Sports

Soccer clubs say WCCUSD field rules are punishing kids

Richmond youth soccer teams are struggling to hold practices and compete in matches because of rising field reservation fees and sparse access to outdoor recreation facilities. Officials representing three Richmond soccer clubs say the scheduling system imposed by the West Contra Costa Unified School District has kept them from accessing fields and forced them to play home games in Berkeley and Alameda. “It shouldn’t be this hard to get our kids to play soccer in Richmond,” said Samantha Torres, executive…

Richmond pickleball players say they need more courts: ‘It has been a challenge for towns across the country.’

Standing on either side of the portable nets, pickleball players swing their paddles, creating a “pop-pop-pop” symphony at Booker T. Anderson Park, the only outdoor place to play pickleball in Richmond. Booker T. Anderson Park now features two permanent pickleball courts and four multi-use courts for both tennis and pickleball. Since there are not many parks near BTA for residents, especially seniors and children, to enjoy, both the city and the neighborhood council agreed that sharing the courts for different…

People of Richmond: Do kids have enough sports outlets?

“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: Do West Contra Costa kids have enough sports and recreation opportunities? “I feel like there’s a lot of sports opportunities. It’s just about looking for it. She’s into ballet. She’s a different kind of sport. So it’s harder to find that type. I haven’t found a dance team or anything for her.”…

Reserve a seat for Richmond Library’s tribute to the city’s sports leaders

In honor of Black History Month, Richmond Public Library will hold a free event on Thursday, honoring the city’s early Black recreation and sports leaders.  The program, called “Straight Outta Richmond,” will acknowledge Charlie Reid, Eural McKelvy, and C.A. Robertson who organized sports activities that led to a competitive but healthy environment, fostered collaboration, and created a pathway for some Richmond kids to play professional sports. Reid and McKelvy are deceased, but Robertson is expected to attend.  “This program speaks…

At 14, De Anza student commits to playing baseball at Cal — a rarity among freshmen

While most freshmen begin high school having no idea where they’ll end up after the summer of their senior year, Nikko Taylor, 14, of El Sobrante, already knows that if everything goes according to plan, he has a spot at one of the top public universities in the country.     Nikko accepted an offer to play at UC Berkeley and is one of only 18 baseball players in the state to commit to a Division 1 college as a freshman in…

Taking the court in Richmond amid COVID-19

Even amid a pandemic, Garry and Maryn Hurlbut can send rubber balls ricocheting to the other side of the net or watch from the sidelines as their friends and fellow players square up for a singles match.

Swimmers Dive In at Keller Cove to Support Youth Swimming

It all started over a decade ago, when Point Richmond resident Norman Hantzsche and his dogs started swimming in the bay at Keller Cove. With its sweeping bridge views and high water quality, the cove offers some of the best open water  swimming around. It wasn’t long before a group of local swimmers jumped in alongside Hantzsche. The group of intrepid bay swimmers soon started an annual event to raise funds for a youth swimming program in the city of…