Sports

Sometimes stars shine brightest during the day, as was the case on Saturday, July 29. For the first time in 71 years, Rocky River Little League held an all-star game as part of an end of season celebration of the best of the best in Rocky River. It followed the typical MLB format -  National League vs. American League, with the World Series coaches (Champ Kevin Buddie - Bearden's & Runner Up Ryan Lintz - Joyce Buick) managing the squads. It was a true Rocky River event as Rocky River Middle School 8th grader Max Stackolich got things started with a amazing electric guitar performance of our National Anthem. Next up, Goldwood 2nd grader Spencer Rockwood threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Spencer was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia in May and currently going through chemotherapy. His older brother and American League All-Star, Everett Rockwood, caught the pitch. 

Cleveland Youth Rowing Association (CYRA), Cleveland’s oldest existing rowing club for high school students, is currently accepting registrations for all summer programming. Striving to be a premier competitive junior rowing program, the mission of CYRA is to provide a competitive rowing experience to positively impact the mind, body, and spirit of young athletes in the Greater Cleveland community.

Our rowers are comprised of girls and boys from numerous schools and communities throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan area.

Want to rub shoulders with some of the best golfers on the planet? Want to help ensure that a PGA-sponsored tour event in Westlake runs smoothly? Volunteer to help out at the upcoming Rust-Oleum Championship golf tournament, set for June 8-14, at the beautiful Lakewood Country Club in Westlake. Volunteers are needed for course marshals, security, scoring, admissions, on-course services, clubhouse services, volunteer services, and to assist the Golf Channel. 

If you have never seen speedskating in person, it’s time to make a jaunt over to Winterhurst Arena in Lakewood and watch adults and kids - as young as five - race around the oval, dipping deep into the corners and pushing for the finish line.  But even better would be to give it a try yourself. 

Depending on your age, you may be better acquainted with Bonnie Blair than with Apolo Anton Ohno, but don’t let that stop you from strapping on a pair of skates.  Speedskating is a great workout, combining strength training and cardiovascular endurance.

Cleveland Youth Rowing Association, Cleveland’s oldest existing rowing club for high school students, is currently preparing for the upcoming 2014 fall rowing season. Registration is now open!

Striving to be a premier competitive junior rowing program, the mission of CYRA is to provide a competitive rowing experience to positively impact the mind, body, and spirit of young athletes in the Greater Cleveland community. 

It was a big gamble. The sun, wind, and waves…all had to be perfect. But the boys of St. Edward High School’s rowing team were prepared to take on Operation Maple Bacon.

Operation Maple Bacon?  St. Ed’s coaches, Matt Previts and Matt Carlsen, wanted to keep the plan to row from Canada to the Cleveland Rowing Foundation Boat House under cover until mid-summer. So they came up with the fun code name, Maple for Canada and Bacon.

The boys trained all summer long. Up and down the Cuyahoga River every day, except Sunday, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. As August 16 drew closer, their excitement built, but the lake was just too rough to cross. Plan A was scuttled; Plan B went into effect.

CMSD Rows, the rowing program exclusively for students of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, announced that it has been accepted to, and is currently receiving donations as part of, the Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation's Sports Matter program.

Sports Matter is a highly competitive funding program representing a 100%, dollar-for-dollar match, based on a crowd-funding model. CMSD Rows has set the goal of $38,166, and is only able to receive the 100% match, if it meets this goal by a deadline of Friday, May 23.

The Fairview Park Democratic Club meeting on March 6, 7 p.m., will feature a presentation by Matt Cordish, Marketing Manager of the Gay Games, presented by the Cleveland Foundation. Learn more about the events, opportunities and festivities heading our way August 9-16. There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion immediately following the presentation.

Maybe it's the confluence of Father's Day with the U.S. Open this weekend, but during a recent visit to Mastick Woods and after seeing a foursome of two fathers and sons putt-out for par at nine, it gradually occurred: There's never been a father/son duo with a championship pedigree in professional golf. No namesakes tearing up the PGA. No dynasties or legacies being passed along from one generation to the next. The pro tour is full of missing links, genealogically speaking.

And it continues to perplex. Professional sports is becoming more and more a family business: sons growing up in the club house and on the field with their fathers; life-long apprenticeships that stride into professional success until the progeny make their own marks and stake their own claims in the chosen family trade.

Cleveland Scholastic Rowing Association (CSRA), Cleveland’s oldest existing rowing club for high school students, is preparing for the upcoming fall rowing season. CSRA strives to offer the premier competitive rowing program for juniors. The mission of CSRA is to provide a competitive rowing experience that positively impacts the mind, body, and spirit of young athletes in Greater Cleveland. 

Scott Dantio, owner of GPS Gift Gallery in Rocky River, has had many local sports personalities - past, present and future - sign in his store since its opening in 2002. Most recently, Jason Kipnis, All Star Second Baseman, Omar Vizquel, beloved Indian’s shortstop, and Dorssys Paulino, top Indian’s prospect, thrilled hundreds of fans who had a chance to meet and greet their favorite players. “We are still working on more signings but the time is running out and the players' schedules tighten up considerably over the next few months,” Dantio said.

Horseback riding, a sport?

No?

Well the answer is, YES! 

A sport is an activity where you are physically moving, which involves a skill, a skill you develop to compete against other teams or people. The most famous saying that all of us “horse people” hear is, “You just sit there and the horse does everything.” 

This depends on what type of riding you are participating in. Going for a leisurely trail ride at a camp or for an exhilarating experience, then this statement might be true.  However, to a competitive rider, this is false! 

There are many physical benefits to being an equestrian. Sitting on the horse, you need to maintain good posture. Your stomach muscles aid you in staying balanced, in return keeping the horse keep in balance as well, allowing him to perform his best. 

Next on the physical fitness list,  is your legs.In English riding, a common term is the ‘posting’ or ‘rising trot’. The posting trot is a way to relieve the horse’s back from the rider’s weight. This uses your inner thigh and calf muscles. There are many exercises used to develop your muscles and which make you a stronger rider.