Here’s a rundown on some of the sports-related community events taking place in the North Whidbey area.
NWLL fall registration
North Whidbey Little League is accepting registrations for fall ball for the following divisions: junior, for those who turned 12-14 before April 30, 2010; major, for those who turned 9-11 before April 30, 2010; and Challenger, for special needs children.
Games start approximately Sept. 12 and continue through October.
Registration forms will be available at Big Five in Oak Harbor July 31. For further information call 360-679-1522.
Island Cup
The annual Whidbey Island tennis Civil War, the Island Cup, takes place this weekend, July 31 and Aug. 1, at South Whidbey High School.
Play will be contested in several categories including men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles. In general, most of the singles and doubles contests will be held Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. and the mixed doubles events on Sunday at 11 a.m.
The South leads the Island Cup standings 5-2.
For more information, contact Chuck Niedzialkowski at 675-3816.
Gravity Race
The Rotary Club of North Whidbey Island-Sunrise will hold its 18th annual “Challenge Series” Gravity Race for children with special needs Saturday, Aug. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon in Oak Harbor.
Barrington Drive will be closed between Dock Street and Highway 20 for the races which pair a special driver with a volunteer “co-driver” in brightly colored race cars provided by the Rotary Club.
Every child who participates in this event wins — and all come away with a medal and gifts to commemorate their special day at the races. Spectators are encouraged to attend.
Please note that volunteer “co-drivers” will be pre-registered only; no walk up volunteer “co-drivers” will be accepted. Kids with special needs registration begins at 9 a.m.
Junior Sprint Triathlon
The Whidbey Island Junior Sprint Triathlon will be presented Sunday, Aug. 15, at John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool at 4 p.m. by the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District.
The triathlon is open to boys and girls ages 6 to 14 (relays any age) and will include swimming 147 yards, biking 2,000 yards and running 600 yards.
A helmet is required for the closed, grass biking course.
The fee is $10 and preregistration is required by Aug. 9. The fee includes a T-shirt and dessert. Special awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age group.
For more information call 675-7665 or visit www.oakharborpool.com.
CWSA Rendezvous
Central Whidbey Sportsman’s Association’s 18th Annual Rendezvous takes place Aug. 20 through 22 at the CWSA clubhouse and shooting range on Safari Lane 2.5 miles south of Coupeville.
Friday, Aug. 20, and Saturday, Aug. 21, the event will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 22, it will run 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The Rendezvous is free, open to the public and entertainment for the whole family.
The Rendezvous, which depicts the life and times of pre-1840s America, will include traders’ tents selling beads and leather goods, early American cooking utensils, leather and cloth clothing, blacksmithing items and black powder guns and supplies.
There will be black powder shooting events, primitive archery, tomahawk and knife throwing, and children’s games.
Plaques will be awarded to best-dressed Mountain Man, Mountain Woman, Best Camp and Farthest Traveled.
Fees of $15 will be charged for campsites, additional camp shooter and vendors.
WIRC fundraiser
The Whidbey Island Running Club boosters will be having a multi-family garage sale fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 21, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 380 SE Midway Blvd (the location of Island Family Hearing Clinic).
The WIRC is a year-round youth team sanctioned by the USATF and supported by the North Whidbey Parks and Recreation District. For a third year in a row the club has trained athletes who are participating in national championships.
This fundraiser will help support the club’s equipment needs and its many cross-country and track and field athletes.
Boat ramp registration
Crescent Harbor Adventures, the air station’s outdoor recreation and marina facility, recently implemented a vehicle registration system for the boat launch ramp east of the Navy Exchange.
The ramps are open for all and all users must register. The registration must be visible in the windshield of the parked vehicle.
Vehicles with a valid DoD decal may launch for free; others must pay $5.
The launch ramp is available from dusk to dawn. There is no parking on the launch ramp and there is no overnight parking of authorized vehicles, boats or trailers in or around the boat ramp area.
The primary purpose of the new registration system is to track utilization for future improvements and capture demographics information.
Swim lessons
Camp Casey summer swim lesson registration is open. Sessions will continue until Aug. 26, with lessons offered four times throughout the day; each session is $40 per child.
Registrations can be accepted over the phone, 678-5050, or in person at the Casey Conference Center office. More information is listed on the website, www.spu.edu/
caseypool.
The Casey Conference Center is located at 1276 Engle Road.
Coupeville Booster Club fundraiser
A $25,000 hole-in-one prize highlights the Coupeville Booster Club golf tournament, auction and dinner Aug. 28 at the Gallery Golf Course and CPO Club.
The event will raise funds for the Coupeville High School and Middle School athletic programs.
The club is looking for sponsors, players and volunteers for the event.
For more information, see www.coupevilleboosterclub.com.
Summer Rec programs
Xperience Days for high school students are now held at Windjammer Park Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. Middle and high school students are invited to meet at the windmill to participate in a variety of sports. Free food and beverages are provided.
New participants are encouraged to try out for North Whidbey Aquatic Club, Whidbey Island Running Club and Whidbey Island Predators Roller Hockey.
For more information call 675-7665 or visit www.oakharborpool.com.
Youth football registration
To register for Oak Harbor youth football, cheer and flag football, visit www.eteamz.com/oakharborfootball. Contact ohyfl@yahoo.com with any question.
Trustland Trails developed
South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District has completed overlaying the entrance road and parking area, developing the ADA Loop Trail and Connector Trail at Trustland Trails.
Trustland Trails is a 200-acre parcel of land given to the district by the state’s trust land transfer program in June 2007 and is located off of Hwy. 525 and Craw Rd.
Whidbey Island Running Club
The Whidbey Island Running Club, sponsored by the North Whidbey Park and Recreation Department, is looking for interested runners to train for the summer track season.
Interested participants can contact the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool at 675-7665 or head coach Catie Rodeheffer at 279-2196 to get information on practice times and locations.
North Whidbey Aquatic Club
The North Whidbey Aquatic Club (NWAC) is a competitive swimming program of the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District. It includes swimmers of all abilities and ages from 6 through college. Tryouts occur Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the city pool from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. New swimmers should be able to swim a length of the pool in freestyle and backstroke. The first two weeks are free. For more information, please call the pool (765-7665) to speak with Head Coach Neil Romney or view the team’s Web site at www.teamunify.com/pnswznwac.
Whidbey News-Times sports photos found on line
Sports photographs taken by Jim Woolbright for the Whidbey News-Times are available online for everyone to view and download.
Woolbright’s photos can be found at gallery.me.com/jameswoolbright.
Woolbright generally takes over 100 photographs of the events he attends and would like everyone to have access. He said, “I am a sort of give-the-families-what-they-want kind of guy.”
