13
expansion of his mission. With his dining
room table serving as FGA world head-
quarters, Sylvester already has hired one
full-time employee and three part-timers
to help the FGA broaden its base. One of
the primary missions of the FGA is to build
its adaptive golf enhancement program,
which includes training instructors and
providing adaptive equipment to as many
golf courses in the country. The Freedom
Golf map, available on the FGA’s website
(www.fgagolf.org), allows aspiring disabled
golfers to locate accessible courses. It is
also Sylvester’s mission to turn the golf
industry on to millions of potential new
players.
“The golf industry is focused on its
community – fully able-bodied golfers
– but they understand they have to do
something to make the sport grow,”
he says, citing statistics that show a
4.7-percent decline in the sport every
year. “Word is starting to spread that
there are five million disabled golfers
who are playing, and 18 million who want
to play. Why can’t we get more on the
golf course? If people can realize that,
then the golf industry will give visibility
to sponsors and promote golf as an
inclusive game.”
Over the summer, Bruce Miller, now
an official ambassador for FGA, taught
adaptive golf at a series of 20 FGA-spon-
sored clinics. In the fall, Oak Brook (Ill.)
Golf Club, through the FGA, hosted free
twice weekly golf clinics for six consecu-
tive weeks, offering tips for “all special
needs individuals interested in learning
golf or improving their golf game.” That
came on the heels of the First Annual
Freedom Golf Association Golf Outing
at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Le-
mont, Ill., which drew 120 participants
comprised of 25 foursomes, each with a
special needs player.
“This is an incredible way for people
with special needs to find out they can do
things,” Miller says. “The main objective
is not to teach them to play golf, but to
get them outside, open their minds, and
let them know people care. I lost my leg
and my whole world opened up – and it’s
all thanks to EQ.”
Spring Sports Highlights
A lone blemish on its record prevented
the SPS girls varsity lacrosse team from
back-to-back undefeated seasons. The
Big Red went 15-0 before falling in the
May 21 season finale to St. Mark’s, 9-7.
Still, the ISL co-champs put up big num-
bers as a team, outscoring its opponents
by a 223-109 margin. Duke-bound
Maddie Crutchfield ’14 led the way with
60 goals and 57 assists. Rosemary Sca-
lise ’15 (43g, 27a), Caroline Zaffino ’15
(40g, 16a), Lindsey Reynolds ’16 (28g,
8a), and Bowdoin-bound Hannah
Hirschfeld ’14 (17g, 9a) were other top
contributors. Shayna Tomlinson ’14
Sports Summary
snatched 62 draw controls.
The girls crew struggled in the reg-
ular season, but peaked at the right
time. At the inaugural National Schools’
Championship Regatta in Saratoga
Springs, N.Y., the girls first eight and
four took home gold medals. The first
and second eights also placed third at
Worcester. Both the eight and the four
won at the UK’s Reading Regatta and
rowed to the semifinals at the Henley
Women’s Regatta.
On the softball diamond, SPS posted
an 11-4 record. Brooke Avery ’14 fin-
ished second in league batting (.636).
Other Big Red sluggers who ranked
among the ISL elite included Isabel Stod-
dard ’17 (.583, 5th), Amanda Paine ’14
(.561, 9th), and Taryn Collins ’17 (.486,
14th). Collins also struck out 75 batters
as the team’s leading hurler.
The girls track team placed third at
the ISLs. Kerry Swartz ’15 established
SPS records in the 100m, 200m, and
400m. The boys tennis team finished
at .500 (9-9) after completing another
competitive ISL schedule.
The 2014 girls track team placed third
in the ISLs.
KAREN BOBOTAS
VARSITY BOYS
WON LOST TIED
Baseball
7 10
0
Crew – 1st boat
2 6
0
Crew – 2nd boat
1 7
0
Lacrosse
5 13
0
Tennis
9 9
0
Track
7 10
0
31 55
0
VARSITY GIRLS
Crew – 1st boat
0 5
0
Crew – 2nd boat
2 3
0
Lacrosse
15
1
0
Softball
11
4
0
Tennis
6
8
0
Track
6 10
0
40 31
0
VARSITY TOTAL
71 86
0
JV BOYS
WON LOST TIED
Baseball
2
9
0
Crew-3rd boat
3
6
0
Crew-4th boat
1
4
0
Lacrosse
3 10
0
Tennis
4
5
0
13 34
0
JV GIRLS
Crew-3rd boat
3
3
0
Crew-4th boat
2
3
0
Lacrosse
8
3
1
Tennis
5
3
0
18 12
1
JV TOTAL
31 46
1
GRAND TOTAL 102 132
1
Michael Gorlewski (with EQ) is among
those inspired by the FGA’s mission.
