Changes to recreation league offerings are afoot in Cedartown – and bring with them new opportunities for kids to get involved in sports on a local level.
This year, volleyball is being added to the offerings in the Cedartown Recreation Department, and Director Jeff Hulsey is hoping that teams will fill up with future stars on the court.
“This is the first year of a full season, so we’re hoping to have a good turnout,” Hulsey said. “We’ll be playing at the boys and girls club this coming fall season.”
The newest addition to the lineup for the Cedartown Recreation’s Fall Season will get the opportunity to grow this year as the department offers the only program across Polk County in 2023. There are programs for volleyball in Rome-Floyd Recreation, Bartow County and Paulding County that Cedartown could potentially play later this year.
For now though as the league gets started, Hulsey wants teams to keep play within the league. It’ll be girls-only play for the time being.
“We’re looking at the possibility of playing outside teams toward the end of the year, if our teams are at that point they plan to participate in the GRPA tournament at year’s end,” he said. “We want to be able to allow our kids to develop before we put them into a situation we don’t think they are ready for yet.”
Hulsey is seeking to get players for at least four teams per age group to participate.
Additional changes are coming to the soccer league for the Fall 2023 season as well. Hulsey said in years past that teams have all been co-ed based for the age groups, but this year he hopes as participation has grown to separate teams for boys and girls only leagues this year.
“We’re going to try this year if we have enough signups to separate players for each group,” he said. “That’s based on whether we have enough kids participate to do so.”
Third and just as important is the addition of Challenger League play this fall to the lineup as well. Signups for participating Challenger League youth are ongoing and Hulsey asked those who want to get their kids involved in Thursday evening play to go to cedartownrecreation.com to fill out forms, or visit the offices at Bert Wood on Lynton Drive to register in person. Challenger League participation is free to youth, a cost covered by the city per Hulsey.
Fall flag football, tackle football and cheerleading squads will see no impactful changes to their programs for the upcoming 2023 season.
Those who are interested in signing up their youth will be required to pay $60 per child for flag football, tackle football, cheerleading, soccer and volleyball.
Signups continue through August 6 online or at 605 Lynton Drive from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays through the beginning of next month.
