The Ceremonies have opened

VALHALLA — The Games have begun … that’s the Empire State Games, of course! Technically, they’re the Gov. Hugh L. Carey Empire State Games, so named for the former chief executive who helped put the inaugural event in motion back in 1978.

This year’s Opening Ceremonies have just begun, with the parade of athletes into Kensico Dam Plaza still underway as I type.

Here’s a shot I snapped of keynote speaker Jeremy Schaap (center) preparing for his speech before the thousands in attendance. Admittedly, I'm no Ansel Adams, hence the "amateur" in that pro-am I spoke of earlier.

I just spoke to a slew of local athletes and coaches, who were getting ready to enter the Opening Ceremonies.

“It’s just a good experience to get to this level, and know that you had to make it to this level,” said Brenna O’Keefe, a Hudson Valley swimmer who will be a junior at Hyde Park’s Roosevelt High School in the fall. “All these people are good at what they do.”