Seguin Today: July 2022

The KWED, Seguin Daily News team would like to express our deepest gratitude to the community for helping make Freedom Fiesta a success yet again!

This year saw the return of the Kiddie Parade, the band back on a real stage, and a second year of delicious Food Truck eats from around the area. This event is all about celebrating what makes our small town special, and because of you our readers we were able to do that.

We would also like to say a special thank you to all of our sponsors for this year’s event. Our sponsors this year included: Red LevelGuadalupe Regional Medical Center and Alamo City Trailers, White Level - Texas Lutheran University and Perry Homes, Blue Level - GVEC, Centerpoint Energy and First United Bank, Patriot Level - Tres Hewell Moruary, Guadalupe Healthcare Network, Tri-County AC, Seguin Main Street and CMC.

Additional thanks go to Bertling Equipment, Tri City Distributors, and all of our non-profit participants for their contributions.

As we put Freedom Fiesta to bed for another year, we encourage you to enjoy the rest of your summer, stay cool, and as always –– keep it REAL, Seguin!

COVERSHOT

rennovated

A PERFECT SEGUIN SUMMER

GAME NIGHT AT THE BALL PARK

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

WELCOME TO PECANTOWN

A PERFECT

Seguin

Summer! Summer!

Your local guide to fun in Seguin, Texas

South

and Central Texas has seen some of the hottest temperatures on record so far this summer, but fortu nately for Seguin residents, that doesn’t have to be a damper on outdoor summer fun.

With beautiful river access around Guadalupe County and a dedicated parks and recreation team in the city, there are many things to do around town that will keep the entire family entertained.

The Splash Pad at Park West is one of the area’s most notable attractions. Any given afternoon, there will be swim suit-clad kiddos running and laughing as water dumps from the giant bucket suspended in the air. Nearby parents relax in the shade of the pavilion covered picnic tables as the children laugh and play.

When the kids get tired of the water, they can take a break and head to the playground to climb slides, enjoy the swings, or play tag with friends.

When the ice cream truck shows up, it gets even better as sugar-stained faces gobble up treats before dashing back into the water yet again.

Park West isn’t the only hot spot to cool off and have fun. Read on to find out about all the best ways to enjoy the summer right here in Seguin.

Photos

Story Lizz Daniels

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Pickleball

Pickleball

is one of the fastest growing sports in the coun try, and this summer, Seguin is beginning construction on its very own dedicated courts. Seguin

Director of Parks and Recreation Jack Jones says there was an identi fied need for pickleball in the area as part of the 2020 park master plan.

“There is a lot of demand and not enough supply for pickleball courts,” he said. “Originally we decided to do what a lot of cities like New Braunfels are now doing and overlay a couple of our exist ing pickleball courts on the same court at Starcke Park. We discov ered right away that there’s more demand than those two courts can accommodate. We found that when you share courts, you real ly can’t have both games going at once, so it was determined that we

needed to have dedicated pickle ball courts here in Seguin.”

An idea was presented by city

struction is finished, will transform into nine pickleball courts complete with nets.

“We know that if we do this right, we’ll get people coming to play here, but there will be tourna ments too,” Jones said. “You’ll have a bunch of people coming to play pickleball, and then they’ll be able to have lunch at the Backyard or go shopping downtown. It’s a great way to clean up that area and give it use that’s popular. It’s a family-friendly sport. Nobody in the neighborhood is losing anything. Instead down town is gaining something.”

manager Steve Parker to purchase the old Saegert block, which has ex isting tennis courts that when con

While the Seguin Pickleball courts aren’t slated to open until spring, residents can still participate in the naming process by sending their name ideas to parks@seguin texas.gov. Suggestions are due by Friday, July 8. •

SPLASH into SUMMER at the Seguin Wavepool!

Story Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

When

it comes to summer recreation in Seguin, the city’s Wave Pool, per haps is the most prized revitalized jewel that it has to offer this season. After forced to shut down the last two years due to the COV ID pandemic, the Seguin Wave Pool returned this summer with a new and improved look. The city spent approximately $250,000 on necessary repairs and renovations introducing what many locals feel is like a brand-new facility.

Jack Jones, director of Seguin Parks and Recreation, says the success behind the reo pening of the wave pool has been tremendous.

“The people that are coming back and who haven’t been here in two years, they come in and it’s like ‘Wow! It’s clean. It’s painted. The restrooms have been remodeled. The check-in has been remodeled. The pool has been paint ed. The water looks great. It sparkles and that’s what we are hearing, said Jones.

Jones says a record number of people have already made their way into the gate. Season passes alone have also hit a high for the city. Jones says the timer has also been adjusted so that most of your time is spent enjoying the waves. Jones says the renovation of the pool was way overdue and is glad that it has made a real splash with families this summer.

“It has opened up brand new from 1991 when it first opened. People keep coming back because it’s a new place to be now. It’s fun. It’s like ‘wow, it is a jewel and people come back to support it,” said Jones.

The pool is open through Aug. 7. The pool is operated Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. Cost is $5 for kids 4-11; $6 for those ages 12-59; $5 for 60 and over. There is no cost for kids age 3 and under. All guests en tering the complex are required to pay admis sion price. Season passes are also still avaible. Cost is $50 per individual or $125 for a family up to six immediate members. For private par ties or swim lessons contact the parks office or visit the parks office

Photos by Lizz Daniels

THE RAMPS at PARK

Seguin’s

Lizz Daniels

Park West is a popular local destination to stay cool

the splash pad), active and have fun all year round. The MTR Skatepark, in particular, is popular with individuals of all ages who love going fast and flying high.

The park is ideal for any skill level, with wide-open spac es to practice getting going if you’re new to skateboarding. At the same time, it has challenging ramps, rales, and stairs for the more advanced skaters.

New Braunfels resident Louis Davila prefers skating in Seguin despite having the Jaws Skate Park near his home.

“My friend lives here, so I make the drive to come over here,” he said. “The park is usually pretty active, and its fun to skate and just hang out.”

It is recommended that newcomers consider protective gear even when doing simple skills because falls can and will happen –– it’s just a part of the sport. Fortunately, with an ac tive local skate community, there are also a lot of experienced veterans to help guide you on your boarding adventures. And with skateboarding now an Olympic sport, who knows what the future could hold for a Seguin skater. •

Louis Davila hangs out with friends at the MTR Skate park located at Park West.

DISC GOLF?

If you're not afraid of a little Texas heat, then disc golf might just be the perfect hobby for your summer. Out at Max Starcke Park, Seguin has one of the best cours es in the area and an involved community to help you get started.

Pecan City Disc Golf's Jericho Lomas loves the sport and says this summer is a great time to start playing.

"We have a club called 'Let it Fly' that plays mini-tour naments at Starcke almost every Sunday," he said. "They offer free membership to juniors 18 and under and for women. Then there's a club out of New Braunfels called Tri-County Disc Golf. They play here off and on, but they rotate courses in the area."

Additionally, an all-women's club in the area has al ready hosted clinics for members at Starcke park twice, creating a safe place for women of all ages and skill levels to learn.

A beginner-friendly tournament is coming up on July 30 that all are welcome to join.

"It's $35, and you get three discs, a towel, and a mini marker," Lomas said. "Everyone playing has to use those three discs only, so it evens out the playing field a bit. We'll have different divisions from beginner to advanced, so an yone can join."

The local disc golf community is also working to bring local pros out to offer free clinics in the future, allowing even more people to get started.

Those looking for more information on how to pick up disc golf can head to Pecan City Disc Golf, where Lo mas and others are eager to help. You can also check Face book for local play groups. •

Golfers from around the state have made the Starcke Park Golf Course a sport destination. Nestled along the Guadalupe River, the 18 hole par 71 golf course is said to be “one of the last ‘parks’ style golf course in Central Texas.” The course is also marketed as a consistently ranked Top 5 Value by AVIDGOLF

Seguin DIGS its VOLLEYBALL

Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

Anapproximately 44-yearold tradition continues to grow in Seguin with the Seguin Volleyball Association. Dur ing three seasons in the year, for three nights a week players can be spotted at sand courts located at the Seguin Events Complex. Over the course of those years, thousands of athletes are said to have showcased their bump, set and spike talents. The game has, no doubt, been embraced by locals’ feeding the game to gen eration after generation. A typical volleyball schedule is a men’s league on Monday; a women’s league on Wednesday and co-ed on Thursday. Those looking to enter a team are asked to visit the Seguin Volleyball Association’s Facebook page. •

Photo by Lizz Daniels

Game Night at the BALL PARK

Seguin officially HOOKED on Seguin River Monsters

Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera Photos by Lizz Daniels & Jarred Kindles

T here’s a new team to cheer for this summer. That’s because Seguin is officially a destination where being called up to the Big Leagues is now a real possibility. That’s all thanks to The Seguin River Monsters, who since the start of June have managed to captivate the hearts of baseball fans and who have helped to fill the once empty summer seats at the historic Smokey Joe Williams Field.

Although the stadium is host to the Seguin Matador Baseball team during the spring, much of the stadium has been underuti lized throughout the months of June and July. That’s until Team Owner Mike Gigliotti made the decision to bring the collegiate league team to Seguin.

“The Seguin River Monsters participates in the Texas Colle giate League and that’s actually the highest level of summer college baseball in the state of Texas,” Gigliotti said. “There are leagues all over the country. Every state or territory really has one so the TCL or the Texas Collegiate League is the biggest one here in Texas. The real famous one that really everybody knows, baseball fans know is up in Cape Cod, the Cape Cod League and that’s a summer league as well and there’s a famous movie actually. It’s called Sum mer Catch with Jessica Biel and one other kid but it’s about that

league and it’s a comedy and it’s a funny movie but that’s the Cape Cod league in Massachusetts. There’s a league in New York. Where I’m originally from – I’m originally from New York and I grew up watching the Utica Blue Sox in my hometown and they participate in New York Collegiate’ s league.”

The owner says it’s all about playing at the next level for these guys. He says although it’s a grind, it’s also an opportunity.

“So, really there’s all these different collegiate summer leagues so that after the normal college season, these kids can keep playing ball in the summer but the difference is in their normal college league they use metal bats and the difference is the summer league switches to wooden bats so it’s an opportunity for professional scouts, major league baseball scouts to come and see can these kids hit with wood bats and can they play every day on a MLB schedule,” Gigliotti said. “So, I don’t know if you notice but our schedule, I mean we are playing every single day so it’s a grinding two-month schedule in June and July almost like a Minor League or Major League schedule and it’s an opportunity for these kids to showcase what they have with wood bats and if they can play on that type of a schedule. So, that’s really how the collegiate system works in the summer across the whole country.”

Even if you are not a baseball fan, it’s fun to come out, grab a bite to eat, grab a drink, socialize with people especially if you have kids.

-Mike Gigliotti-

Batter Up for Slow Pitch Softball in Seguin!

The Seguin Parks and Recreation Department with the help of the Texas Softball Hall of Fame and the Seguin Texas Adult Softball League has again revived the city’s adult softball leagues. After a hiatus of a few years, the game of slow-pitch softball both co-ed and men’s has returned to the Seguin Four-Plex located on Nelda Street. The current season is being held on Tues day and Wednesday nights. Sign-up for the upcom ing fall and summer leagues is available by calling the parks office at 830-401-2480.

Much of the enthusiasm for summer baseball in Seguin has also come from the use of the nostalgic stadium located at the Seguin Events Complex. Named after the National Baseball Hall of Famer and Negro League player, the stadium has either fueled your love of the game or has instilled that seed for those who are out experiencing it for the very first time.

“We are really excited to have it here in Seguin and also to be at historic Smokey Joe Williams Field and to be able to use that field and hopefully continue to use that field and continue to bring improvements to it over the year,” Gigliotti said.

He says the use of the stadium makes it easy to ensure that “summer baseball experience” that is important for the Seguin River Monsters.

“It’s just a great thing to do. Even if you are not a baseball fan, it’s fun to come out, grab a bite to eat, grab a drink, socialize with people especially if you have kids,” Gigliotti said. “We are working on getting a lot more stuff for the kids to do. All of the kids run the bases after the game which is really fun. They are all getting autographs from the base ball players. We have baseballs that are here. They can get the foul balls. It’s really funny when a foul ball is hit, you see a swarm of kids who run to grab a foul ball. So, if you have kids but you might not be interested in baseball, your kids are going to have a great time. We are working on getting some inflatables like an inflatable bounce house for the kids try to create more of a carnival atmosphere for them at the ballgame. That’s something we are trying to implement for this year. We will definitely have it for next year.”

A fan favorite that is synonymous with post games was also expe rienced in late June with the team’s first fireworks event – an event that Gigliotti hopes to host multiple times during the 2023 summer season. Fans will also find Gill cheering on that night’s line-up. Gill, is the team’s official green fish mascot that can be seen parading up and down the stands and keeping up with the team spirit throughout the ballpark.

It’s no doubt that in just these last short weeks, the Seguin River Monsters has successfully evolved into a household name. The players have, of course, each invested personally into the program. However, Gigliotti says for any team to succeed in this league, it will take a great community like Seguin to truly build the strongest program possible.

“We have something called the host family program and right now we have I believe five or six host families that are actually helping us house kids that are not from the Seguin or San Antonio or Austin area,”Gigliotti said. “Many of the players are from Texas. But obviously as you know, Texas is a very large state. We do have two players for example from Flor ida that are on our team that are staying here in Seguin and so really the idea is we can get people from all over the country. If we can grow our host family program and expand it, then we can go after talent all over the country. There is a ton of talent I will say in Texas. Texas is a very big baseball state as you know and we do have a lot of talent locally, San An tonio, Austin area – a lot of Houston. The Houston kids we have, they are all staying locally with host families. Our goal is to just maintain a strong host family program and we really appreciate all of the host families that have stepped up.”

Although June is over, fans are reminded that there are still a num ber of games left in this year’s schedule. Game tickets are $5 a person. They can be purchased at the gate or online at seguinrivermonsters.com/ tickets. Fans are also encouraged to check out the Seguin River Monsters Facebook page for daily game reminders.

Gigliotti says it’s been a whole new ballgame now that his dream for summer baseball is in full swing here in Seguin. He says both players and the community have exceeded his expectations for this inaugural year. As he looks at the seasons ahead, he says it’s all now about swinging for the fences so that summer days will continue to be double plays for his Seguin

Monsters.

Happy Birthday America! Happy Birthday America!

Featured Events

Name the Pickleball Courts

Jul. 13

Water Well Screening Event

Independence

Jul. 30

GCCWB Raffle Run

Jul. 30

Help Seguin Shine

name the new Pickleball Courts, set to open this

to

that are located at

in

your

The Bexar County AgriLife Extension Office will have a Water Well Screening Event Tuesday, July 12 and Wednesday, July 13 at 3355 Cherry Ridge St. Suite 208 in San Antonio. Pick up sample containers prior to Tuesday, July 12 and drop-off sample from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 12. The cost of each sample is $15. Results and interpretation meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13.

The Guadalupe County Child Welfare Board will have its 2nd Annual Raffle Run at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 30 at Max Starcke Park. The entry fee is $20 and $10 per passengers. There will be live entertainment, food and prizes. To register, purchase T-shirts, or meal tickets, visit www.gccwb.org or email dianeglover@ gvec.net.

The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the availability of grants for groups that enhance the quality of life in Seguin. The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce Help Seguin Shine Applications are due Monday, June 30. For more information, call 830-379-6382.

Aug. 4

Application Deadline

Music Show August 2, 2022

The Gathering Music Show will have

The doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the kitchen opens at 2 p.m. For more information or reservations, call 830-305-8829 or 830379-0506.

The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce will accept applications for its Leadership Seguin program until Thursday, Aug. 4. The tuition for the program is $550. Attendance at the orientation & community leaders’ reception from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 and the weekend overnight retreat Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18 are mandatory. For application and more information, call 830-379-6382.

Aug. 8

Master Naturalist Training Class

The Guadalupe Master Naturalist Chapter, sponsored by Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will sponsor a series of training classes from Monday, Aug. 8 to Saturday, Nov. 19. The cost of the class is $124. For an application visit http://txmn. org/guadalup and follow the “Certification Training” dropdown. For more information email, pjsagebiel@yahoo.com or call 806392-4431.

Aug. 28

Geronimo VFW Dance

The Geronimo VFW Post 8456 will have a dance featuring Glen Collins and the Alibis from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28 in Geronimo. Admission is $10 and the hall is smoke free and family friendly. The doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the kitchen opens at 2 p.m. For more information or reservations, call 830-305-8829 or 830-379-0506.

Mid-Year Checkpoint

It’s Never Too Late to Make 2022 YOUR Year

Column by Tess Coody-Anders

Photos by Lizz Daniels

Aswe approach the half-way mark on 2022, now is the time to take stock and proceed with intention and urgency to shape our lives and our community.

Just as downtown Seguin is moving through a visioning process, we can individually imagine what we want our future to be. In both cases, getting there won’t happen without making some hard choices.

Harvard Business School professor Vijay Govindarajan offers an approach that we can use at home as well as work. His book, “The Three Box Solution,” is based on the Hindu principles of balanced action: Vishnu, the preserver; Shiva, the destroyer; and Brahma, the creator. In Hindu scripture, no one of these is more important than the other. “It’s only through balanced action that humanity as we know it can be sustained,” he says.

This means reprioritizing how we spend our time, energy and resources to support a solid foundation for today (Box 1 work), even as we create the headroom to work toward the future (Box 3 work). Importantly, this means we have to let go of people, work, behaviors, processes that aren’t helping us do either (Box 2 work):

Box 1: Manage the Present

In this box, we identify all the things we must keep doing to live our best lives, or to maintain peak performance. This is where

we identify what it takes to keep the trains on the track. These efforts need resources - time, energy, money, and we should align those resources accordingly. Our Box 1 work requires steady focus and attention.

Box 2: Forget The Past

This is the hardest box to fill. This is where you place people, habits, practices, businesses that aren’t helping you perform at peak happiness or success, and/or won’t help you get to the future you imagine. Letting go and stopping are the hardest things for us to do personally or professionally, but we have to do this to create time and resources for Box 3 work - which is where we create and innovate. Our Box 2 work takes the courage to say no.

Box 3: Imagine The Future

With the time and resources we freed up in Box 2, we can focus on those new activities, new ventures, new learnings that pro pel us toward the future we desire. At work, this is where we finally get to spend time on new ideas. Personally, this is where we commit time to learning new skills, or developing new relationships. With out the “destruction” of our Box 2 work, Box 3 work is easy to set aside. Box 3 work takes commitment and tenacity.

“By

Tess Coody-Anders is a serial smalltowner, having spent most of her adult life in towns where everybody knows your business. A Seguin High School graduate, Tess currently serves as Vice President for Strategy and Strategic Communications at Trinity University. Welcome to Pecan Town is Tess’s column which seeks to explore opportunities and challenges from explosive growth in our area.

Collectively,

our

Wishing you, my

fans eagerly anticipate digging into the savory cuts of sizzling beef waiters serve up. The precursor to that portion of the meal is often a wedge salad, which offers a crisp complement to the richness of the steak.

salads are traditionally made with iceberg lettuce and drizzled with a flavorful dressing — often blue cheese. However, there’s no set rules when it comes to wedge salads. With this recipe for “Watermelon Wedge Steakhouse Salad,” courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board and 2018 Watermelon Recipe Contest Winner Chauna Havey, diners can skip the lettuce altogether.

Anytime Anywhere Seguin Today launches new MONTHLY SHOW

THIS

A...

If

you’re late to the party and wondering why people love podcasts so much, there are a few simple reasons. They are accessible, allow you to listen whenever you want, and they build community. That’s why Seguin Radio KWED, the Seguin Daily News and our monthly magazine Seguin Today has launched the Seguin Today Podcast.

KWED Digital Media Producer, Jarred Kindles is part of the team that conceptualized the project before bringing it to life.

“KWED started as a radio station, so we wanted to build on that foundation,” he said. “Most of our Seguin Today stories don’t air on the radio, and if they do, they usually only run once. So, we thought it would be a fun idea to take those stories and craft a project around them. Each episode will be a slice of life in Seguin and will really focus on our diverse and growing com munity.”

The first episode, titled ‘This is a Podcast,’ was produced by Kindles and KWED Creative Director Lizz Daniels. Together, they selected stories, created segments, and found music to tie it all together.

“Let’s be honest, not everybody wants to read their stories,” Daniels said. “We like to multi-task and packaging these stories each month is going to allow our listeners to do that. Whether you’re driving to work or washing the dishes, you can just pop in your headphones and enjoy it however you feel like. It’s a dif ferent, modern way to consume the content we are already pro ducing, and I’m excited for the community to be able to interact with us in a new way.”

The project took the coordination and talents of the entire KWED staff from top to bottom, but one man was mainly kept in the dark during the early production stages –– and that man was KWED General Manager Darren Dunn.

“I think there was this idea that they wanted to do it and present it to me, and they felt like it was something they’d be proud to present,” Dunn said. “I was very much excited when they sent it to me, but also so surprised. I had no idea what to expect, but I was blown away and thought this is something that we need in our efforts to keep our community connected in and around Seguin.”

Photos by Lizz Daniels

cardiac care.