These are a number of the better photographs collected from multiple games this past season at both college and high school athletics.

                                        A wide angle collage of the action at the SBU Arena

                                     These two 800m runners were separated at the finish line by 0.06 sec. The                                                finish is between the first two legs

                                       Collegiate baseball from the Hamptons Colligate summer leauge as the                                                        runner tries to dodge  the second baseman's tag

                                                                 Celebrating a score

                                                       Over the back shot for a score

                                                              Stopping a tough shot

Making the stop at second basse

                                                            In your face shot by SBU

One of his many saves this season

How to Pole Vault

The text is by Joe Werkmeister, of the Riverhead News Review. The photos are mine as is  the collage that ran in the paper

"When USA Today ran a series in 2005 on the 10 hardest things to do in sports, pole vaulting ranked third. In Riverhead, Charles Villa routinely makes it look easy.

The senior recently set the outdoor school record of 15 feet 1 inch. He finished first at last weekend’s state qualifier by clearing 14-3. On Friday, Villa will compete at the New York State Championships, where he’ll be aiming to set the record even higher.

Here, Villa breaks down all the components to the pole vault:

1. “It is the plant where you must have your right arm completely straight and your left arm must also push up. The key idea idea is like you’re stretching your arms up.”

2. “This is the middle of your swing phase. In this phase you are trying to get your legs to swing completely past or to the top of the pole.”

3. “In this position you’re about done with the swing and getting ready to turn and pull the pole close to your body in order to finally push the pole.”

4. “Here you are pushing the pole and forcing the body over the bar.”

5. “This part of the jump is where you want do a movement called a ‘pike.’ This is where you try to turn your thumbs and attempt to bring your hips far up allowing you to have a bigger gap between you and the bar.”

6. “Here is the funnest part of the jump where you’re extended and finished the ‘pike’ and now you are simply free-falling.’

The complete jump, presented as a GIF:

Recapping the 2012-13 year in sports

Photographing the Stony Brook Seawolves and the high schools in the Times Review News on the North Fork of Long Island provided me with many opportunities for good photos. I have selected a small number of the ones I believe are in the best category of mine. I will strive for more in this coming year and try to post more often.

Stony Brook's rookie bags another dunk.                       

Seawolves play at Citi Field versus St John's in a game that required lights

SWR defeats arch rival Comsewogue in league play this year

In a Mercy versus Mattituck game, a Mercy Monarch stretches for the ball

It was a cold spring for sports                              

Riverhead's trio dominated Suffolk pole vaulting, led by Dan Normoyle clearing 15 feet

Play at the goal mouth was frantic in this SWR soccer game

Stony Brook defeated U Albany in the America East Championship

Riverhead's female dash runner takes the 110 hurdles in stride

Riverhead's tennis player stroking the ball  and hertongue

Which is deflected, the ball or the bat?                            

Going up to deflect a pass reception in the end zone           

Over the Shoulder lacrosse score

Jeff Tundro fired a ahot over his shoulder and scored for the Stony Brook Seawolves in their game Saturday night versus Hartford.

The New and the Old

Having lunch at the River Cafe several days before Christmas with my wife, we were happy to see the rising World Trade Center dominating the city skyline. To our great surprise, the newly minted FDNY Fire Boat, the Three Forty Three, came cruising past the New World Trade Center. With the ship's interior steel fashioned from pieces of the Original World Trade Center, the new and the old were present together. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!!!