Opportunities abound for opportunities get outside and play

The days between the Fourth of July holiday and Labor Day seem to melt between fast and slow, depending on how crammed the schedules are as we try to take advantage of every warm-weather opportunity.

As we found in June, nature dictates a lot of that valuable time on the baseball diamonds, soccer fields or outdoor swimming pools.

As we move through July, the days that the community pools are already on the countdown for closing which is much sooner than we think and Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game marks the unofficial midway period of the summer for many.

Both major Legion baseball tournaments were played with the Karnas Klassic in Richfield last weekend and the Red Haddox Wood Bat Classic the previous two weekends with Junior and Senior teams taking their turn at the Bloomington stadium.

Bloomington Family Aquatic Center is primed to host its annual outdoor race and the popular Firemen’s Softball Tournament will celebrate its 66th annual tournament July 18-21 at Valley View Playfields.

The Richfield Community Pool hosted the only outdoor Masters Swimming meet at the end of May in the state with swimmers ranging in age from 20 to 87.

Richfield will host another edition of the Urban Wildland Half Marathon and 5K on July 27 to benefit the Woodlake Nature Center.

Many additional runs will meander through our parks and road systems throughout the summer and fall for some very noteworthy causes.

Richfield Fastpitch hosted its sixth annual Urban Hometown Showdown July 6-7 with 14U and High School League divisions participating with national championship entries on the line.

Later this month Dred Scott Playfields in Bloomington will host MONSTA 10U Championships July 25-28 after hosting the Bloomington Bash June 7-9.

Bloomington Bandits baseball hosted a complete tournament schedule from early May through the end of June on the completely renovated fields at Kent Hrbek Playfields at 90th Street and Nicolet Avenue.

Hrbek and Kelly Fields will host Metro Baseball League August Classic tournaments Aug. 2-4.

Before then, Minnesota Baseball Tournaments will host 12AAA (July 12-14) and 12AA (July 19-21) state championships.

Minnesota Valley Country Club will host the state’s top amateur male golfers for the 121st MGA Amateur Championship July 15-17 with a spot on the line to join the field at the US Amateur in August at Hazeltine National.