VALDOSTA —
Eagle Scout Josh Hanson presented the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority with his plan to add an orienteering course to Freedom Park at Thursday’s monthly meeting. The course would enable park patrons to hone their tracking skills at the park.
“It’s similar to geocaching, but it’s compass-based,” said Hanson. “You use a compass to track markers on a topographical map.”
The nearest park that features an orienteering course is in Kelly Park, near Orlando, Fla., according to Board Member Dan Deaver.
Deaver has been advising Hanson on the orienteering project. The two plotted markers and ironed out a budget for the course’s implementation, he said.
“Dan Deaver has done a good job in working with Josh and drafting the plans for the course,” said George Page, executive director of the board. “Now, we’ve just got to get them installed.”
Authorities members seemed ready to roll out the course at Freedom Park and speckle other parks with orienteering markers. The committee mulled tracking tournaments and envisioned military exercises based around the markers.
In other parks and recreation news, authority members discussed the following agenda items:
• Tennis Programs Update — Keith Childree, the authority’s tennis supervisor, reported on the success of the city’s tennis teams at the state tournament in Macon last month. The Junior Team Tennis team from Valdosta won the state championship. The team will head to Auburn, Ala. this weekend for the super-regionals.
• McKey Park Update — Talbot Tennis and Cauthon Construction continue repair work on the park’s tennis courts.
• Master Plan Update — Citizen response to surveys were lower than the authority had hoped, as the board looks to draft a master plan based on citizen input. The board discussed the possibility of a second survey, which would reinforce the original poll and compliment focus group results.
• Future SPLOST update — Authority members will use SPLOST funds from the county and city to push the proposed soccer complex past an aspiration and into existence. Page said he’d like to see South Georgians enjoy the sport at home with tournaments and other events at the soccer complex.
Local Sports
Orienteering course at Freedom Park proposed
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Prince Automotive donates new baseball equipment
Prince Automotive of Valdosta is supporting the Valdosta community through its partnership with the Valdosta/Lowndes County Recreation Department. The dealership has joined forces with the national Chevrolet Youth Baseball program to provide new equipment, instructional clinics, and a monetary donation.
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Needmore holds final races before big Memorial Day weekend
Saturday night racing at Needmore Speedway saw some new faces in victory lane.
That wasn’t the case in the Late Model division, as Valdosta's Gene Ross drove to victory once again, but not without some close competition from Steven Roberts who came in second.
In the Limited Late Model class, it was another win for Cole Exum, with Gene Maine finishing second in the NAPA Auto Parts special. -
VSU softball wins South Region, headed to nationals
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VSU baseball season comes to an end
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Blazers take 1-0 series lead
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Blazer baseball stays alive, beats Stillman
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Lowndes’ Harwell, Wortham sign with Valdosta State
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Blazers host respected rival UAH in Super Regional
One would expect a matchup featuring two of the top softball programs in Division II to come in the national championship game.
Unfortunately for Valdosta State and Alabama-Huntsville, who have combined to appear in four straight national championship games, they won’t be meeting in title game on Memorial Day in Salem, Va. -
Pop Warner Football coming to Valdosta
Pop Warner Football is coming to Valdosta.
The nationally known organization that puts an emphasis on education and developing American youth has been established in the Valdosta area and will begin playing football this August. -
Blazers lose to Delta State, fall to loser’s bracket
If the Valdosta State baseball team is going to win the South Region Tournament, the Blazers going to have to do it from the loser’s bracket.
The Blazers (33-17) dropped their first game of the tournament Thursday, falling to Delta State 4-2 at UT Baseball Stadium.
VSU will face Stillman College, which lost to No. 1 seed and tournament host Tampa Thursday, Friday at 11 a.m. to advance to the weekend portion of the tournament. The loser will be eliminated. - More Local Sports Headlines
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