Warm weather heats up the Rec

    Temperatures are on the rise. The snow is gone for awhile (knock on wood). The school year is agonizingly coming to a close. Uh oh, school’s over? Now what are the kids going to do all day? Hopefully the answer to that is NOT sit in front of a computer or television screen all day, especially not when the Presque Isle Recreation and Parks Department has a plethora of activities to keep kids occupied during the day. What do we have? I’m glad you asked.     Our programs are designed for children entering grades 1 through 11 this fall, as well as swimming lessons for ages 3 to 5. We try to tap into every kid, which is why we offer outdoor adventure programs and crafts along with the typical summer sports. Check out what we have to offer. If there’s something you’d like to do but don’t see it on the list, let us know. We’re always looking to expand programs to get as many children involved as possible.
    We’ll kick things off with the standard summer activities. Baseball is our biggest draw each summer. Our program encompasses all children, both boys and girls, entering grades 1 through 11. Don’t worry, we split them up as best we can. All grade 1 students partake in tee ball. As the name implies, children hit off an instructional tee. Grade 3 students are in the farm league. Coaches pitch and are in the field with the players to help them on their positioning. Grade 2 students are assessed and assigned to a league based on catching, throwing, and hitting skills. Grades 4 and 5 are together in the Minor League. In this league, the children begin to pitch and are all set in a given position. The Major League consists of children entering grades 6 and 7. Travel games are added with this group against neighboring communities, and there is a county tournament at the end of the summer. The Pony League is for players entering grades 8 to 11, and a majority of their games are played against other towns.
    Girls entering grades 3 to 11 can take advantage of our softball program. Ponytails, the 3rd & 4th grade league, is a great place for the girls to learn new skills and fine tune what they already know. The coaches pitch in this league. The Juniors is for grades 5 to 7. This group has the girls pitching and working with positional play. This league also travels to play out of town teams and has an end of the year tournament. Seniors is for grades 8 to 11. Their games are all against other towns.
    Tennis is designed for grades 3 to 12, as well as an adult program. Players participate in a variety of games and activities to become more familiar with the game of tennis. Classes are split up with grade 3 together, grades 4 and 5, and grades 6 and up for beginners. We also host classes for advanced beginners, intermediate, and advanced intermediate. In addition to lessons, there is also a tennis team. The tennis team has weekly practices and is for the more competitive player. There are end of the year singles and doubles tournaments for the tennis team.
    Hershey Track and Field is a nationally recognized event for girls and boys ages 9 to 14 as of December 31 of this year. That means that if you’re 8 right now, but turn 9 a little later in the year, come on out and give it a try. Unfortunately, it also means that if you’re 14 now and turn 15 in late December your time has passed. Kids can participate in a variety of running and field events, as well as play some games and other activities. The best part is the chance to go to the national meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Yes, that’s the place where all the chocolate is made. Just think, run all day and eat chocolate all night.
    Plan on spending much time at the lake this summer? Make sure those little ones can swim. This summer, you can take advantage of lessons at both the indoor and outdoor pools to ensure the safety of your children. Lessons at the outdoor pool start at age 3, while there is a parent/toddler class at the indoor pool. School aged children who want a little more excitement can also take advantage of the swim team. The team has weekly practices and four meets, culminating with the county meet in Presque Isle.
    Arts and Crafts is another popular activity for the summertime. Classes are broken up with grades 1 and 2 together, grades 3 and 4, and grades 5 and up. The children create and design fun art projects. The highlight for most is making the tie-dyed t-shirts at the end of the year, although making all projects puts a smile on the children’s faces.
    Looking for a little bit more excitement? Come check out our adventure programs. We kick off the summer with two weeks of adventure camps. The first week is for grades 4 to 6, and the second week is for grades 7 to 9. Mountain biking, orienteering, hiking, and kayaking are just some of the planned activities for the week. All those lead up to the camping trip on the Thursday of each week. The group will camp out overnight at Aroostook State Park, then wake up early and try their hand at fishing. The fun doesn’t stop there though.
    Kayaking is offered for grades 6 to 9 throughout the summer. Come explore the vast waterways of Aroostook while learning water safety. Don’t worry mom and dad, we’ve got kayaking for you too. The class starts off with the first meeting in the pool so participants can learn how to get around without worrying about drifting away.
    If you’re more of a land lover, like me, then mountain biking might be the thing for you. Again, the grouping is grades 6 to 9 for this program. The trails in town are where we start, but not where we stop. After learning the basics of how to safely ride trails, the exploring moves on to the rugged terrain of the Nordic Heritage Center and the Aroostook State Park. Bike safety and maintenance are also stressed, and helmets are mandatory for all participants.
    Registration for these programs begins May 21st for Presque Isle residents and on May 27th for non residents. All registrations must be done in person at the William V. Haskell Community Center.
    Hopefully you’ve found at least one activity to keep your child out and about this
summer. If not, there are also some one-day events around.
    On May 18th, the Pitch, Hit, and Run competition will take place at the Pine Street School baseball field. This is open to children ages 7 to 14 as of July 17th of this year. Participants will throw six balls at a target, hit three balls off a tee, and run from second base to home plate.
    The Elks are also sponsoring their annual “Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs” event at Mantle Lake Park on Saturday, May 31st. This event encourages the importance of healthy activities like fishing and warns of the dangers of drugs. Fishing and many other activities will be taking place for a fun filled event.
    For more information on these programs or with a suggestion for another, feel free to contact the office at 764-2545 or adampirec@maine.rr.com. We’re looking forward to seeing you all on the field, on the trail, in the water, or on the court.
    Adam Murchison is the recreational programmer for the Presque Recreation and Parks Department.