Yorktown Patch Weekly Sports Report

Yorktown's Ben Strober has enjoyed a very successful high school skiing career, which finished with him placing eighth overall at the giant slalom in the New York State Skiing Championships, March 1 and 2, at Whiteface-Mt. VanHoevenberg in Lake Placid.

Strober said he was able to place that high thanks to proper preparation before his run.

"I did a good job inspecting the course beforehand," Strober said. "I knew where to set up and where the course turns were."

For Strober, it was the end to an exciting high school skiing career. Strober competed for the Huskers in eighth grade and his junior and senior years. In between, in his freshman and sophomore years, he raced for Mount Mansfield Winter Academy in Stowe, Vt.

While skiing at the academy improved his skills on the slopes, he said he was happy that he was able to end his high school skiing career racing for the Huskers.

"It's more fun to be able to do it with your friends on the high school varsity team than competing individually," Strober said. "It was a lot of fun for me this year. I had a great time."

Other Huskers that participated in the States were Jeremy Katz, Thomas Menton and Danny Donatelli, and on the girls side Emily Concialdi. This was the first time each of them had competed in the States except for Katz, who along with Strober, competed last year.

Going up to the States with other Yorktown skiers is what made the experience of competing extra memorable for Strober. As for college, Strober said he will probably, at most, participate in club skiing, as his attention will be on his school work.

"It's basically because my primary focus in college is the academics," Strober said. "None of the colleges that were at my level for skiing were really anything I was interested in academically."

While the high school skiing season maybe over for the Yorktown senior, he will still be very much active this spring.

Frisbee Club

That's because Strober is the president of the YHS Ultimate Frisbee Club, something that he has been a part of since he was a freshman and became president of at the end of his junior year.

The club is very popular; Strober estimates that there are 120 students in it.

"It's a cool thing," Strober said. "Basically, everybody plays every day after school in the spring time and everybody plays against their friends. We have four fields going on at once. It's a lot of fun for everyone to get out there."

Strober said going from the ultimate winter sport in skiing to a classic warm-weather activity in Frisbee is a nice change of pace.

"It's really nice, Frisbee especially, with it coming after skiing, which is really intense for me," Strober said. "Frisbee is more relaxing."

The great thing about Frisbee is that it is perfect for someone who wants to play a sport but just doesn't either have the time or inclination to participate in interscholastic athletics.

"I think it's great," Strober said. "It's just a lot of fun for everyone. You can just make a team and join if you want. It's a very cool thing. I am happy to be a part of it."

The club will have its first meeting on Friday, March 11, and Frisbee games will start sometime in April.

YAC baseball

There are three dates left for the Yorktown Athletic Club Baseball Clinic:
Sunday, March 13, 20 and 27, from 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Each session will be divided up into one hour and 15 minute segments.

The clinic is run by the Yorktown High School coaches and varsity players.

Also, sign-up for YAC's spring baseball league is ongoing and lasts until March 15. No late registrations will be accepted.

For those interested in signing up for either the clinic or spring baseball, visit the YAC's website at www.yacbaseball.com.

SOAC Parade

The Shrub Oak Athletic Club is looking to bring back its parade after a one-year hiatus. Volunteers are needed to help organize the parade. Those interested can e-mail Steve Rosen at sroseland@optonline.net.