INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Mike Redstone, recreation manager for Indian River County, and his staff are already in the midst of a very busy 2015 summer season.
Redstone has been the county rec manager for five years. He oversees operation of two county pools, four beaches and multiple adult and youth programs. There are 34 full time staff members with the Recreation Department as well as seasonal employees, particularly for summer programs.
Summer youth sports include basketball and baseball. Baseball is played at South and North County Regional Park while basketball is played at the Fairgrounds in the Agricultural Building. Mike said 31 basketball teams and 14 baseball teams will be playing this summer
Team participation numbers have remained very steady over the past 10 years. The cost to participate in the year-round slate of youth sports is very reasonable, especially football and cheerleading, with a per-child fee of $35 to $45. Thursday night Tackle Football Summer Workouts begin on June 18.
Scott Seely, the recreation coordinator, is a University of Georgia graduate. He interned with the Recreation Department in 2003 and has been with the program ever since. Scott is coordinating the basketball, baseball and other programs. The Recreation Department has on site staffing for supervision of games as well as scorekeeping.
Dave Smith has been the aquatics director for the North County facility in Sebastian and the Gifford Aquatics Center in Vero Beach for nine years. He was previously the aquatics director for Broward County.
Smith oversees both facilities making sure families are enjoying themselves while offering swim classes and support for area swimming and diving teams. Aquanatics and Water Aerobics are offered along with scuba diving, lifeguard classes and more. The Red Cross has been very supportive of the aquatics centers sponsors swimming lessons North County and Gifford.
For 2015 Smith said a scoreboard was added for swim meets. “In the past when a swimmer hit the touch pad, we would have to wait for results to be posted,” he said. “Results are now instantaneous with touch pads wirelessy linked to the scoreboard. This allows the center to be more competitive when bidding on swim meets.”
Four swim and dive teams swim out of IRC facilities: Treasure Coast Swimming Conquistadors, Lightning Bolt Swimming, Treasure Coast Dive Team and Dolphins Recreation Swim Team.
Smith said Indian River County will be hosting the 2015 Florida Special Olympics Swim Championships on October 3rd and 4th. Approximately 300 swimmers will participate. He said the North County facility is set up well for the Special Olympics. There is a large common area around the pools to accommodate the many tents set up for the weekend. Support from the community and local businesses is very strong.
