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Recreation staff report heavy winter season for youth and adult sports programs
Summary
Department staff reported full winter leagues, dozens of teams across age groups and steady facility use, including an annual punt-pass-and-kick program whose participants advanced to NFL finals.
Kenny Southern, the department’s sports coordinator, told the advisory board on Feb. 7 that winter recreation programs are running at near-capacity and that participation remains strong across age groups.
“This is kinda my state of the union address for sports,” Southern said as he reviewed youth basketball, soccer, lacrosse and adult leagues. He reported that the department runs a Biddy program for 1st- and 2nd-graders at three sites and listed enrollment and team counts across age groups: 29 teams for 3rd–4th grade, 15 boys teams and seven girls teams for 5th–6th grade, 14 teams for 7th–8th grade boys, six teams for 9th–10th grade and a total of 77 league teams (not including about a dozen select teams run separately).
Southern highlighted the department’s long-running punt, pass and kick competition; four local children advanced to the NFL-stadium finals this season, and one local competitor won the regional final held at FedEx Field. He also noted adult offerings: a newly launched women’s league with five teams and a 35-and-up men’s league that began play in November and is in playoffs.
Open skate nights at Leonard Hall Recreation Center are drawing families; Southern said recent events drew roughly 178 skaters in an evening. He described youth lacrosse clinics and soccer play spanning U6 to U18 and said the department runs multiple gyms on Saturdays to accommodate games and practices.
Southern said the department hopes the nascent women’s league will expand to six or seven teams next year and emphasized the long-term value of programs that grow slowly but steadily.
Board members asked brief clarifying questions about age ranges and adult-league enrollment; Southern confirmed adult divisions and noted weekend scheduling pressures and make-up challenges in inclement weather.
The department’s program counts and the continuation of signature events indicate steady demand for youth and adult recreation opportunities in the county.
