Now, people can become more familiar with the sport through new leagues offered at the Stoney Point YMCA.

Water Polo leagues are being offered for ages 8 and older and all levels Sunday evenings, beginning Oct. 25. The session will extend until Dec. 6.

Stoney Point started running the league at the end of July.

“We do have a youth league, a young adult league and an adult (league),” Stoney Point YMCA Aquatics Director C.J.  Hoffman said. “Right now, all the teams are playing together. There is a wide range of ages playing together until we have enough teams to expand the league.”

Registration for the fall league ends Oct. 22. Fees are only $30 per team, consisting of six to 10 people. games are 5-on-5 but teams could agree to add another player if each has multiple substitutes.

“We are very accommodating,” Hoffman said. “We really want everyone exposed to it, so we can generate as much interest as possible.”

Don’t worry if you’re new to the game. Hoffman, 24, of Cedar Rapids, helps newcomers by teaching the essentials.

“Anytime we have someone new join us I cover the basics with them before we start playing the game,” said Hoffman, noting skill varies from new swimmers to former college players. “A lot of it is pretty easy to pick up if they’re familiar with soccer at all.”

The game is 32 minutes long and split into 8-minute quarters.

“People are enjoying the athletic part of it,” Hoffman said. “That it’s a continuous workout for the entire game. There’s a lot of swimming up and down the pool. … Everyone’s reaping the cardio benefits of it.”

Hoffman said there is growing interest in the Midwest with clubs forming in Chicago and Des Moines. Give it a try and you could get hooked.

“We had some people who dragged along and were pretty hesitant,” Hoffman said. “Kind of concerned of how well they’d be able to swim in the water, but once they got in they found it was something manageable. It was something that was a very enjoyable experience.”

The inaugural event will be held at the Southeast Athletic Complex, located east of Jack Trice Stadium.

The 7-on-7 competition includes a double-elimination tournament with a blind draw and is limit to the first 32 teams entered. Players need to be at least 18 years old to participate.

Registration is $375 per teams and must be done at www.iowasportsfoundation.org/SpecialOnlineRegistrations/SpecialEventEntry.aspx.

For more information, contact the tournament director Jim Zimmerman at (515) 554-7513 or at flagfootball@mchsi.com

A night road race will be held in honor of the late North Cedar student Ashley Himes, a multi-sport athlete who died from a brain tumor in April about a month before graduating.

The “Believe” 5K road race is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 9, following North Cedar’s homecoming football game against Tipton. The race is scheduled for 10 p.m. with registration at the City Park from 7 to 9:45 p.m. Race fee is $20.

Proceeds from the event will go to a scholarship in Himes’ name that will be awarded to a graduating North Cedar student. This will be the first year with a scholarships awarded to a 2009 and 2010 graduate.

Himes was a role model, according to North Cedar Student Council Advisor and math teacher Vicki Hamdorf, who has helped organize the event.

“All the kids looked up to her so much,” Hamdorf said. “She had such a big impact on them.”

Hamdorf talked to Himes’ parents about holding another event similar to one held two years ago during Himes’ treatment. That race raised more than $1,000.

Race director Bill Bails said the hope is to get students involved. Hamdorf said football players will participate by walking after the game.

“We have 85 preregistered right now, which is pretty good,” Bails said. “We’re trying to get 100 runners. I think we’ll get that now.”

A goal was to include Himes’ former classmates.

“We really wanted to include the kids from her graduating class,” Hamdorf said. “I figured the best time to have them be here would be at homecoming.”

With other conflicts during homecoming weekend, Hamdorf, who had watched her daughter, Maci, run at a night race in Eldridge, found a fine alternative.

“It just fit the schedule best,” Hamdorf said, “and we thought it’d be kind of unique to have this illuminated one.”

Bails said night runs are rare, noting races at Eldridge and Ames. Luminaries will light the course, but officials are asking Stanwood residents to help with supplemental lighting along the two-lap race.

The Fire Department and other authorities will help with traffic and blocking off streets for runners’ safety.

“Everybody’s getting behind it,” said Bails. “It’s a pretty good deal for us.”

For more information, call (319) 331-7939 or e-mail roadrunr@mchsi.com.

The 8.6-mile excursion at down the Wapsipinicon River for cancers and kayakers will begin at Anamosa State Park and finish at Newport Mills Access.

Participants are encouraged to bring a sack lunch and essential gear. For more information or to preregister, contact Michele Olson at (319) 481-7987 or naturalist@co.jones.ia.us.

Adult hockey leagues have experienced a slight increase in teams over the last year, according to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena Hockey Director Kevin Brooks.

The four leagues consist of 20 total teams with 10 to 15 players per roster.

“I believe they’re up right now,” Brooks said about participation numbers. “I know they had around 20 teams a couple years ago. As far as I know the numbers are on their way up with the adult league.”

Brooks said 17 teams were involved last year.

Hockey leagues are divided into four classes, depending on ability that varies from beginner to advance players.

More skilled players compete in the A and A-B combined league. The A league includes some players who have played high school and junior hockey. Intermediate players play in B.

Watch Mike Russell of Xavier’s score a goal in a B-league game Thursday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

“Our biggest thing is making sure that everybody’s happy and it’s good competition,” said Brooks, a former Cedar Rapids RoughRider who also plays in the A league. “We added the A-B league to make sure B players were having good competition.”

Beginners start in the C league. Inexperienced players have opportunities to learn the game as well.

“We offer some adult clinics … We go over all the basics,” said Brooks, originally from just outside of Boston, Mass. “We have some people who appear to get hooked from doing those skill sessions a couple nights a week.”

The leagues attract players for various reasons, serving as a way for fans to get a hockey fix, fuel competitive fires and simply exercise.

“I think it’s a little bit of everything,” Brooks said. “We have the die-hard hockey fans that are at every RoughRiders game, but the biggest thing is with our league is you can play year-round.

“There’s no sitting around. It’s constant moving. You’re having fun.”

Games are held on the Olympic and NHL ices.

Derek Nohr, goalie for Buffalo Wild Wings, makes a save Thursday in a B-league game against xavier’s on the NHL rink.

Both men and women, of ages ranging from 16 to around 60, compete in the leagues held Sunday through Thursday with some occasional Friday dates. The Pink Ladies, an almost exclusively female team, plays in the C league, but some females also play in the B class.

“Every ‘C’ team except for one has at least one female on it,” Brooks said. “On the ‘B’ level, there are a couple teams (with female players).”

It’s also a source of camaraderie with friends playing together. Brooks said the biggest marketing tool might be the novice players of C league.

View more action from an adult league game.

“The people who play in hat are our biggest recruiters,” he said. “They just get new people involved and they’re always welcoming people to come in and play.”

Bradley, 26, improved to 12-1, winning all three rounds against Levi Avera at 170 pounds. Bradley was a three-time state finalist and a 2001 Class 2A 171-pound state champ for South Tama High School.

Lisbon native and two-time state wrestling champ (1991-92) Zach Light also competed. Light, one of the top wrestling trainers in the sport, lost by armbar submission to undefeated Tyron Woodley (6-0) in the second round. Woodley was a two-time All-American wrestler for the Univesity of Missouri. Light, 35, a protege of Tito Ortiz,  is a wrestling trainer at Wolfslair in England, training the likes of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Michael Bisping.

Emily Klinefelter, 24, (left) stands with sister Katy, 21, (right) as they pose for photos. The sisters will compete on the "Unforgettable" card at the Johnson County Fairgrounds on Friday, Sept. 11. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

Sisters Emily and Katy Klinefelter, both of Iowa City, will be top headliners at the Johnson County Fairgrounds (4261 Oak Crest Hill Rd. SE in Iowa City) on Friday, Sept. 11. They will fight at “Unforgettable” which should feature nine bouts, beginning at 7 p.m. at the South Outdoor Arena.

Many local and professional fighters will be competing, and Chris Weitz, of Iowa City, will perform a Muay Thai demonstration to go along with the scheduled bouts.

The Klinefelters will be the biggest attraction the two of them are a combined 8-0 in professional fights (Emily is 5-0; Katy is 3-0). Emily also owns a 5-0 record in Mixed Martial Arts and Katy is undefeated in two MMA matches.

The card is not set in stone, but the promoter Adam Pollack said the sisters will fight “experienced fighters” who won’t back down from the challenge.

Pollack is the husband of Emily Klinefelter and works with both sisters. He said they are on the verge of being big in the fight game. He likened them to the Williams Sisters of pro tennis.

“People are starting to catch on and realize these gals are stars,” Pollack said. “If they see them, they’ll realize how good they are.”

Pollack noted that women’s boxing is an attraction internationally. Emily, who has been featured Revolutions Combat Championship cards and recently won the Midwest Fighting Championship in Centerville, has fought in Brazil and was a sensation. Below is an interview with a Brazillian media outlet (I believe). Not sure if I’m more impressed with her ability in the ring or the fact she knows Portugese.

Friday night both sisters will be on display. Tickets are $20 pre-sale, $25 at the door and $40 for ringside seats. For more information or to obtain pre-sale tickets, call Pollack at (319) 338-1633 or visit the Sushi Kiccin in Iowa City for general admission seats before the day of the fight.

See a promotional video for the sisters and “Unforgettable”

Below is the official release from the event promoter:

UNFORGETTABLE

Professional Boxing at the Johnson County Fairgrounds

Friday, September 11, 2009

7:00 p.m.

Tickets $20 pre-sale, $25 day of show, $40 front row.

319-338-1633

4261 Oak Crest Hill Road SE, Iowa City, Iowa, 52246 (South Outdoor Covered Arena)

All age show

www.winbyko.com

This show will NOT be televised.

Card features:

Emily “the Enforcer” Klinefelter, Iowa City, IA, 5-0, 2 KOs. Former #1 ranked U.S. champion amateur. Winner of 15 national and international gold medals. Represented the U.S. in 8 foreign countries. 5-0, 5 KOs in MMA competition. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Earned Masters of Accountancy from the University of Iowa.

vs.

Melinda “2 Cute” Woody, Cleveland, TN. Former 3-time Toughwoman Champion.

Katy Klinefelter, Iowa City, IA, 3-0, 1 KO. Winner of 4 national amateur championships. First female from Iowa to win a national crown. 2-0 in MMA competition. Currently a University of Iowa student pursuing a degree in pre-pharmacy.

vs.

Ashleigh Curry, St. Joseph, MO.

Lance Williams, Muscatine, IA. Six-time Iowa Golden Gloves champion.

vs.

Cody Larson, Waterloo, IA.

Anthony “Machine Gun” Linenfelser, Rockford, IL. At 6′1″, he is the tallest featherweight ever. 49-6 amateur record includes several state, regional, and Junior Olympic Championships.

vs.

John Lester, Milwaukee, WI.

Muay Thai Exhibition:

Chris Weitz, Iowa City, IA, 17-3-1 pro muay thai record. Former muay thai national amateur champion.

vs.

Andy Branson, Iowa City, IA. 5-0 MMA record.

Armand Horn, Toledo, OH, 13-2, 11 KOs.

vs.

Jeff Farmer, Des Moines, IA.

Galen “Bad Boy” Brown, St Joseph, MO. 32-13, 19 KOs. Midwest Boxing Association Heavyweight Champion.

vs.

John George, Oskaloosa, IA.

Enobong “The Nigerian Gentleman” Umohette, Milwaukee, WI, by way of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.

vs.

Harold Johnson, West Allis, WI.

Travis Fulton, Cedar Falls, IA.

vs.

Chris Clark, Waterloo, IA.

After all, the game originated there in the late 1800s with the 16-inch no-glove variety becoming popular in the 1920s. The Windy City has dominated the game since its inception.

Things haven’t changed as Traffic won the Amateur Softball Association Men’s 16-inch slow pitch A national tournament Sunday at Tait Cummins Sports Complex.

Traffic beat OBI, also of Chicago, 16-0, in five innings in the final championship game. OBI forced an “if-game” with a 9-3 victory in the first title game. Fat Kids sponsored March Manufacturing, of Northbrook, Ill., was third.

Watch Traffic celebrate after recording the final out to win the championship.

“It happens to be our game,” said Bill Walsh, a player for Fat Kids/March. “There’s a pride thing there. The game started there. It better be a Chicago that wins.”

That’s a regular occurrence. An Iowa team has never captured an A Nationals title and the 1995 Carpet Country team of Marshalltown is the only one to win the Major division national crown.

The game has declined over the years in Cedar Rapids and other areas of Iowa. Chicago hasn’t been immune to some lacking interest.

“It’s probably not as strong as it’s been,” said Walsh, who is 47 and has played for almost 30 years. “So many other things to do these days.”

OBI, made up of younger players, have seen increased interest among teenagers. OBI 19-year-old outfielder Alex Smith plays with friends and his 22-year-old brother, Billy. He started playing when he was just 14.

“It’s really big in our area,” Smith said. “I played it because people were always playing.”

Take a look at some of the action between Smith’s OBI sqad and Walsh’s Fat Kids/March Manufacturing Softball in the losers bracket final.

OBI teammate Andy Codiamat said he prefers seeing teenagers playing 16-inch softball than video games or other harmful things.

The tradition of the game isn’t as strong in Eastern Iowa as it is in Chicago, which continues to foster an atmosphere for the classic slow-pitch game, passing along the tradition. They introduced high school leagues and play during fall and winter seasons. Indoor leagues are held in recreation dome facilities. The Ditka Sports Dome will host offseason leagues, according to Smith and Codiamat.

“It’s year-round now,” said Walsh. “When you’re playing at this level and competing here, it’s not a hobby.

“It should be because it is only softball.”

According to Smith, he’s witnessed kids as young as 10 playing the game in city parks. The future looks bright for the birthplace of the game, even it is weakening elsewhere.

“It’s going to be huge (again) in 10 years,” said Smith.

Actually, he considers it a way to measure his impact on the game.

Cullis contribution was honored by his selection in the inaugural class of the Cedar Rapids Rugby Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 29.

“It’s OK to do something, but if it continues without you then you must have done something right,” Cullis said. “The game has continued and to me that’s the greatest gift. Men are still enjoying it, organizing it and playing it even though I’m now gone from it.”

Cullis, who began playing at 19 in his native South Africa, served as a player and coach at the University of Iowa and area club teams. He was a member of Iowa’s 1976 Big Ten champion team, arriving in America as a 25-year-old with aspirations to kick in the NFL.

Cullis, the current mayor of Robins, guided the Iowa Select Side to the Midwest Championship as a player/coach in 1978.

Rugby requires dedication and devotion, demanding players to train. Cullis was quick to laud the intangibles surrounding the game. He put in his time over the years like many, balancing training, competition and personal obligations.

“It’s not the kind of sport where you can just show up once or twice a week and expect to be any good at it,” said Cullis, who served as vice president for players of the Midwest Rugby Union. “Really, it’s a game of discipline.”

Cullis said rugby provides the chance to continue activity when football careers conclude.

“I think American men are left too short with most of them never getting to a big game,” said Cullis, who was involved in area rugby for almost 30 years. “Here’s an opportunity that b builds great team work, great camaraderie and it will give you every ounce of your athletic competition you want.”

Tom Wertz, of Cedar Rapids, and Marion’s Paul Matthews were also inducted. The trio will decide on future members.

Wertz, 56, founded the CRRFC in 1978 and coached Cedar Rapids to a Division III national championship in 2003. He also served as president of the Midwest Rugby Union and as a member of the USA Rugby board of directors.

Matthews, 47, played with the rugby club for 17 years, beginning in 1982. In 1991, Matthews played on a team that toured through England.

The city won a bid to host the 2008 Amateur Softball Association men’s 16-inch slow pitch Class A national tournament, but flooding of the Cedar River forced the event to Urbandale.

The ASA worked with local groups to secure this year’s event instead, and it starts tonight at Tait Cummins Sports Complex. First-round games begin at 6:30.

“We’re thrilled about it,” Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Director of Sports Tourism Mary Lee Malmberg said. “I just think it’s kind of a feel-good story.”

The tournament should benefit the community, bringing in funds and promotion to visitor. The 2006 tournament, the last time Cedar Rapids hosted the event, had about 2,000 people in attendance, resulting in 630 overnight stays in area hotels. It led to $158,000 in direct spending. Malmberg said she anticipates more this year.

“It does a great impact for our area,” said Malmberg, whose group provides packets to visitors, highlighting area businesses. “We wanted to maintain this tournament for Cedar Rapids.”

The field consists of 40 teams, including 34 from Illinois. It’s the largest turn out for the tournament here, making tournament officials happy despite few Iowa entrants.

“Nobody backed out. We’re still at 40,” tournament director Jeff Kraayenbrink said. “We’re pleased with the number of teams, Even more than we anticipated.”

Among the teams from the Chicago-area are former A national champion Steel Gold and Nutz. Steel Gold won the 2005 title, which opens with Arsenal of Cedar Rapids at 8:50 p.m. Nutz, of Deerfield, Ill., is the highest returning finisher, placing third in last year’s national.

State champ Johnny and Mike’s Pizza of Urbandale highlight the six Iowa teams. They open with Team 23 of Calumet City, Ill., tonight at 8:50.

Other area teams include Gator’s/Ernie’s Bar of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City’s Mechanical Services and Havoc of Tama.

The first of two possible championship games is set for Sunday at 4 p.m.