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Times of the Islands Magazine

Healthy Heart Month 3v3 Basketball Tournament Tipped Off in February at the Sanibel Recreation Center

Feb 22, 2018 04:27PM ● By Kevin
The Healthy Heart Month 3v3 Basketball Tournament takes place this Sunday, Feb. 25, starting at 12:30 p.m., at Sanibel Recreation Center. The event is open to all players 14 years of age and over.

This is a new venture for the recreation center, as just three years ago, it didn't even feature adult basketball. Staff member Char Durand, a former University of Michigan standout at the shooting guard position, decided it was time to change that.

"We didn't have anything else besides a coed softball league and one more program. So I thought, let's try a 3v3 basketball tournament," she said. "I played so many of them growing up, and suggested it. Out of that grew our summer basketball league. This is the third year putting on a basketball tournament."

Interested participants can pick up a registration form at the Sanibel Recreation Center to complete and return in advance. There is no fee for members; a day pass is required for non-members to participate. If you do not have a team but would like to participate, the recreation center's staff will attempt to make teams with individuals who show up the day of the tournament.

The tournament caps off the center's "Heart Healthy Month" initiative, which is designed to create and host fun activities for residents looking to spice up their recreational activities.

"It's a fun time here, and also extremely busy. We all get together with our contractors and supervisors and come up with different things to take us out of our routine," Durand said. "We don't want things to get monotonous and old, so we come up with things like country music cycling, something different ... it's an opportunity to try new things."

So far, the Barre class has been very popular, Durand said, despite the fact it has never been offered at the center before. The class dons qualified teachers and will continue as a regular offering throughout the month of March.

A Barre workout, according to the center's newsletter, "combines functional strength, dance, Pilates and Yoga concepts into a series of movements designed to strengthen the entire body." Participants will primarily utilize bodyweight for resistance while focusing on alignment and posture with the goal of enhancing body awareness, coordination, balance and strength.

There are six class sessions available to purchase for $55 per session for members and $73 per session for non-members in March and April:
  • Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m. March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3 and 10
  • Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. March 8, 15, 22, 29, April 5 and 12
Class size is limited to ten participants. Register in advance to reserve your spot.

"Overall," Durand told us. "The folks over at the recreation center hope residents, both members and non-members, give these new programs a shot."

Durand also noted the team at the recreation center has organized a pickle ball round robin this month for the first time ever.

This spawned off of a successful opening week to Heart Healthy Month, where there was a daytime tournament in which two females won for the first time ever. Just this week, an additional tournament was held. Durand said a co-ed team won that tournament. These were accomplishments that left Durand both excited and proud. 

"February is a time to try," Durand said. "The rec center in general is a beautiful and well maintained. December was the 10-year anniversary of the building. It's a great place to bring family and friends and hang out for the day."

For more information on any of the programs, contact Char Durand at [email protected] or call the Sanibel Recreation Center at 239-472-0345.