School’s out for summer
by Jamie Witham
School is out soon and that means summer leagues and activities are here and they’re filling up fast. For popular sports like ultimate frisbee and dodgeball, registering early can mean the difference between playing on the field or watching from the sidelines.
“They’re fun!” said first-year student Melissa Read. “I can’t even explain how much I love ultimate [frisbee].” One great resource for sports’ leagues throughout the year is The Calgary Sport and Social Club. Their website offers up a lot of information about registration on many of the team sports offered in the city. Located at calgarysportsclub.com, the website even has a countdown to the registration deadline to encourage people to register early and create anticipation.
Just because these leagues are fun doesn’t mean that they don’t offer players a challenge. Jason Jardine, a University of Calgary student said, “[Flag football] was way more intense than you ever would expect.”
For players looking for a challenge, there are intermediate levels open for teams to join in many of the sports, but individuals are usually required to register in the open levels first. If you’re looking for a different experience, Calgary’s lawn bowling club starts up in mid-May and offers free lessons for beginners, with the option to join the club once players become proficient. The club’s website, calgarylawnbowling.ca, offers information on lesson times, event schedules and the etiquette and culture of lawn bowling.
Prices also reflect the club’s desire to welcome newcomers with a trial membership rate and discounted first-year fees. The lawn bowling greens are located just off of 17th Avenue S.W. at 16th Avenue and 12th Street. The City of Calgary also offers an interactive summer program guide for not only league sports but individual activities as well. From slo-pitch to sailing, calgary.ca/recreation contains all the information needed to “get fit, and have fun.”
And don’t forget golf: the city offers classes for a range of experience at both their Confederation Park and McCall Lake Golf Courses. Call the courses directly because the city’s website does not always reflect up-to-date information.
At the other end of the spectrum, the city parks offer recreation junkies the perfect opportunity to walk, run, bike and spend some time outdoors this summer. Nature walks and bird watching also present a great chance to explore the vast park system in the city.
Whether or not you go out for a league, with so many choices this summer, the most difficult decision is not going to be what to play, but how to fit so many sports into your work schedule.
