Summer Leagues and Lessons

Fitness, Competition, & Fun all Rolled into One
By Kim Dunbar

June 2006- Finding it hard to count calories in a season full of ice cream, outdoor grilling and fried dough? Don’t worry, you can still get and maintain a kickin’ swimsuit body ~ just get involved in summer sports! So whether you’re super competitive or just dig playing for the fun of it, now’s the time to indulge your inner athlete.

Bay State Games
One of the advantages of living in the Bay State is the opportunity to participate in the Bay State Games, a series of Olympic-style sporting events that take place every summer and winter season. Offering a wide range of sport activities and social opportunities for its participants, the ‘06 season marks the 25th anniversary of the Summer Games, which has expanded from four sports to 25 sports and now boasts over 7000 athletes.
 
As in years past, this summer’s games are a combination of individual and team league sports.  BSG offers archery, wrestling, and synchronized swimming as well as the traditional team sports of soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, tennis and field hockey.  Locations of events vary, but round-robin team tournaments take place at the Bay State Games headquarters in Devens, MA. 
 
Log onto www.baystategames.org/summer/ for more info and for online registration.
 
Blackstone Lacrosse
The Blackstone Lacrosse 2006 Men’s Summer League offers athletes 18 and up the opportunity to learn and play the game right through August. All games are played under the lights on Clark University’s Granger Field’s synthetic grass surface in a full field 25-minute half game format. The League consists of eight regular season games plus two additional playoff (top four teams make the playoffs) or consolation games. The League is solid ~ games are regulated by a certified referee and updated scores, stats and standing are posted weekly.
 
The League commences in June, with games every Wednesday right through the playoffs in August. 
Visit www.blackstonelax.com for more information on pricing and schedules and to register to play.
 
Your neighborhood YMCA
Another hot spot for summer sports is your friendly neighborhood YMCA.  Worcester’s two locations ~ the Greendale Branch and the Central Community Branch ~ offer a variety of sports, activities and classes that will pump up your body temperature and keep your swimsuit shape in tip-top shape. 
 
Greendale Family Branch, 75 Shore Dr., (508)852-6694
This YMCA offers an Adult Volleyball League, both co-ed recreational and co-ed competitive. The games are officiated by a certified referee. You must sign up as a team, so handpick your favorite volley-mates and serve up some summer fun.

Looking for a different kind of volley? The Greendale Y also offers a beginner tennis clinic as well as adult tennis lessons. Lessons can be private or with a group ~ and both include match play. So grab your racquet and make some noise on the court this summer.  

More of a water person? Take advantage of the Master Swim Program for adults (which focuses on endurance, stroke drills, and interval work) or one of its many aquatic classes. Put that bathing suit to use and dive into a water adventure.
Central Community Branch, 766 Main St., (508) 755-6101
Having a knockout summer is easy if you turn to Worcester’s YMCA Central Community Branch. The Y offers a boxing circuit to help tone muscles, increase endurance and maintain cardio health.  The circuit is led by the Y’s own Golden Gloves champion Gil Jenkins along with Carmello Torres and Bruce Alston.

Ride away to steamy summer days with the Extreme City Cycling program, a combination of outdoor road workouts perfect for any biking enthusiast.  For the less experienced rider, the Y offers a power cycling class, a structured stationary workout to get that butt and those thighs into shape.

You can also reach new heights with the Y’s rock climbing lessons. Whether you’re an aspiring climber or an experienced pro, this spot is for you.