Active Living Blog

Hoops in the clean, crisp morning air

Posted: Mar 27, 01:57 PM

BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA (March 27, 2012) – It is great weather for hoops at Nymore Park! The basketball court is fenced in, rectangular half-court size with line-markings for 3-second lanes, free throws, out of bounds and of course the half-circle line designating for those skilled players, the 3-point line. There are regulation height hoops at each end of the court; however, the backboards and rims are not very forgiving. The fence is higher behind the hoops, as tall as the rims, and still taller than I on each side.

Those first couple bounces of the basketball and first shot of the day, remind me that a lap around the court is definitely worthwhile to stretch out my muscles and get warmed up to exercise. Morning hoops at Nymore Park can be a tranquil, yet invigorating experience. It’s quiet, but you’re moving and basketball will do the trick for toning muscles and conditioning your lungs and heart, if like many Minnesotans, you’ve “hibernated” over the winter and given your body a little bit of a break. Take it slow and ease into any exercise routine, even if you’re planning to just shoot a few hoops with friends. Basketball can be demanding on your muscles, lungs, and cardiovascular system, and it’s good to pay attention to your fitness level and adjust your workouts accordingly.

The teenagers don’t usually start rolling in until afternoon and their games appear competitive and organized. If you’d like to bring your family out to shoot some baskets and bring the youngest in a stroller, earlier is better. When I played hoops at Nymore Park this past Sunday morning, I actually witnessed this – a young couple rolled their child in a stroller out onto the court, just past the 3-point line and positioned the stroller to view the parents playing basketball…well at least, until the point when he jumped out of the stroller and started running around screaming. But, aside from the child’s brief tantrum, this family played at one end of the court and I shot hoops at the other. It worked.

Playing basketball is a great way to exercise and spend time with your family and friends, while keeping your body in shape and staying fit. In addition to basketball at Nymore Park, one can utilize two full-size tennis courts, also enclosed by a fence – a tall one – and other playground equipment. There is a field for football and soccer, although no soccer nets, and a mix of trees and shrubs for shade, to relax with a book or picnic lunch.

Spring is in the air, even though it’s still early in the season. Enjoy this unseasonably warm and early springtime nature has given us by enjoying the great outdoors.

See you at the parks!

Natalie Gille, Bemidji resident and outdoor enthusiast