Springfield-Greene County Park Board update: March 11, 2019

Springfield Lasers 2019 schedule set, team draft set for March 12

Defending World TeamTennis Champions the have released their 2019 season schedule, including seven home matches to be played at the Lasers’ home court at Cooper Complex.

The Lasers open the season in Springfield Sunday, July 14, facing the , the same line-up for the Aug. 5, 2018, WTT Finals, where the Lasers captured their first Championship Trophy in the team’s 23-year history, beating Philadelphia 19-18. The schedule includes seven home and seven away matches.

This summer, the WTT league adds two new teams: the Orlando Storm, in Lake Nona, Fla.; and the Vegas Rollers, in , Nev. This expansion brings the total to eight teams in the league, including the , , , , Philadelphia Freedoms and Springfield Lasers.

All eight teams will draft their players at the WTT Draft March 12, in Indian Wells, Calif. The draft begins at 1 p.m. CST, and will be updated live on WTT.TV and @SGFLasers social media.

The Lasers home season includes:

Sun., July 14 Season opener Philadelphia at Springfield Tues., July 16 Orlando at Springfield Wed, July 17 New York at Springfield Thurs., July 18 Washington at Springfield Wed., July 24 San Diego at Springfield Tues., July 30 Orange County at Springfield Wed., July 31 Las Vegas at Springfield

WTT semifinals will take place Friday, Aug. 2 and the championship match is Saturday, Aug. 3. Locations to be announced. For more info, visit SpringfieldLasers.com

March Madness hits Springfield

Springfield is in the midst of a boom, with Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) State Championships and the National Christian Homeschool Championships (NCHC) basketball tournament overlapping this week, bringing thousands of athletes and fans to Springfield.

MSHSAA began March 6 and concludes March 16, bringing 40,000 game attendees from around the state, generating 6,500 hotel room nights and an estimated $4.4 million in economic impact to Springfield. MSHSAA basketball events take place at JQH Arena and Hammons Student Center.

The NCHC tournament runs March 11-15, bringing 350 basketball teams and their families to Springfield from around the country, generating 6,123 hotel room nights and an estimated $4.5 million in economic impact. The tournament takes place in 25 gyms in the city, including the Park Board’s Chesterfield Family Center, Doling Family Center and O’Reilly-Tefft Gym, as well as schools, churches and private facilities.

The NCHC basketball, as well as numerous MSHSAA events, are among the 50 state, regional and national tournaments the Park Board hosts and co-hosts each year. Sports tourism makes a significant impact on Springfield’s hotels, restaurants and retail.

If you encounter visiting basketball teams and parents this week, please welcome them to Springfield and tell them we’re glad they’re here!

Board members honored at Missouri Parks and Recreation Association conference

Two past and current Park Board members were honored at the MPRA annual conference held in Branson Feb. 28. Board member Sidney Needem and past Board Chair Dr. Sarah McCallister each received the prestigious MPRA Citation Award, the highest honor the organization gives to citizen board members, contributors, sponsors and volunteers.

Needem is the only individual to serve three separate six-year terms on the board in the organizations 105-year history, serving 1994-1999, 2006-2012 and 2015-present. He is currently the board Vice Chair. He has also served 42 years on the Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors. Needem is active in the Springfield Reunion Club (organizers of the annual Park Day Reunion in Silver Springs Park,) a longtime volunteer youth basketball coach and an integral part of the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K.

McCallister served on the Park Board 2012-2018, serving as Chair 2016-2018 and Vice Chair 2014-16. Her tenure as chair included the Park Board’s accreditation designation, its induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and the Springfield Lasers’ first WTT championship win. McCallister is the Department Head of the Missouri State University Department of Kinesiology, which includes the university’s Recreation, Sport and Park Administration and related programs.

Park Board now hiring for 400 summer seasonal jobs

Looking for a summer job? The Springfield-Greene County Park Board is now hiring for 50 different temporary and seasonal jobs — about 400 positions in all. Summer jobs range from entry-level cashiers to skilled drivers and maintenance staff. Hours vary, ranging from a 10 to 40 hours a week. Seasonal employees typically work April-September, and schedules may be flexible around school, perfect for students who have the summer off.

The Park Board is one of few employers that will hire workers as young as age 14, as cashiers and concessions clerks. Lifeguards may be age 15 or older, with lifeguard training and certification, offered this spring through the Park Board.

Seasonal openings include lifeguards; child care for summer day camps and before- and after-school (SPARC) programs; concessions and cashiers staff at pools, sports complexes and special events; maintenance staff at golf courses, ball fields, and pools; bus drivers, front desk customer service; gym and family center monitors; and Springfield Lasers staff at . For a complete list of summer temporary and seasonal jobs available, or to apply, visit ParkBoard.org/Jobs.