MetroSports Magazine
The World Plays in Pleasantville
Fall 2014
World-class table tennis at the Westchester Table Tennis Center
Local Teams from Westchester, Dutchess, Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey compete in Triple Crown Sports’ NYC Tournaments
USG Futbol: Serious Soccer
Fall 2014
Regulars 4
Athlete of the Month
30 Coaches Corner 32 Sports Medicine Minute 40 Fan Fotos 43 Sports Photo Tip of the Month MetroSports Magazine is published 6 times a year by MetroSports Media LLC. MetroSports Magazine is available online and can be downloaded in electronic format for viewing on tablet and hand-held devices, laptop and desktop computers and purchased as full-color glossy print editions.
Features 6
The World Plays in Pleasantville Pleasantville NY’s Westchester Table Tennis Center hosts the world’s best
20
TCS Returns to NYC Local teams compete against players from around the country in Triple Crown Sports’ baseball and fastpitch softball NYC tournaments
34
USG Futbol Prepares Local Players for Professional Soccer Adult league semipro soccer in White Plains NY
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Action Photography by Clark Thompson
Fall 2014
MetroSports Athlete of the Month Amy W. Wang Amy W. Wang is this month’s MetroSports Magazine Athlete of the Month. Amy is one of only four young women in the country to be selected as a member of the 2014 U.S Cadet Girl’s Team by USA Table Tennis, the sport’s governning body in the United States. Congratulations, Amy!
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Fall 2014
World-Class Table Tennis in Pleasantville, NY There are few places in the New York metro area where you can watch, meet and interact with Olympic athletes from around the world but one such place does exist, in Pleasantville NY, at the Westchester Table Tennis Center (WTTC). With monthly competitions featuring world-ranked and nationally-ranked table tennis players, it is not unlikely that you’ll find members of various nations’ Olympic teams competing against each other as well as against local talent from the NY metropolitan region. Recent events have featured national team members and Olympians from the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, India, Serbia and Romania including such notable athletes as Ariel Hsing and Lily Zhang (USA Olympians), Yadira Silva (Mexico Olympian), Andre Ho (Canadian Olympian) and Angie Araya (Costa Rica National Team). For an admission price of no more than $10.00, unrestricted sight lines from the spectator seating areas and an opportunity to actually interact with these athletes, the WTTC is unrivaled as a regional sports venue. As an added benefit, you’re also likely to have the opportunity to see and say hello to the New York Times crossword puzzle editor, Will Shortz, owner of the WTTC and a table tennis player himself.
Local WTTC members Joshua Schuback and Matthew Needle posing with US Olympian Ariel Hsing at the WTTC
Slovenia’s Bojan Tokic at The Westchester Table Tennis Center’s June 2014 Open
Fall 2014
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Clockwise: (1) Monika Molnar of Serbia, (2) Xingchang Li of China, (3) Mexican Olympic team member Yadira Silva
A New Record Declared
Westchester Table Tennis Center Owner and New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor, Will Shortz, spent part of his day on October 3rd 2014 doing what he has done every day, without exception, for the past two years - playing table tennis. As the notable Guiness Book of World Records cites no existing record for most consecutive days playing table tennis and the website, Uberpong, does not list consecutive days played among its published 16 world table tennis records, MetroSports Magazine hereby declares Will the holder of this new world record.
Opened in 2011, the 14,000 square foot WTTC is home to a wide range of players who use the facility daily for recreational play, lessons, or heated competition. There are 19 tournament-quality tables, restrooms, showers, and a lounge, all within walking distance of the Pleasantville MetroNorth train station and there is plenty of free parking. Memberships are available on an annual basis and non-members are welcome to play, either on their own or in leagues. WTTC hosts Kids’ and High School Tournaments, 50+ Seniors’ Tournaments and is available for special events. Top: Denisse Navarro (Costa Rica) Center: Annie Coulombe (Canada) Bottom: Angie Araya (Costa Rica)
Fall 2014
U.S. Olympians Ariel Hsing and Lily Zhang competing at The Westchester Table Tennis Center. Inset, top. Crystal Wang, 2014 US Women’s National Team member and Olympic hopeful Inset, bottom. Ariel Hsing, 2012 US Olympic team member and youngest US National Champion in history.
Fall 2014
Young Players to Watch
Pictured Here Opposite Clockwise from top right: Rahul Acharya, Sharon Alguetti,* Moly Fong Amy Wang* Joy Li* Above Top, Len Yang, Bottom: Gal Alguetti,* *members of the USA Table
Tennis 2014 Mini Cadet Team
Fall 2014
Young competitors from the Topspin Table Tennis Club of Bridgewater NJ in action at The Westchester Table Tennis Center’s September 2014 tournament
Above: Scott Lurty, Below: Harold Baring
Xingchen Cui of New Jersey’s Topspin Table Tennis Club at the August 2014 tournament at WTTC taking 1st Place in the Under 2200 category.
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Fall 2014
Triple Crown Sports Returns to New York City
Colorado-based Triple Crown Sports returned to New York City this summer with their wildly popular and highly competitive girl’s fastpitch softball and boys baseball tournaments, drawing players from the New York Metro region and from across the country. First up, in early June, was the boy’s New York City Experience Baseball Tournament conducted on Randall’s Island at the foot of the Triboro Bridge followed by The New York City Exerience Softball Tournament in Central Park and the first ever Northeast Nationals fastpitch softball tournament.
Northeast Nationals Fastpitch Softball Tournament
The summer of 2014 featured the inaugural Triple Crown Sports Northeast Nationals girls fastpitch tournament. Held on NYC’s Randall’s Island, the TCS NE Nationals featured 36 teams from the NY Metro region in a highly competitive four-day tournament. Randall’s Island features 31 new fields just outside of Manhattan, NY. The tournament returns to NYC in July 2015. The inagural NE Nationals tournament winners were: 12U 1st Place. Long Island Crush, Dix Hills NY 2nd Place Hudson Valley Heartbreakers, Valley Cottage NY 14 Open 1st Place. Long Island Bandits, Babylon NY 2nd Place. USA Ladyhawks, Sleepy Hollow NY 16 Open 1st Place. Team Xtreme, New Hyde Park, NY 2nd Place. SA Wildcats, San Antonio TX 18 Open 1st Place. Dutchess Debs, Hyde Park, NY 2nd Place. Diamond Sports Fastpitch, White Plains NY
Fall 2014
Junction Girls Larchmont NY
The New York City Softball Experience The New York City girls fastpitch softball tournament returned to the beautiful Hecksher Fields in the heart of New York’s Central Park. Twelve local teams competed as did the TCS National All Star team comprised of players selected from throughout the United States. After one day of competition, an unusual summer weather system brought torrential rains to the City and resulted in the City’s Central Park Conservance cancelling the remainder of the tournament. The Triple Crown USA team has been been participating in the NYC Experience since 2008, providing local Metro area teams with an opportunity to play against the best
competitors in the country. As part of the NYC Experience, the girls had the opportunity to take NYC tours and a harbor cruise, visit Top of the Rock, take in a Mets and Yankees game and attend Broadway shows such as Wicked, Mary Poppins, Sister Act, Spider-Man or Matilda. Because of the rain cancellation, a tournament winner was not crowned this year. The tournament will return to NYC in August 2015.
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Dutchess Debs New Hyde Park NY Diamond Sports Edge White Plains NY
Heartbreakers Valley Cottage NY
Fall 2014
Team Xtreme before the game
Participating Teams - NYC Experience TCS All Stars (Fort Collins, CO) Avalanche (NJ) Blue Fire Fastpitch (NY) Blue Fire Fastpitch Elite (NY) Brewster Rockets (CT) Brewster Rockets (NY) Jersey Fusion (NJ) Hudson Valley Hurricanes (NJ) Hudson Valley Red Storm (NY) Lady Yellow Jackets (NJ) Long Island Waves (NY) Ramapo Rage (NJ) Rampage (NJ) Tean Xtreme (NJ)
Participating Teams - Northeast Nationals Brewster Rockets (NY) Chiefs Fastpitch (NY) Comets Fastpitch (NY) Conklin Raiders (NY) Connecticut Jades(CT) Connecticut Rebels (CT) Connecticut Seahawks (CT) Delaware Magic (DE) Diamond Sports Edge (NY) Diamond Sports Fastpitch (NY) Dutchess Debs (NY) East Coast Tsunami (NJ) Empire State Huskies (NY) Frozen Ropes Force (NY) Hudson Valley Heartbreakers (NY) Hudson Valley Huricanes (NJ) Junction Girls (NY) LAC Force Red (NY) (continued on next page)
San Atonio Wildcats vs Team Xtreme
Long Island Bandits (NY) Long Island Chargers (NY) Long Island Crush (NY) Long Island Hellcats Long Island Rebels (NY) Long Island Waves (NY) New Jersey Insanity Elite (NJ) New Jersey Venom (NJ) New York Cyclones (NY) New York Dirt Levels (NY) Queens Lady Rangers (NY) Pennsylvania Chaos (PA) Ramapo Rage (NJ) Rampage Gold (NJ)
SA Wildcats (TX) Sudden Impact NY Team Xtreme (NJ) USA Lady Hawks (NY)
Fall 2014
The New York City Baseball Experience Six teams from the NY Metro region faced off against each other and visiting teams from California, Florida, Texas and Utah, in a four day, seven game elimination tournament. While a NY Metro area team, the Titans from Teaneck N.J. prevailed in the 14 year-old bracket beating teams from Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York City and Texas the 12 year-old division was won by the Triple Play Baseball Academy team from Bakersfield California. The NYC Baseball Experience returns to NYC’s Randalls’ Island in June 2015.
Participating Teams Brooklyn Bonnies (NY) Connecticut Combat (CT) Connecticut Heat (CT) Florida Suns (FL) Lehi Tigers (UT) Mojo Baseball (TX) New Jersey Hurricanes (NJ) Pro Source Daniels (TX) Riverside Elite (NY) Texas Rattlers (TX) Titans (NJ) Triple Play Academy (CA)
Fall 2014
Opposite Page Top Custom Posters by nyspg.com New York Sports Photo Group Bottom 2014 TCS All-Star Team Central Park, New York City This Page TCS New York City Events Umpiring Staff at Work
Fall 2014
The Coaches Corner Pitching is an athletic activity that uses numerous muscles and subjects your body to awkward positions. Among the many injuries and ailments that pitchers suffer is a strain of the external oblique muscle. The rapid and forceful motions required in pitching place tremendous stress on the oblique muscle. Even absent a strain, throwing up to 100 pitches per game can cause an overuse injury, resulting in inflammation and pain. The oblique muscles consist of paired muscles on both sides of your abdomen that allow you to bend and rotate your upper body. The oblique muscles lie in two layers: the superficial or outermost is the external oblique, and underneath it lies the internal oblique. The fibers of these muscles run diagonally from your lower ribcage to the top of your pelvis. The pitching motions involved when you wind up and throw a baseball involve a strenuous rotation of the torso that requires contraction of the external oblique muscle on the side opposite your throwing arm followed by contraction of the external oblique muscle on the same side as your throwing arm. This motion transfers torque from your legs, through your torso, to your throwing arm. The most common form of injury to the oblique muscles from pitching is an overuse injury, characterized by mild inflammation and moderate discomfort. Overuse injuries can occur in any muscle when it is subjected to constant repetitive motion without adequate rest. A more serious injury is a muscle strain, in which fibers of your oblique muscles actually tear. To treat injuries of the oblique muscles, rest is essential. Alternating applications of hot and cold packs and the administration of anti-inflammatory medications can help speed recovery. Surgical repair usually is not required.
Fall 2014
A Sports Medicine Minute 4 Simple and Effective Fat Loss Tips By Thomas Chin
In a world where obesity plagues many individuals and fast food is the norm, a trend of unhealthy lifestyles has seemed to arise. Some of you may have experienced this unfortunate trend, or perhaps currently are indulged in it. Whether it be just eating carelessly or satisfying those yummy cravings, there are many unwanted side effects that come with decadent decisions. You may not realize it at the time of consumption, but these tasty goods are actually toxic and contributing to the overall process of gaining weight, and once that weight is put on, it sure is hard to get off! If you have been stuck in a weight-loss rut, follow these 4 fat-burning tips to get back to looking great! 1: Eliminate Junk Food A good rule of thumb is that if it doesn’t look good for you, then it probably isn’t! Junk food is primarily artificial, and the heaping of sugary content in most screams “Bad for you!” Your body is designed to run off calories, or the energy you get from food. Ideally, you want to feed your body calories from real food, not packaged goods, as those from real food contain the most nutrients and are the healthiest for your body. Junk food is like dead weight; it’s just unnecessary calories. The sooner you can eliminate junk food from your diet, the closer you’ll be to your fat loss goals! 2: Count your Calories! As tedious as it may be, counting your calories can be one of the most effective ways to lose weight! Your body can either grow or shrink in size, and one of the primary contributors to that is your daily caloric intake, or how many calories you consume in a day. For your body to grow, you have to eat in a caloric surplus, and for you to slim down and lose weight, you have to eat in a caloric deficit. Generally, it is recommended that to lose 1-2 pounds a week, you should eat in
a -500 to -1,000 caloric deficit. To do this, you would calculate your recommended daily caloric intake (may calculators available online) and subtract either 500 or 1,000 from it. Your new number is your target for how many calories you should eat during the day. An easy way to track this is to record everything you eat throughout the day as you go along, thus you’ll never miss a bite! Then at the end of the day, just simply add them up and compare to your goal! Remember, fat loss equals burning more calories then consumed. 3: Eat Smaller Meals The age old meal plan is as follows: Breakfast in the morning, Lunch in the afternoon, and Dinner at night. 3 square meals a day. Contrary to this, you want to eat 4-6 smaller meals over the course of the day. The reason for this is because eating more frequently will keep your metabolism running and ultimately speed it up. Your body burns calories through its metabolic processes, so the more you can keep your metabolism running, the more calories you can burn throughout the day. Also, this will help with hunger and energy issues, as you’ll eat more frequently, giving you more energy throughout the day and leaving you hungry less!
4: Break These Rules Every Now and Then Everything listed above is important to follow when attempting a fat loss diet. However, following a diet can be mentally and physically tough for many. To help keep your sanity and reward yourself every now and then, have a cheat meal. Whether it be a slice of cake of your favorite pizza, a cheat meal is always good to have in any diet, as it allows you that little moment of joy before hopping back on the grind. It also serves as a great test to your willpower. Who knows? You may enjoy the diet so much you may not even want to consider a cheat meal! If you are one of the many out there looking to rid yourself of that unwanted fat, I recommend you follow some, if not all, of the above tips to help your fat loss goals. Dieting is a struggle, but with the proper tools and knowledge, it can be a fun and rewarding journey. Good Luck and Best of Wishes!
A Sports Medicine Minute is brought to you courtesty of Growlers Beer Bistro
Fall 2014
Preparing Future Stars The United Sports Group (USG), headquartered in White Plains, New York, is focused on providing local soccer enthusiasts with an oportunity to play in an highy competitive league and to facilitate showcasing these athletes to coaches and scouts from professional clubs in the United States as well as Europe, Mexico and South America. This past June, USG sponsored a Philadelphia Fury Showcase at the Saxon Woods Park soccer field at which four local teams showcased their talent in front of scouts and coaches from the Philadelphia Fury and AC Crusaders of the ASL professional soccer league. Five local players were chosen to play in a Philadelphia Fury preseason match against the New England Force and 1 player was offered a profesional contract. Earlier in the year, USG sponsored its North American Showcase in which over 130 local athletes showcased their abilities in front of scouts and coaches from the A.C. Milan (Italy), Benefica S.L (Portugal) and Parma F.C. (Italy) teams. In addition to helping showcase and manage the developing careers of professional soccer players, USG also operates the USG Soccer Schools Residency Camp for players age 11-18 focused on developing the technical, tactical, physical and psychological skills required for competitive and professional-level soccer.
USG Futbol
in White Plains, NY
Fall 2014
The College of Westchester Warriors vs Cruz Azul
2014 USG Championship Standings Fall I Cahmpionship W T L Los Socios 5 1 1 Pachuca FC 4 1 2 WP Scorpions 4 0 3 Cruz Azul 3 2 2 CW Wariors 1 0 7
Fall 2014
Fall 2014
Fan Fotos
Parents. Want to take better pictures of your athlete’s games? Join professional sports photographers Clark Thompson of ClarkShots and Warren Rosenberg of The New York Sports Photo Group for small group instruction on capturing memorable sports photographs. Each workshop includes a 3 hour classroom seminar and mentoring at a live action sporting event. Enrollment is limited to groups of 12 For details, please send an inquiry to warren@nyspg.com.
Fall 2014
Fan Fotos and Sports Photo Tip Sponsored by Hunts Photo & Video
Sports Photo Tip of the Month The elements of good composition, applicable to areas of general photography, hold true for sports photography as well. The most compelling sports photographs are those that highlight an element of action with a minimum of confusing background clutter. As photographer, author and Canon Explorer of LightRick Sammon is fond of saying, “The name of the game is to fill the frame”. Your final image should comprise mostly your main subject, not lots of empty space or itemsin the background. While some of this can be achieved by cropping in post-processing, cropping down too much can reduce the resolution of your finalimage and result in less than optimal results. It is better to try and fill the frame with your main subject while composing the image in your camera. While telephoto lenses, either the changeable lenses ofr SLR and mirrorless micro 4/3 cameras can achieve these tightly cropped compositions as can the built-in optical and digital
zoom features of point-and-shoot cameras, built-in optical and digital zoom features of point-and-shoot cameras, so too can the use of another often neglected piece of photographic equipment - your feet. Simply moving yourself and getting closer to the action is a simple way of filling the frame with your subject. In reality, since access to the field or court of competition is often limited, you’ll have to rely on a combination of moving with your feet, telephoto lenses, and cropping your photos in postprocessing. Just remember Rick Sam mon’s word of advise, “the name of the game is to fill the frame.”
Coming in the next issue of MetroSports Magazine Semi-pro fall football roundup; Basketball; Cheerleading