Recreational Sports
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Soccer coach Charlie Blaauw
Photo courtesy of the Fayette Neighbor |
Get in the game
By Tray Baggarly
Much emphasis has been placed on
setting aside space for recreational venues in both Coweta
and Fayette counties during the past decade. Because local
leaders and planners have made that a priority, the region
is blessed with ample recreational opportunities for both
adults and youth.
From youth and adult softball, baseball,
flag football coed adult volleyball and basketball to quality
youth soccer programs and canoeing and scuba diving, there
is something for everyone.
Soccer
One of the fastest-growing sports
in the area is soccer. Thousands of youngsters begin playing
at very early ages and by the time they reach the local high
school programs, their experience has paid off. That is evident
by the record of local high school teams who have captured
state championships in the past few years.
Soccer fields are found at nearly
every recreation park in both counties including the Whitlock
Complex on Hwy 34 in Newnan and McCurry Park on Hwy 54 in
Fayetteville. Peachtree City has fields at the South 74 Complex
and at the Glenloch and Meade fields.
Running
and Jogging
Peachtree City has more than 85
miles of recreation paths for jogging, as well as biking and
golf carts. Likewise, parks and trails in Coweta County offer
running venues and the county is currently working on plans
for putting running trails in various parts of the county.
At Coweta's Hunter Complex, there are jogging/walking trails
that encompass the entire facility.
Running clubs in both counties
are very active with regular meets scheduled throughout the
year. In addition, many of these members train year round
to compete in the nationally acclaimed Fourth of July Peachtree
Road Race held in Atlanta.
Locally, there are several annual
road races including the Peachtree City Classic, which is
run each October and features runners from across the Southeast
competing in a 5K and 15K races.
In Coweta, the Festival Days Road
Race is held over the Labor Day weekend in conjunction with
the nationally known Powers Crossroads Country Fair &
Arts Festival.
Baseball/Softball
Little league baseball and softball
are also popular sports in both counties and are played almost
year-round. Recreation departments in both counties, including
Fayette County, Peachtree City, Tyrone, Coweta County, Senoia,
Newnan, Moreland/Grantville and Sargent, provide quality facilities
and programs.
Most of these facilities were built
and are maintained by the counties and local municipalities.
During the seasons, the fields are busy throughout the summer.
Among the venues for these sports are Meade Field and Braelinn
Park in Peachtree City; Shamrock Park in Tyrone; Kiwanis Park
and McCurry Park in Fayetteville.
In Coweta, there are county-maintained
recreation facilities in Newnan at the Coweta Recreation Department's
main office at 39 Hospital Road, Moreland, Grantville, Senoia,
Arnco-Sargent and Sharpsburg.
In addition, a full gamut of adult
softball leagues are also busy year round in both counties
and include church, recreational, open and industrial divisions.
Tennis
One of the top tennis facilities
in the state, the Peachtree City Tennis Center, is located
in Peachtree City at Planterra Ridge. The facility has won
numerous honors including Facility of the Year and Georgia
Jr. Tennis Program of the Year in past years.
The facility includes 12 lighted,
hard courts 6 lighted, clay courts and 6 lighted, covered
courts. It hosts the annual United States Tennis Association
(USTA) Peachtree National Bank USTA Women's Challenger each
summer. The two-week tournament attracts some of the top professional
women players from around the world. The Center is also the
home base for the Southern Crescent United States Tennis Association
and is a public facility open year-round.
The Atlanta Lawn and Tennis Association
(ALTA) has a strong presence in Coweta and Fayette. Local
tennis players on those teams compete against other ALTA teams
from around metro Atlanta.
Football
Youth football and cheerleading
is also offered through the Recreation Departments in both
counties for ages 5-17. Flag football leagues for adults are
organized during the fall in Peachtree City and during the
winter in Fayette and Coweta counties.
Football fields are located at
various area middle schools as well as at Riley Field in Peachtree
City, Brooks Park in Brooks and McCurry Park in Fayetteville.
At the Hunter Complex on Hwy 16
in Coweta County there are three football fields for youth
leagues. Last fall the recreation department's youth flag
football league (for ages 5-8) had about 300 participants
and the tackle league (ages 9-12) attracted nearly 400 players.
Volleyball
For family fun, the Fayette County
Recreation Center offers Adult Co-ed Leagues for ages 16 and
up. There's also a Ladies' Volleyball League for women 15
and older. In a cooperative effort with a high school coach,
a Youth Girls' League (ages 11-14) will be forming.
Water Sports
The area has plenty of opportunities
for water activities including lakes for boating, scuba diving
and skiing, to numerous pools for swimming.
The Kedron Fieldhouse and Aquatic
Center in Peachtree City is one of the area's most unique
facilities. It houses two year-round pools -- an eight-lane,
25-yard, heated pool with a removable bubble and a smaller
heated pool, as well. The facility is home to the Peachtree
City Pacers competitive swim team and SCAT, the Southern Crescent
Aquatic Team. Three satellite pools, Glenloch, Clover Reach
and Pebble Pocket, are open during the summer only.
In Coweta, the Southern Crescents
and Coweta Currents swim clubs also compete in district meets.
For larger lakes, Kedron and Peachtree
in Peachtree City are both 250-acre manmade lakes. Kedron
is available for use for fishing and canoeing but motorized
boats are not allowed, as it is one of Fayette County's major
water sources.
The lake is also home to the Peachtree
Paddlers, a whitewater-rafting group that plans rafting trips
on rivers in north Georgia as well as other rafting activities.
South of Fayetteville, Lake Horton
is the place for fun in the water. Larger than Lake Kedron,
Horton is the site for Fayette County Recreation Dept.'s fishing
tournament in Spring.
BMX
Racing
In Peachtree City, the William
B. Davis BMX Track is located near the city's recreation department
offices on McIntosh Trail.
Coweta County has a BMX track at
its Recreation Department complex on Hospital Road in Newnan.
Both tracks are open to the public year round with competition
beginning in April.
Stock
Car Racing
Racing fans in the area have facilities
nearby for both NASCAR and local stock car racing events.
Atlanta Motor Speedway is lin nearby
Hampton, and is home to two major races each year on the NASCAR
circuit.
For small track racing, Senoia
Speedway (located in Hwy. 16 in Senoia) is the place to be
on Saturday nights in April through October. Billed as the
"fastest 3/8 mile asphalt track in Georgia," Senoia Speedway
offers racing each Saturday in various divisions such as Late
Model features, mini stock and more. G
For more infor about recreational facilities
and programs, contact:
Coweta County Recreation Department
770-254-3750
www.coweta.ga.us>www.coweta.ga.us
Fayette County Recreation Department
770-461-9714
http://admin.co.fayette.ga.us/index2.asp
Peachtree City Recreation Department
770-631-2542
Peachtree City website: www.peachtree-city.org
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Soccer coach Charlie Blaauw
Photo courtesy of the Fayette Neighbor |
YMCA Provides Family Fun
Where can you go for wholesome family
fun these days? The YMCA.
They have a full range of Sports &
Recreation programs for Youth and Adults. There's Soccer,
Basketball, Baseball, T-ball, Karate, Tai Chi, Dance and Gymnastics,
to name a few. Camping and aquatics programs are offered,
too.
All coaches are volunteers and parents
are encouraged to assist in practices and games.
The focus is on everyone's full and equal
participation. Win or lose, kids learn about self-improvement,
fitness, safety, sportsmanship, cooperation, self-esteem and
respect for others while having fun.
