SPORTS
Sunday, August 25-31, 2013
THE DALLAS POST
PAGE 9
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Three-peat
@ After 17 years without
a win, Sean Robbins
dominates WB Triathlon
TOM ROBINSON
For The Dallas Post
Sean Robbins got his
start as a triathlete in
1994 at the Wilkes-Barre
Triathlon.
Robbins needed 17
years before he won the
race for the first time.
Now, he is holding on to
that title.
After winning for the
third straight time by
swimming, cycling and
running through the
Back Mountain course
in 2:10:34, Robbins said
there are no wins in his
career that he enjoys
more.
“Because of the sen-
p Yimental value, this is
= such a special thing for
me,” the 43-year-old from
Shavertown said. “It real-
ly got me started and it’s
my hometown race.”
Robbins, alawyer for the
Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental
Protection, found out
what may seem obvious
that training to be a
triathlete and winning a
triathlon are not easy. It
was a long road to becom-
ing the champion of the
Olympic distance race
that includes a 1.5-kilo-
meter swim at Harveys
Lake, a 40-kilometer bike
course that winds its way
to the Penn State Wilkes-
Barre Campus and an
11-kilometer run that fin-
ishes back at the college.
“I kind of went through
the school of hard knocks.
with some of my training,
which is kind of natural
when people first come
on the scene,” Robbins
said. “People sort of learn
by doing. I made some
mistakes along the way.
“A lot of people have
coaches now, but it was
not so prevalent when I
first started.”
Robbins also has some
coaching guidance now
and has refined his
training practices over
the years. He needed
another major change
this year after thinking
a year ago that he might
have been starting the
decline that will eventu-
ally be a factor because
of age.
For years, Robbins had
given himself Fridays off
as his own “rule” about
training. At the end of a
week of work and life’s
errands, he thought it
made sense to take a rest
from training.
Robbins broke that rou-
tine last year in an effort
to put in more miles on
the roads and more yard-
age in the pool. He found
out his body missed the
necessary rest.
“I struggled a little
bit last year,” he said.
“I changed some of my
training and the things I
did were not really work-
ing, so I thought maybe
this is all catching up to
me, maybe I've hit my
peak and I'm starting the
downward slide.”
Now that he has recog-
nized the value of resting
_in a sport for people who.
clearly do not rest much,
Robbins’ performances
Welham pl
BILL TARUTIS photos | FOR THE DALLAS POST
Sean Robbins, of Shavertown, leaves his bicycle behind to run the last leg of the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon en route to winning his third in a row.
are improving this year.
“By the time I got to
Friday, I was always worn
out,” Robbins said. “What
I found out is that recov-
ery was important.”
Swimming is always his
biggest challenge against
his top competition, but
Robbins was going strong
at the end. He won the
triathlon. by almost four
minutes overall, beating
every other entry by at
least a minute and most
by several minutes in the
running portion of the
event.
Emily Sherrard, of
Philadelphia, . won the
women’s title in 2:24:36
to place fifth overall.
Wyoming’s Nick Hetro
John McGurk, of Dallas, emerges first from Harveys Lake during
the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon.
won the Sprint Distance
Division
and Wayne
Sem offers Cradle Lacrosse program
Children ages 4 to 8 years
old interested in learning to play
the rapidly growing game of
lacrosse are invited to register for
the new Cradle Lacrosse program
to be offered at Wyoming Seminary
Upper School, Kingston.
Program sessions will be held
from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturdays
at Klassner Field on North Maple
Upper School
campus, beginning on Saturday,
ept. 21 and continuing through
Street, on the
Nov. 2. Cost is $120.
Cradle Lacrosse is a nationwide
program designed to teach basic
lacrosse skills to boys and girls
between the ages of 4 and 8 years
old in a fun, energizing and sup-
portive environment.
The program provides all the
necessary equipment for the chil-
dren for no additional fee.
The curriculum
to teach the basics of lacrosse
to children in an age-appropriate
is designed
and fun way.
The Sem Cradle Lacrosse pro-
gram will be directed by Catie
Kersey, head coach of the Sem var-
sity girls lacrosse team.
Kersey, who was a member of
the Wesleyan University wom-
en’s lacrosse team, has led the
Blue Knights to Wyoming Valley
Conference and PIAA District 2
championships and state champi-
onship competition for the past
three years.
Lions plan golf tournament
The Golf Tourney Committee of the Dallas Lions Club met recently to finalize plans for its second annual tournament at
Newberry Estate in Dallas. The event will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8 and will include lunch, entertainment and
prizes for everyone. Interested participants and sponsors may contact Joe Czarnecki at 255-0136. From left, are Don Berlew, Joe
Czarnecki, chairman; and Jack Williams.
The first wave of swimmers start the first leg of the Wilkes-Barre
Triathlon at Harveys Lake.
Devine won the AquaBike Matt
challenge.
SPORTS BRIEFS
¢ RAIDERS INVITE PARTICIPANTS
Kingston Township children between
the ages of 5 and 11 are invited to attend
Kingston Township Raiders football prac-
tices between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Monday
through Friday at the Center Street Park.
For more information, call Stacy Wydra
at 301-8841.
¢ FATHER-SON TOURNEY
SCHEDULED
The Cook’s Pharmacy Second Annual
Father Son Baseball Tournament and
Home Run Derby to benefit the Dallas
Miller,
Loomis and Jack Tidball
formed = the winning
Olympic Distance Relay.
John
Foundation will be held on Saturday, Sept.
7 at the Back Mountain Little League
Field. Gametimes are 10 a.m. for 9-10
year-olds, noon for the Home Run Derby
and 1:30 p.m. for 11-12-year olds.
Registration fee is $50 for each father/
son team which includes a t-shirt for both
father and son. Children must be league
age 9, 10, 11 or 12 years old to participate.
Registration deadline is Aug. 24.
Registration forms may be dropped off
or mailed to Cook’s Pharmacy, 1909
Memorial Highway, Shavertown.
Jr. Mounts D team gets big win
The Dallas Junior Mount D-Team opened
the 2013 football season with a 32-0 win over
the Kingston Township Raiders.
The four-man backfield of Lucas Tirpak,
Dylan Geskey, Nate Malarky and Aaron
Patton powered its way through the tough
Raiders defense for the win.
Leading the way for the backs was a stout
line made up of Michael Elgonitis, Colby
Powell, Dalton Hislop, Bryce Casey, and
Archie Stephens.
On the defensive side, Luke Hajkowski,
Charlie Stephens, Noah Greco, Logan Geskey,
and the powerful Mason Calvey led the way to
ensure a victory for the season opener.
The D Team will take the weekend off
before heading to Swoyersville on Sunday,
Sept. 1 against the Sailors.
Two holes in one recorded at Huntsville
Justin Saraka, of
Shavertown, recorded a
hole in one on Thursday, Corbett.
Aug. 8 while golfing at Herb
Huntsville Golf Club in Wyoming,
Lehman.
Saraka aced Hole No. 5
from the white tee markers
Sunday,
ing the
| Back lo School in the Back Mountain
Twin Stacks C Center 1 100 Memorial H
* Open Mon -
using an 8 iron. His shot
was witnessed by Kasey
Fehlinger, of
recorded his
second hole in one on
Aug.
Member-Guest
. Plenty of Parking Easy In and ong
o Fun For All Soorts | Fans
Tournament at Huntsville
Golf Club in Lehman.
Fehlinger aced Hole No.
15 from the white tees
using a 4 Hybrid. His shot
was witnessed by Robert
Edgerton Jr., Peter Borsuk
and Richard Gower.
11 dur
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