Let’s Hear it for the Girls!

The first weekend in November is all about the ladies…well at least when it comes to athletics! There are quite a few tournaments taking place in Maryland over the next couple of days featuring women athletes.  We’ve got a little bit of everything going on this weekend.  The 2011 ACC Field Hockey Championships got underway yesterday in College Park, the NJCAA Region 20 Women’s Volleyball Tournament starts tomorrow and goes through Sunday at the College of Southern Maryland, the Primetime Showcase girl’s lacrosse tournament is on Saturday and the Fall Lax Clash tournament is on Sunday, both at Cedar Lane Park in Bel Air.

Another Notch in the Trail

It was just a year ago we wrote about efforts in St. Mary’s County to develop a rail trail on the old Southern Maryland Railroad rightaway.

The Three Notch Trail is envisioned as a 28 mile multi-use linear park from Hughesville in Charles County to the Pax River Naval Station in Lexington Park — an ambitious patchwork of nine segments and even more funding sources and development partners.

Two short segments were already in place this time last year.  A three mile stretch in Charles County started in 2006 and finished in 2008.  Phase V began last June and will be finished before the end of this month.  The final touches are being put in now.

The Working Horses of Maryland

Yes, the Preakness is a mere two days hence, so most of the horse chatter in Maryland focuses on thoroughbreds and the excitement and energy they bring to our state every spring. Yet, Maryland is horse-centric 365 days a year in an industry pyramid which supports agri-businesses, recreational activities and major events.  But even this doesn’t address an important segment of the vibrant Maryland equine universe.

There are still horses who work for a living, as valuable partners in law enforcement, transportation, and physical therapy.  And they labor quietly, with little fanfare for their contributions.

Heart of a Community

While it isn’t baseball season yet, a recent annual report coming out of Charles County yielded some remarkable news about Regency Stadium, built by the Stadium Authority in 2008 as the home of the Blue Crabs.

While the ball team was an immediate success , we didn’t realize just how much a part of the community the eyecatching, garnet-gabled facility has become.

Built as a partnership between the team’s owners, Charles County, and the State of Maryland, the stadium was designed to be versitile venue for year-round use.   Nonetheless, we were surprised when we saw just how successful Regency has become in its three years.

In 2008, the year it opened, it hosted fewer than 100 outside events.  By 2009, that number was up to 250.  And in 2010, more than 350 activities took place there.  We don’t know if that includes autocross rallies or marathon registrations (April 17, 2011,)  but the parking lots are an important feature of Regency.  They also provide staging for carpools and bus service for Washington on weekdays.

This June, Willie Nelson will be performing in Regency, bringing even more folks to Charles County.

Those of us in the sports facilities biz take heart whenever we hear about a project that so quickly becomes a part of the community fiber and quality of life. 

For those partners who stepped up to the plate to invest in Charles County, Regency Stadium was clearly a home run.

Soccer Shoutout to Southern Maryland

Terry and I attended the Crystal Palace vs. Crystal Palace friendly at the Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf last year.  It was impressive to see how many junior soccer-philes and their families appreciate the game and took advantage of the opportunity to see a member of the Premiere League barnstorming with their farm team in the colonies.

So it isn’t surprising that the Blue Crabs are tapping into this enthusiasm again by holding a World Cup FanFest to watch the US take on England this Saturday.

The Fan Fest will include the live television broadcast of theWorld Cup match beginning at 2:30 p.m., special guest appearances by current and former pro soccer players, including A.J. DeLaGarza of the Los Angeles Galaxy, and specialty soccer memorabilia raffle.

(DeLaGarza, who is a Maryland native, played his college soccer at University of Maryland from 2005-2008.)

There will also be mini-clinics and skill challenges for younger players on the field, face painting, and more family activities.

The gates at Regency Furniture Stadium will open for this event at noon, and admission is $5.00. Children under five will be admitted free. All fans are encouraged to show their team spirit by wearing their favorite soccer jersey.

You can read more about the FanFest here

St. Charles Half Marathon Presented by Lennar

Even the drop in temperatures couldn’t stop the 500 or so runners from participating in the inaugural Saint Charles Half Marathon Sunday.

Runners braved the whipping winds to traverse the 13.2 mile course beginning at the gorgeous Regency Furniture Stadium, winding and twisting down Laplata Road, around Laurel Springs Regional Park, across Rosewick Road, through White Plains Regional Park, down Billingsley, through the stadium parking lot, past the Legends Club, under the picnic pavilion, around the back of the outfield, down the first baseline and sprinting through the timing plates at home plate.

After catching their breathes’ and grabbing a well deserved cup of water and hand full of food, the runners raved about the beautiful course and how happy and surprised they were when the courses’ terrain became gravel in part of one of the parks! Runners said their feet were delighted to have a switch to a slightly giving surface, if only for a small portion of the course.

To view the results head to the events webpage