Here’s a rundown on some of the sports-related community events taking place in the North Whidbey area.
Fly Fishing Club meet
The monthly meeting of the Whidbey Island Fly Fishing Club will be held today, April 14, at 6 p.m. at the Race Road Fire Station, south of Coupeville.
The meeting will start with fly tying demonstrations by Jerry Shemik and the social hour. At 7 p.m. Steve Raymond will talk about fishing the Kamloops area in British Colombia.
The public is invited. For more information, call Neal Sims at 360-969-1241 or email fishrswim6@gmail.com.
Cribbage tournament set for April 17
The South Whidbey Spring Cribbage Tournament takes place Saturday, April 17, at 1 p.m.
The tournament, open to the public, will be held at Eagles Aerie 3418, Highway 525, south of Freeland.
A maximum of 48 players will take part; the top 25 percent will win prizes. The entry fee is $30, and all entry money will be paid back to players.
Entry checks, name and address should be sent to Cribbage Tournament, P.O. Box 1000, Freeland 98249, or dropped off at the Eagles Club.
For more information, contact Bruce Howard at 360-331-4974 or bhoward@whidbey.com.
Fishing season begins April 24
The state’s single biggest fishing season opens April 24, with lakes throughout the state stocked with millions of hatchery-reared fish by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Although many lakes are open year round, the last Saturday in April marks the traditional start of a four-to five-month-long lowland-lakes fishing season.
“This is our biggest fishing season opener and it traditionally draws more than 300,000 anglers of all ages,” said WDFW Director Phil Anderson.
For more information, visit the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov.
Eagle Run takes off April 24
The seventh annual Eagle Run will kick off Holland Happening at Windjammer Park Saturday, April 24.
The one-mile fun run will start at 8 a.m.; the 5K will follow at 8:15.
This family event encourages health, fitness and fun. To register or to get more information, visit www.eaglerun.org or call 360-679-6972.
Lawn bowls clubs hold open house
All three of Seattle’s lawn bowls clubs will host open houses May 8.
The free open houses are to introduce interested parties to this “mysterious” and “misunderstood” sport, according to spokesperson Laura Houser.
Lawn bowls offers a low-impact sport for people of all ages and skill levels.
Check out www.uslba.org/nw.html for the location of the clubs and other information.
Lacrosse looking for players
The Skagit Valley Flyers Lacrosse Club is recruiting female athletes in grades 1-12 to learn the game of lacrosse.
Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America. Today, the Washington Schoolgirls Lacrosse League has over 2,500 athletes.
The Flyers were the recipients of a generous equipment grant from STX and U.S. Lacrosse. Thanks to this grant, athletes do not need to purchase any additional equipment except for a mouth guard.
Interested? Come try out lacrosse at the Saturday Spring Clinics that run every Saturday through May 8 at Allen Playfields in Burlington 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
A beginner spring break lacrosse camp is also being offered through the Burlington Parks & Rec Department from March 30 to April 1.
Coach Cynthia Lisa is a 2000 graduate of the and MVP. Most recently, Coach Lisa coached the Great Mills High School varsity and the Jets Varsity Elite travel club, both located in Maryland.
For more information, email svflyers@gmail.com or call 360-610-7116.
Kickball now available
Now you can relive your childhood recess memories — kickball is now available in Seattle.
The World Adult Kickball Association, founded in 1998 in Washington DC, has spread to more than 30 states, including Washington. The Washington Emerald City Division season starts May 3, and registration ends April 20.
A free pickup games is set for April 19 at Cal Anderson Park at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit www.kickball.com/season/waemeraldcityspring2010.
Roller derby seeking members
A group of Oak Harbor women are hoping to form a local roller derby league.
Women’s roller derby leagues are sprouting up across the state and local spokesperson Coty Reynolds said she would like to see the formation of an Oak Harbor league.
Persons interested should contact Reynolds at 214-578-7733.
Whidbey Island Running Club training for spring, summer seasons
The Whidbey Island Running Club, sponsored by the North Whidbey Park and Recreation Department, is looking for interested runners to train for the spring/summer track season of the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics.
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.
Interested parties can also visit team practices Mondays and Fridays from 4 to 5 p.m. at Fort Nugent Park. The first two practices are free.
Men’s golf league forming
Whidbey Golf and County Club is starting a late-afternoon men’s league open to members, guests and the public.
The nine-hole format will be played at 5 p.m. on Thursdays May 6 through Sept. 2.
Foursomes will be composed of all skill levels to equalize competition.
The cost will be $20 per nine-hole round for guests and public players, plus $5 for a weekly prize fund.
For more information, contact golf pro David Phay at 360-675-5490, ext. 1.
North Whidbey Aquatic Club holds tryouts
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.
Rec Guide available
The Island County Recreation Resource Guide is available.
The Guide, produced by the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District and Island County Public Health, has a comprehensive list of recreational and healthy-living programs and activities countywide.
The Guide is available online at oakharborpool.com, or it can be picked up at North Whidbey Park and Recreation (85 SE Jerome, Oak Harbor) and all Island County Public Health locations.
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.”
