Lakeland Coaches at Hub of Summer Soccer, Field Hockey
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays
This is our annual “You-Can-Thank-Lakeland” column for all that their coaches do to keep the local youth sharp and poised for autumn greatness by running their summer leagues in both boys’ and girls’ soccer and field hockey. Not only do they give us a glimpse of what we can expect this fall, but they provide our youth with a chance to get off their butts to ply their craft in advance of the Section 1 seasons.
Lakeland soccer Coach Tim Hourahan is in his 16th year overseeing the Lakeland Summer Soccer League, which comprises 16 high school programs from as far south as the Harrison/White Plains region all the way north to John Jay EF and RCK.
Lakeland field hockey Coach and Westchester County Hall-of-Famer Sharon Sarsen could just rest on the laurels of having won 13 NYS championships and 14 consecutive Section 1 titles, but you can find her on just about any given day or night at ‘The Hive’ where she’s been running the Hudson Valley Summer Field Hockey League for 22 years. Lakeland girls’ soccer Coach Shawn Sullivan is doing likewise with the Shrub Oak Summer Soccer League’ all three going above and beyond the call of duty, just as they have since signing on all those years ago. Thanks, from all of us who appreciate your efforts…
We’ve got about 10 days before my family and I ramp up our vacation plans for our annual trek to LBI #Exit63, and while we’ll be hitting the early rounds of the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League playoffs, I’ll be M.I.A. for the championship games on the weekend of August 5-6 as I wash up on shore #ShamuStyle.
To that end, my colleagues at the Examiner Media will be pulling the sports section together without me for the Tuesday, Aug.8 edition, and we’re hoping you can send us your team celebration photos with the championship banner provided by the GHVBL sent to rgallagher@theexaminernews.com so I can forward them to the powers that be. Name names, please! Deadline is Sunday, Aug. 6 (8 p.m.). You guys know the deal: We cover school districts and athletic programs from as far south as White Plains right up through the Carmel/Brewster region and all points in between, so make it a point to send me your celly shots and team pics from GHVBL championship weekend. Good luck to all!..
Angels All-Star P/DH Shohei Ohtani would not put the Yanks or the Mets over the top this season; neither should mortgage their future ahead of the MLB trade deadline for a three-month rental. And speaking of Ohtani, FOX LANE grad and current MLB-star-to-be Henry Davis might be the first player in MLB to actually own Ohtani after the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2021 No.1 overall MLB pick whip-lashed the three-time All-Star last Saturday. Davis smoked a home run in the fourth inning, and then went yard again in the sixth, both bombs coming off the Japanese sensation, which makes Davis the first MLB player to ever take Ohtani deep twice in the same game #HolyHenry…Never been a huge country music guy, but I’m 100% down with Jason Aldean’s reminder.
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
Visit Ray’s author bio page for more details. Also read Ray’s archived work here and his Direct Rays column here.
