Sports

Phil Lundin, head men's track and field coach at the University of Minnesota, has been named head men's cross country and track and field coach at St. Olaf. Lundin, a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, will begin his new job this summer.

Lundin ("lun-DEEN"), a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, will finish the spring season at Minnesota before taking the reins at St. Olaf this summer. He will replace Bill Thornton, who is retiring after nearly four decades of service at St. Olaf.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge -- one that is more than coaching," says Lundin, a graduate of Augsburg College. "I'm excited to get back to my roots."

The Northfield Gymnastics Club is sponsoring a golf tournament again this year as the club’s major fundraising event.

The tournament will be held at the Northfield Country Club beginning at 1:00pm on June 16th. Cost per individual is $100 and includes golf, cart and dinner. Or if you can only join us for dinner, the cost is $25 per person. There will also be an auction, door prizes and personal goodie bags for golfers.

A registration form is attached, or you can pick one up at the Northfield Gymnastics Club (601 Professional Drive) or from our website.

Individuals or corporations wishing to further assist with Hole Sponsorships, contribution of Auction Items or Door Prizes would also be greatly appreciated.

About the Northfield Gymnastics Club

Submitted by Suzie Nakasian

(Photos taken by Pat O'Loughlin at the Northfield Earth Day Contra Dance last Saturday, April 26.)

• Click here to see the gallery
• Click here to see the slideshow

The dance was generously underwitten by Carleton's SOPE (Students Organized for the Protection of the Environment) in collaboration with the St. Olaf Environmental Coalition and the Northfield Community Contra Dance Association. The dance was held in Carleton's "Great Space", Sayles Hill Campus Center, and was attended by about 180 people - they were moving - I couldn't count. The room was packed. Music was provided by Contratopia and the dance was led by dance "caller" Robin Nelson of Minneapolis.

A good time was had by all...including the band, as evidenced in the attached photos.

Note: the next opportunity to contra dance in Northfield will be the June Moon Community Dance, part of the NDDC's upcoming Taste of Northfield Celebration on Bridge Square on June 19. The June Moon Dance will proudly feature Northfield's Over and Back Band and include swing dancing, waltzes and contra dances led by dance "caller" Beau Farmer.

The first ever muggle quidditch tournament was held Saturday at Carleton College. Despite a forecast of rain and snow, it was a beautiful spring day, and it was a hoot watching the students run about with brooms between their legs, throwing balls at each other and at the hula hoop goals.

Check out this short video clip or the set of 16 photos in the Northfield.org community photo gallery.

Northfield community members of all ages who enjoy playing tennis are invited to attend the Northfield Tennis Association meeting on Monday, May 5, 2008.  The meeting will be held from 7:30-8:45 p.m. in room SS106 of the Northfield Community Resource Center (1651 Jefferson Parkway). 

The meeting is open to those of all ages and tennis ability levels.  The group will discuss the many summer tennis opportunities taking shape for youth and adults, as well as the free community Tennis Block Party, scheduled for Saturday, May 17.

For more information about the Northfield Tennis Association and its upcoming events and programs, visit www.northfield.usta.com.

The Northfield Public Schools Community Services Division Summer Brochure is arriving in your mailbox soon. The brochure contains information on youth and adult recreation, KidVentures, youth and adult enrichment, Early Childhood Family Education, Project ABLE, and Adult Basic Education. Online registration is available for all programs.

Northfield Community Services; 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield, MN 55057; www.nfld.k12.mn.us (follow the Community Services links); tel. 507-664-3649.

Submitted by The River City Raven

We may have had a lousy start to spring, but baseball season continues at my favorite local book haunt. That’s because Steve Johnson, author of Chicago Cubs Yesterday & Today, will appear at River City Books at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, for a discussion and book signing.

“Chicago Cubs” is an exploration of the life and times of one of the most recognizable franchises in professional sports. Pairing historical black-and-white images with photographs of the modern game, the book celebrates more than a century of ups and (mostly) downs in the history of a team known for its diehard fans.

Just weeks after a trio of top three finishes at the NCAA's, including his second straight national title in the 200 Individual Medley, St. Olaf junior Nelson Westby met another career milestone on Saturday when he qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials with his 1:03.9 swim in the 100 Meter Breaststroke at the Ohio State Grand Prix Invitational in Columbus, Ohio.

Westby is one of about 50 that will qualify in the 100 Breast for the Trials, which will run in July in Omaha, Neb.

Read the rest of the story at stolaf.edu.

Serve, Set, Bump, Spike! The YMCA is proud to announce our newest program collaboration with the Volleyball Association. This twice-a-week, clinic for kids in grades 3rd - 5th, will provide kids with the skills necessary to play well, exercise their bodies and have fun. Classes will be offered Tuesday and Thursday evening beginning April 22nd at the National Guard Armory 6-7:30 pm.

Clinic will be broken into two segments focusing on skills and technique and game time. Participants should bring knee pads, a water bottle and prepare to have fun!

For more details, hover your mouse over the “Programs” tab above and select “Volleyball”. To register, go to our website,www.northfieldymca.org or call 507-645-0088.

Last Sunday, Carey Tinkelenberg and Gene Uenishi of the Northfield Skating School stood alongside arena managers, psychologists, accountants, artistry specialists, and skating leaders from around the country to give their first national presentation. The event was the first annual US Figure Skating National Director’s Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. The presentation, entitled, “Using Modern Technology to Enhance Your Program” was intended to show other directors the features of the NSS website (www.northfieldskating.org) and explain how they can create similar sites with limited computer background.

After the presentation, Susi Wehrli, Director of Membership at US Figure Skating Headquarters invited Carey and Gene to come to Chicago to presentat at the National Association of Rinks Conference and Expo (NARCE)! We look forward to going on the road again in May.

Northfield community members of all ages who enjoy playing tennis are invited to attend the Northfield Tennis Association meeting on Monday, April 7, 2008. The meeting will be held from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in room SS106 of the Northfield Community Resource Center (1651 Jefferson Parkway). Please note the new time!

The meeting is open to those of all ages and tennis ability levels. The primary focus of the meeting will be planning summer tennis activities, as well as the upcoming Tennis Block Party celebration.

For more information about the Northfield Tennis Association, visit www.northfield.usta.com.

If any of you happen to be going to the Minnesota Twins-Kansas City Royals game at the Metrodome this Friday (April 4), this fellow Northfield resident will be sitting at a table somewhere along the cement concourse trying to peddle signed copies of Chief Bender’s Burden.

The book will be on sale, but even if you only have enough money in your pocket for a beer and a brat, I hope you will stop by and say hello. Local events have been scheduled; details will be posted here this week.

Join over a half-million people and celebrate the nation’s largest health day for kids—YMCA Healthy Kids Day—Saturday, April Twelfth! It’s a free, fun-filled morning of interactive games, family activity, health give-aways and more…The Y is helping families play more and embrace healthy new life choices.

The Northfield Area Family YMCA is growing leaps and bounds and the Spring I session classes begins next week. Collaboration is the name of the game for many of the new programs to include the Volleyball Association and Carleton’s Prairie and Wood Day Camp program.

On the horizon are also programs in collaboration with the Soccer Association and the Northfield School District. Collaborations provide an invaluable opportunity to share resources, reduce costs and provide quality, safe, FUN programs. You can find information on the new slate of classes to include Indoor Soccer, Dodgeball, Mini Movers, Wiggles and Giggles (open gym) and the very popular, Princess In Training classes at www.northfieldymca.org, and you can register right through the website. The YMCA has worked out a cooperative arrangement to offer many programs at the Armory.

(Submitted by Virginia Kaczmarek)

Join over a half-million people and celebrate the nation’s largest health day for kids—YMCA Healthy Kids Day—Saturday, April Twelfth! It’s a free, fun-filled morning of interactive games, family activity, health give-aways and more…The Y is helping families play more and embrace healthy new life choices.