August 2009 Newsletter

Parking permits are required to be displayed on all vehicles parked at select parks and facilities. Parking permits are required at Windjammer, Pitcarin, Beach and Swim Club, and the Marina.

Residents get two free parking passes and the permits are good for three years. Non residents can purchase parking permits for $150 per year.

Parking passes can be obtained at the Beach and Swim Club. You will need to show your drivers' license and registration for each vehicle.

SUBMIT INFO

To submit information or photos regarding recreation, sports, or fitness, please email Jackie Miller, Editor.

TC Soccer Expands to Include Travel Teams

TCPR, along with the guidance of Coach Chris Quinn, continues to grow the youth soccer league with the addition of travel teams through the Upper Palmetto Futbol Club.

According to Recreation Coordinator, Joey Blethen, "Chris and I decided after All-Stars last fall that we would like our teams to stay together and play tournament soccer. The kids had a strong enough skill set that they could compete in travel soccer, but we wanted them to remain in our program. As a result, we developed our UPFC program that allows them to do both."

"Last fall, we had a U10 Coed and U11 Boys team. The U10 Coed team won the South Carolina State Championship, and from that point forward, we decided to expand the program. We now have a U10, U11, U12, U14 and U15 boy's teams along with U12 and U14 girl's teams. The U12 and under teams will compete in our recreation leagues along with 4 to 6 tournaments a year. The U14 age groups will strictly play tournament and challenge league soccer. The club will take on other clubs from Rock Hill, Gastonia, Columbia and other surrounding areas in the state."

Joey adds, "The major benefit of starting our own travel soccer league is to develop stability in our program. So many times you see talented kids leave the program and never see them again. We now have an opportunity for children to compete at a high level but also remain a part of our program."

"Tega Cay Fall Frolic" Set For September 1

On Monday, September 1, TCPR will host the "Tega Cay Fall Frolic." The goal of this "festival" is to provide individuals and family members of Tega Cay the opportunity to gather and play old-fashioned games while enjoying the company of neighbors. Games slated for the Fall Frolic include:

�         3 Legged Race
�         Sack Race
�         Spoon Race
�         Football Toss
�         Mini Croquet
�         Frisbee Toss
�         Cornhole Toss
�         Water Games
�         Horseshoes

The Fall Frolic will begin at 10 a.m. and end with lunch being served from 12 noon - 1 p.m. The Tega Cay Lions Club will be providing hot dogs and fixings, with ice cream and other treats available for purchase. There will also be an apple pie baking contest. To enter the contest, contact Hope MacBride at 803.547.0974 or email Hope. You can also download the Fall Frolic flyer by clicking here.

Plans For "Senior Games" Underway

To help foster healthy and active lifestyles amongst our senior community, TCPR is hosting the first Senior Games. The Senior Games will be a week-long activity. The games will test individual athletic skills of seniors (ages 55 and over). The week will culminate with a dinner and banquet.

TCPR is currently surveying people in Tega Cay and the surrounding area for both interest in being in the events and as well as volunteers for conducting the games. Volunteers and sponsors will assist in initiating and conducting the first Senior Games, with hopes that the event will become an annual program. The games will be carried out in the fashion similar to the United States Senior Olympic Games.

To learn more about participating or volunteering, please email George Fiegel.

Breakers Swim Team Wins Big

By Donna K. Britsch

The Tega Cay Breakers Swim Team did not lose a meet and earned the Division A trophy for the team with over one hundred swimmers that wins the most meets during the regular season. Congratulations!

Then in a Dual Meet at the Rock Hill Aquatics Center, the Tega Cay Breakers Swim team not only won the Metrolina Swim League's Invitational, but came back in the afternoon and took home the championship for the league. Double congrats!

If that was not enough victory, the team put together a float for the city's 4th of July and won in the parade! Again---"Way to Go, Breakers swimmers, Coach Cindy VanBuskirk and her coaching assistants!"

Final Scores for the Invitational were: Tega Cay Breakers 874; Baxter Barracudas 406; Rock Hill Country Club 169; Leroy Springs 79; Shiland Hills 40; and Springfield Greenwave 29.

Final Scores for the Championship:Tega Cay Breakers 671; Rock Hill Country Club 427; Baxter Barracudas 275; Shiland Hills 170; Landing Gators 169.5; Leroy Springs 97; and Springfield Greenwave 94.5

Gold medals were awarded after the championship meet to: Michelle Case, 13-14 girls 50 yard butterfly; Owen Corkery, 7-8 boys 25 yard backstroke and 7-8 boys 25 breaststroke; Tori Herron, 11-12 girls 50 yard butterfly; Alex Huffman, 15-18 boys 50 yard butterfly; Olivia Lininger, 9-10 girls 25 yard backstroke; Daniel Martin, 9-10 boys 225 yard butterfly; Jack McCaffrey, 6 and under boys 25 yard backstroke; Brielle Michaeli, 9-10 girls 25 yard breaststroke; Jennifer Russell, 15-18 girls 100 yard individual medley and 15-18 girls 50 yard breaststroke; David Trotter, 9-10 boys 25 yard backstroke and 9-10 boys 100 yard individual medley; Sam Van Buskirk, 15-18 boys 50 yard breaststroke; and Kasparas Zilinskas, 11-12 boys 50 yard breaststroke.

Coach Cindy VanBuskirk and members of the Tega Cay Breakers Swim Team take time to pose with their two new trophies while decorating their 4th of July float.

Tega Cay Kid's Golf Clinic Offered

Tega Cay Kid's Golf Clinics are offered every Wednesday rain or shine from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at TC Golf Course. Cost of the clinic is $15. Clubs will be provided if participants do not have them.

Please sign up ahead of time by calling (803)367-3914 or emailing tegacaykidsgolf@aol.com. Walk ups also welcome.

Catawba Park Update

As Tega Cay's Parks & Recreation activities continue to grow, so does the demand for additional field and park space. In conjunction with this need, TCPR and city officials have been working on the future development of Catawba Park.

Ten acres off Dam Road was donated by Drake Capital, the developer for the Lake Ridge Community, for future parks and recreation development. Additionally, the city is in negotiations with Duke Energy regarding the terms of leasing an additional 39 acres for development even further into the future. While the development of the existing 10 acres is at the forefront of current efforts, officials thought it was imperative to consider plans that included all 49 acres.

To accomplish this task, representatives from various TC committees and organizations that represented every demographic of TC were invited to participate in a series of workshops. The intention of the workshops was to have the community break out into groups and create a park as they saw fit - much like putting a puzzle together. After three workshops and with the help of resident volunteer and landscape architect, Auggie Wong, a master plan has been created.

As it stands now . . .

Drake Capital (developer for Lake Ridge) is going to manage the project on the 10 acre/ City owned tract of the project.
The City is in negotiations with Duke Energy about terms of leasing the part of the project that is owned by them.
An engineering firm should be signed on to the project in the coming weeks.
The hope is to start phase I of the 10 acre tract by late winter/ early spring of 2010 with activities beginning with the fall of 2010.

In order for Catawba Park to become a reality, a lot of money has to be raised through various avenues, including fundraising, grant proposals, private donations and corporate sponsorships. The first effort will be a fundraiser to be held at Bruster's Ice Cream on August 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Please come out and support the future of our programs, by enjoying some ice cream, while insuring additional space for our entire community to play.

To view the Catawba Park Master Plan, please click here.

Coach Profile: Evan Helms

If you have spent any time at the ball fields of Tega Cay, chances are you have seen or heard Evan Helms at work - coaching and mentoring soccer, baseball, or football players. Dedicated and purposeful are the thoughts that come to mind when you think of Evan.

Evan has been coaching in Tega Cay for five years when his oldest son Hunter started playing Coach Pitch. Currently Evan coaches baseball and football in Tega Cay and basketball at Ft. Mill YMCA.

I guess you could say that Evan is continuing a family tradition. "My father coached me all the way through recreational programs at MARA (Matthews Athletic Recreation Association). He taught me the right way to play the games I loved and I owe all my success to him. When I had kids I wanted to give them the same opportunity to succeed - like my father gave me. I want to pass that knowledge on to every kid that I coach," says Evan.

Evan's sons, 10 year old Hunter, and 7 year old Dylan, may be a huge driving force in his desire to coach, but his passion extends to the sports and every player that he coaches. "I started coaching because I love the game. A lot of people think that recreational sports are just to get kids out of the house and that is true but if you are going to do something, you might as well do it right."

"I make sure that every kid that plays for me has fun but at the end of the day, they have to respect their parents, teammates, coaches, and most of all themselves. I teach them to be responsible and respectful as well as how to play the game. The best thing about coaching kids is knowing that you are responsible for making them better athletes. Seeing kids outside of the ball field and having kids come up and say 'hey coach can I be on your team next year?' is so rewarding."

While every team that Evan has coached is memorable and rewarding, the biggest highlight for Evan to this point would be winning the District Little League Tournament for the 10 year old age group this year. "We had a lot of great kids and coaches that played their heart out and made it to the State Tournament in Irmo," says Evan. Additionally, Evan enjoyed being part of the start-up football season last fall.

As an athlete himself, Evan played baseball and football at East Mecklenburg High School and went to Winthrop College on a baseball scholarship in1990-1992.

Specific to coaching in Tega Cay, Evan is quick to point out the pivotal role that parents play in making the programs both a success and a joy. "I have been very fortunate to have the best parents on my teams. So many go above and beyond to help in any way they can. Most of the parents respect the fact that you are taking the time to teach their kids and give you their total support," says Evan.

Additionally Evan commends the wonderful job that Joey Blethen does in coordinating all the programs. "Joey goes above and beyond to try and satisfy everyone in the program. I have said many times I would not want his job but I am glad to have him. Joey is one of the main reasons why I stay at TC. I thank Joey, Charlie and the City of Tega Cay for standing behind our sports programs," concludes Evan.

Diamond Head Parks Gets Renovated

Thanks to the efforts of neighbors and the City of Tega Cay, Diamond Head Park underwent some recent

renovations. Renovations include the removal of old swings and climbing apparatus and were replaced with new swings and a rock-arch climber. The city also installed a new picnic table, a charcoal grill, new safety surfacing, and removed many dead trees and limbs from the park.

Instrumental to this renovation was the leadership and volunteerism of Mark Mogge and his neighbors along Marquesas Drive. Mark and his wife, Natasha, moved to Tega Cay seven years ago. Now that their son Andrew is three years old, they started spending more time at Diamond Head Park and contacted the city in regards to renewing the park's equipment and giving the park an overhaul.

"I contacted Charlie (Funderburk) on what we could do. Charlie and I worked up a plan to try to get funding to the project that would include a new rock climbing wall, swing set, a grill, and a picnic table. We finally received funding in May and the equipment was installed in June. I put together a neighborhood work party to help lay down new mulch and spruce the park up. Overall it was very successful and the folks on Marquesas are happy," says Mark.

Mark adds that Charlie was instrumental and helpful in getting the park renovated. "He even came on his day off on Saturday to help," says Mark.

Champ of the Wake
By Donna K. Britsch

Congratulations to 7 year-old Hunter Henderson from Tega Cay who was named the National Champion in the Jr. Boys' Beginner division for the WWA Pro Wakeboard Nationals in Oklahoma City on July 10th!

He has been riding on Lake Wylie since he was 3, but this is his first year of real competition. He has placed in six competitions this summer. Besides the National Champ title, he has a 5th place and FIVE 1st place titles! This win at the Nationals will allow him to compete in the World competition in Orlando, Fla. in August! Way to Go Hunter! He is the son of Melanie and David Henderson.

Austin Hair, 21 of Tega Cay also competed in Oklahoma City in the Nationals. Austin is in the top ten for the King of Wake series, the world's elite pro wakeboarding circuit and is ranked 4th in the World Series. His parents are Cynthia and David Hair.
Kudos to both in their competitive rides at the Nationals competition!

Neighborhood Float Award
By Donna K. Britsch

Six years ago, Mayor Bob Runde started a Neighborhood Float Award for the 4th of July parade. This year's winner was last fall's All-Star Football Team.

The Mayor delivered 15 pizzas to the home of Coach Ed and Hannah Davis for a party for the team, cheerleaders, parents, and supporters.

Thanks to the Mayor and congratulations to the team!

Contact: Editor