Jane Kramer

Out of shape? Looking for something physical and possibly free or at least inexpensive? The City of San Diego, Park and Recreation Department might have something for you!

Available on a citywide basis for league play at all recreation centers at no charge are the following:

For Men and Women— Softball, Volleyball, Basketball, Slow Pitch, Three-Pitch, Physical Fitness and Jogging.

For Men Only— Soccer, Lob Ball and Baseball which is held both in winter and in summer.

If you are interested in any of the League sports, contact the Sports Office at 236-5717.

The city has been broken down into ten districts, each having its own recreation centers. Programs vary but all include the city leagues. Community interests and needs influence what will be offered. If your district doesn’t have what you want you can get it simply by asking!

• North East S.D. (San Carlos, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro)
• 236-6373

• Central S.D.
• (University Heights)
• 236-6614

• Border District
• (South Bay, San Ysidro)
• 236-6615

• Mid-Cjty
• (Logan Heights and Downtown)
• 236-6609

• University City and North Clairemont
• 236-6668

Listed below for your convenience are the ten city districts.

• Bay District (O.B., Pt. Loma and Old Town)
• 236-6699

• La Jolla and Pacific Beach 236-6696
• East S. D. (Encanto, Paradise Hills, Valencia Park) 236-6620

• Sierra Mesa and Linda Vista (Mira Mesa also)
• 236-6697

• South Clairemont (Linda Vista also)
• 236-6698

Flag-football is not citywide and is not a league sport but is offered by some of the recreation centers.

Badminton is free at Balboa Park as is adult Table Tennis which is held everyday but Wednesday in the Conference Building.

If you have your own equipment you can use the Archery Course at Balboa Park which is set up similar to a golf course. This is also free.

At Morley Field there are 25 tennis courts for public use, along with Women’s Volley Tennis.

The Aquatic Division of the Park and Recreation Department also offers excellent activities.

Swimming: an indoorpPool

The Plunge at Belmont Park in Mission Beach (which will be 50 years old next year). For 60c the following is at hand; recreation swimming, life-saving classes, exercise swim for women which is 45 minutes of exercise plus swimming lessons and swimming lessons for all ages. Also There are six outdoor pools at the following locations:

a. Kearny Mesa

b. Colina Del Sol

c. Martin Luther King

d. Memorial Park

e. Vista Terrace

f. Bud Kearns (summer only)

Here recreational swim and lessons are available at a cost of 50c for adults and 25c for children. Hours for the fall are 5-8 in the evenings and open during the day on weekends.

There are also 6 portable pools which are placed in different neighborhoods depending on need.

The Aquatic Division also offers Sailing lessons for beginners through advanced. The degrees of mastery are 1. Able Seaman, 2. Intermediate Skipper, 3. Skipper, 4. Master Mariner. The cost now is $6 for 9 weeks. Basic sailing uses the single sailed boat Sabat, of which there are 45. The Sabat is used to obtain Able Seaman and Intermediate Skipper. Class Skipper and Master Mariner use the two sail Lido and sail with a crew of three or four.

Classes start Oct. 12 on Mission Bay at Santa Clara Point and there are still some openings for this session.

If you’d like to be Bobby Riggs or Billy Jean King, tennis lessons are available. The cost varies on whether or not you have a Pro for an instructor. Generally they are $7.50 for 10 lessons and the classes are small. You can check with your recreation district or the areas given here:

1. Colina Del Sol
2. North Park Recreation
3. Ocean Beach-Robb Field
4. Pacific Beach Recreation Center-Diamond St.
5. South Clairemont

Two Municipal golf courses are also run by the Park and Recreation Department and fees are lower for San Diego residents. They are Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course, home of the Andy Williams Open and the Balboa Park Golf Course.

If Handball or Racketball is your forte, try the Copley or Downtown Branch of the Y.M.C.A. The fee is $1.50, and they suggest calling in advance to reserve a court.