Get the Ride of Your Life and Raise Money for Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation

The Dragon Boat Festival made its debut last year where over 1,100 participants got the ride of their life in the Tennessee River as a way to raise money for the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation. Set for May 11 in the Point Mallard Park Aquatic Center, the event promises to make waves again in 2013 as paddlers compete for medals and bragging rights and spectators cheer on their favorite teams.

The Dragon Boat Race and Festival is a unique cultural event featuring adrenaline-pumping action while also serving as a fundraiser for the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation. Teams, comprised of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a trained dragon boat steerer/coach, will race in authentic Asian-style, 46-foot-long dragon boats. Teams may have four alternates, for a total of 25 team members, or can race with a minimum of 16. There must be at least eight female paddlers and minimum age for adult teams is 15 with parental consent. Each team is guaranteed at least two races on the 250-meter race course with winners advancing to the finals.

Racing starts at 9 a.m. and events last throughout the day until approximately 4 p.m., rain or shine. Spectators may watch and cheer on their favorite team from the beach area of the Point Mallard Aquatic Center or from the water at a safe distance from the race course. The concession stand will be open throughout the event. Water Park pools and rides will be closed.

Admission and parking are free. Donations will be accepted with proceeds benefiting the Decatur General Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization providing financial support to the programs and services of Decatur Morgan Hospital.

Sponsors for the 2013 event include Presenting Sponsor Toray, BP of Decatur, The Decatur Daily, Boeing, Clear Channel, Daikin, Decatur Parks and Recreation, FOX 54, Garden Plaza Hotel and Suites, Lynn Layton, Nucor, Temple, Inc., Valley Budweiser, Bryant Dental, Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Regions Bank, Pepsi of Decatur, Point Mallard Park, Volunteer Center of Morgan County, and Warren Averett Kimbrough and Marino.

Dragon boat racing is the eighth fastest growing sport in the world, with more than 50 million people in 63 countries participating. The tradition of Dragon Boat Racing is an annual Asian rite commemorating the idealistic poet and reformer Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the third century B.C. to protest against his emperor’s policies. The locals raced in their boats in an attempt to rescue the poet, and beat their drums and splashed their paddles to prevent fish and water dragons from eating his body. This was considered the beginning of Dragon Boat Racing. For more information about dragon boat racing, visit www.racedragonboats.com.

For more information on the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation Dragon Boat Race and Festival, visit www.decaturdragonboat.org.    

Decatur to Host SWAC Softball Tournament 2013-2015

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has announced Wilson Morgan Softball Complex in Decatur, Ala., will be the site of the 2013, 2014, and 2015 SWAC Softball Championship Tournament. The Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Decatur’s Parks and Recreation Department will host the event for over 200 athletes and coaches, along with their families, traveling from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama.

The 2,000-seat facility will serve as host venue for the 13 game double-elimination tournaments May 8-11, 2013, May 7-10, 2014, and May 6-9, 2015. The top eight teams in the SWAC East and West Divisions qualify for the championship tournament and teams are seeded based on regular season results among the conference programs. Championship game time is 3 p.m. CST on May 11^th. The event will receive live coverage on ESPN3and will broadcast later on ESPNU at 9 p.m. CST. ESPN3 is available to 83 million households via the multi-screen network platform, which is available online at the WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets with the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox Live. ESPN3 broadcasts are carried by Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and Verizon, the main cable providers of New York and the tri-state area.

Daily admission is $6/adult and $3/child and weekend passes are $20/adult and $10/child. Parking is free. Wilson Morgan Softball Complex features six lighted fields, centrally located concessions, quad, press box and batting cages. Each field has a clay infield and beautiful grass, maintained by electronically controlled underground irrigation systems. Located at 300 Beltline Road, the facility can seat over 2,000 spectators with additional seating available. For more information on Wilson Morgan Softball Complex, visit www.decaturparks.com.

For more information, contact Melinda Dunn at 256.350.2028 or 800.524.6181. 

SWAC is organized exclusively for the purpose of encouraging, promoting, advancing, and conducting intercollegiate sports activities and other recreational and not-for-profit activities among the members of the Conference. Current member schools are (East Division) Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, and (West Division) University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College, and Texas Southern University. For more information, visit www.swac.org. 

AYSA's State Cup and Final Four Tournaments Return to Decatur in May

The Alabama Youth Soccer Association’s (AYSA) Division I State Cup Preliminaries (U13-U14 girls and boys), Division II State Cup (U11-U13 girls and boys), and Division I Final Four (U13) returns to Decatur, Alabama in 2013. The Division I State Cup Preliminaries and Division II State Cup will take place May 3-5, 2013 with the Division I State Cup Final Four following May 10-12. All tournaments will take place at the Jack Allen Recreation Complex.

Decatur has played host to the youth soccer tournaments since 2007, excluding 2011 when the city of Decatur withdrew from hosting because of the devastation and hotel demand from the April tornado outbreak. Previous tournaments have produced an economic impact of over $220K for the city of Decatur, bringing in athletes and their families who stayed in local hotels, made purchases in gas stations and convenience stores, and dined in restaurants over the course of two weekends.

The Division I tournament is a top level qualifying event with winners advancing to regional tournaments where an invitation to the US Youth Soccer National Championships – the crown jewel of competitive youth soccer - is on the line. The Division II tournament decides which teams are Division II state champions and will represent Alabama in the USYSA Regional III President’s Cup which will also take place in Decatur June 6-9, 2013.  

AYSA is the governing body for all soccer clubs in Alabama who qualify to participate in these events. For more information on the State Cup tournaments, visit the AYSA’s website at www.alabamayouthsoccer.org.

The Jack Allen Recreation Complex contains 10 international size lighted fields with laser-graded certified sports turf and a computerized irrigation system. With the additional fields located in Point Mallard Park, Decatur has quickly become known nationally as a top rated soccer tournament location. For more information on the Jack Allen Recreation Complex, visit www.decatursports.com. 

42nd Annaul Racking Horse Spring Celebration Set for April 24-27

The second largest Racking Horse Show in the United States returns to Decatur April 24-27, 2013 at the Morgan County Celebration Arena. Featuring different classes and divisions of Racking Horses, the Spring Celebration is expected to attract entries from over 25 states competing for honors, as well as over $30,000 in prize money.

The competition begins each night at 6 p.m. with the Grand Champion to be announced on Saturday evening. On Friday, children are invited to participate in the “Stick Horse” class. This event allows children to bring their own stick horse for friendly competition in the arena. Every participant receives a ribbon. On Saturday, there will be a horse sale beginning at 10 a.m. in the Sale Barn.   

General admission Wednesday through Friday is $6 per person, Saturday is $10 per person, and free for children 6 years old and under. The Morgan County Celebration Arena located at 67 Horse Center Road (off Highway 67 East) in Decatur.

For additional information on the racking horse breed and a current show schedule, contact the RHBAA at 256.353.7225 or visit its website at www.rackinghorse.com.

About the Racking Horse Breeders Association of America (RHBAA)

The purpose of RHBAA is to collect, record and preserve the pedigrees of Racking Horses, to publish a register or studbook, and other such matters pertaining to the breeding, exhibiting and sales of Racking Horses. With the formation of RHBAA in 1971, the Racking Horse has grown in popularity. Today, there are over 80,000 racking horses registered with the RHBAA, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Decatur, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature proclaimed the racking horse as the “Official State Horse for the State of Alabama” on October 5, 1975.