Bloom [ Recreation ] Recreation in Brentwood January 2007

by Jim Mannion
Images by Russell Byrne

Jim provides two samples from among the wide range of opportunities Brentwood provides for people to get out of the house and involved in a diverse number of sports, recreation, and learning activities.

A feeling hits me every year right around mid-October, usually when I’m trudging through traffic on my way home from work in the early evening. A change comes in the sky, a certain brisk feeling in the air, and distinct grayness that says the summer is gone, and we’re rapidly approaching the darker, wetter months.

By the time I’ve made it home on those fall evenings, complete darkness has enveloped me, and I think back with a sense of regret that I should have spent more time outside when I had the chance, taking advantage of the parks and trails that wait with open arms for us to enjoy.

I usually spend winter racking my brain for ways to keep myself occupied and active, waiting for the spring and summer when I will turn over a new leaf and make sure to spend at least four or five days after work out and enjoying the daylight (or so I say).

But I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way. If I work hard enough or smart enough, I have a feeling I could find plenty of activities that are geared to mesh with my schedule. I should be able to find ways to stay active, whether by expending energy on inside activities or in braving the weather outside.

With that in mind, I tracked down the City of Brentwood Activities Guide for the fall and winter months and set out to experience some activities that were going on right in my own backyard.

It might be easier to grab the remote control and adjust the recliner, but here’s a look at a couple of things I came across in search of something more to do.

Finding the Steps with Ron Bermudez
One of the first winter classes that caught my eye was a Beginning Salsa Class taught at Bristow Middle School. My wife, Karen, and I had taken some ballroom dancing classes together in the past so we thought we could give Salsa a shot. We signed up for the Salsa class on Sunday nights instructed by Salsa legend Ron Bermudez, who is considered the founding father of Salsa on radio and TV in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Karen and I arrived at Bristow about 15 minutes before the class started and sat in the quiet exercise room, studying our reflections in the mirrors lining one of the walls. I had no idea what to expect and was looking forward to becoming acquainted with the steps and rhythms of salsa dancing.

Other students began to trickle in and we spoke with Cindy White, a Brentwood resident who had been taking Ron’s classes for about eight months. Even on a busy weekend, and before she was heading out of town, Cindy felt the need to make it to class.

“Salsa is fun because it is a cultural dance with a lot of passion and flair in the steps,” Cindy said before our class got underway.

“I like the elements of history and culture that are an integral part of the dance moves themselves.

Ron arrived in a flurry and immediately plugged in his CD player. The strains of Salsa music filled the air and an energy suddenly seemed to fill the room radiating to the faces and bodies of the nine students that were in attendance.

Ron has been dancing since he was seven years old and has worked with some of the most well-known Salsa dancers in New York and California, as well as leading a band called the Ron Bermudez All-Stars.

As class began, Ron really gave us a feel for the music by teaching us moves with such names as Universal and the Eddie Torres. I can still hear Ron’s voice in my head chanting the cadence for us, “1-2-3, 4-5-6!” The music began to move our feet as Ron guided us where to move and how to position our arms and legs.

The class was very free flowing and Ron made us all feel comfortable as we tripped our way through some of the more difficult turns. We moved down a line of various dance partners, which gave us a chance to meet others in the class. We began to understand what made Salsa so much fun for them.

The music and dance was mesmerizing. It was the kind of experience that made you forget where you are and what time it is. We were having a great time! Karen and I smiled and laughed through the entire lesson and before we knew it the hour-long session had flown by.

We said goodbye to our classmates, but before we left, Ron and one of his veteran students, Brentwood resident Alison Boudreau, gave us a demonstration on what Salsa can look like when performed very fast.

We sat there tapping our feet to the music as the pair twirled and stepped their way around the room. Salsa singers like Frankie Ruiz and Celia Cruz provided a vocal backdrop to a beautiful dance. Ron and Alison showed us what Salsa can look like when performed with skill and understanding.

Alison has been a volunteer instructor in Ron’s classes and enjoys the feeling of helping beginners.

“It’s a way of giving back to the community,” Alison said. “I love seeing students ‘get it,’ they look so happy laughing and having fun.”

Karen and I left feeling like we had learned a lot, and were looking forward to continuing our education in Salsa.

Tuesday Night Lights
Our Salsa class was exciting, but I also wanted to find an outdoor activity that was available in the winter months. I located exactly what I was looking for in the City of Brentwood’s Activities Guide.

I played football in high school, and since graduation enjoyed getting outside and throwing the ball around on various holiday occasions such as Thanksgiving. As a result of this background, the city’s flag football league caught my eye.

The Brentwood flag football league is in its second season and the city’s eight-team league is very well organized and competitive.

I made my way out to Sunset Park in Brentwood for our 8:30 p.m. game and as I approached I spotted the bright lights of the field in distance. For anyone who has played or been a fan of football, the lights of a field can bring an excitement and spark memories of past games or players.

I hooked up with one of the teams that plays during the Tuesday night league in the Fall. I had to laugh when I saw that the team had named themselves “The Has-Beens.” I arrived early at Sunset Park’s Gilbert Dominguez for the scheduled game so I could take in some of the earlier games that were being played.

Even though we were playing a limited contact version of the game — with flags on our belt and without football equipment — I, nevertheless, was caught up in the excitement of being immersed, once again, in a physical and competitive environment.

Unlike regulation football, the game of flag football is played on a 60-yard field, rather than 100 yards, and with a total of only eight players on the field at a time, instead of the standard 24.

The pace of the game is very quick, since no kicks or punts are permitted, and only three plays are allowed to get a first down, which is marked by yellow cones at mid-field.

Players on our team began to arrive and began doing warm-ups with short wind-sprints and throwing the football around.

The team manager, a man named Abel Ordaz, passed out black jerseys with the “Has-Beens” team name on the front in bold white letters and player numbers on the back.

The teams in the league had chosen creative names like The Last Minutes and Gang Green, so it’s easy to see that while all the teams were out there to win, everyone playing knew we weren’t playing in the Super Bowl, and that after the last flag was snatched and the last pass was caught (or dropped), we would all wake up with aches and pains, and head off to our day jobs.

Our game got underway, and the eight players on our team freely substituted between offensive and defensive positions.

I jumped in on offense after a couple of possessions, and after catching a couple of passes and getting dirty diving for a ball, I felt like the years separating me from my days of playing regular football had evaporated.

“It’s like riding a bike,” as the old saying goes. It seemed effortless to pick up the intricacies of the game again. The action reminded me of how much fun playing football can be. The others in the game agreed.

A light haze was hanging over the park, the field was blanketed with moisture, and we Has-Beens ran, passed, and cut our way to a 44-14 win. The act of running around in wet cleats, and catching a solid leather ball made me realize that football is still football — whether competing for a National Championship in the Rose Bowl or playing for bragging rights at Gilbert Dominguez Field on a Tuesday night in Brentwood.

“I played high school and junior college football, so being able to get out and play competitive football again is awesome!” Ordaz said. “And just being out there with the guys is a lot of fun.” He also coaches his son’s youth football team.

The league has increased in popularity over the two seasons it has been in operation, and the city plans on coordinating another season in the Spring of 2007.

Whether it was learning dance steps at Salsa class, or diving for a pass in a flag football game, I was happy to take advantage of a couple things from among all the opportunities that our city provides for us to get out from in front of our TV sets and get active — even on days when the weather is dark and gray.

Sometimes a little motivation is all that is required — or perhaps a New Year’s Resolution to get out and try something new. A person can never tell what might develop into a new hobby or even into a life long passion. °

For more information on classes and activities the City of Brentwood has to offer visit the website at www.ci.brentwood.ca.us, or call (925) 516-5400.