Victoria Loehle (Freehold High School) competes for the the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) women’s rowing team. WPI finished second at the recent New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference Championship held at Worcester. She was a member of the Third Team Varsity Eight.
In the classroom, the junior earned Academic All-Conference Team status for the second consecutive season.
Five-time New Jersey PGA (NJPGA) Player of the Year Frank Esposito Jr. has joined the renowned Forsgate Country Club in Monroe and the century-old Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains as a PGA teaching professional. Forsgate and Shackamaxon are owned and operated by affiliates of RDC Golf Group, a Garden State golf course ownership and management company.
A full-time member of the Champions Tour in 2015, Esposito received a sponsor exemption into the 2016 Senior PGA Championship that will take place May 26-29 at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
“As a player and a PGA member, it is always a goal to compete at the highest level,” Esposito said in a prepared statement. “I am looking forward to representing the PGA of America in this year’s Senior PGA Championship.”
In addition to contending in various local and national tournaments throughout the season, Esposito will exclusively teach at Forsgate and Shackamaxon, and both club logos will adorn Esposito’s golf bag.
Members and non-members may schedule lessons by contacting Forsgate’s pro shop at 732-656-8953, Shackamaxon’s pro shop at 908-233-1301 or by emailing Esposito at [email protected].
“Having lived in Old Bridge and Monroe for over 30 years, I am very familiar with the area as well as some of the local members,” Esposito said. “The pros at Forsgate and at Shackamaxon are very dedicated to growing the game of golf, and I am excited to be a part of that.”
Nationally, Esposito has competed in the 1992 U.S. Open as well as two PGA Championships and two Senior PGA Championships. He was the 2014 PGA of America Senior Club Pro Champion and in 2015, he had one top-10 finish as an exempt member of the Champions Tour (T-7 Boeing Classic).
To learn more about Forsgate Country Club, visit www.forsgatecc.com or call 732-521-0070, “like” the club on Facebook or follow the club on Twitter @ForsgateCC. For more information on Shackamaxon Country Club and its centennial celebration in 2016, visit www.shackamaxoncc.com or call 908-233-1300, “like” the club on Facebook or follow the club on Twitter @ShackamaxonCC.
Time is running out for 12- to 14-year-olds with an interest in horses to register for a Harness Horsemanship Camp at Gaitway Farm in Englishtown, which will host a five-day camp presented by the Harness Horse Youth Foundation (HHYF). The dates are July 25-29, and the application deadline is May 15.
Day camp registration fee, which includes all materials and lunches, is $150. Complete 2016 HHYF schedule information, along with applications for the Gaitway camp and all other HHYF summer camps, is available at www.hhyf.org/schedule-applications. For questions or more details, contact HHYF Executive Director Ellen Taylor at 317-867-5877 or by email at [email protected].
The popular five-day camp is an intense, hands-on introduction to horsemanship. Participants learn to care for horses, including grooming, proper equipment and safety techniques, and how to drive a horse with assistance from licensed trainers and drivers. HHYF travels with its own stable of Trottingbreds, a slightly smaller racing breed than the Standardbreds who normally race. The Gaitway camp culminates with a driving exhibition with participants in full colors behind the starting gate. One participant will be selected to represent the training center on Hambletonian Day (Aug. 6) at The Meadowlands.
The Manalapan Sophisticates twirling team traveled to Villanova University for the AAU Regional Baton Twirling Championship, where the team of 19 walked away with six gold medals and qualified for the Junior Olympics to be held in Texas this summer. The Sophisticates’ coaches — Melissa Hurst, Carley Lesinski, Serena Hutton and Samantha French — were additionally awarded Coaches of the Year.
This year, the Sophisticates traveled outside of New Jersey and had the opportunity to compete in the AAU Super Regional Championship at Villanova. Winning gold in each category entered, the Sophisticates swept the competition to qualify for the AAU Junior Olympic Games. The highlight of the meet was the win by their Show Corps, a circus themed, six-minute routine including all team members of every age and skill level.
To learn more about the Sophisticates, contact [email protected].