Recreation Spotlight

Recreation is Back + Sand Hill Complex Improvements

Story by Cindy Reid | Photos by Michelle Holloway

Clarence E. Morgan, the Director of Effingham County Recreation and Parks Department, is happy to report the recreation department has made a strong comeback.

“In the last 45 years we have gone through a lot,” he says, “but the shut down due to the pandemic was an unprecedented upheaval. But we are getting back. We are not back all the way, but we are definitely getting there.”

Mr. Morgan says, “The shutdown affected many people and it took a lot of effort by the Board of County Commissioners and County Manager Tim Callanan to get things running again. At their July 7th meeting, myself and about 30 or 40 parents greeted the commissioners and Mr. Callanan with a big ‘Thank You’ banner and thank you signs we had made up. We want to show our support because they don’t get thanked enough!”

“We were able to open the playgrounds and travel baseball team practices May 14, club soccer on May 15 and regular baseball on June 20. Bingo and Line Dancing are up and running and we are registering for fall sports now.” Summer baseball and softball are going well, with 38 (25 Effingham Rec and 13 Rincon Rec) teams in the league playing 175 games. Due to the adjusted schedule, the teams will play until mid to late August.

Mr. Morgan says having the activities back open for the children is vitally important. He says, “What are kids missing not being able to participate? They are missing socialization; they are missing making new friends and they are missing independence in their own world for one hour a day. An important space in their life is missing. They are missing the education they get from a coach, who could be the one shining star in their life. Kids grow in their own way and they learn something every day by being in sports and other recreational activities.”

“People are ready,” he says, “they are ready to get outside and play. If your heart says let your children play, then follow your heart.”

He acknowledges that “Some folks will take a season off and only parents and their children can make that decision. We look forward to their return when they are ready.”

The department is currently accepting registrations through August 6 for the upcoming Fall Programs: • Youth Football (Ages 5-12) • Cheerleading (Ages 5-11) • Youth Soccer (Ages 2.5-14)

New EFFINGHAM RECREATION GYM Coming in November/December 2020

Look for more information in the next issue of Effingham Magazine.

Mr. Morgan notes there is a change of age groupings for soccer because they have adopted the GRPA/Georgia Soccer guidelines, making this a transition year. He says if you have questions or you want to move a child up in age groups just “call the office and we can help.”

And it is not just the children returning: “Coaches are coming back, we had up to 75 soccer teams throughout the 2019 season and they register online, too, so we won’t know for sure just yet, but we think we are in good shape,” says Mr. Morgan. However, he says they are always looking for additional soccer coaches, because “People didn’t play soccer growing up back then so they don’t think they have the expertise but that’s not necessary for the youngest teams— they don’t even keep score until age 8 Youth. We have to beat the bushes to find soccer coaches, but we always get them. If you are interested in coaching look online or call the office and we are happy to help you get started.”

At this time, all activities are being held outside and they haven’t started any indoor activities yet. As for the indoor sports season, Mr. Morgan says, “We will do our best to have a normal volleyball season. Basketball starts on November 1 and the season is on the drawing board to be back to normal.”

For questions or further information contact:

E-mail: recreation@effinghamcounty.org

Phone: 912-754-6339

Register online for Fall Programs at www.effinghamrec.org.

Improvements at Sand Hill Complex

The Effingham County Recreation and Parks Department Sand Hill Complex (Sand Hill Complex, 300 Stagecoach Avenue, Guyton, GA 31312) has undergone many new improvements over the past few months and is looking better than ever. Mr. Morgan says, “The upgrades were made possible by the encouragement and leadership of the ECBOC and D1 Commissioner Forrest Floyd and the Recreation Board.”

It is large facility that features three soccer fields, five ball fields, a playground, and a pond. There is ample open space for kite and remote control airplane flying, in fact an airplane club has been using it continually since the 1980s. In use 350 days a year it is a popular facility in the parks department and often hosts district and statewide competitions.

The new improvements include: • New batting cages (2) • New pitching machine • New outdoor basketball court • New soccer field goal posts • New fence around the soccer field • New fence around the playground

Mr. Morgan says the improvements were funded by SPLOST, s specialpurpose local-option sales tax used for funding capital outlay projects in Georgia. It is an optional 1% sales tax levied by any county for the purpose of funding the building of parks, roads, and other public facilities. Mr. Morgan says, “SPLOST is how many of these types of improvements get funded.”

“Many changes have been made at Sand Hill over the years,” says Mr. Morgan. “It was a helicopter pad training area during Vietnam war and was given to the county by the US government in the 1970s. In early 2000 we made major improvements and now again in 2020. This facility has come a long way and has had a major positive impact on the community.” n