The Brookhaven Recreation Department still has options forparents who want to get their child involved in afternoonactivities even though local schools are back in session.

Recreation Department Director Terry Reid said the draft forflag football takes place Monday night and the soccer draft isTuesday night. So if parents want their children to play either ofthose sports, they need to put the pedal to the metal.

“If they want in they’d better get there pretty quick Monday,”he said. “We’ll need to know it early in the day on flag football,because we’re going to draft at 6 p.m. We’ve just got to get thepaperwork done and in for that.”

Meanwhile, as always, there are other activities from sewing tocheerleading to the FAST (Flexibility, Agility and StrengthTraining) class, Reid said.

“If we don’t have something for everybody and they want to trysomething we’ll try it,” Reid said. “Just like the lady who came tome with yoga. I didn’t know if it would work, but she has a dayclass and two night classes booked solid.”

Another class for almost all ages is the sewing class, which hasbecome quite a success, Reid said.

“A lady came to me about sewing, and I thought, ‘Nobody sewsanymore, but we’ll try it,’ and as it turned out, my daughter tookthe class,” he said. “They tote that sewing machine in there onemorning a week, and learn how to sew.”

There are also gymnastics and ballet and dance classes, Reidsaid. And the best part about the classes for youngsters is thatthey provide parents with just a little more time to get thingsdone after school.

“Everything we have is after school, nothing starts until schoolis out, and the average class is an hour,” Reid said. “You coulddrop kids off, go do your grocery shopping and get back, andthey’re ready to go home.”

And for adults who just want to be a part of something positive,the recreation department is also looking for coaches and sponsorsfor sports teams.

“We still need coaches, and we still need sponsors bad,” Reidsaid. “Anyone interested in any way to sponsor, we sure need themfor soccer.”

Meanwhile, the popular spray parks at Bicentennial Park and CityPark will remain functional through Sept. 30, at which point theywill be closed down until May 1, Reid said.