Archive: Sports

One of New York's biggest sporting events of the year is coming up at the end of this month when the 2007 Empire State Games are held in Westchester County July 25th through 29th.  Lansing's Adam Heck is coaching the Scholastic Central boys team for the second year in a row along with Groton's John D'Antonio.  The Central region team is recruited from Syracuse, Watertown, Utica, Oneonta, Cortland, Ithaca, Binghamton, and Elmira.  "It's a huge area, and we take the top 20 kids," says Heck.  "From there 16 get to go to the game, and Walker Diebolt is one of the 16.  Dan Hranek, a Lansing Senior, is an alternate.  It is certainly a great honor for our local kids."

Players were chosen by Heck, D'Antonio, and coaches throughout the region in four tryouts at Colgate University in Halmilton, one in Binghamton, one at Syracuse, and one at Ithaca.  The tryouts are spread throughout the region to make it easier for players to  attend.  They can try out as many times as they want, and the top 30 to 40 are called back to a final tryout at Cortland State.

At that tryout, the field is narrowed to 20 players, 16 who will go to the games and four alternates.  "It's competitive," Heck says.  "It's tough to pick the teams, because you are cutting really good players.  The guys this year are great guys.  I am a big believer that everyone is good.  You come together as a team, and play together, work hard, and have fun."

This year's team includes players from Lansing, Marathon, goalie Kyle Younger  from Groton, and several from the Syracuse area.  Only three players are returning from last year, from Carthage, Marathon, and Sydney.  A fourth from Candor was an alternate last year.

Last year was Heck's first year as a coach for the games, and his team won the gold medal.  Two Lansing players, Lucas Heffron and  Adam Hardie were on the winning team.  "We would love to repeat, but everyone's out to get us this year!" he says.  "We're definitely not going to surprise anyone this year.  We're excited -- it's a great opportunity for the guys."

Winning again will be a testament to the coaches ability to pick a cohesive team and bring them together, because each year the players are new.  "You have to redo it," Heck explains.  "You may have some kids filter into the next year, but it's a whole new team.  Last year's team was by far the most cohesive team there, and that's why they won.  They weren't the most talented, but they played together.  Where you saw one Central boy soccer player, the whole team was there.  This year's group has the potential to do that."

Heck's teamwork approach to coaching has a lot to do with that.  He says that this is a great opportunity for kids who compete against each other during the year to get to know each other.  "For instance Walker, from Lansing, is playing with Aubrey Brown and Jason Luce from Marathon.  They'll compete in the Fall against each other.  It's not nasty.  They compete hard, and when it's over they shake hands.  It's good -- they establish friendships.  I think that's important nowadays."

He says it is important to respect your competitors and keep the game in perspective.  "Kids have to understand that sports are fun and it's a great way to compete and grow as a person, but part of building your character is being able to understand that people at other schools are just like you," he says.  "As coaches, some of my best friends are coaches from other schools.  Believe me, when we play we want to beat each other.  We want to win, but when the game is done we're good friends.  If we can teach the kids that we're sending the right message."

The team is leaves for Rye Brook, north of New York City, next Wednesday .  Games will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with the top four teams competing on Sunday.  Between games the  team will get to scrimmage with college age players.  Binghamton has been selected for next year's games.

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