Now that the weather is turning warmer, children and teens in Lyon and Storey counties have a chance to get out, run around and get some exercise.
Organized "running around" is available in a variety of sports in Dayton, with Babe Ruth League baseball for boys, fast-pitch softball for girls and youth football for boys. In Virginia City, a baseball clinic is being held for boys and girls from elementary school age to 12 years old.
Dayton Fast-pitch Softball League
Dayton Fast-pitch Softball is a new girls softball league in Dayton in its first full season as an independent league and it has already attracted more than 100 players. Girls from ages 5-14 can play on teams with age breakdowns of 8 and younger, 12 and younger and 14 and younger.
League President Lindsay Farnworth said the older girls are playing now, practicing nearly every day in the Mark Twain Park, though the younger girls will play later in the year.
"They don't have the attention span to play a long game schedule," she said.
The teams play within their league during the week, and on Saturday the older girls play against teams from Fallon, Fernley, Yerington and North Valley.
She said girls can still sign up to play, even though play began April 5.
For information, call Lindsay Farnworth at 291-9299.
Lyon County Babe Ruth League
Lindsay's father, Korey, runs the Lyon County Youth Baseball League for boys from 3-15.
There are 38 players in the league, he said, more than they ever had in the past.
"Three years ago I had eight kids," he said. "We're really excited that we built it to that, and we're really excited about this year."
His teams are called the Dayton Silver Sox, with one team featuring all 13-year-olds and the other two having both 14- and 15-year-old players.
The Silver Sox play at the Mark Twain Park, with the season beginning May 3 and going to the end of June.
On Saturday the boys will hold a car wash to raise funds from 9 a. m.-4 p.m. in front of the Dayton Inn on the corner of Dayton Valley Road and Highway 50.
To sign up, call Korey Farnworth at 450-9124.
Scholars & Champions Youth Football
A new Scholars and Champions youth football league has been set up in Dayton, run by Terry and Heather Kilfian.
They have two teams this year, full of 7- to 10-year-olds, and 11- to 14-year-olds, who have to keep their schoolwork up to stay in the league.
"We send home progress reports to go to the schools, and the schools verify that the student's schoolwork isn't suffering," Heather Kilfian said. "It's part of keeping them encouraged with their school work."
The league has two seasons, spring and fall, and will play for about eight more weeks, she added. The kids practice at Sutro Elementary School and play their games at Carson High School on Sundays.
They do scrimmages all week against each other, then play against Gardnerville and Carson City teams on the weekend, she said.
Storey County Youth Baseball Clinic
Children in Virginia City and other areas of Storey County can learn the fundamentals of baseball at a new clinic being organized by three local residents.
Boys and girls from elementary school-age to 12 years old can learn to pitch, hit and the basics of pitching, catching, batting, defense and baserunning from coaches Tom Glogovac, John Mitchell and Scott Burrell.
More than 50 have joined the clinic, dividing into three teams, meeting on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m.-noon on the Virginia City High School softball field. Kids can still join the clinic, which has been going on for two weeks.
The clinic is free, but the coaches are asking for donations from parents to help cover insurance costs and other needs. Burrell said there were no administrative costs.
They also need equipment donations, and the Burrell said equipment donations can be dropped off at the Community Chest on Toll Road and C Street, where the coaches will pick it up.
For more information, call Tom Glogovac at 847-0698.
• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 351.