Raymond Parks and Recreation cross country club teaches kids importance of fitness through running

By Matt Pascarella

Raymond Parks and Recreation’s kindergarten through fourth grade cross country club have established a goal of helping young runners to understand the basics of running.

Raymond Parks and Recreation kindergarten through fourth
grade cross country club runner and second grader Ben Cyr
keeps up a good pace during the 1-mile race at Poland
Spring Resort in Poland on Saturday, Oct. 4.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Aside from weekly practices, the team runs in four cross country races during the 10-week program. During the races, they can run a half-mile or a 1-mile run. They ran their most recent race at the Poland Spring Resort in Poland on Saturday, Oct. 4.

“A lot of the kids think running is just running hard,” said co-coach Sukie Dean. From a distance running perspective, we teach basic fundamentals. Making sure we’re nurturing their desire to run, they’re young enough where ... if it’s not nurtured, you get tired of running. It’s about building up a foundation.”

Raymond Parks and Recreation kindergarten through fourth grade cross country coaches Dean and Chanelle Sheridan said that they’ve seen immense improvements in the time since they began teaching the kids how to run most effectively. The focus for the club is on long-distance running.

There’s been growth in everyone’s confidence. Sheridan’s child, Bennett, went from running a half-mile to running a mile. She said they are all stepping up and wanting to do more than they did at first.

Also, there’s been a big improvement in the team environment. They cheer each other on during the races and are aware that each runner is at a different skill level. The runners who finish early wait for the rest of their team and high-five each other once they’ve completed the race.

Although running can be an individual sport, Dean said the kids are starting to build and understand what it means to be on a team.

Third grader Chase Nelsen said he joined running club because it makes him feel good to run. He really likes it.

“It was very hot ... it was mostly downhill and uphill; the race was fast, but ... I was thinking of that candy and popcorn that awaited me (at the end),” said Nelsen after running the 1-mile race on Oct. 4. “I did amazing. I can’t wait to find out what the next race is going to be like.”

First grader Olive Theriault said her favorite thing is to run because it makes her feel happy inside and she likes it a lot.

"The trail was good. It was shady and a little sunny,” said second grader Ben Cyr about running the 1-mile race on Oct. 4. “I felt good about the race because it’s going to be really helpful for soccer – it’ll be better for stamina, and it’ll give you more power running.”

Errol Bortles, a first grader, joined the Raymond Parks and Recreation cross country club because his favorite thing is running and he wanted to run more.

“We work really hard in practice to talk about that stamina and the endurance and to try to keep ... some fuel in the tank,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation kindergarten through fourth grade cross country co-coach Abby Feather Nelsen. “The energy at the meets is totally different so they’re excited to run and compete. We try to meet them on the trail and remind them of that stamina; here they are very determined and in the zone throughout the whole race.”

Feather Nelsen said everyone did so amazing, and they tried their hardest during the Oct. 4 race. A lot of them have a goal of trying to do better than they did in the last race. She said she was proud of how everyone did on Oct. 4. <

Sebago Lake anglers gearing up for 7th Annual Togue Derby

The Sebago Lake Anglers’ Association, a local fishing club, is getting ready to host its 7th Annual Togue Fishing Derby on Sebago Lake, on Saturday Sept. 10 and Sunday Sept. 11, the weekend after Labor Day.

The derby is the club's primary fundraiser of the year and the majority of funds raised are used to pay for derby prizes and to buy youth lifetime fishing licenses through the State of Maine program. The club is the largest purveyor of youth licenses in the state.

The license allows children, selected in a post-derby lottery, to fish anywhere in Maine for free for the rest of their lives regardless of age, nationality, sex, marital status or location of residency. Children are nominated to win a license through a current club member or through a sponsor who has donated to the cause.

This year's fishing derby will commence at 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 and includes all of Sebago Lake. Fishing on that day will terminate at 3 p.m. and the weigh station will close at 4 p.m. that Saturday. The largest fish caught on Saturday will also qualify for a prize.

Sunday’s fishing also starts at 6 a.m. and cuts off at 2 p.m. Fish must be submitted to the weigh station by 3 p.m. All derby operations will be conducted out of Sebago Lake State Park Main Boat Ramp Area. Participants do not need to launch your boat there but that is where all fish need to be checked in.

There will be awards to the Top 10 fish by weight. Additionally, all togue legally caught can be submitted to participate in the Togue Pool Lottery. Fishermen will be given a ticket for each fish submitted and three drawings will be held for a $100 prize each.

There is even an award for the smallest Togue caught on hook and line. All Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife rules must be followed. All fishermen aboard a boat must be registered before the start of fishing.

Registration fees are $35 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under.

Fishermen seeking registration forms can pick them up at Naples Bait and Tackle, Route 35 in Naples, Dag’s Bait on Minot Street in Auburn, Hilltop Mini Mart on Route 302 in Raymond, and Jordan’s Store, Route 114 in Sebago or by calling 207-655-1028.

Sebago Lake Anglers’ Association President Bob Chapin says the club has kept the monetary awards modest ($500 First Place) but award lots of prizes (15) on purpose because this is essentially a local community derby.

If you win one of the Top 10 prizes, you are disqualified from winning any of the other Top 10 awards. While there may be several guides and professional fishermen competing, it is really for the first time or casual fisherman to get the experience of a derby, Chapin said.

In addition to providing the fishing experience, this derby supports state management goals for Sebago Lake by removing excess togue from Sebago Lake allowing other fish, like salmon, to compete for a diminishing forage fish base.

Fish turned in by fishermen not wanting to keep them for eating will be iced down and given to other fishermen wanting them, local food pantries, and fish processing companies so that none go to waste.

Late to register? Bring registration form or just come to the late registration booth that will be set up outside the State Park Entrance gate starting at 5 a.m. and ending 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept., 10. Sunday Sept. 11 registration can be done by coming to the weigh-in station at the State Park Boat Launch.

Any questions regarding the derby can be directed to Bob Chapin at 207-655-1028 or by sending an email to chapin780@aol.com <

Tales from the Outdoors: Fishing with Children

Bob Chapin's grandson, Paul, age
3 1/2, shows off a perch that he
caught recently on Thomas Pond
in Raymond. COURTESY PHOTO

By Bob Chapin

Sooner or later as the word gets out that you, as a sportsman or sportswoman, enjoy a day of fishing you will get a request from the family, a co-worker or neighbor to take a child or small group of kids fishing.

Before you say yes, there are a few considerations and preparations you should think about. Be honest with yourself and answer the question, “Will l want to fish too, or will this just be for the kids?”

If you accept you not only accept entertaining and educating the kids, but you are also accepting responsibility for their safety around the water and on the boat, their warmth when outdoors, sunscreen for their more sensitive skin, and of course the ever-popular snacks and plenty of them. If you take more than one child, consider not fishing yourself at all because they will need almost constant attention, even if you fish from shore.

Plan the outing to be, by your probable standards, short. That means no more than about two hours. The driving distance to the fishing should be short as well. Kids have a much shorter attention span than adults and that includes the drive out there. The “When are we going to get there?” questions will start almost before you clear your driveway!

Keep the fishing gear as simple as you can. Simply handing junior your shortest spinning rod is a formula for disaster. Consider, a closed face spinning reel similar to those found in the children’s toy section. There is a reason that Zebco has stayed in business so many years making simple-to-use push button reels, some of which are used very successfully by adults.

Keep the terminal tackle simple too. A snelled bait holder hook (#6) tied directly to the line coming out of the tip of the rod or to a snap swivel with a single split shot non-lead weight covers many fishing situations on brooks and rivers and only requires the addition of a small bobber for ponds, lakes and boat fishing where you anchor or drift.

Stick with worms for bait, best would be night crawlers available at most variety stores and Walmart. They are a source of entertainment for the kids and remarkably effective on fish. Check the regulations to be sure live bait is accepted at the location you plan to fish. Minnows are a great bait but not so much with small children. They entertain the kids, but the handling is rough on the fish, and some will end up belly up in your bait bucket.

At the fishing location there can be lots of distractions that may appear more interesting to the kids than what you want them to do. There may be other kids, a loose dog running along the shore, a stick on the ground, a caterpillar, or some other bug, it doesn’t take much.

Be patient. In fact, the whole outing may try your patience but remember you’re making memories for the children.

Prepare the children for a fish-less day. This starts by not building up their expectations too high when selling them on the idea in the first place. Fishing is a sport, and it can be quite a challenge. It is not catching necessarily. Certainly, celebrate any success they have, but remember the other kids may remain fish-less. 

I had a couple of reminders myself recently of how enjoyable fishing with children can be when my grandkids came for a visit. My 13-year-old grandson, who had on previous visits not expressed any interest, suddenly wanted Grandpa to take him fishing.

We fished for a couple of hours on Thomas Pond, and he caught enough white perch and bass to feed the family. My second reminder was my other grandson, only 3 ½-years-old. He kept pestering me to take him fishing and when I took him out in the boat, he also caught a limit of perch and a bass. 

I traveled with him back to Lander, Wyoming and we fished a reservoir and a small river catching Brook trout and grayling—what a joy! <

Windham Youth Soccer Association seeks support after signs vandalized

Signs at the Windham Youth Soccer
Association's Gambo Field in Windham
like this one were vandalized earlier this month.
The WYSA is now considering closing field
access during the off-season when there are
no field activities happening during business
hours. SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham Youth Soccer Association did not ask sponsors for donations when it began to financially navigate the pandemic several months ago.

With the continued support of their team of volunteers and generous donations from past years, they were fortunate enough to be able to have a season this fall.

On Nov. 9, the signs at WYSA’s Gambo Field in Windham were found vandalized. There are plans to replace the signs before the start of the next season. This added expense, among others, makes it difficult for the organization and they could use your help.

The Windham Youth Soccer Association was founded 38 years ago with a mission to develop, promote and administer soccer programs for Windham residents ages 2 to 14. They are an integral part of the community, teaching the game to many who now may be teaching it to the next generation.

WYSA normally runs programs two to three times a year; a fall and spring program along with occasional clinics in the winter and summer. 

This year they had to cancel the spring sessions because of COVID-19. This put an additional financial burden on the organization; the fields and facilities still need to be maintained. WYSA is also committed to not increasing programming costs.

“Out of respect to local businesses being affected by Covid-19, WYSA elected not to solicit any sponsorship funding this year,” said WYSA board member and coach, Ken Clark. “WYSA is a 100 percent voluntary organization (and) relies on small participation fees to play and money from sponsors
to pay all the expenses that go along with running this organization.”

WYSA is contemplating closing field access to vehicles during the off-season when there are no soccer activities happening during field hours. Vehicle access to the boat launch and trestle would be eliminated due to increase in vandalism and cars speeding through the facility. 

Clark said that the added traffic has done damage to their roads and creates safety concerns when children are present. Gating the facility would prevent situations like this from happening in the future.

There has also been talk of security cameras, though that is a significant investment and could take away from WYSA’s ability to provide programming.

“While we are happy we were in a position to manage through this season, it has impacted our ability to continue to invest in our facility and programming,” said WYSA Treasurer Brian Dries.

Clark said that unexpected expenses like replacement of the sign have a detrimental effect on the budget.

“WYSA is run completely by volunteers and are always looking for those with interest in helping out to reach out to us, said Dries. “Volunteering has connected us better to the community, forged great bonds between people driven with a shared desire to promote great programming for kids in the Windham Community.” 

If you have interest in helping out, please check out their website at www.windhamyouthsoccer.com or email: President@windhamyouthsoccer.com.

If you are a business who would like to sponsor a team, find the information on the WYSA website about how to contribute.  

If you would like to make a donation, you can mail a check payable to:

Windham Youth Soccer Association to PO Box 389, Windham, Maine 04062. <