Flanked by hundreds of her fellow student-athletes, Soccer player Bayley Duffy helped cut the blue and gold ribbons at a ceremony the morning of Monday, Aug. 21 at the new synthetic turf field at Queensbury Union Free School District! “Early morning soccer practices on wet, dewy grass will be a thing of the past now that the new Turf Athletic Complex is open” Bayley said.

The outdoor facility features a multi-purpose, synthetic turf field lined for football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, as well as turf fields for both baseball and softball.

Queensbury UFSD residents voted to approve the turf field as part of a $19.75-million capital improvement project proposal back in December 2021. The district broke ground on the new turf athletic complex on March 1st, 2023. 

“I can’t wait to see the contests you will play and the memories you will make on this new turf field,” Superintendent Kyle Gannon told the students. “I look forward to seeing our physical education classes filling this athletic complex during the school day… I hope all of you enjoy this beautiful facility.”

The turf field will better support athletic and physical education programs at Queensbury UFSD. The facility will provide a safe and consistent playing surface throughout spring, summer and fall.

Physical education classes will be able to use the facility longer in the fall and earlier in the spring… The lights will extend playing capabilities as well. 

“This is an unbelievable complex,” said Tim Weaver, the vice president of the Board of Education. “What’s great about it is, every male and female athlete will be able to compete on it.”

Teams started practicing on the field Monday – the first day of fall sports – immediately after the ribbon-cutting. This year, Queensbury UFSD will host the Section 2 boys soccer championship games, the field hockey championship games, and girls regional lacrosse in the spring. 

“Along with all of our home contests, we hope to bring people into the community, participating here on campus, eating and drinking in our restaurants, staying in our hotels and supporting our local businesses,” said Richard Keys, the director of athletics, physical education and health.

Junior football player Zavry Ward has always wished to be able to play under the lights on a turf field: “We don’t have to wish anymore,” Zavry said. “It’s our reality now.”

Former Glens Falls running back Griffin Woodell walked onto the UAlbany football team as a freshman last year and now he has been offered a full scholarship. The announcement was made on the scoreboard at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium after the teams practice on Friday. Woodell was named the team’s most improved offensive player during spring football.

Woodell – 5-foot-10, 194 pounds – was a four-year varsity player at Glens Falls High school, and as a senior rushed for an impressive 1,504 yards and scored 27 touchdowns – which also earned him the title of Class B North Offensive Player of the Year!

Woodell didn’t make it onto the field at all for UAlbany during the Fall season after being recruited as a walk-on, but had impressive runs during the Spring season.

The Great Danes kick off their 2023 season on Saturday, vs. Fordham. at 7:00 PM.

The 2023 Special Olympics Fall Games include an opening ceremony on Friday, October 20th at Glens Falls City Park, and competition in seven sports Saturday October 21st – competitions will include bocce, cross country running, cycling, equestrian, soccer, golf and softball. 

Volunteers are needed to support the Games. Jobs that volunteers fulfill include: event set-up and break-down, registration, scorekeeping, timing, photography, and golf caddying. No experience is needed. The venues for the 2023 State Fall Games include: Glens Falls City Park (opening ceremonies), Adirondack Sports Complex (bocce), Cole’s Woods (cross-country running), SUNY Adirondack (cycling), Skidmore College (equestrian), Brookhaven Golf Course (golf), and Morse Athletic Complex (soccer and softball).

Volunteers work to set up and take down ceremonies that support the running of competitions… They cheer on the athletes, as well as capture and share moments from the events. 

Special Olympics New York has created a strategic plan to help athletes with intellectual differences (ID) play a sport, be part of a team, and compete. The goal of the strategic plan is to increase depth of participation, and quality of opportunities for existing athletes and stakeholders, as well as recruit the next generation of athletes, coaches and partners. Achieving organizational excellence is also core to enhancing the mission and securing the future.

The Special Olympics has been changing lives since 1968… The Special Olympics began because Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with disabilities were being treated, and she decided to take action. The goal was to learn what these children could do in sports and other activities, and not dwell on what they couldn’t do. The work of the Special Olympics has helped people with disabilities gain respect and admiration… This movement continues to bring people with and without disabilities together.

For more information, please visit www.specialolympicsny.org