This is not your mother’s bake sale. At least, not anymore. No more two-for-one cupcakes or a box of Entenmanns. Today, the role of high school sports booster clubs is far more involved and far more important. They are instrumental to the success of a program. Some might even say more sophisticated, given their responsibilities. They are a support system. Booster clubs take some of the weight off a coach’s plate – pardon the pun. “Regarding their impact, they have been a tre

Putnam County has five high schools, and three of them will have a new football coach when the 2026 season starts this month. Brewster, Carmel, and Putnam Valley will all have new men on the sidelines with the headphones. And Brewster kept it in the family. Ryan Cleary, who is the head boys’ lacrosse coach in the spring, will be calling the shots for the Bears’ football program in the fall. He takes over for Ed Mulvihill. Victor Chiappa is now the head coach at Putnam Valley,

My first job as a sports journalist was to cover high school athletics, so I have a soft spot for high school athletes – even though I have since covered two Super Bowls, two World Series, NCAA championships in football and basketball, and countless other sports. Lest you think I’m bragging, I’m not. I even once covered a horseshoe pitching tournament. It turned out to be one of the most fun experiences of my life. But I believe high school athletes deserve recognition and pu

A week after high school football officially got a head start Aug. 17, the rest of sports joined in Aug. 24. “It’s been great so far,” said Putnam Valley High School volleyball libero Bella Coletti, a senior. “You know, we lost a lot of top players last year and now we’re just working really hard to try and get back to how we were last year.” Coach Samantha Fasce added: “It was great to have all the girls together again. We’re looking forward to another exciting and successfu

MAHOPAC – Aug. 24 was scheduled to be the first day of official practice for sports like boys’ and girls’ soccer, cross-country, cheerleading, field hockey, girls’ swimming, and volleyball. The first official day is mostly symbolic, but meaningful nonetheless. “We all know these athletes have been working out on their own or playing on club teams or participating in unofficial activities,” said Mahopac/Carmel/Putnam Valley Swimming Coach Erica Burlenski. “But there’s somethin

Area high school football teams are back on the turf. Photo courtesy of Mahopac High School Football Coach Dom DeMatteo. BREWSTER – The first official day of high school football practice brought an air of excitement to all the teams. Football got a week-long head start on all the other fall sports Aug. 17 by mandate of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, the governing body for most high school athletics in the state – including Section 1. It was a day

CARMEL – We are at the dawn of a new school year and a new high school athletic year. But, medically speaking, the athletic season never really ends or begins. We spoke with three physicians from Carmel-based Advanced Health about preparation and maintenance for these athletes. “The preseason, season, and offseason are very different,” said Dr. Charlie Marino. “Obviously, when you’re in season, you’re toning down your workouts a bit. But it’s really important for athletes to

It’s a holiday celebrated by only a select few – the first day of official high school football practice in Section 1. It was scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17, and it’s a date that some athletes and coaches have circled on their calendars. It’s a new beginning. This is when everybody has big dreams… and rightfully so. Who doesn’t daydream or fantasize about receiving a medal for a sectional championship? Who doesn’t daydream or fantasize about winning a state title at JMA Wirele

PUTNAM COUNTY – The 2026 high school football season was set to begin Monday, Aug. 17, with the first official day of practice in Section 1. “This time of year is definitely exciting and we are looking forward to seeing the results of the work we all put in over the last few months,” said first-year Brewster Coach Ryan Cleary. Haldane senior running back/linebacker Alex Gaugler agreed. “It’s a great day for our program and seeing everyone committed to actually finally get the

The combined Mahopac, Carmel, and Putnam Valley girls’ swim team is back in action. Photo courtesy of Coach Erica Berlenski. MAHOPAC – One of the most unique fall high school sports programs is back again – the combined girls’ swimming program of Mahopac, Carmel, and Putnam Valley. The team is coached by Erica Burlenski, herself a former competitive swimmer. Football and soccer might be a brotherhood, but this is definitely a sisterhood. It has to be for Burlenski to keep it

My two sons are now 26 and 22 and live in Florida. When visiting a while ago, we happened to drive past a high school when the football team was outside practicing. My youngest son started to say something, and I expected it to be about the heat. Instead, he became wistful. “I miss it,” he said. “Sean was right.” Sean is Sean Keenan, his old coach at Millbrook High School and a childhood friend of mine. Sean used to tell the kids to appreciate every moment, even at practice,

Haldane High School football players have started “unofficial” training. Photos by Coach Ryan McConville. COLD SPRING – The Haldane High School football team is getting ready for this season – in more ways than one. Not only are the Blue Devils going through unofficial workouts, conditioning, and weight training, but coach Ryan McConville found time in his busy schedule to create a slick hype video for the team for the 2026 season. The social media production includes a poppi

George Lombard Jr., who used to play for the Renegades, got called up to the Yankees. Photo courtesy of Marist College. NEW YORK – Unbelievable. Hollywood script writers might even think twice before writing something so outlandish. But it happened. Former Hudson Valley Renegades player George Lombard Jr. made his Major League debut with the New York Yankees last week and hit a home run in his second at-bat. He plays shortstop and is considered the top prospect in the organiz

When I went away to college, I chose Fordham University in the Bronx – for a variety of reasons. The academics were top-notch, the community was small and homey, it was near a major city but it never felt that way… I was just 90 miles from home. Funny, a friend of mine from California had almost the same list of reasons, except she was 3,000 miles from home. Geographic boundaries were not a consideration. For me, at that time, it was a factor. Yet a very short time later, I d

BREWSTER – Ryan Cleary didn’t have to go too far for his new job at Brewster High School. As a matter of fact, he probably chewed some of the same turf. The boys’ lacrosse coach in the spring is now the football coach in the fall. In fact, he will officially preside over his first practice in less than a month. “The transition has been smooth, although balancing off-field administration – like scheduling, 2027 recruiting, and youth program alignment – has been my main focus,”

COLD SPRING – There’s a new sheriff in town in Cold Spring, and he has a pretty familiar background. Ramsey Heitmann has been hired as the new boys’ soccer coach at Haldane High School. He replaces longtime coach Ahmed Dwidar, who won the state championship in 2022 but either resigned or was forced out earlier this spring. Athletic director Tom Cunningham was on vacation and could not be reached for comment. Heitmann is certainly familiar with the Blue Devils. Not only did he

LATHAM – The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Appeal Panel unanimously overturned Section 1’s amendment that would create a separate classification for non-public schools. That means private and parochial schools such as Ursuline, Albertus Magnus, Keio, and the Leffell School can continue to compete for Section 1 and state championships. For now. The section had previously voted unanimously to ban private and parochial schools from competing for public

I like to watch the morning and afternoon news. Unless there is a huge breaking story, it allows news stations to explore other issues. Sometimes they involve high school and college athletics. I saw one station that did a story on the severe lack of officials, especially at the high school level. At that level, it’s truly a labor of love. So it didn’t surprise me when I read that 80 percent of officials resign after devoting just two years to the gig. This has been a problem

It’s time to circle your deed books for the Section 1 fall championships. Too early? Not if you’re a coach or a player who uses these as a target date or a goal. It might just be for planning purposes, but there’s a greater achievement in mind. For many, it’s like a final journey after weeks and months of hard work. It’s a light and a prize at the end of a long, dark tunnel. It’s the so-called carrot at the end of a stick. So let the wishing and planning begin! FOOTBALL – Nov

Did you survive? Were you able to get past the dead time? The baseball All-Star Game, which affects both the majors and minors, is the traditional start of the barren week or so of the season. It seems like forever… It isn’t. Think of it as a chance to regroup and think of everything that’s ahead. The start of the high school athletic season might seem like a long way away, but it’s only seven weeks or thereabouts. Will one of our local schools emerge as a state contender in