Sea Isle's Recreation Program Offers Fun Year-Round

By Maddy Vitale If you’ve visited Sea Isle City you might notice something going on from morning to night – a lot of fun. Residents and tourists play tennis, pickleball, basketball, soccer and even bocce ball at Dealy Field and other areas of town. Unlike some communities, where ball fields essentially go unused, and weeds spring up on basketball and tennis courts, Sea Isle knows what people want to see out of their recreation programs. “Sea Isle’s Division of Recreation offers a wide variety of quality programs because people always like options. Many of the summer sports camps and clinics are contracted to outside vendors, who share their knowledge and experience with our participants,” said Sea Isle City spokeswoman Katherine Custer, who is also the Director of Community Services. “We receive a lot of positive feedback from people about the quality of our programs. Our recreation employees work diligently to ensure that things stay fresh and current.” With new recreation attractions, this summer has been especially busy in Sea Isle. “It has been a very busy, successful summer. Our tennis courts have been constantly in use, and the new pickleball courts on West Jersey Avenue have already proven to be a very worthwhile investment for the City,” Custer noted. “We even added a new bocce court this year, which is beginning to catch on as well. Anytime you wander through Dealy Field or any of our other facilities – including our wonderful playgrounds – you see people of all ages enjoying themselves.” Players love the recently added pickleball courts at West Jersey Avenue. (Courtesy City of Sea Isle City) Although there are so many recreation programs to choose from in Sea Isle, an extremely popular one is the basketball league, Custer said. The games take place at the JFK Boulevard basketball courts. Teams compete for championship titles. There are various groups broken down by age and ability, which include Intermediate Girls’ Basketball, (ages 8-10) Intermediate Boys’ Basketball, (ages 8-10) Jr. Girls’ Basketball, (ages 11-13) Sr. Girls’ Basketball, (ages 14-17) Jr. Boys’ Basketball, (ages 11-13) Sr. Boys’ Basketball, (ages 14-17) and Men’s Basketball, (ages 18 and older). The kids summer baseball and basketball clinics are also enjoyed by a lot of children, and athletic conditioning clinics and soccer camps are also well attended. Even if sports aren’t quite your thing, there are still plenty of programs to enjoy. Sea Isle offers “something for everyone,” Custer noted. “That’s why we have also added art as well as marine science camps in recent years, which are both successful as well,” she said. Playground camps are also a huge hit with parents and kids. The camps are run by city employees and typically sell out each week, Custer explained. There are also weekly summer fitness classes, such as beach yoga, Boot Camp on the Beach and beach boxing. The Men’s Basketball League gets into action. (Courtesy City of Sea Isle City) Even though the summer is winding down, the beach town will still be hopping. There are recreational activities and programs year round. Sea Isle will continue to offer a host of recreational activities and programs for visitors and residents throughout the year. There many year-round fitness programs, such as weekly yoga, Total Body Fitness, Sit-Fit-Seniors and chair yoga classes, which are popular attractions throughout the year, Custer said. There are also afterschool programs at the Park Road community building in the off season. “Our municipal gym is open during the day throughout the year,” Custer noted. She said pick-up basketball and volleyball games will be returning this fall. “Just because the summer is winding down, don’t think the fun is over in Sea Isle City,” she said. Custer said the city loves to hear feedback and suggestions from parents and other event participants about how to make the recreation programs even better. “We strive to make things better,” she said. “Please let us know your thoughts.” For more information go to www.VISITSIC.com. If you would like to give feedback or suggestions about programs and events or would like more information about what is offered call Sea Isle’s Division of Recreation at (609) 263-0050. Dealy Field is home to Sea Isle's first permanent bocce ball court open to the public. (Courtesy Sea Isle City)