Column: Summer Sports

With Memorial Day, the end of school and warmer weather marking the unofficial start of summer, sports fans notice a significant lack of school sporting events.

Despite the lack of high school athletics, there are still several ways to enjoy local athletes and remain active in the summer.

Local recreation departments offer a variety of activities for a range of age groups to fill in the sport gaps until the cooler weather of autumn signals the return of high school athletics.

Possibly the number one summertime activity is swimming.

With some of the local recreation departments offering swim leagues this summer for youth from ages five to 18, the next Michael Phelps could be seen in a pool this summer. Usually before a swimmer can join one of the teams, they already need to know how to swim which should be a consideration before taking the younger swimmers to the pool. For those competing, many of the swim teams have optional swim meets within the North Georgia Swim League against neighboring county recreation departments.

Out of the water, the departments offer several camps and ball teams during the summer. While each recreation department has its own schedule of events and offerings, the summer is usually a good time for baseball, softball and basketball at the beginning of the summer while football, cheerleading and soccer starts toward the end of summer. The openings for sports camps will likely fill up quickly, as athletes who look to make the school teams work to stay fit.

With the economy still in the rut, being able to afford registration for some of the recreation activities can be a consideration. This is where local enthusiast clubs or family activities can step in and provide summer fun.

Family hikes or bike riding as well as local clubs for outdoor events are sometimes a cheaper alternative for summer enjoyment.

Fishing, running or camping are just some of the other activities that are possible on the cheap. Church leagues or backyard teams can provide all the healthy benefits of exercise and enjoyment as the more expensive alternatives.

Then there are the non-traditional sports like paintball, skateboarding, or auto racing. These high adrenaline sports can tally up a bill when first getting started for the dedicated athlete. However, rental packages and other programs can allow first-timers to experience the activity without breaking the bank, while easing into the sport.

As summertime approaches and the mercury inches higher there remains many activities for everyone to enjoy.

Justin Poole is a reporter for MainStreet News, and can be contacted at justin@mainstreetnews.com.