PHOTO BY WALTER HUG
BERKS BICYCLE CLUB
For those who prefer wheels to heels, the Berks County Bicycle Club will have you riding all year long. Club President Kate Kennedy said that there are rides every weekend of the year, and April through September there are rides three days a week. “It’s a great opportunity to ride with other people, meet new folks in the area, and challenge yourself,” says Kennedy.
“We have a lot of people in our club who are very fit and very fast; some of them are racers. I would say it's 60/40 men to women and the average age is 35 to 45.”
There are other rides designed to be shorter and easier, such as the “Social Stay Together” and the “Seasoned Spoke” rides.
“There are rides at different levels that run 10-15 miles per hour for beginners or seniors, and there are rides that range from 25 to 105 miles on the weekend,” says Kennedy.
When you arrive at one of the 10 different start locations through the county, you may be broken up into smaller groups depending on the number of people signed up for the ride. Group sizes range from 6 to 25, and Kennedy explains there is safety in numbers.
Recent state legislation has made it possible for bicycles to have the right to be on the road, and motorists must give them at least 4 feet of distance between moving vehicles. The club rules include helmets, waivers and obeying the laws. “Everybody that shows up signs a waiver at the beginning of the ride so we can keep track of riders,” she says.
Ride information and membership sign up is available to the public on berksbicycle.com. Membership per household is $20 a year, and the club currently serves about 250 households.
According to Kennedy, you don’t have to be a member to ride with the club; however, membership does include a card that gets you 10 to 20 percent off at 10 area bike shops, a picnic, a banquet and other events.
Kennedy explains that the club was started 39 years ago by cyclists who wanted to form a club with group rides. Next year will be their 40th anniversary. The club survives through membership and fundraisers such as the “Shoofly Classic” starting from the Oley Fairgrounds Sept. 9, which Kennedy says features four rides, 400 riders, 20 to 100 miles of riding, and rest stops with homemade shoofly pie and other homespun delights.
All you need is a desire to ride, a new or used road bicycle with multiple gears, a helmet, a spare tube and a patch kit.
Contact or sign up for Berks Bicycle Club at: berksbicycle.com or friend them on Facebook (Berks Bicycle Club).
DON’T FORGET THAT MEMBERS GET DISCOUNTS ON ALL THESE ITEMS AND MORE AT THE FOLLOWING STORES: BICYCLE BARN | 839 Reading Rd. (Rt. 625) | East Earl | 717.445.8508 THE CRANK | 203 West Penn Ave. | Wernersville | 610.898.1500 JB MOUNTAIN BIKES | 207 W. Lancaster Ave. | Shillington \ 610.777.5253 SHIRK’S BICYCLE SHOP | Ligalaw Rd. | East Earl | 717.445.5731 SLEEPING DOG PRO CYCLES| 330 W. Weis St. | Topton | 610.682.1000 SPOKES’ CYCLE SHOP | Route 61 | Hamburg | 610.562.8900 WEAVER’S BIKE SHOP | 729 Park Rd. | Fleetwood | 610.944.9565 WOLVERTON’S BIKE SHOP | 2904 Kutztown Rd. | Hyde Park | 610.929.8205 SKYLINE BICYCLES AND SKATEBOARDS | 2573 Perkiomen Avenue | Mount Penn | 610.378.9778 THE VILLAGE BICYCLE SHOP LLS | 7 S. Village Circle | Reinholds | 610.742.4786
READING RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Established in 1978, the Reading Rugby Football Club is a great Berks alternative to football, and it’s the only one in the county. The team competes in the Eastern Penn Rugby Union and is currently at the Division III level, playing against teams from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
The game itself was born from a version of football played at Rugby School in the United Kingdom, and was one of several versions played at English public schools in the 1800s. Clubs began forming around 1864, and a union was founded in 1871. After that, memberships began exploding in the UK and eventually internationally.
Reading Rugby Captain Tom Sauppee says the team is always looking for members.
“A lot of guys don’t know about the club and they think they don’t know the rules…well that’s fine. No experience necessary. You can come out, play, try it, we’ll show you the rules, show you how to play. We’ll teach you the game and if you don’t like it, at least you tried it. It’s a hobby and a men’s social club,” explains Tom.
All social clubs have dues, but Tom said it’s only $50 for a rookie, taking into consideration that a new member might have to purchase gear such as spikes, a mouthpiece and/or rugby shorts. Dues cover insurance and union fees.
Tom says the best way to sign up is to leave a comment on Facebook. “Leave information for us if you want to play. We’ve had a lot of guys doing that lately, and our numbers are progressing. There are a lot of guys talking about getting this sport bigger in the Reading area.”
He also notes there are differences between rugby and football. “There are no pads and no forward passing. Only lateral or behind, and there are 15 players on 15 with one referee and the object is to go forward. There are no linemen and there is no blocking. That would result in a penalty or turnover.”
Team President Ryan Sauppee says that for a men’s club, it’s the closest thing to high school football you’ll get. “It’s a total rush. Each player gets to play offense and defense,” he explains. According to Ryan, there are rugby teams close to Berks.
“There’s Lehigh Valley, there’s Lancaster, Brandywine, Doylestown, South Jersey, a bunch of Philly teams. There’s a lot located 45 minutes to an hour away from us, but we’re the only ones in our county,” Ryan says.
The games are played at Brookline Park Field off Lancaster Avenue at the intersection of Kenhorst and Meade on Saturday at 1pm and are currently in season. Practices are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at Baer Park, off Route 183 by Southwest Elementary School.
Ryan says that Trooper Thorn’s on Route 10 is happy to sponsor the club. “They let us sing our rugby songs after practice and provide food and drink. We have a great relationship. It’s part of the game of rugby and having fun doing it!”
Comraderie, exercise, partying, practicing, and mingling are among reasons to join, says Ryan. “We remain friends on and off the field…and I’ve got a lot of connections through the game.”
Contact Reading Rugby Club on Facebook under Reading Rugby or email Tom Sauppee at tomsauppee@yahoo.com or President Ryan Sauppee at ryansauppee@yahoo.com. You can also visit epru.org for a list of officers and contact information.
READING KICKBALL CLUB
For baseball fans, exercise enthusiasts, social butterflies and celebrities alike, kickball has a lot to offer.
Now you can relive kickball memories from your formative years right here in Berks County. But this version of the sport is not for kids. You must be 18 or older to play, the club is co-ed, and there are variations in the pitching and field positions.
Just ask Reading Kickball Club Founder Abbie Vanderbeck, whose love for exercise and adventure landed her a spot on Mark Burnett’s reality show, Expedition Impossible, which aired last year on ABC.
In October, Vanderbeck brought a kickball league to Berks County after having joined one in Connecticut, where she lived for three years after graduating from Millersville University.
“When I lived in Connecticut I didn’t know anybody and I needed to find a way to meet people. I found big league kickball and I was hooked,” she explains.
Vanderbeck says there are now about six divisions of kickball clubs from New York to Connecticut and hers is the only one in Pennsylvania.
According to Vanderbeck, the team size ranges from 8 to 26 players, and the club currently has more than 70 members in the division. Games are now held on Sundays between Noon and 3pm at Kline’s Creek Park, off the Mohnton exit of 222, which was recently given to the Reading Kickball Club to use by the Township of Spring Parks and Recreation Department. The spring season runs from April 15 to June 10. They are currently accepting fall sign ups. This division fee is $60 per person. “We are always accepting more members, and we can have as many teams as we want,” says Vanderbeck.
Kickball was invented in the United States during the first half of the 20th century and is similar to baseball without bats. “It is like baseball, but the number one rule is no whining,” explains Vanderbeck.
Other differences from baseball include a smaller field size and three fouls before being declared "out!" “You can be up for a really long time if you decide to wait it out,” she says.
Probably the biggest draw for guys and gals is the social aspect of the sport. The Beverly Hills Tavern is a sponsor of the club, and after the game, everyone goes there to enjoy food, libations and great company. “We go over there in waves. As your team gets done, you head over there, and then the next group gets done and heads over. There’s T-shirts, team colors, team names and people wear crazy high socks, “ Vanderbeck says. “It’s a great way to meet people, a lot of singles, couples. It’s great socially.”
When it comes to a sports alternative, this is one you’re sure to get a kick out of.
Contact or sign up at ilovekickball.com, or you can friend them on Facebook at Reading Kickball. E-mail –Readingkickball@gmail.com.
