July 19th is Park and Recreation Professionals Day, and we can’t miss an opportunity to brag on our world-class Community Services staff.
Southlake’s Community Services team is dedicated to creating beautiful and inviting places where all residents can build life-long memories. Our award-winning parks, recreation, and athletic facilities are busy with kids, friends, and families looking for a fun time on any given day. Vibrant parks like North Park, Liberty Park at Sheltonwood, and Bob Jones Park are bustling and lively thanks to our Southlake Parks employees' hard work and passion.
From contract camps and Adaptive Recreation to fitness and birthday party rentals, our Recreation staff are committed to enhancing the quality of life for all residents. No matter what their job titles may say, every member of the Southlake Community Services team is a professional who takes pride in their work.
“I love my coworkers. Being a part of the landscape crew allows me to get out and work throughout the city.” Tony Mack, Parks Technician
"Hi there! My name is Sean Cornelius, and I am the Pickleball Coordinator for the newly opened Southlake Pickleball Complex. I love my job because I get to be part of the fun in people’s lives. When our members come to the facility they are always here to have a good time with family and friends. Seeing our facility full of life with good music and good times never fails to put a smile on my face. Whether I am teaching clinics, joining in on Open Play, or catching up with members I am proud to be part of our amazing Southlake Pickleball Community!” Sean Cornelius, Pickleball Coordinator
"I enjoy working in Parks and Recreation because my work is tangible, and I can see it every day. I can see the smiles on kids' faces, the satisfaction from a participant when they complete a program, and just in general work in a field whose goal is to bring health and happiness to the community. There is place for every single person to find a home and sense of belonging here with us, as every day is something fresh, new, and exciting in the world of Parks and Recreation!" Jonathan Weeks, Athletics Supervisor
“I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead the incredible group of park and recreation professionals who work daily to create world-class facilities, experiences, and memories for the citizens of Southlake and those who visit. We have the incredible opportunity to create places of belonging for everyone in the Southlake community in a variety of different ways and it takes an incredibly dedicated and talented team to do so. This year’s theme “Where you belong” is especially impactful because in the parks and recreation world that is a place for everyone to belong and that shows both on our team and in the variety of services that we are able to provide to our community,” David Miller, Director
As we celebrate Park and Recreation Month, let’s acknowledge and thank the Southlake Community Services team for their tireless work. They truly create places "where you belong," fostering community spirit and providing spaces for relaxation, play, and connection. Here’s to many more years of enjoying the parks, programs, special events, and facilities that make Southlake a one-of-a-kind place to live.
UPDATE: Flag Football registration has been extended through February 11th.
The weather may still be chilly outside, but our Athletics team is busy coordinating the Spring Athletics season.
If your athlete is keen to play in a Southlake Athletics League this Spring, then now is the time to secure your player’s spot! We offer a diverse array of athletics opportunities for young athletes to develop their skills, build life-long friendships, and have fun in a competitive and safe environment. Check out this season’s athletics offerings:
RISE Flag Football
Registration for Flag Football is open now until February 5. Divisions offered include K-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 (Grades are based on the current 2023-24 school year).
This year we are excited to offer Kindergarten and Girls Only Divisions to allow even more athletes to discover the love of football! Interested players must bring a team and contact Jonathan Weeks, Athletics Supervisor, for more details.
Spring Girls Volleyball- Individual Registration
Don’t miss the deadline to secure your player’s spot in Girls Volleyball! Registration is now open until February 12. Divisions offered include 8U, 10U, and 12U (age as of Sept 1, 2023).
New this season is 14U Girls - Teams Only Registration! Find your teammates and register your team!
Get Involved!
Love sports and mentoring young athletes to their full potential? Get involved with Southlake Athletics! All our leagues run on volunteer coaches. If you are an interested coach, the Athletics team is always looking for positive volunteers. The weekly commitment is around two hours, and no prior coaching experience is required!
Contact our staff if you are interested in more information on coaching!
We can’t wait to see how far our Spring sports-lovers will go this season!
E-Sports have found a home in Southlake, and the Ultimate Madden Showdown is the E-Sports Social event of the season!
Join us at the Legends Hall Ballroom on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, from 4:30-9:00 PM. Get ready to embark on an epic journey through the virtual gridiron with the most intense Madden tournament of the year! We're bringing you the *Ultimate Madden Showdown*, where champions are forged, legends are born, and bragging rights are earned. This isn't just a game; it's a battle for supremacy on the virtual football field.
Participants can compete on the platform of their choice (PS5 or Xbox) to face off against the best Madden players from around DFW. Compete for the ultimate bragging rights and enjoy free food and drinks with friends!
Not a Madden virtuoso? Spectators are welcome to join in the fun! Come to support and cheer on players and witness the epic plays and nail-biting moments that only Madden can deliver. Food will be available to all, and a standby list will be available for tournament hopefuls.
Don't miss out on the action! Join us for the Ultimate Madden Showdown and be part of the most electrifying Madden tournament of the year. It's time to make history, one touchdown at a time. Are you ready for the showdown of a lifetime? Grab your controller, and let's hit the virtual gridiron! Register today!
It may still be scorching outside, but our Athletics teams wrapped up another successful season.
Our Athletics division works hard to create world-class athletics experiences for our young athletes, and our players rise to the challenge season after season. Our highly sought-after programs had 244 participants registered for Summer Volleyball and 37 teams registered for Summer Basketball!
After a summer of teamwork, here are our final Championship results:
Volleyball:
Basketball:
Congratulations to all teams on a fantastic season!
Staff is now focusing on the Fall Athletics season for Flag Football and Volleyball! Registration for these two programs is still open, so feel free to share the registration links with the youth athletes in your life! Flag Football is available until August 7, and Volleyball registration is open until August 14.
We are also searching for volunteer coaches for both Flag Football and Volleyball. If you love sports and want to give back to your community, consider volunteer coaching! Your hard work and dedication could lead your team to victory! If you are interested, contact Jonathan Weeks or Luis Marquez!
It wouldn’t be Park and Recreation Month without celebrating the world-class efforts of our Recreation Division.
The Recreation team is the largest division of the Community Services Department. Their work makes our community stronger. From Athletics to Aquatics, these individuals go above and beyond to create life-long memories for our residents.
The City of Southlake boasts premier recreation facilities and programs, and the recreation professionals in charge of them take pride in delivering the best possible service. Whether you visit the Bob Jones Nature Center, Champions Club, or enroll in one of our programs, you're bound to run into someone from the Recreation Division. Let’s learn more about their day-to-day.
Athletics: This mighty team runs our athletic leagues, hosts athletic clinics, programs, camps, and partners with our athletic associations to provide recreational athletics services to the Southlake community. They are naturally excellent teammates!
Aquatics: Our top-notch staff manages the award-winning Aquatics Center in Champions Club. Their priority is everyone’s safety while ensuring Champions Club members have access to fun aquatics programs.
Fitness and Performance: This energetic group is all about helping people develop healthy habits. They are happy to help Champions Club members on their fitness journey and always do it with a smile. Their can-do attitude makes everything they do look easy!
Guest Services: This team represents Champions Club to members and visitors daily. They care deeply about forming meaningful connections with our members and take pride in representing our premier recreation facility. Greet them at the Front Desk, and they will surely return the smile!
Marq Maintenance: You don’t become an award-winning facility without a fantastic maintenance team. This dedicated group of staff is responsible for facility safety, maintenance, contract management, and the custodial needs of The Marq Southlake.
Programs: This team is about creating outstanding programs for the entire community to enjoy. From Club Metro to Camp Mania, the Programs team is committed to creating world-class experiences for people to enjoy during their free time.
Happy Park and Recreation Month to the Community Services Recreation Division! This team represents where our community grows every day!
Winter Basketball came and went, and now we’re ready for our Spring and Summer Seasons!
The Athletics staff has been busy kicking off Spring Volleyball and Flag Football after wrapping up another successful Winter Basketball season. As they prepare to welcome new athletics participants, we thought it fitting to highlight last season’s success.
Winter Basketball was a slam dunk last season as the league consisted of 110+ teams ranging from the 6-Year-Old Co-Ed League to the 14U Boys Teams League. Our participation numbers increased by 50% from last year’s numbers boasting around 1,000 participants playing in our winter league! These kids and volunteer coaches left it all on the court and brought home some gold!
Here’s a list of the Winter Basketball Champions:
Congratulations to all participants for a successful Winter Basketball season!
As our athletic seasons continue, our participation numbers continue to rise! For our Spring Leagues, we are excited to have 830 participants in Flag Football and 350 athletes registered for Girls' Volleyball. Our goal is to provide world-class experiences to all our athletes, and we can’t wait to see what the Spring leagues will accomplish.
Ready to see your child’s team play for a championship? Summer registration for Teams Basketball and Girls Volleyball is now open for residents and opens on April 17 for non-residents.
Spring Break is less than a month away, but you can never plan too far in advance for Spring Break Camps.
We know you want your kiddos to stay active and engaged during school breaks in a fun and safe environment. Luckily for you, our Programs and Athletics teams are offering a variety of Spring Break Camps for every interest and hobby!
Check out these Athletic Camps for young athletes looking to sharpen their skills:
For those that are more into STEAM, we have the following educational camps:
Our programs are popular and they fill out fast. Register early to secure your spot for Spring Break.
Spring Break is less than a month away, but you can never plan too far in advance for Spring Break Camps.
We know you want your kiddos to stay active and engaged during school breaks in a fun and safe environment. Luckily for you, our Programs and Athletics teams are offering a variety of Spring Break Camps for every interest and hobby!
Check out these Athletic Camps for young athletes looking to sharpen their skills:
For those that are more into STEAM, we have the following educational camps:
Our programs are popular and they fill out fast. Register early to secure your spot for Spring Break.
Spring Break is less than a month away, but you can never plan too far in advance for Spring Break Camps.
We know you want your kiddos to stay active and engaged during school breaks in a fun and safe environment. Luckily for you, our Programs and Athletics teams are offering a variety of Spring Break Camps for every interest and hobby!
Check out these Athletic Camps for young athletes looking to sharpen their skills:
For those that are more into STEAM, we have the following educational camps:
Our programs are popular and they fill out fast. Register early to secure your spot for Spring Break.
There’s nothing the Community Services Athletics Division loves more than hearing success stories from our programs.
We recently received an incredible essay from one of our Jiu-Jitsu participants, Thomas Highsmith. Thomas recounts his experience moving to Southlake from Washington D.C. at eight years old and finding his home with Sensei George Weidenhof and the Southlake Jiu-Jitsu community.
Thomas felt like a “tiny twig in a forest of giant oak trees,” during his first few classes as a second grader. In order to accommodate his busy schedule, Thomas started out his Jiu-Jitsu journey in the advanced class. Rising to the challenge of being amongst older and more experienced peers, Thomas knew early on that Jiu-Jitsu was where he wanted to spend his evenings after school.
The road to becoming a black belt was long and winding. Thomas had to prove competency in over a dozen techniques and build up the stamina to learn more than 15 School Rules. Sensei Weidenhof’s community encouraged him in his practice and encouraged him to become a leader on and off the mat.
After multiple years of dedication, determination, and practice, Thomas Highsmith is officially a black belt! He feels “truly humbled by this experience, all I have learned, the history that precedes me, and the sacrifices of many people involved. I have gained so much confidence, kindled a burning internal desire to always achieve my very best, learned the difference between kindness and being nice, and am grasping the challenging tenets of effective leadership.”
Thomas’s story demonstrates the positive impact participating in youth athletics can have on a child’s life. Finding Jiu-Jitsu helped Thomas grow as an athlete, person, and leader and eased his transition to Southlake to the point of becoming an active participant in the community. The confidence Jiu-Jitsu gave Thomas on the mat transferred to him “actively embracing leadership roles in academic team projects and at the Southlake Public Library.” Thomas attributes this seamless transition to “the art of Jiujitsu, its virtues, Sensei’s consistent reinforcement, and the accountability he places upon every member of [the] class.”
Sensei Weidenhof was kind enough to pass Thomas’s moving essay to our staff. According to Weidenhof, he is “so proud of Thomas, an amazing young man! The support was the best from the monitors at the Front Desk to Athletics Supervisor Jonathan Weeks.”
Congratulations on your achievements, Thomas, and thank you for sharing your journey with us!