| Community Recreation Board plans aerobics, cheerleading, other activities |
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
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Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 11:30 pm
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SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (July 15, 2009) — The new recreation director for the Community Recreation Board plans to introduce new activities for the organization which sponsors many of the local elementary-level soccer, basketball, and flag football programs, but many of those activities won’t be sports in the traditional sense.
Those plans by Stan Porter — who succeeded JoAnne Bishop as recreation director — met with favor from members of the board that coordinates youth sports in Waynesville and St. Robert. Some of the first new activities will include cheerleading for the flag football program and aerobics for youth and adults.
“I would look first at nontraditional because then you’re not competing with anyone else,” said board member Josh Scott, who represents the Waynesville R-VI School District on the Community Recreation Board.
Kim Hawk, the school district’s alternate member, agreed.
“That would appeal to kids who don’t see themselves as athletes and get them involved in physical activities and then maybe get into other athletic activities,” Hawk said.
Porter said he’s looking for ways to improve efficiency of the recreation program.
“We’re looking for ways we can save money and cut costs and one of them is we’re buying very expensive decorated medals,” Porter said.
Cutting costs doesn’t necessarily mean cutting quality. Porter said buying a proper soccer jersey would cost $7.50 and the recreation program leaders have until now been paying $9 for T-shirts.
Other improvements are important as well. Bill Baier, Fort Leonard Wood’s representative on the board, said one of the battalion commanders on post is willing to arrange for 30 to 40 volunteers to fix the athletic fields.
“I’ve walked that U-6 field and it’s very dangerous for rolling ankles,” Baier said.
Lyle Thomas, St. Robert’s director of public works and chairman of the Community Recreation Board, said alternative fields should be available soon.
“Our intention is by spring the east ridge of the park should have a good stand of grass that we could use for soccer fields until we get something else on it,” Thomas said.
In other matters:
• St. Robert representative Edna Givens said the end-of-season barbecue for the baseball program has been rescheduled from this week Saturday, July 18, to Sunday, July 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. with a setup time from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Baier suggested that if seed money is available, a scooter game could be added to the recreation program. The game is already played on post, he said.
“It’s great except you need to watch your fingers or they’ll run over them,” Baier said.
• Local resident Sherrie Gifford told Community Recreation Board members that she’s willing to head up non-traditional after-school programs for the organization.
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