Sports
BASEBALL: Power partner with youth travel team
Cal Kern is a big believer in building the character of local youths. After all, the Niagara Power general manager has made that his No. 1 objective with his second-year New York Collegiate Baseball League ballclub.
So when veteran youth baseball coach Al George gave Kern a call earlier this summer to see if he was interested in forming an affiliation, Kern’s answer was easy.
“Why not?,” the Grand Island resident said. “We’re all for any avenues of building baseball in the Niagara Falls area. We want to help anyway possible.”
So after years of coaching with the Cayuga Youth Athletic Association and its Heat travel teams, George decided that it would be best to start his own 12-and-under travel baseball team under the name Niagara Junior Power. The team is to wear replica uniforms and hats that include the Power logo and colors.
Additionally, the Junior Power and their families will lend a helping hand during the home schedule at Sal Maglie Stadium. In return, the team will be given the opportunity to act as batboys, compete in on-field activities and receive instructional clinics from Power players and coaches. There will be no financial transactions between the two organizations, Kern said.
“We’re going to be an independent travel team that’ll play in the Boys of Summer or Northcoast League, but we wanted to team up with the big Power to help give back to the community and show the kids that there’s more to life than just baseball and sports,” George said.
For Kern, it’s also an opportunity to hopefully grow the team’s booster club and fan base. The GM also said he’s open to having any local baseball or softball teams jump on board.
“We don’t want to take kids away from other organizations, we just want to help local baseball in general,” Kern said, while adding anyone interested in beging affiliated with the Power should contact him at 289-1342.
- Sports
-
-
Bleumink leads Porter Cup after first-round 64
LEWISTON — Luke Bleumink weathered the wind and beat the rain to take a one-shot lead on the opening day of the 52nd Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club.
Bleumink, 25, an Australian playing here for the third year in a row, shot a 6-under-par 64 on Wednesday highlighted by an eagle on the third hole.
-
NFCC rolls out repaired greens at Porter Cup
LEWISTON — Heading into the Fourth of July weekend, Steve Denn was confident that this year’s Porter Cup was going to be a success.
Then the sprinklers at Niagara Falls Country Club started spewing fertilizer on the carefully manicured greens.
-
Flynn surgery deemed successful
Niagara Falls native Jonny Flynn underwent successful surgery on his left hip Tuesday in Colorado that could sideline him for the start of his second season in the NBA.
-
It's all work for Gailey in bid to rebuild Bills
After a little over a month off since the end of minicamps, the work for the Bills begins in earnest Thursday when the team opens training camp at St. John Fisher College in suburban Rochester.
-
Wilson's Geltz promoted to Double A
Wilson native Steve Geltz continued his climb in the Los Angeles Angels farm system last week when he was promoted to the team’s affiliate in Arkansas.
-
McDonald dances for cameras, delivers for Power
Even though McDonald’s life mostly revolves around baseball, he has one interesting hobby that would seem quite out of the ordinary for a baseball player — making dance videos.
-
Report: Flynn to miss 3-4 months
According to a Yahoo! Sports writer, Niagara Falls product Jonny Flynn won’t be in the lineup when his second National Basketball Association season starts.
Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports said via Twitter on Monday night that Flynn will likely miss three to four months due to a hip problem that will require surgery.
-
Petrosian, locals excited about Cup
When Matt Petrosian got the call — the one he’d dreamed about as a little kid growing up just below the hill in Lewiston — he was standing, appropriately enough, in a golf course pro shop.
The Lewiston-Porter graduate works at nearby Niagara Frontier Country Club in Youngstown and when Marty Shimmel of the Porter Cup organizing committee called to see if Petrosian might be interested in participating in this week’s tournament, he got an emotional reaction.
-
New book brings Porter Cup history to life
Former Gazette sports editor’s narrative covers tourney’s first 50 years
-
Locals gleam with Empire State Games medals
The Western-most Westerners — athletes from the Niagara Falls area — helped the host region win the medal count at the Empire State Games, which concluded Sunday.
- More Sports Headlines
-
