Tim Waer, executive director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Commission, is glowing with that combination of exhaustion and exhilaration one gets at mile 23 of a marathon. For good reason. Over the past 50 days, he and his staff of six have scrambled to give life to a long-term idea the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Commission has held, bringing the emphasis on sports back to Tacoma.
The dream suddenly became a reality when a gymnastics tournament needed some help paying for space at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center over the holiday weekend of Jan. 14-16. A lemons-into-lemonade concept was born: spin the gymnastics tournament into what Waer hopes will be an annual event, the LET'S PLAY! Sports and Fitness Fest, an ambitious, all-inclusive celebration of Tacoma's unsung amateur sports clubs.
Says Waer, "I'll walk up to a group of teens, point at one, then another and say ‘name a sport, any sport.' Chances are it's going to be represented at the festival."
One teen recently tried to stump Waer, shouting out "Fencing!"
Insert game show buzzer sound here: the Metro Tacoma Fencing Club is confirmed for both a demo and a competition.
Zumba? You got it. Karate, quad rugby and stand-up paddleboard are all participating, along with the usual suspects like baseball, basketball and tennis. Many of the sports listed on the festival home page may be unfamiliar (dragon boat racing?).
Skip Google and just show up.
Each sports club will have a booth with a representative ready to share with attendees what it's all about and how to get involved. Many will offer beginner classes as part of the festival's schedule. There will also be opportunities to participate in rock climbing, T-ball and even an interactive toddler area for the little ones to blow off some steam. Monday, the LET'S PLAY! Sports and Fitness Fest will wraps up with the "LET'S WALK" event, where non-perishable food collected on behalf of the Emergency Food Network during the LET'S PLAY Festival will be walked the 2.5 kilometers to the Tacoma Dome and delivered during the city's annual MLK celebration.
"It's all about playing and experimenting, and maybe even falling in love with a sport you've never tried before," says Waer. "Come in your sweats and get ready to move."
South Sound event producer Quincy Henry, who's behind the Grit City Fest among other things, joined Waer and his staff to arrange a line-up of entertainment designed to attract all ages, from the kids' musical sensation Recess Monkeys and the Tacoma Rainiers mascot Rhubarb to the Seahawks Blue Thunder Drumline.
Not bad for the festival's flagship event. As Henry points out, "It's a process. As the festival grows and returns year after year, the special guests will be more likely to join in early, and confirm."
Due to what initially looked like a scheduling conflict, the festival's dates (Jan. 14-16) coincide with the Children's Museum of Tacoma's long-awaited grand re-opening at their new location (1501 Pacific Ave. ). This happy accident led to a meeting of the minds in which the festival and the museum will partner to celebrate learning through play and sports. Capitalizing on the potential activity downtown, the Children's Museum of Tacoma will act as a co-host of the LET'S PLAY! Festival.
The LET'S PLAY! Sports and Fitness Festival and its partners have a mission for Tacoma that's beneficial both on an economic level and on a level closer to home for most of Tacoma's nearly 200,000 residents. Not only will the festival, its attractions and tournaments bring out-of-towners to Tacoma, meaning money spent on things like lodging and food, but it will bring a renewed awareness to health and teamwork to all who attend. Sport psychology studies show participating in sports is an effective way to help manage anxiety and build self-confidence - essential tools for success for an individual and, big picture, for the community.
To be able to say, "I was there" at Tacoma's first ever LET'S PLAY! Sports and Fitness Festival, Waer and Henry say come on down to the Tacoma Convention Center MLK Weekend. Curious observers, participants: all are welcome. So are volunteers, something the festival still needs. If you are interested in volunteering, you can call 253.327.1786 or email quincyh@ tacomasports.org.
LET'S?PLAY! Sports and Fitness Festival
Jan. 14-16, Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday "Let's Walk!" starts at 9 a.m., free, Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, 1500 Broadway, Tacoma, letsplaytacoma.org
| 
