Register Now for Youth Soccer, Baseball

Registration for youth soccer and baseball is currently underway at all City Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ community centers.

     Children must be between ages 4 and 15 to register to play co-ed soccer. To play co-ed baseball, girls must be between the ages of 5 and 11 and boys must be between the ages of 5 and 15. Girls, ages 12 to 16, can register to play girls’ softball.

     Registration is $25 for children who live in the city. Those who register to play both sports will receive a discount and pay only $35. Non-city residents must pay an additional fee of $20 to register.

     The deadline to register is April 12, and a $5 late fee will be charged thereafter.

     Registration requires proof of age, proof of residency, and a signed parental or guardian consent form.  

     Following is a list of community center locations. For more information, call the community center nearest you or 646-1175.

• Ann Hardy Plaza                     3300 First Ave.                       646-4824
• Battery Park                           2803 Dupont Circle                 646-0944
• Bellemeade                             Register at T.B. Smith              646-8490
• Blackwell                                300 E. 15th Street                   646-8630
• Broad Rock                            Register at Hickory Hill            646-8663                    
• Calhoun                                  436 Calhoun Street                  646-4083                       
• Chimborazo/Bill Robinson        721 N. 35^th St.                       646-1175                    
• Creighton                                201 Creighton Road                 646-4511
• Fisher                                      3701 Garden Road                  646-5609
• Hickory Hill                            3000 E. Belt Blvd                     646-8663
• Hillside                                    Register at T.B. Smith              646-8490
• Hotchkiss                                701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.   646-4466
• Humphrey Calder                    414 N. Thompson St.              646-1780
• Pine Camp                               4901 Old Brook Road            646-3672                      
• Powhatan                                 5051 Northampton St.            646-0973
• Randolph                                 1415 Grayland Ave.                646-1080
• Reid                                         1301 Whitehead Rd.               646-0152
• T. B. Smith                               2015 Ruffin Road                   646-8490
• Thompson                                7825 Forest Hill Av.               646-1209
• Westover                                 1301 Jahnke Road                  646-8995
• Whitcomb                                2302 Carmine Street               646-2988                                          

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Department Offers Developmental Lacrosse Program for Girls

The department will host a Developmental Lacrosse Program for girls ages 8 to 14 on Sunday, March 24.

     The program will be held at the Blackwell Playground, located at 15^th and Maury streets, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is sponsored by Nick Costas and the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and is free to attend.

      For more information, please call 804-232-1982 or e-mail Wyatt.Kingston@RichmondGov.com.

Youth Invited to Register for Tennis Tournament

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities invites boys and girls, ages six to eighteen, to register to participate in a tennis tournament, October 23 – 26 at the department’s Byrd Park Tennis Complex.

      Tournament matches will take place between 6 and 7:30 p.m., and the QuickStart format will be used for tournament players 6 years old to 8 years old. QuickStart Tennis uses a smaller court size and racquet, larger tennis balls and a lower net so that young children can learn to play and enjoy the game quickly.

     Tournament registration will take place at the department’s community centers or at the Blanton House, located at 700 Blanton Ave., and must be completed and submitted by Oct. 18. A birth certificate or school record will be required at registration as proof of age. The registration fee is only $10 per player and only money orders made payable to the City of Richmond will be accepted. In addition, a parental waiver form and the registration form must be completed to participate in the tournament.

     “We are especially interested in getting more young people involved in tennis,” said Norman C. Merrifield, department director. “Tennis is a life-time sport with health benefits. If you develop the sport as a young person, it can keep you active and bring you years of enjoyment throughout your life.”

      For more information on the tournament, call Victor Rizzi at (804) 646-1208. 

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Department Introduces Exciting, New After School Program with Open House

Are you looking for an after school program that children will love? If so, consider the new program sponsored by Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities in area elementary schools.

     “We’ve enhanced our program significantly to include a sports and art component,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department. “We know that kids love sports, and at this young age when they are 5 to 10 years old, that’s when they should be getting an introduction to sports and picking up the basic skills,” he said.

     “At the same time, we know that not every child is interested in athletics, so we’re also expanding their exposure to cultural arts, the environment, health and fitness. The point is that recreation should be fun for the children we serve and give them what they want,” he said.

      The department will hold an open house to introduce the new program on Sept. 5 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at each of the elementary schools where it will be offered. Children and their parents or guardians are invited to attend to meet the staff and learn about the new offerings. 

      Registration will take place Sept. 4 through Sept. 7, at each site in the cafeteria after school. Early registration is encouraged as enrollment in the program at each site is limited.

     The cost per semester is just $50 for one child, $40 for a second child, and $30 for a third child, and it includes a free meal each day.  In addition, payment plans and financial assistance are available, and families served by TANF should bring their number to registration. A copy of immunization and physical exam reports also are needed at registration.

     Following are the 18 elementary schools where the department will offer the program:  

Bellevue                            George Mason

Blackwell                          J.E.B. Stuart

Broad Rock                       John B. Cary

Chimborazo                       Mary Scott

E.S.H. Greene                   Miles Jones

Elizabeth Redd                 Overby-Sheppard

Fairfield                            Patrick Henry

G.H. Reid                         Summer Hill   

G.W. Carver                      Swansboro

For more information, call 646-6034.

                                

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Department to train coaches on sports injuries, concussions

The department will conduct a seminar for its youth football and soccer coaches on dealing with sports injuries and recognizing the symptoms of concussions.

     “Every year we have hundreds of youth playing football and soccer on our recreational teams, and the dangers of injuries, especially concussions, are something we cannot overlook,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department. “We are very pleased to have Dr. Charles Dillard, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitations, traumatic brain injury and concussion, to help educate our staff and volunteers on this important topic this year.”

     Dr. Dillard is a native of Richmond and an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). He currently serves as the medical director of CHoR’s Traumatic Brain Injury Program.

     The seminar will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, in the auditorium at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

     The department holds training seminars for its coaches, who are primarily community volunteers, every year, and all first-year coaches are certified by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. Residents who have an interest in serving as a volunteer coach or assistant can contact the community center where they would like to volunteer or call the department at (804) 646-1175 for more information. A list of community centers can be found on the department’s website. 

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Registration for football, cheerleading expanded

The department is expanding opportunities for children between the ages of 5 and 14 who live in the city and are not beyond eighth grade in school to register to play football and participate in cheerleading this fall. Registration will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 6; Wednesday, Aug. 8; and Thursday, Aug. 9, at the following locations: 

• Battery Park Community Center, 2803 DuPont Circle
• Blackwell Community Center, 300 E. 15^th St.
• G. H. Reid Community Center, 1301 Whitehead Rd.
• Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 E. Belt Blvd.
• Hotchkiss Community Center, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
• Linwood Robinson Senior Center, 700 N. 26^th St.
• Powhatan Community Center, 5051 Northampton St.
• Randolph Community Center, 1415 Grayland Ave.
• T.B. Smith Community Center, 2015 Ruffin Rd.
• Westover Community Center, 1301 Jahnke Rd.       

In addition, registration will take place at these same sites on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as previously announced. 

     The registration fee is $25 per child. A utility bill or rent receipt to verify city residency, a report card or current year school schedule to verify grade level, and a birth certificate to verify age will be required at registration, and a parent or guardian must sign a waiver.

     Practices will begin on Monday, August 6, and all games will be held on Saturdays beginning on September 8. The season will culminate in tournament championship games and an awards ceremony.

     For more information, call 804-646-5733.

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City to Hold Youth Tennis Tournament

The department will hold a Richmond Youth Tennis Tournament at Byrd Park on August 17 – August 19.

      The tournament is for city resident boys and girls ages 8 to 18 who are novice or beginner players with no previous tournament experience. The purpose of the program is to introduce tournament play to youth who are new to the sport.

     The tournament will be played on Friday, August 17, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and continue on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and also on Sunday if necessary.

     Registration costs just $10 per player and requires a birth certificate or school record as proof of age and a utility bill for proof or residency. The deadline to register for the tournament is Monday, August 13.

     For more information or to register, call 804-901-5237.                                                                         ###

City Welcomes Youth Baseball Tournament to Richmond

The city of Richmond and the Metropolitan Junior Baseball League (MJBL) are joining together to sponsor the Inner City Classic tournament in Richmond. The Classic, which is the oldest and longest running inner city baseball tournament in the country, will begin on July 31 and continue through Aug. 5. Games will be held on almost every field in Richmond, including The Diamond, and will include free activities for the public. The five day tournament is expected to bring hundreds of young baseball players ages six to nineteen to the city along with their coaches, families and friends.

     “We welcome the MJBL Inner City Classic back to the city of Richmond and I am pleased that more than 1500 talented inner-city youth will have the opportunity to be part of the tournament. We also welcome the economic impact that accompanies the tournament,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “I commend MJBL for providing the opportunity for urban youth to travel to other cities and experience diverse cultures all while enjoying the game of baseball.”

     As part of their tournament experience, the young players will have the opportunity to visit four area colleges - Virginia Union University, Virginia State University, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond - as well as attend a Flying Squirrels game and spend an afternoon at Kings Dominion. In addition, a Bobby Bonds Memorial Symposium will be held on the evening of August 3 at Virginia Union University’s Auditorium. The symposium will feature a panel discussion on cognitive and physical benefits of youth baseball.

     Designed especially for the public and fans is a free morning workout session with fitness gurus “Lisa and Priest” of WholeLifeStyles Inc. on Saturday, Aug. 4, at 9 a.m. that will be held in Byrd Park beside Fountain Lake. Lisa and Priest are well-known from Lisa’s appearance on NBC Today and her regular spot on New York’s WWRL AM talk radio. She has also been featured in Essence, Prevention and Fitness magazines and on MSNBC, CBS and ABC. A Health Fair will take place in Byrd Park behind the tennis complex immediately following the workout. It is also free and open to the public.

     Dr. Norman Merrifield, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities stated, “We fully support youth engagement in athletics and programs that promote public health, as well as the economic benefits this tournament will bring to the city.”

     The opening ceremony will take place on July 31 at The Diamond with teams being introduced prior to the Richmond Flying Squirrels vs. Reading Phillies game. The Classic tournament games will begin Aug. 1 at 9 a.m. and continue through Aug. 5, with the final championship game to be held at The Diamond. The 12U championship game, which has been dubbed the “MJBL Black World Series,” will take place on Saturday, Aug. 4. All games are open to the public and free to attend. For a complete schedule and more information, visit www.mjbl.org.

Help a Child Fall in Love with Tennis

Would you like to engage your child in an activity that will help keep them active and healthy, and that they may enjoy for a lifetime?  If so, the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and the Healthy Richmond Campaign has the program for you. And best of all it’s free!  

     This Saturday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the department will teach the exciting new QuickStart Tennis program at the Byrd Park Tennis Complex, located at South Boulevard and Blanton Avenue. This program will demonstrate to adults how they can teach tennis to children younger than age 10.

     QuickStart Tennis, developed by the United States Tennis Association, is a new way to teach children the game of tennis and to get them involved and enjoying the sport from the start. In Saturday’s program, expert instructors with the Richmond and U.S. Tennis Associations and the department’s athletic staff will teach you the skills you need to engage children in tennis using the QuickStart program. This program is perfect for parents, tennis instructors, tennis coaches or anyone who wants to share their love of tennis with children age 10 and younger.

     Space in Saturday’s free workshop is limited, so call 901-5237 to reserve your spot today or for more information.

Register for Youth Football, Cheerleading

Children who live in the city, between the ages of 5 and 14, and are not beyond eighth grade in school, can register to play football or become a cheerleader this fall with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities. Registration cost just $25 per child and will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on July 28 and August 18 at the following community centers:  

• Battery Park, 2803 DuPont Circle
• Bellemeade/T.B. Smith, 2015 Ruffin Rd.
• Blackwell, 300 E. 15^th St.
• Chimborazo, 3000 E. Marshall St.
• Hickory Hill, 3000 E. Belt Blvd.
• Hotchkiss, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
• Powhatan, 5051 Northampton St.
• Randolph, 1415 Grayland Ave.
• Reid, 1301 Whitehead Rd.
• Westover, 1301 Jahnke Rd.   

Practices will begin on Monday, August 6, and games will be held on Saturdays beginning on September 8.  The season will culminate in tournament championship games and an awards ceremony.

     Proof of city residency through a utility bill or rent receipt, grade verification through a report card or current year schedule, and a birth certificate are required at registration. Parents or guardians must also sign a waiver at registration.

     Payment can be made by Visa, MasterCard, check or money order. No cash payments will be accepted.

     For more information, call 804-646-5733.

Department Recognized for Tennis Programs

The department received the Community Outreach of the Year Award from the United States Tennis Association’s Virginia District at the organization’s annual meeting and awards luncheon held at the Country Club of Virginia on October 29.  Department Director Dr. Norman C. Merrifield and the department’s tennis program coordinator, Victor Rizzi, accepted the award on the behalf of the city and Mayor Dwight C. Jones.

     “We are extremely proud of this recognition,” said Dr. Merrifield. “Opening the doors for Richmond’s youth to play tennis is part of our mission to provide healthy, rewarding and even life-altering activities, and I would like to thank the Richmond Tennis Association for partnering with us to present these opportunities,” he said.

     In addition, the United States Tennis Association’s MidAtlantic Division has announced that it will present its Junior Tournament of the Year Award to Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities at its annual meeting and awards luncheon November 19 in Herndon, VA.

     Both awards recognize the department for hosting three low-cost junior tennis tournaments on the city’s tennis courts in Battery Park. The Battery Park Junior Open Tournaments were held in May, August and October as part of the USTA Virginia Grassroots Player Development program, specifically designed to make tournament opportunities available at low cost. Approximately 70 youth between the ages of 8 and 18 participated in each of the tournaments, which attracted many new tournament players and young players in the eight and under and ten and under age divisions.

     
To host the three tournaments, the department partnered with the Richmond Tennis Association, which provided volunteers to help staff the games as well as score cards and gifts for the players, which were funded by a MidAtlantic USTA grant. The tournaments were the first in many years to be hosted by the department at the Battery Park tennis courts, which were renovated by the department in 2008 following the destruction of Tropical Storm Gaston. 

Department's Swim Team Wins Championship

The department's competitive youth swim team, the Richmond Racers, won the Virginia Community Swim League Championship (VCSL) held in March at the department’s Swansboro Pool. Approximately 143 swimmers on teams from Hampton, Norfolk, Poquoson and Richmond competed in the event in front of a packed house. In the end, the Richmond Racers scored a total of 705 points to win the championship title. The Hampton Sharks scored 585 points to place second, with the Norfolk Silver Dolphins taking third and the Poquoson Riptides placing fourth. The Richmond Racers have dominated the VCSL Championship every year since it was founded in 1992. During this time, the team has never placed less than second.

City to Celebrate Tennis

The department in partnership with the Richmond Tennis Association will hold a Tennis Night in America celebration on Thursday, March 24, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Arthur Ashe Center.
Tennis Night in American is a national program of the United States Tennis Association to register youth for tennis classes with park and recreation departments and community centers throughout the month of March. It also introduces the new QuickStart Tennis program to the public.
QuickStart Tennis focuses on children age 10 and younger and uses smaller courts, larger rackets and bigger tennis balls so that children can quickly learn and enjoy the sport.
The Richmond event will include the opportunity for parents to register their children age 10 and younger for tennis classes, as well as games, clinics, prizes, free snacks, information on coaching and team management and fun for all. It is free to attend.