Weiss/Jan Kjellberg won 6-3 2-6 11-9 (third set tiebreak)
Third doubles: Charlie Miner/Cole Chidekel won 6-0 7-6
Fourth Doubles: Ethan Cutler/Berber Jin won 6-2 6-2

Edgemont defeats New Rochelle: 6-1

First singles: Allan Xu won 6-1 6-4
Second singles: Akshat Sanghavi won 6-4 7-6
Third singles: Kartik Subbanna won 6-1 6-0
First doubles: Aaditya Jain/Terren Klein lost 5-7 6-4 11-13
Second doubles: Jacob Weiss/Jan Kjellberg won 6-3 4-6 10-6
Third doubles: Charlie Miner/Cole Chidekel won 6-2 2-6 10-4
Fourth Doubles: Ethan Cutler/Berber Jin won 6-3 5-7 10-6

Details: Published: 24 April 2013; Created: 24 April 2013; Last Updated: 25 April 2013; Hits: 4269

MVP3 Thanks to MVP Basketball Camp and eager Ping Pong players, hundreds of underprivileged children, as well as children of family members serving in the U.S. Armed Forces will be able to attend free weeks of camp this summer. MVP is sponsoring a Ping Pong Fundraiser on Friday, May 3 from 6:30-10pm to benefit its scholarship program and its MV "Hoops For Troops" program. It will be held at The Westchester Table Tennis Center at 175 Thompkins Ave. in Pleasantville.

There will be ping pong contests, tournaments and demonstrations as well as music, a silent auction and light dinner and refreshments, including soda, beer and wine. Celebrity guests including New York Times Crossword Editor Will Shortz will attend.

MVP Basketball Camp has a long history of serving adolescents and children of all economic classes. Stan Green founded the organization in 1994 with the dream that no child would ever be turned away due to an inability to pay. And that dream has come true! Stan passed away in December 2009 and left a lasting legacy: a basketball camp that has awarded over 4,000 scholarships. MVP4

MVP has always been dedicated to youth development and baskbetball serves as a metaphor for the challenges children face as they approach adulthood. For former campers, internship are available to enable them to develop job skills in a fun and supportive environment.

But first and foremost, MVP offers a place for boys and girls to play the game the love. As one camper put it, "it's like we're in the real NBA!"

Tickets for this family fun event are available at the website, www.mvpbasketball.org or by calling 914-946-1231. Prices for the fundraiser are $40/adults ($50 at door), $20/children under 16 ($25 at door) and $100/family of 2 adults and 2 children ($125/door). Sponsorship packages and program ads are available and donations of items to be used as a raffle or silent auction prize are available. Call for information.

MVP2 This is sure to be an evening of laughter and fun and benefits a most worthy cause. MVP5

Details: Published: 18 April 2013; Created: 18 April 2013; Last Updated: 18 April 2013; Hits: 4062

edgeGirlsLax This week was filled with excitement, disappointment, winning and losing for the Edgemont Girl's Varsity Lacrosse Team. In their first game out against Nanuet on April 4, Edgemont was up 7-4 at the half time which ended with a buzzer beater goal by Chao. However in the second half Nanuet came back and won it 12-9.

The team worked hard over the next few days and came out strong to earn an outstanding 17-1 victory against Ardsley. The next game for the Panthers was a game that always stirs up old rivalries; Edgemont Panthers vs. Scarsdale Raiders. In the first half the Raiders got off to a quick start and were ahead by six in the first half. Edgemont had a strong second half but it wasn't enough to pull out a win. The game ended at 11-9 with the Raiders on top. Despite the loss, Edgemont Junior Gaby Susz scored her 99th and 100th goals of her career.

The Panthers continue to prepare for a tough season and are scheduled to play Mamaroneck, Pelham and Yonkers in the coming week.

Details: Published: 08 April 2013; Created: 08 April 2013; Last Updated: 08 April 2013; Hits: 4000

lax1 Following their 16-4 victory versus Ursuline for their first game, The Scarsdale Raiders Varsity Girls Lacrosse team struggled to get the win for their second game on April 5th, losing to Yorktown 16-10.

During the first half, the Raiders had a rough start. Although Junior Lindsay Repp, and Captains Abby Stone and Dannah Strauss each had a goal, it was not enough to overcome Yorktown's strong offense. Yorktown dominated the field scoring 11 goals against Junior goalkeeper Julia Ross.

However, the Raiders were not ready to give up the game and came back strong in the second half. Assistant Varsity Coach, Genette Zonghetti was pleased that the team "played a great second half and outscored [Yorktown." They Raiders scored an additional seven goals compared to Yorktown's five goals. Repp scored the most goals of the half with four amazing shots. Captain Stone, Senior Lindsay Root, and Sophomore Sarah Mehlman each scored a goal as well. Both Repp and Mehlman each had one assist and Ross had a total of 9 saves in goal. lax2

While Coach Zonghetti noted that the team "came out a little slow which hurt us," she is optimistic for future games as "the girls played their hearts out and played really hard and [this game] is a stepping stone for the rest of the season."