Renewed Malta Parks and Rec crew have plenty in store

For many years in Malta, City Hall housed old volleyballs, roller skates, baseball bats or other sporting equipment unused for a long time, left covered in a thick layer of dust.

The dust started accumulating shortly after the city leaders at the time decided that Malta’s Park and Rec Board had become unneeded and unaffordable. But a resurgence in getting families exercising and enjoying outdoor activities (highlighted by the Malta Trails group who brought the City the trail system and the Malta Skatepark committee who made that endeavor a success) a group of enthusiastic volunteers decided to form anew parks and rec board in order to organize and host activities around town. Because of those people – and the encouragement of the City’s mayor and city council – the volunteers gained momentum, so much so that at the beginning of September, Natalie Judd and Julia Tatafu were hired to run the refurbished Malta City Parks and Rec Department.

At last Tuesday night’s Malta City Council Meeting, the two gave their first report to council members, recapping events that have happened as well as plenty to come.

One of the events already hosted by Parks and Rec was the adult, co-ed softball league. Judd said that the league featured five teams, ran for six weeks and was eventually won by the Hitchin’ Post Pounders after a single elimination championship game which was played under lights provided by Malta Ready Mix.

“People are already talking about next year and are already getting teams together,” Judd said.

Currently, the youth soccer league is underway (when weather allows) which boasts 107 children on 11 total teams which are coached by parents. Judd said that season ends on October 15.

“I have heard nothing but positive feedback,” Judd added. “And the (Malta) schools have been so generous in letting us use fields so it has been fantastic.”

The soccer teams will soon take their team photos that will hopefully be featured in the pages of the Phillips County News in the near future.

“I have heard nothing but how excited the kids are and how much fun they are having,” Malta Mayor Shyla Jones said.

Following the soccer season, Parks and Rec is planning on hosting Ultimate Dodge Ball for children Pre-K to sixth grade. There will be an introductory class for the kids on how to play the sport and then the children will be broken into three different divisions; junior, intermediate and senior. Dodge ball will start on November 3 with contests held on Thursday night from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“We will go over the basics first,” Tatafu said. “How to throw, how to catch and then there will be different versions of dodge ball. We’ve been getting a lot of excited feedback on that.”

(Judd added that the balls for the game will be of the soft sort and not the hard, red rubber models that haunted many children in generations past.)

In upcoming events, Tatafu said that on Thursday, October 27, Parks and Rec will be hosting a Halloween Bash at City Hall, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Admission for the event will be $5 per child and will feature around 10 different stations in the gym where children will receive prizes or candy.

“It’s something fun for the children, especially the young ones, and a way for (Parks and Rec) to say ‘thank you’ to the community for participating so far in our recreation programs.”

Another upcoming program is the adult, co-ed volleyball league which will run from October 18 to November 22 with games held on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at both City Hall and the Old Gym. Tatafu said there are already three teams signed up and the league is creating a lot of buzz around town. People interested in playing in the league, but don’t have a full team, are encouraged to contact Judd or Tatafu to be assigned to new teams needing members.

Judd said Parks and Rec is currently trying to form exercise classes that would be held at City Hall during the winter. She said the classes are tentatively scheduled on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, November thru April with the type of class offered changing with each month and could feature activities for small children to coincide with the classes for parents who want to attend the classes.

lastly, Park and Rec has decided to start a program entitled “Little Tots Recreation” for children aged one through five years of age. The events will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays at City Hall in the gym or the dance room and will be for “moms and little ones” to give families a chance to get out of the house during the winter and teach small children motor skills such as throwing and kicking.

“They have a heck of a lot of energy,” Councilwoman Bonnie Wiederrick said. “I’m getting tired just talking about it.”

“That's just the stuff we have planned through December,” Judd responded. “There will be more to come after Christmas and the New Year.”

For more information on the upcoming Malta Parks and Rec Board, contact Natalie or Julia at the Malta City Hall which is open from Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m . until 2 p.m. Malta Parks and Rec also updates their Facebook page often.