Men’s Swimming
Fan favorite Michael Phelps returns for what may be his last Olympic cycle to compete in five events. Phelps collected eight medals in the 2004 games in Athens and another eight in Beijing, winning more individual medals than any other athlete at both games. He holds the records for most gold medals won at a single Games (eight) and highest total gold medals won by a single athlete (14). At 16 individual medals overall, Phelps is just three away from breaking Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina’s record for the most individual Olympic medals of any athlete in history.

Women’s Swimming
Missy Franklin, 17, qualified for her first Olympics this year. Though she’s new to the Games, Franklin has entered the swimming world with a splash; at the 2012 Olympic trials, she broke Team USA veteran Natalie Coughlin’s American record in the 100-meter backstroke. She took her first five international medals home in the 2011 World Championships, competing alongside Coughlin, and broke two world records in 2011.

Men’s Track & Field
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, five-time world champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist, is considered easily the fastest man in the world. He currently holds the international records for both the 100-meter and 200-meter races. Before Bolt, the U.S.’s own Tyson Gay held the 100-meter sprint title. Gay, with three world golds under his belt, has one of the most decorated records in running history but has yet to medal at an Olympic Games. He’ll be looking to change that this summer when he faces Bolt.

Women’s Track & Field
Carmelita Jeter, a sprinter who specializes in the 100-meter dash, is the second-fastest woman to ever compete in the event, topping Marion Jones’ best time and nearing the all-time world record held by Florence Griffith-Joyner since 1987. Jeter currently holds three of the 10 best times in history run by a female athlete in the 100-meter race. At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, Jeter finished first in the event and will head to London this summer to go for the gold.

Men’s Wrestling
Jordan Burroughs, a freestyle wrestler from New Jersey, boasts a competition record that speaks for itself: the up-and-comer has won every tournament he has entered in the last three years. Claiming the top spot in the 2011 World Championships, the 2011 Pan American games and the 2011 NCAA Championship, Burroughs became the fourth wrestler in history to win both the world and NCAA titles in a single year.

Women’s Beach Volleyball
Many in the sports world have deemed dynamic duo Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor the greatest beach volleyball team of all time. The pair competed together in the 2004 and 2008 summer Olympics, taking home the gold both times. May-Treanor is also the most successful current women’s beach volleyball player in the world, holding 110 individual championship wins in national and international competitions.

Women’s Tennis
Superstar sisters Serena and Venus Williams will compete alongside each other after a strong year in competition. Both women have held the title of No. 1 female tennis player in the world several times in the last 10 years and have continued to dominate international tournaments, including this month’s Wimbledon.

Men’s Basketball
The Miami Heat’s LeBron James has been the center of attention in the world of men’s basketball since he became the No. 1 NBA draft pick in 2003 at age 18. In 2008, the guard/forward helped lead Team USA to victory, securing the team gold in the Beijing summer Games. The American basketball legend will aim for a repeat show this year in London.

Women’s Soccer
31-year-old Abby Wambach led the U.S. women’s soccer team to a gold medal victory in Athens 2004, but missed the opportunity to compete in Beijing four years later due to a leg injury. Having come back strong in 2011 to compete in her third FIFA Women’s World Cup, scoring 13 goals to become the U.S.’s lead scorer in the tournament, Wambach will get another shot in London this summer.

Read More About the Summer Olympics!

• An Olympic Love Story
• Greg Louganis Q&A 
• Olympic Sprinters Trained in Central Park

Euro 2012 host countries Poland and Ukraine find themselves under close scrutiny as racism accusations intensify. The Union of European Football Association (UEFA) has already opened several investigations as we approach the second week of the competition.

The controversy was sparked last month with BBC’s “Stadiums of Hate,” a documentary denouncing the presence of racist and neo-nazi groups among soccer fans in both Ukraine and Poland, the two countries chosen to host the prestigious Euro 2012. Among others, the documentary featured British soccer veteran Sol Campbell, saying the following about the competition: “Stay at home. Watch it on TV. Don’t even risk it because you could end up coming back in a coffin.”

Other black British players, such as Theo Walcott and Alex Chamberlain, have asked their families to follow Campbell’s advice and remain at home, while many began to question the two host countries’ ability to keep players and supporters safe. British authorities even called on supporters traveling to these countries to be careful, especially after Sky News reported that a group of Ukrainian hooligans had issued official threats to British fans.

Polish and Ukrainian officials have reacted strongly to the accusations, claiming that the media have largely exaggerated on the situation. “There is a problem with racism and anti-semitism in Poland,” acknowledged Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Marcin Bosacki, “but it is blown out of every single proportion in this material.”

UEFA President and ex-French soccer player Michel Platini was of the same opinion, stating that there isn’t “any more racism in Poland and Ukraine than in France or anywhere else.” He went on to add that racism was a problem rooted in social issues, and that sports should be seen as a part of the solution rather than a cause of the problem.

The BBC documentary has been heavily criticized on the grounds that it attempted to sensationalize the issue by blowing it out of proportion. While it is true that extreme-right ideologies are currently on the rise in Europe, racism in soccer is by no means confined to ex-Soviet countries. In fact, the British Premier League has recently had its own problems, as Liverpool forward Luis Suarez was found guilty of racist insults towards French Senegalese player Patrice Evra in October 2011, collecting an 8-match ban and a $60,000 fine. Chelsea’s John Terry is also currently undergoing trial for similar accusations.

Regardless of whether BBC’s “Stadiums of Hate” was simply pouring oil on the fire, Ukraine and Poland will certainly find themselves under close scrutiny until the end of the tournament. The UEFA has already begun investigating several cases pertaining to racist behavior in the stands, including Sunday’s incident during the Spain – Italy game, where about 200 Spanish fans allegedly directed monkey chants at black Italian player Mario Balotelli. Police had to intervene yesterday after a particularly bloody clash between Polish and Russian supporters in Warsaw, but the incident seemed more influenced by the tumultuous history of the two countries than by racist sentiments.

For Ukraine, the stakes seem higher than a simple game of football. Several European politicians have been pressuring the Ukrainian government to release former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, who was arrested last October on charges of abuse of power. The Euro Cup could be a chance for Ukraine to redeem itself in the eyes of Europe, if things go well. In the meantime, Ukrainian fans will certainly have enjoyed Monday’s 2-1 win against Sweden.

by Laurent Berstecher

By Meghan Gearino, Kat Harrison and Elizabeth Raymond

Mohawk Day Camp.

If you tally all of the day camps in the city along with all of the day camps within an hour’s drive, you have an extraordinary menu of summer experiences. From traditional day camps that offer a mix of sports, crafts and field trips, to camps that devote more of their day to culture, music and other specialties, chances are you can find a camp that’s a good fit for your child depending on his or her age and interests.

If you have a child 4 years old or younger who is not ready for a full day of camp, much less a full summer, day camps typically offer sessions that are just a few hours a day and one or two weeks long. If you have an older child, he or she might be ready (and you might be, too) to be put them on a bus in the morning to a camp outside of city, so they can have fun in a more rural setting and perhaps take the first step in the direction of a sleepaway camp experience.

For info on academic day camps, read our recent educational day camp guide at www.NYPress.com. Visit www.NewYorkFamily.com for more on day camps.

Whatever you decide is right for your child, there is one standard where you should not compromise: Camp should be fun, and your child should feel like he or she is making friends. If that’s not happening, it ain’t the right camp—keep looking!

GENERAL-INTEREST DAY CAMPS IN NEW YORK CITY

It’s important to keep kids active when school’s out for the summer. The Summer Breeze Day Camp by Gymtime Rhythm & Glues and York Avenue Preschool is a perfect choice, letting young campers tuck & roll in a state-of-the-art gym while cooking and enjoying library time. And with a new facility in Battery Park City, Summer Day Camp at Asphalt Green has everything from T-ball to martial arts, with weekly trips to popular venues like the Bronx Zoo and Liberty Science Center.

Speaking of animals, the Art Farm in the City is a diamond in the rough for city kids, with its on-site petting zoo and specialization in animal care. They organize the summer by themes like “Tropical Excursion,” “Circus Mania” and “Wild Wild West.” Special days like pajama and BBQ day dot The Mandell School’s Explorer Camp schedule, where all of the counselors are experienced teachers. Or you can give your tot a head start on the camp experience with Poppyseed Pre-Nursery. This mini-camp allows you to join your toddler for picnics, singing and painting.

For an all-around summer camp experience, look no further than Bank Street Summer Camp. Depending on their age, kids can partake in swimming, fishing, Spanish immersion and cabaret. A summer at Camp Léman features woodworking, silly science experiments and a rooftop playground. With multi-borough locations, Oasis Day Camp spotlights field trips and special guests. Plus, kids can get pumped up every morning with cheers and a song—classic camp-style. Thespians and dance aficionados ages 5-10 will love the Babes on Broadway camp by Discovery Programs whereas the LIU Children’s Academy Summer Camp leads children in a different direction, offering robotics, fashion design, cinema and comic book creation.

GENERAL-INTEREST DAY CAMPS OUTSIDE THE CITY

Quintessentially summer, Woodmont Day Camp offers performing arts, athletics, and arts and crafts for each of its age-appropriate “villages.” Looking for a nurturing Jewish environment? The Neil Klatskin Day Camp will take your kiddo boating, hiking and even host a few carnivals. If your child is ready to unleash his or her creative side, don’t miss Gate Hill Day Camp for jewelry-making, tie-dye and ceramics. North Shore Day Camp also provides woodworking and leather arts. For something off the wall, Buckley Country Day Camp offers special events such as a camp-wide talent show, Olympics Week and pony rides.

Can’t get your fish out of the water? Pierce Country Day Camp has their very own sprayground and water park with below-ground geysers and fountains, and also offers water ballet and volleyball lessons. Only 35 minutes from Manhattan, The JCC’s Day Camp @ Pearl River offers twice-a-day swimming with a slide just for the big kids.

Future farmers should check out The Nature Place Day Camp, which houses a chicken coop, beehives and composting piles. Located in White Plains, Mohawk Day Camp (pictured) has an onsite farm with chickens, cows and peacocks alongside gardens and an apple orchard. If petting zoos, gardening and fishing is more your child’s forte, check out Spring Lake Day Camp.

For the athletic-minded, Deer Mountain Day Camp provides all things fencing, archery, rugby, cricket and GaGa. In New Rochelle, Mount Tom Day Camp features a menu of more traditional sports such as kickball, football, golf and tennis. The New York YMCA Camp offers adventurous outdoor adrenaline rushes on their ropes courses, with some fast-flung archery in between. And the 92YCamps not only offer soccer, a mini-zipline and skateboarding activities, the fun is a mere 20-minute bus ride away.

SPECIALTY DAY CAMPS

Thematic

A haven for children ages 3 to 4, Camp Apple Seeds engages kids in activities like cooking and dramatic play according to weekly themes such as “American Road Trip” and “Make Believe.” Running for 11 weeks, the Summer Days Camp at 74th St. MAGIC provides a plush, private rooftop for outdoor play—a boon for “Growing in the Garden” week. At Kidville, we’re especially tickled by the Fairy Princess and Superhero Training camps which let storybook heroes and heroines come to life for little ones. And then it’s all about the sea and stars at Camp Intrepid, where campers ages 5 to 13 can curate their own exhibits, speak like a swashbuckler and explore the next frontier.

Life skills

It’s never too soon to get your child prepared for the “real world.” She could be the next Donna Karan thanks to SewHo’s summer camp, which teaches a variety of hand and machine sewing skills through projects like pillows, handbags and American Girl doll apparel. The Textile Arts Center of Manhattan is offering two camps this sun-filled season—one concentrated on weaving and another on the surface design of textiles, which includes printing and dyeing. Worth every penny, the nonprofit organization World of Money offers a three-week Youth Financial Literacy Training Institute program for campers ages 7-18 and teaches necessary financial skills such as budgeting, investing and money management.

Multi-sport

With low coach-to-camper ratios, your budding athlete (of any sport) is sure to succeed in the age-divided Kids in Sports summer sessions, which also feature storytime and arts & crafts. Or join the Sports Academy at Chelsea Piers for a roster that includes volleyball and European team handball, among the usual sporty suspects. At Corbin’s Crusaders Day Camp—located a mere 25 minutes from the city—ultimate Frisbee, archery, GaGa, and Go-Kart fun will fill the hours.

Tennis

Dust off those racquets! The Advantage Sea & Sports Camp gives your athlete a chance to play on the beautiful Maritime College waterfront and provides your child with 4 to 6 hours of instruction and practice, with an optional swim time. Another great option is the 2012 Excel Summer Camp by the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and SPORTIME Randall’s Island. Along with intensive instruction and technique development, campers can also participate in tennis-specific cross-training like soccer and ultimate Frisbee.

Soccer

Just in time for Euro 2012, Super Soccer Stars offers various camps, depending on your little kicker’s age and skill set. Summer camp at the Carlos Oliveira Soccer Academy focuses on both individual skills and fundamentals of team play. This Brazilian-style soccer camp on the Upper West Side is available for half or full days.

Baseball

Boost your slugger’s sense of sportsmanship and teamwork with the Baseball Center NYC’s summer program—which includes both indoor and outdoor segments of pitching, hitting, fielding and base running. And develop a real love for the game through On Deck NY with skill-building drills and daily competitions in Central Park.

Jodi’s Gym

Gymnastics

Tiny tumblers should somersault their way to Jodi’s Gym (pictured) for parachute play and hands-on art fun for a summer camp where music usually reigns at the beginning of each day. And with two locations, NYC Elite offers families a full or half day option to experience a world of swimming, balance beams and storytime.

Dance

Culminating in a Friday family performance, the Joffrey Ballet School’s Summer Dance Camp lets its youngest dancers recreate the greatest stage stories of all time with basic movement concepts and DIY costumes. The Explore Dance program at The School at Steps caters to those who love the entire spectrum of movement—from hip-hop to tap—and lets them mix and match the styles they like into an ideal schedule. For dancers ages 6-12, Peridance Capezio Center is offering an August Dance Camp combining jazz, ballet and salsa, as well as elements of dance history and choreography. And for those who already have at least a year of classical ballet training under their belt, the New York Theatre Ballet offers its Summer Dance Camp complete with field trips to break up the intensive training. Prospective campers must be between the ages of 7 and 10 and must audition in order to attend.

Performance

Applause NYC’s weeklong Musical Theater Intensives give your kids the chance to learn stage techniques, song placement and costume design in the presence of a Broadway star. If your little one’s interest lies more in the arena of choreography, Vital Theatre’s Junior Performance Camp gives your child a chance to work one-on-one with a professional choreographer and learn all the right moves. A guaranteed good time, the Kids Weeks at the New Victory Theater range from circus tricks to puppetry to playwriting. Performers ages 6-15 get the bonus swank of a major concert hall by attending the Summer Musical Theater Workshop by the Lucy Moses School. And at TADA! Youth Theater, the themed weeks (we’re especially intrigued by (“Broadway Bieber”) culminate in an original camper composition.

Art

Unique in its location, we think Children’s Museum of the Arts’ Summer Art Colony on Governors Island is an escape all in its own. Kids can explore an NYC treasure while creating a few artistic keepsakes to take home. At HiArt’s Culture Bugs Surreal Summer Camp, creative types are introduced to the world of surrealism and bookmaking. Escape the heat and head to Kids at Art for half-day workshops offering the best in mask-making, clay molding and papier-mâché technique. And Make Meaning’s Creative Escapes program lets campers go on an artistic staycation, drawing inspiration from global cultures and test tubes.

Cooking

Addicted to the Food Network? With 13 delectable themes, Taste Buds is offering a new Iron Chef Camp this summer where young gourmands will learn how to whip up treats and compete with their fellow campers. If you’re looking to instill a sense of food responsibility in your child, consider Butter Beans Food and Garden Camp so they can explore farmers markets, create their own sweet jam and write a cookbook utilizing a farm-to-table philosophy. Home Cooking New York’s summer camp in Chelsea is a stellar introduction to kitchen basics as well as to cuisines from all around the globe.

Music

Stationed in Chelsea, the Kids at Work summer camp offers up an awesome blend of age- appropriate music and artistic activities for your groovy kiddos to engage in. Perfect for preschoolers, the Diller-Quaile School of Music is offering an Early Childhood Preschool Music and Art Program this June. Take in summertime music, engage in creative play and catch special concerts all before heading home. If you have more of a rocker on your hands, Day Jams lets rhythmic children learn and perfect their skills on guitar, bass, drums vocals and keyboard under the tutelage of a music pro.

The artisan flea market is showing the game on a large screen with soccer demos, free snacks and free Hawaiian Shaved Ice for the kids.

Money raised goes towards P.S. 63.

Click here for more information.

Dan Hicks isn’t used in either way by the Bowdoin College soccer team, but he still managed to net a goal this season. Playing against New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) heavyweight Trinity Oct. 26, he took a free kick from the edge of his own box. After 80 yards and a deceptive bounce on the wet turf, the ball found its way past the opposing keeper.

“My first reaction was that I felt pretty bad for their goalie because I’ve been there before. Sometimes it’s tough to judge the bounce,” Hicks said. “I have a strong kick, but it’s inconsistent. Sometimes I shank it.”

Bowdoin College goalie Dan Hicks was named Second Team All-New England Small College Athletic Conference.

Not this time, though. Hicks’ peculiar goal gave his team a 2-0 lead, one that he had helped preserve several minutes earlier by stopping a penalty kick. With him protecting the net this year, Bowdoin finished 11-4-2 and qualified for the Division 3 NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years. Hicks started 14 games and made 48 saves, surrendering only 10 goals in nearly 22 hours of playing time, for which he was named Second Team All-NESCAC. He also was a member of the NESCAC All-Academic Team.

“Overall, it was probably the best season we’ve had here,” he said. “It was a big step up for Bowdoin soccer.”

Hicks, a native Upper East Sider, played soccer at Trinity in high school, but he credits two years with the Manhattan Soccer Club for providing the foundation of his skills. Originally a baseball recruit at Bowdoin, he eventually decided to play two sports, and the soccer team has benefited ever since.

Hicks isn’t the only Trinity graduate playing soccer at Bowdoin. Daniel Chaffetz started 16 games this year and had three assists on defense. Andrew Scott, yet another Trinity alum, played 14 games for NESCAC foe Hamilton and had one assist. Elsewhere in the conference, Alisha Neptune (Beacon) capped her career at Wesleyan by starting 11 games on defense and serving as team captain. Alex Klotman (Collegiate) appeared in three games for Tufts as a freshman, while Chelsea Davies’ (Beacon) first year at Williams included 11 games and 144 minutes of playing time.

Beacon, always a powerhouse in New York City soccer, had a strong contingent playing at the next level. From last year’s PSAL runner-up, Will Congdon saw action in 10 games for St. Lawrence, while Caetano Sanchez played 18 games and started five at Hobart for a team that went 15-4-2 and was ranked fourth in Division 3 at one point. Aldin Dervisevic and Byron Walker teamed up at George Washington, with the former playing four games and the latter starting 12 on defense. At SUNY-Albany, Lily Honor appeared in two games, while David Grad was a goalie for SUNY-Binghamton.

Elsewhere in the SUNY system, Hussam Buoyancy (Lycée Français) was part of the team at Old Westbury. And George Kiladze (Beacon) played two games for Purchase, while Alyssa Rosado (Cathedral) appeared in one.

Among local colleges, Hunter enjoyed the services of Devin Leahy (Trevor Day), who started 11 games in midfield, and Leander Kotsopoulos (Beacon), who started three. Ousmane Toure (Brandeis) had five goals and one assist while starting 16 games at York. Emiliano Tramontozzi (LaGuardia) started all 18 games as a senior for Long Island-Brooklyn. Baruch’s Brian Wright (Eleanor Roosevelt) appeared in 11 games, had two goals and one assist and was named his conference’s “Rookie of the Week” Oct. 12. Another freshman, Vincent Mark (Art and Design) started 14 games for City Tech, and had one goal and three assists. His teammate there, Harold Villegas (Environmental Studies), played in 10 games. City College boasted a strong array of locals: Rafael Dymek (Eleanor Roosevelt) played one game as goalie; America B. Nazario (Julia Richman) started all 15 games on defense; Oisin McGoldrick (UNIS) appeared in four games; and Abdul Jalloh (Martin Luther King) started nine times and had a goal.

As always, MLK had plenty of alumni still showcasing their skills on the pitch. Bazoumana Bamba played in 16 games and scored six times for Monroe. At SUNY Tech, Malick Faye had one game in goal, and Emelio Haughton was named Third Team All-North Eastern Athletic Conference for starting in 16 games and registering three goals and four assists. Hartwick’s Steven Amaya recorded two goals and two assists in 16 games. Archie Dweh played one game for St. Bonaventure. And Mohammed Ahamed started 17 games and had two assists for Nazareth, where Mike Chuqui (MLK) and Giancarlos Molina (St. Agnes) were also on the roster.

Other locals playing upstate included Michael Chew (Collegiate), who appeared in four games for Bard. Marist’s Tim Garger (Regis) had two assists in 14 games and was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic Team. Luci Rawe (LaGuardia) got into 11 games as a freshman at Vassar.

Lucas Neustadt (Beacon) started twice at Clark, where Rachel Minsky (LaGuardia) played 18 games and registered a goal and an assist. Haverford’s Max Stossel (Dalton) started 13 times, recording three goals and two assists along the way. And Chris Weinstein (Trinity) played in three games at Washington University in St. Louis.

Justin Griffiths took his game from Regis to Oberlin, where he got into 11 games this fall. Briggin Scharf (Spence), also at Oberlin, played 12 times. Her conference rival, Kenyon, fielded Clara Fischman (Riverdale) in seven games and Shanna Keown, who got two assists while starting all but one match. Finally, Eric Libby, another Spence alumna, played two games in goal for Claremont McKenna and had one save.

Hunter finished the regular season last year with a disastrous 2-13-1 record, but the Hawks improved this fall, thanks to a dynamic group of juniors and sophomores. And though Leahy, who played previously at the Trevor Day School on the Upper West Side, didn’t pick up any postseason honors, his performance was important in the turnaround effort. He played in 18 games and started 10 as a defensive midfielder. His first collegiate goal helped provide a victory against SUNY-Maritime in early September.

Devin Leahy has helped turn around Hunter’s soccer team.

By the end of the regular season, Hunter was 9-7-1, a solid record but not one that turns heads. The Hawks certainly drew notice in the playoffs, though, by beating both City Tech and Brooklyn College in overtime games.

Extra periods couldn’t resolve the title match after Hunter tied York College 1-1, partly thanks to a goal that Leahy set up. That meant penalty kicks would have to determine the outcome, and once again the sophomore rose to the occasion. The Hawks couldn’t convert their first two attempts and quickly fell behind. But they made some clutch shots to tie things up at two goals apiece. Then Leahy, with his team’s fate resting on his foot, stepped up to the mark and sent a low shot to the right side of the net.

Game over: Hunter earned its first city championship and NCAA Tournament berth since 1999.

As usual, the fall has seen dozens of local athletes playing in college arenas. The following is a round-up of Manhattanites who attended high school on either the East or West Side.

Soccer
Besides Leahy, the best soccer season undoubtedly belonged to Dan Hicks, a sophomore goalie at Bowdoin. He started the bulk of the season, finishing with a 1.47 goals-against average, 49 saves and a save percentage of .731 for a 6-8 team. He was joined on the pitch by Daniel Chaffetz, a former high school teammate of his at Trinity. Also a sophomore, Chaffetz started three games as a defenseman for the Polar Bears.

Monroe College, meanwhile, had a trio of local freshmen. Daniel Solis and Alassane Diakite, both members of the championship team at Martin Luther King Jr. a year ago, competed for the Mustangs. Solis played in 13 games as a midfielder and had a goal and an assist. He was joined by Jonathan Ortiz (Norman Thomas), who contributed two goals and an assist as a forward. At City College, America Nazario (Julia Richman) played 13 games and started 10 along the back line.

Three more freshmen saw action on college pitches this fall. Michael Chew (Collegiate) played in nine games for Bard, notching one goal for an 8-7-1 team. Briggin Scharf (Spence), a defender, saw action in eight games and started one at Oberlin. And Andrew Scott (Trinity) played four games for Hamilton.

Cross Country
Najua Ward (Beacon) continued to run impressively for City College during his sophomore season, finishing 12th at the CUNYAC Championships and 15th at the Baruch Invitational. Teammate Jabreel Sabir (Environmental Studies) placed 43rd at the CUNYAC meet.

Collegiate’s always impressive corps of runners also had a good fall. Dylan Trotzuk (Harvard) and Joe Myrie (University of Pennsylvania) wrapped up their freshmen seasons, while sophomore Peter Vizcarrondo competed for Yale. He finished 11th at the Fairfield Invitational.

Also at Harvard, Elizabeth Heller (Brearley) began her college career by finishing 88th at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships with a time of 20:18 on a five-kilometer course. UPenn’s Josh Weinstein (Dalton) was 21st at the Old Nassau Run during his sophomore campaign.

Other local runners included Tina Millburn (Chapin) and Kirsten Brown (Hunter) at Tufts and Skyler Walley (Brearley) at Bowdoin.

Tennis
There was a tremendous amount of success on the courts this fall, and freshmen once again led the charge. Princeton’s Hilary Bartlett (Brearley) went 11-4 in doubles and 3-6 in singles. At St. John’s, Milo Hauk (Beacon) finished 10-4 in singles play and 3-4 in doubles. Michael Piderit (Dalton) of Wesleyan compiled an impressive 5-1 mark at No. 5 singles and a record of 4-2 at No. 2 doubles. He had good competition among conference foes from two Columbia Prep graduates: Julian Camacho at Amherst and Josh Cranin at Bowdoin. Camacho went 2-2 in both singles and doubles, while Cranin finished 4-4 on his own and 1-3 with a partner. A third former player at Columbia Prep, Emily Wolf, made her collegiate debut at UPenn. Rebecca Brown (Dalton) did the same at Oberlin, compiling marks of 1-4 and 2-3 in singles and doubles, respectively. And finally, Warren Elgort moved from Trinity to Johns Hopkins and put together an impressive fall. He finished 7-3 in singles and 4-2 in doubles.

Upperclassmen didn’t do badly, either. Curtis Roby (Trinity) continued his impressive career at Dartmouth. He was 5-2 as a singles player and 4-0 in doubles, winning the Dartmouth Shootout “C” Singles Title and the doubles bracket at the Big Green Invite. At defending national champion Williams, Kathryn Friedman (Chapin) was 6-4 in singles and 3-4 in doubles.

Caroline Gottlieb (Brearley) played at Bates, and Gabrielle Hess (Ramaz) started her senior season at Yeshiva by finishing 4-4 in singles and 3-5 in doubles, mostly in the No. 1 slot.

Volleyball
Andrea Rosengarten (Spence) was a serendipitous addition to the volleyball team at Colby this year. The freshman outside hitter played in every match for her 12-16 team and proved quite a force, both offensively and defensively. As an attacker, she finished with 227 kills, 45 aces and 19 assists. When it came to keeping points alive, she was just as spectacular, contributing 359 digs and 15 blocks.

Mary Reiser (Nightingale-Bamford), also a freshman, saw limited action for Amherst this fall, helping her team to a 22-8 record. She appeared in nine matches and recorded nine kills, seven digs and seven blocks. Thea Schlieben (Rudolf Steiner) played 12 matches for Brooklyn College and notched nine kills, four assists and 14 digs. At Kenyon, Meggie Strew (Trevor Day) started her college career by appearing in three games.

Lisa Jasienowski was the most accomplished local volleyball player besides Rosengarten. The sophomore outside hitter from York Prep played in every match for Skidmore, helping her team finish 26-10 by registering 77 kills, 19 digs and 57 blocks.

Other Sports
Brianne and Clementine Goutal (both from the Professional Children’s School) participated on the equestrian team at Brown this fall. At Bowdoin, Becca Warner (Chapin) played golf and Rafaela Uribe (St. Jean Baptiste) joined the rugby team as a prop. And though Manhattan has very few high school football teams, Terence Mooney (Hunter) didn’t let that stop him from reaching the college gridiron. He joined the Kenyon football squad as a backup quarterback.

“They’ve played together on the team for four years now, and their one goal is to win,” Mahrer said. “There’s no selfish play, and they’re all very experienced and strong players. They provide really valuable leadership. We came into this year feeling we had as good a shot at the championship as anyone else.”
It was Sanchez who started the scoring against Stuyvesant last week. Despite several excellent opportunities, including an incredible shot by Congdon that clanked against the crossbar, Beacon did not break through offensively until late in the first half. That’s when a misplayed clear by the opposing goalie left the ball at Sanchez’s feet. He lifted a feathery 40-yard lob that fluttered into the net. He now has 11 goals and eight assists on the year.
At the end of the second half, Freeman made the 2-0 score final with another goal. A classic striker, equal parts blinding speed and muscular determination, he spent most of the game blanketed by defenders, clawing forward against near constant tackles and shoves. Finally, with a few minutes to go, he beat the keeper to a long pass and managed to nudge the ball just hard enough to cross the goal line.
“They were running interference on me so I couldn’t get the ball and run,” Freeman said. “They were doing a good job of crowding me, but we’re Beacon. We’re just about finding a way to win and a way to score, and that’s what we did today.”
Freeman has tallied seven scores this fall. On the defensive side, Toporek has surrendered only three goals, while making 44 saves—a big part of why Beacon is the new top dog in the city.
“It’s leadership and hard work,” Freeman explained. “We have a really good coach. We started our preseason on Aug. 20 and been working hard ever since. Everyone works together. We emphasize always going after the ball, and that provides motivation to everyone. I’m proud of all the guys. We’re doing pretty well.”
Last year, Beacon lost in the semifinals on penalty kicks. This season, no one will be happy with anything short of a championship trophy. The playoffs begin in about a week.
“It’ll take a lot of discipline, a lot of character, a lot of stepping up from our younger players,” Congdon said. “In the playoffs, you win or go home. We need to show more consistency. If we do that and play the way we know we can play, I think we have a good shot.”

“The biggest job was getting it off the ground and functioning, and that was Neville’s doing,” said Mark Freedman, the league’s third commissioner and the driving force behind getting Colman’s name attached to the field.
The roots of youth soccer on the West Side actually lay in baseball. When the Pee Wee League season ended, many families were looking to continue with a new activity. That’s when some immigrant parents proposed soccer, a sport Colman had played throughout his youth in South Africa, but it was one that flew under the radar in America.
“It was a very foreign game,” Lobban said. “It had no kind of presence in the American public domain. But these foreign parents played themselves when they were kids and knew how the game worked. And they were all very passionate about the new league.”
So passionate that the initial impromptu games were not enough to satisfy demand. Within a year, Colman joined five other parents in founding the league. It started with a half-dozen teams, about 80 players and no overarching sense of direction. That changed when Colman visited relatives in California and encountered the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and its philosophy that “everyone plays.”
“He knew kids wanted to play,” Freedman said. “He knew the kids wanted to get out there and have fun. He really pushed the AYSO philosophy, and I think that’s the reason it became so successful.”
“Some of the other soccer leagues were much more focused on competition,” Lobban said. “With AYSO, everyone has to play at least three-quarters of a game so that some of these young kids aren’t held out because they’re not as good as the other kids. And that became a guiding principle of the league and something Neville tried to impress on all the parents.”
The national organization donated some money and uniforms, and Colman became the league’s regional commissioner. For the most part, the job meant taking care of all the little things: balls, goals, painting the lines, referees, trophies and whistles, not to mention field access. Throughout his tenure, Colman did it all and more. He would often coach in one game and serve as referee in another. He trained other referees and went around after games to make sure equipment was properly stored.
“It was very much a community project,” Lobban said. “It was such a small group of people that everybody pitched in. Everyone got tremendously excited about it, and there was really a sense of being pioneers. There was a real hunger in the city for sports activities for kids. There were people coming from other boroughs to play. The word spread. The league fulfilled a very important function. It gave the kids a game and gave parents something that fostered a community in a very positive way.”
Colman had a history of community involvement. As a young man in Johannesburg, he played rugby, soccer and cricket, among many other sports. But he gave up athletics when he went to college because the teams were segregated. Both he and Lobban were involved with anti-apartheid efforts, but eventually despaired of ever creating change in their home country and decided to emigrate.
By that time, he had already done important research on folic acid and the effects of a diet deficient in folate. His work paved the way for the fortification of many cereals with folic acid first in South Africa and later in the United States. In the 1980s, Colman was also instrumental in establishing standards for the use of forensic DNA in criminal investigations. He eventually became a professor at Columbia and the chairman of the pathology department at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center.
After running the league since its beginning, he stepped down as commissioner in the mid-90s. Colman died of cancer in 2003, at the age of 57. Not long after, the league teamed up with the Parks Department and the Riverside Park Fund to renovate several fields that were in poor condition. One of them, between 106th and 108th streets, got an all-weather artificial turf with plenty of space, enough for a big soccer game or two simultaneous baseball games. And when it opened in 2005, it also got the name of Neville Colman.
“It’s wonderful that I can see it from my window, and Neville would have been thrilled,” Lobban said. “He would have been really honored to have this little piece of New York and soccer connected to him.”