Summer 2018 Draft

Post date: May 8, 2018 4:21:46 PM

The captains gathered at Casa de Gopher on Monday to tell stories, make jokes, reminisce, and every once in a while consider starting to think about possibly getting around to maybe picking a player to add to their team for our Summer 2018 season. As always, it was a fun event, and given past precedent, it was actually kind of quick. The draft took about two hours, including some other league discussion, and I was able to post rosters and get to bed by 1:00 AM. If you've ever considered being a rec league captain or commissioner, this is the life.

One of the things we tried to do this time was discuss cores of players for each team before captains started picking. I know other rec leagues that do this, and looking at the rosters, I think it helped us to have more balance. We'll see if that holds true once the games start. Rec league rosters can look fantastic on paper, but it all depends on who shows up. With that in mind, I also reopened the sign-up since our rosters are a bit smaller than usual for Summer, and there are a number of part-time players like always. If you are still interested in playing, or know someone who might be, people can still sign up: East Fishkill 2018 Summer Sign-up. Any new sign ups will be placed in a list to add & balance teams.

So, with the cores + draft approach, how do the teams look? See for yourself if you haven't yet. Rosters are posted on our Teams page.

Blu-Tang Clan: Chris fields a team that includes college and club veterans like Walter Roosa, Tyler Wilcha, Tom Manner, Meghan "Shmack" MacEnroe, and Nick Boyd. They also secured the rights to local legend Jimi O'Connell, who expects to miss most of the season due to commitments to some other team called the New York Empire. However, I believe the AUDL season wraps up before East Fishkill's playoffs, and hopefully Jimi captaining the area's premiere new mixed club team, the Funk, will not preclude seeing him throw plastic at the Lime Kiln Rec. I mean, a man has to have his priorities.

Black: Corey put together a strong squad that includes his brother Matt, Matt Stew, Cara Tully and Dan Jast. He also pulled off a literally huge pick by adding Ryan "Tall Ryan" Diehl and Rob Hoffman. This team should have quality play at all positions and good depth.

Green: In spite of missing out on Guido Aresi, who went to White, Dan did a good job assembling a strong group of PDS affiliated players in his son Noam who is captaining at Oberlin, Carleton Cut's Eli Levey-Swain, and talented Cam Brown. They will also feature NY Rumble, Empire, PONY and MetroNorth alum John Geraghty. You may have heard about a play he made in a tournament called Nationals a few years ago... Kate Bedrossian, David Landers and his SCAM teammate Isaiah Casiano (when he is in town) will also make contributions to this fierce squad.

Yellow: The captains in their infinite wisdom elected to counter the unbridled, rampant majesty of Zac "Callahan" Schiff with the mediocrity of your humble commissioner. Zac will bear this burden with the help of Keegs, some athletic friends, the always sharp play of Cheyenne Mallo, and some talented Cortland players including Hans, Gertz, and Philip "Seymour Hoffman" Miller. They are joined by league favorites Peri and Allison and other fun-loving folks. Zac's team won our championship last Fall, and this squad would like to do it again.

Red: Returning All Star Tom Santiago is a first time captain. During the draft he loudly wondered what he'd gotten himself into, but he assembled a good looking team. He's joined by one of the league's most spirited and talented ladies, Bri, as well as solid handlers Anthony "Doctor B", Brian Funicelli and Gary Chastizzle-come-my-lady-come-come-my-lady-you're-my-butterfly-sugar-baby-steen, who can all compliment Tom's "I'm always open" cuts, as well as the versatile Lucci Shkreli and a host of other players.

White: Cody and Justin have teamed up again. Last summer's champs have retained the services of All Stars Nick Van Tassel, Frank and Sarah. They also hold the rights to local superstar and captain emeritus Bobby F Owens, who currently only expects to play one game, but we all know how much he wants to play more if his schedule will allow it. Nicole Hitner and Willard Davis are also on this roster, but Willard is nursing an injury. If the team's availability and health improves, they could make a push to repeat as Summer Champs.

So, did the core concept help? On paper, I think it clearly did. I'm not ready to crown the summer's champs yet, and I'm not even sure which teams will be on top going into the playoffs. I think that's pretty cool. Now, lets see what the teams really look like when we play some games.

I want to thank the captains for stepping up, and I want to thank everyone for signing up to play this summer. I'm looking forward to it!