The first Saturday in August is rapidly approaching, which means
the beginning of practices for the Don Raabe Charities Classic.

The first scheduled workout is Thursday with Pennsylvania
practicing at Elk County Catholic High School in St. Marys and New
York opening camp at Olean Middle School.

Practices begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.

This year’s game, the 33rd annual, will be played at 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 5 at Parkway Field.

The New York team photo will be taken July 25 at Ellicottville,
while the Pennsylvania team picture will be taken July 26 at Port
Allegany.

The banquet, scheduled Aug. 3, will be held at Pitt-Bradford, a
change from the past several years.

The rest of the practice schedule follows:

July 21: Bradford, Salamanca; July 24: Smethport, Portville;
July 25: Sheffield, Ellicottville; July 26: Port Allegany,
Cuba-Rushford; July 27: Johnsonburg, Olean Walsh; July 28:
Otto-Eldred, Salamanca; July 31: Smethport, Allegany-Limestone;
Aug. 1: Bradford, Olean Athletic Field; ; Aug. 2: Sheffield,
Portville; Aug. 3: banquet at Pitt-Bradford; Aug. 4: Ridgway, Olean
Walsh

A little more on a story we had in the July 12 edition of The
Era on former Bradford resident Sonya Pyle, who now resides in
Erie.

It was a first for Philadelphia and two firsts for Pyle, who won
the novice division of the Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon on July
9.

Held for the first time, the event drew approximately 600 female
participants from throughout the United States. Women in their
teens through age 76 participated in a sprint course, which
included a 500-meter swim, a 17-mile bike and a 5-kilometer
run.

With a time of 1:24:25, Pyle, competing in her first triathlon,
dominated the field of more than 145 triathletes to win the novice
division. She also took 15th place overall and had the second
fastest time in her age group, 20-24.

Pyle is the daughter of Margaret and Robert Pyle of Bradford and
was a 2000 graduate of Bradford Central Christian High School where
she was a standout in softball. She also played volleyball for
Bradford High and was on the Lady Owls’ swim team.

Pyle was named First Team Academic All-American in water polo at
Gannon University where she graduated with a B.S. in advertising
communications in 2004 and was named First Team All-Conference New
York division in club water polo at Syracuse University where she
graduated with a M.S. in public relations in 2005.

Pyle’s love of sports carries over to her career. She is the
marketing coordinator for the sports medicine product line at Saint
Vincent Health System in Erie.

The deadline is approaching for entries to this year’s
Southwestern New York-Northwestern Pennsylvania Men’s Amateur golf
tourney.

The tournament will start Aug. 2 at Bartlett Country Club in
Olean, N.Y., and conclude Aug. 6. The entry deadline is noon July
31.

For more information on the tourney visit the Web site
swny-nwpa.com.