K-Dub
08-11-2009, 11:17 AM
Hoops, tennis and more coming to Kits beach
Aug. 14-16 event hoped to be first of annual ritual
BY TONY GALLAGHER, THE PROVINCE JULY 12, 2009 2:04 AM
North America's third sexiest beach is getting a new summer event and if you like tennis and/or basketball it's hard to imagine anything much better than this.
KitsFest Sports Daze kicks off Aug. 14-16 and is run by many of the same people who are behind the annual HSBC high school basketball tournament.
The three-day extravaganza (which dovetails with the Dolphin Park tournament in Richmond the following week) will include a 12-team men's basketball tournament featuring the best players in the city plus a team from Seattle. There will also be a boys under-14 division and a six-team girls under-14 tournament.
An adult women's tournament is slated for next year on the courts which were cleaned up two years ago as part of an initiative by Howard Kelsey and Ron Putzi to improve the atmosphere around hoop at the beach.
The event will coincide with the B.C. beach volleyball championships and the Rogers tennis rookie tour so there will be action from morning until 8 p.m.
"We have about 30 or so events in the province at this level and it's the kind of competition that falls right between the cracks of competitive and recreational," said Ryan Clark, the executive director of Tennis B.C. of the event for boys and girls aged eight to 13.
"Whereas the basketball and volleyball are going to be really competitive, we're having a little more laid back approach whereby players of every level can get involved. It's round robin so everyone plays the whole weekend and we're just starting to take entries now."
Tennis B.C. uses these events to get hundreds of people involved in the sport, but it also helps to identify talent. Rebecca Marino (see Page A46) used to play in these events just six years ago and so did B.C.'s other rising stars Kristina Blajkevitch, Vasek Pospisil and Nikolai Haessig.
"We have spots for two more girls teams right now," said Kelsey, one of the driving forces behind KitsFest.
"The whole emphasis is on making Kits beach family friendly and encouraging healthy living through sports and health programs."
With the legion of corporate sponsors on board, all that's needed is cooperation from the weather and the birth of an outstanding local event appears to be at hand.
For more information, visit www.kitsfest.com
©Copyright The Province
http://www.kitsfest.com/
Coles notes
Who - Public, FREE!
What - Annual City Festival
When - August 14th-16th, 2009
Where - Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, BC
Why - Why not? Weather looks good this weekend.
Also, I'll be there with VDL Dodgeball promoting the league, like we did a couple weeks ago.
A little something I wrote up with pictures for those who don't like to read. ;)
Although initial ideas and plans to have a flash mob type of event seemed good, we decided that a more organized and setup dodgeball demonstration would be better.
We couldn’t get a big enough area on the beach to set up our play area, and didn’t want to risk innocent beachgoers being pelted by flyaway balls, so we set up right beside the walkway on the grass.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3756690763_c559f35332_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756690763/)
Jay checking if our banner is nice and visible.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3757490200_a68ec52323_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757490200/)
We also set up a table with information, waiver forms (just in case you know) and cards. A lot of people walked by and watched, and some even were brave enough to play!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3756690763_c559f35332_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756690763/)
Jay checking if our banner is nice and visible.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/3757491214_0a7a5856e2_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757491214/)
Our promotional binder with statistics and pictures showcasing the amazing league that is VDL. All pictures are taken by me http://www.justinyang.ca/blog/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif .
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3756689785_1a5595cf96_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756689785/)
Now time for some action pictures!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2635/3757495354_47349572f8_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757495354/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/3757496730_c4d69d5666_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757496730/)
Dodgeball isn’t all about throwing, there’s plenty of dodging.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3757496842_ea29dbf4e4_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757496842/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3756700717_77fbc0bb8b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756700717/)
Sportsmanship.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3756698741_bb833d23ba_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756698741/)
Best thing about dodgeball is that there is no age limit! I’ve seen father-son teams during the regular season.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3756699085_34a5354d77_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756699085/)
During the lulls in foot traffic, we went to the beach to recruit people to come play and check us out.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/3756700027_1554e08b96_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756700027/)
The executives and volunteers of VDL who helped out today. Thanks to you all, and more importantly, thanks to all the strangers who were interested enough to play a couple games of dodgeball!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3756701001_2171708013_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756701001/)
If you think this is fun, you’re right. Season 8 registration is ongoing, and there are still spots available for all of our nights, Monday to Thursday. Register for VDL Season 8 (http://vdldodgeball.ca/blog/season-8-registration) and if you have any questions, email info@vdldodgeball.ca.
Whao this post is long......:P
Aug. 14-16 event hoped to be first of annual ritual
BY TONY GALLAGHER, THE PROVINCE JULY 12, 2009 2:04 AM
North America's third sexiest beach is getting a new summer event and if you like tennis and/or basketball it's hard to imagine anything much better than this.
KitsFest Sports Daze kicks off Aug. 14-16 and is run by many of the same people who are behind the annual HSBC high school basketball tournament.
The three-day extravaganza (which dovetails with the Dolphin Park tournament in Richmond the following week) will include a 12-team men's basketball tournament featuring the best players in the city plus a team from Seattle. There will also be a boys under-14 division and a six-team girls under-14 tournament.
An adult women's tournament is slated for next year on the courts which were cleaned up two years ago as part of an initiative by Howard Kelsey and Ron Putzi to improve the atmosphere around hoop at the beach.
The event will coincide with the B.C. beach volleyball championships and the Rogers tennis rookie tour so there will be action from morning until 8 p.m.
"We have about 30 or so events in the province at this level and it's the kind of competition that falls right between the cracks of competitive and recreational," said Ryan Clark, the executive director of Tennis B.C. of the event for boys and girls aged eight to 13.
"Whereas the basketball and volleyball are going to be really competitive, we're having a little more laid back approach whereby players of every level can get involved. It's round robin so everyone plays the whole weekend and we're just starting to take entries now."
Tennis B.C. uses these events to get hundreds of people involved in the sport, but it also helps to identify talent. Rebecca Marino (see Page A46) used to play in these events just six years ago and so did B.C.'s other rising stars Kristina Blajkevitch, Vasek Pospisil and Nikolai Haessig.
"We have spots for two more girls teams right now," said Kelsey, one of the driving forces behind KitsFest.
"The whole emphasis is on making Kits beach family friendly and encouraging healthy living through sports and health programs."
With the legion of corporate sponsors on board, all that's needed is cooperation from the weather and the birth of an outstanding local event appears to be at hand.
For more information, visit www.kitsfest.com
©Copyright The Province
http://www.kitsfest.com/
Coles notes
Who - Public, FREE!
What - Annual City Festival
When - August 14th-16th, 2009
Where - Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, BC
Why - Why not? Weather looks good this weekend.
Also, I'll be there with VDL Dodgeball promoting the league, like we did a couple weeks ago.
A little something I wrote up with pictures for those who don't like to read. ;)
Although initial ideas and plans to have a flash mob type of event seemed good, we decided that a more organized and setup dodgeball demonstration would be better.
We couldn’t get a big enough area on the beach to set up our play area, and didn’t want to risk innocent beachgoers being pelted by flyaway balls, so we set up right beside the walkway on the grass.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3756690763_c559f35332_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756690763/)
Jay checking if our banner is nice and visible.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3757490200_a68ec52323_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757490200/)
We also set up a table with information, waiver forms (just in case you know) and cards. A lot of people walked by and watched, and some even were brave enough to play!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/3756690763_c559f35332_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756690763/)
Jay checking if our banner is nice and visible.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/3757491214_0a7a5856e2_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757491214/)
Our promotional binder with statistics and pictures showcasing the amazing league that is VDL. All pictures are taken by me http://www.justinyang.ca/blog/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif .
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3756689785_1a5595cf96_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756689785/)
Now time for some action pictures!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2635/3757495354_47349572f8_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757495354/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/3757496730_c4d69d5666_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757496730/)
Dodgeball isn’t all about throwing, there’s plenty of dodging.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3757496842_ea29dbf4e4_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3757496842/)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3756700717_77fbc0bb8b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756700717/)
Sportsmanship.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3756698741_bb833d23ba_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756698741/)
Best thing about dodgeball is that there is no age limit! I’ve seen father-son teams during the regular season.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3756699085_34a5354d77_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756699085/)
During the lulls in foot traffic, we went to the beach to recruit people to come play and check us out.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/3756700027_1554e08b96_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756700027/)
The executives and volunteers of VDL who helped out today. Thanks to you all, and more importantly, thanks to all the strangers who were interested enough to play a couple games of dodgeball!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3756701001_2171708013_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwu/3756701001/)
If you think this is fun, you’re right. Season 8 registration is ongoing, and there are still spots available for all of our nights, Monday to Thursday. Register for VDL Season 8 (http://vdldodgeball.ca/blog/season-8-registration) and if you have any questions, email info@vdldodgeball.ca.
Whao this post is long......:P