Sports Columns - Sullivan County Democrat

The Scavenger Hunt was very popular and enabled the children to learn about the many facets of fly-fishing.

This past week’s rain was much anticipated and welcomed and added a bit of a respite to the parched earth and low flows of our area streams. Last Tuesday, June 13, the Beaverkill just about … more

Judy Van Put | 6/20/23

Our bodies and minds are not separate, but rather deeply connected and able to impact one another. This week’s article will help you use that connection for good.

The mind-body connection

It is becoming more and more clear that our bodies and minds are deeply connected. It used to be common practice to view, evaluate, and treat them as separate body systems, however, newer research is … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 6/20/23

It's all about putting

I’ve always thought that the game of golf emphasizes putting too much. In my opinion, golf should be more about swinging the club. Golf course designers don’t agree. The courses that have … more

Matt Kleiner | 6/16/23

PA Game Commission updates public on CWD!

The Pennsylvania Game Commission recently released an update on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), stating they have found more deer carrying CWD this year than the one before. CWD is an always fatal, … more

Jack Danchak | 6/16/23

Cosmos and I certainly didn’t regret completing our training runs last week when we crossed the finish line of the Lake Placid Half Marathon on Sunday!

Will I regret this?

They say you never regret a workout. While I definitely agree with this, it doesn’t mean it’s easy to get up and complete that workout. This past week was the last week of our … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 6/13/23

Sandra did well fishing on the Beaverkill with her husband one evening last weekend during a spinner fall, and caught this beautiful rainbow trout on a Rusty Spinner.

Smoke clears, rain falls, rainbows rise

Last week we experienced an unprecedented phenomenon when clouds of smoke from wildfires in Canada billowed across the Eastern Seaboard, from Vermont down to South Carolina, polluting the atmosphere … more

Judy Van Put | 6/13/23

Traditional bass opener not exciting!

The opening day of the bass fishing season used to be a big deal. Anglers could hardly wait for the third Saturday in June to go bass fishing. But since the NY DEC now allows anglers to fish for bass … more

Jack Danchak | 6/9/23

Seth Cavarretta demonstrated tying flies on his vise at the CFFC Museum last Saturday. The session was also live broadcasted via Zoom to members of the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild around the world.

Seth Cavarretta Fly Tyer

Friday’s rainstorm was much welcomed, as we desperately need rain – last week was the first time we can ever remember seeing lawns burned brown in May, and the Beaverkill on Friday … more

Judy Van Put | 6/6/23

Taking responsibility for ourselves helps everyone around us be successful too.

The counterintuitive path to team success

One of the most challenging parts of being a good teammate is knowing when to sacrifice yourself for the highest good of the group. It can seem productive to frequently shy away from giving your … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 6/6/23

Using Measuring Devices

If you have been playing golf over the past 7 years, you must have noticed many people using measuring devices on the course to help them find out how far they are from the flag. This practice has … more

Bob Menges | 6/2/23

Spraying gypsy moths

In an effort to protect wildlife habitat, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is spraying nearly 110,000 acres of state game lands this spring. Spraying will start in late May and June. The Game … more

Jack Danchak | 6/2/23

Being radically honest with yourself is more important to seeing results than following a radical program.

Radical program or radical honesty?

How many times have you tried to convince yourself that if you just worked harder or if your program was more challenging, then you’d see the changes to your health that you’re looking … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 5/30/23

March Browns and the life cycle of the Mayfly

Trout fishing in our rivers and streams has been productive, despite the low flows and lack of rain. With water levels at less than half their normal volume, we are fortunate that temperatures have … more

Judy Van Put | 5/30/23

Know your yardages

Many times when giving a student a golf lesson, I ask them about their expectations. How far do you hit a seven iron or driver? Is your goal to break 100 or 90 or lower. Expectations are … more

Matt Kleiner | 5/26/23

Deer blood kills Lyme disease!

University of Massachusetts conducted a study about Lyme disease. The study demonstrates that the blood of the whitetail deer kills the corkscrew-shaped bacterium that causes Lyme disease. The … more

Jack Danchak | 5/26/23

The sleep masters themselves from left to right: Baxter, Barley, Brady, and Molly.

Lessons from my dogs about sleep

My dogs are the best sleepers I know. Two of them are laying in my office at this moment, snoozing and snoring away. While sleep is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle of health, it can be … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 5/23/23

Good fishing and Catskill Legends

Our rivers and streams are low for this time of year, as often happens in May when we haven’t had much rain; and the trees leafing out are a major draw on the water table. On Sunday afternoon, … more

Judy Van Put | 5/23/23

The grip

The only connection you have to the club are your hands. It is very important that they are placed on the golf club properly. There are three options that are taught in golf depending on your hand … more

Matt Kleiner | 5/19/23

Students air rifle competition!

Elizabeth Handy, a student senior at Mohawk Valley Christian Academy in Little Falls, NY was crowned the national champion of the Air Rifle Competition Tournament. Handy said, “Coming in … more

Jack Danchak | 5/19/23

Shad Run and Shad Flies

The trout fishing has been picking up, with water levels now down a bit below the average flow, making area rivers and streams easier to wade. During Mid-May a whole spate of flies should be hatching … more

Judy Van Put | 5/16/23

Take a moment today to not only say what you’re grateful for, but allow that feeling to sink into your body as well. This is where the magic lies.

Gratitude: simple yet powerful

One of my main philosophies when it comes to health is that health is a state of being, not just a destination you reach or achievement you accomplish. While setting and achieving goals is also a … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 5/16/23

PA increases doe tags!

The Pennsylvania Game Commissioners, at their quarterly meeting in April, voted to increase the number of antlerless deer licenses available to hunters this year by 147,000. The commissioners … more

Jack Danchak | 5/12/23

Re-gripping clubs

As a golf instructor, I see many clubs from my students that are in need of re-gripping. Most people do not realize the importance of this type of maintenance. During the golf swing, you … more

Bob Menges | 5/12/23

League play and rules

This is the time of the year golf leagues around the county are starting to play. I thought this would be a good time to explain some strategies and rules. Most leagues are scoring points based … more

Matt Kleiner | 5/12/23

Strength training at home can be just as effective as in the gym with a few tools to master progressive overload.

Creative ways to change up your workouts

Strength training is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise. Using resistance to load your muscles and bones helps you get stronger, increase bone density, decrease your likelihood of falling … more

Maggi Fitzpatrick | 5/9/23