By Carson Reeher

Special to The Farmville Herald

As the spring athletics season comes into full swing and plans are being made for upcoming fall and winter seasons, Cumberland County Recreation Director Tom Perry shared some insights and ambitions for the recreation department.

According to the department’s website, Cumberland County currently provides football, cheerleading, baseball, softball and t-ball for Cumberland County youth.

Perry hopes for an increase in interest in soccer, so that soccer teams can be added in the future.   

The department is working to add more programs to its repertoire that will increase options for adults.

“We currently offer adult men’s basketball league and are looking to create new opportunities for all of the citizens in Cumberland, such as senior groups for health and fitness, adult softball leagues and outdoor programs for the entire family,” said Perry.

He mentioned that they are always looking for new ideas to involve the citizens of Cumberland with recreation and sports.

Looking towards the future, Perry says that he would like to see an increase in participation from parents and children participants to help increase the success of youth leagues.

Perry thinks “all counties would agree that youth recreation leagues are in decline in recent years, in part due to the popularity of travel teams, and the large time commitment involved with playing, coaching and volunteering with these programs.

“However, successful school sports have always relied on strong youth programs to mentor and teach the basic skills needed for success.”

Not surprisingly, Perry believes strongly in the role of recreation departments to provide to its community. “The recreation departments are important to all localities to help bring people together to instill pride in the community and be a part of something we can all be proud of,” he said. Recent renovations that have taken place at Madison Ballpark, located on Old Buckingham Road, have prepared the environment for a successful season. 

Presently, registrations are being accepted for baseball and softball, ages 9-12 and ages 15-19. Applications can be found on the Recreation Department website and are due by May 1.  Opening day for the softball and baseball seasons will be Saturday at Madison Ballpark.

The community is invited to the Patriots Day Festival, to take place on Friday, April 22 at 5 p.m. in the Courthouse Circle. There will be food, games, bounce houses, pedal racecars, an obstacle course and live music. Admission to the event is free.

Residents interested in finding out more information can visit http://cumberlandrec.weebly.com/ or the Cumberland Recreation Facebook page.

They can contact Tom Perry directly at (804) 492-9345 or Recreation@CumberlandCounty.Virginia.gov.