*New-December Calendar of Community Sports, Recreation, & Cultural Events

CALENDAR BACKGROUND: Greetings to All of our supportive viewers and followers! To keep you even more connected with what’s happening right here and now, in our own giant backyard, (and sometimes a little beyond),  East L.A. Sports Scene is proud to share another feature. Please take a moment to review our ongoing Calendar of Community Sports, Recreation, and Cultural Events. It’s an effort to highlight outstanding events that our community leaders, and organizations believe will enhance the quality of life for all residents, through planned sports, recreational, and cultural activities. Take full advantage of this information by either registering (if required), participating in, and attending an event of your choice. Our Calendar has been designed to include events as they are submitted to us. We also include a very easy-to-read format. Please E-mail rico.p.cabrera@eastlass.com info about similar, and/or other upcoming events, that you feel will benefit our community. Be sure to Bookmark our site on your Favorites tab. This way, you will always be up-to-date on all events as we add them to our Calendar.

Our December events calendar reaches out to the following, and ever-growing groups of enthusiasts: Cyclists, Runners, Walkers, Skateboarders, Football Players/Fans, and Co-Ed Youth Basketball players, Just scroll down to the event of your choice, mark your calendars, and make your plans!! Rico Cabrera, Sr./East LA Sports Scene.Com

Credits: Fabian Debora, Homeboy Industries/Boyle Heights Photo collage.

                                                  [UPCOMING EVENTS]

December 7th, Sunday, cicLAvia- South Los Angeles, 9 am – 3 pm.

CicLAvia makes its first journey to South L.A. on December 7th. This route will connect beautiful Leimert Park in the Crenshaw District with historic Central Avenue, while traveling East and West along Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Participants will be able to enjoy the sights, music, food and culture that makes South L.A. such a vibrant part of Los Angeles. We encourage all East L.A. Sports Scene fans and followers who rode in the Boyle Heights/East L.A. cicLAvia ride last October, to get their bikes ready and come out for another fantastic event. You’ll experience a great fun-filled family day while getting in a good and healthy recreational bike ride. If you don’t come on a bike, no worries, bring your skateboard and embark on a new adventure. And for the very creative, you can bring your very own wheeled mode of transportation. Pedestrians are always welcomed since there will be NO motor vehicles allowed on the 6 mile route. You can enter the ride at any point between the start and finish lines. This is the third and final cicLAvia – L.A. of the year and promises to be another solid community success for this ever-growing civic and recreational event. On the route you will be treated to several “Hub Stops”  where you can take a“time-out” for refreshments, relaxation, and stop to enjoy a variety of “Live” entertainment acts. See new sites in our city that you may have never seen up close before. Finally, it goes without saying that at a massive public event such as this, you will definitely see some old friends you probably haven’t seen for awhile, and we guarantee that you’ll also make some new ones along the way. For more details, click on their website, www.ciclavia.org

* December 13th, Saturday, “The Miracle on 1st Street” 33rd Annual Toy Giveaway, 10 am – 1 pm.

It’s that time of the year once again as we count down 2014’s final days, and get ready to celebrate that one, most special Winter day, Christmas! For some 10,000 youngsters, between the ages of one and twelve, the annual“Miracle on First Street”  has become an event of great importance to their families whether they live in Boyle Heights, or East L.A.  and Beyond! Thanks to the unfailing efforts of the Hollenbeck Police Business Council, the Hollenbeck Youth Center, the L.A.P.D.’s Hollenbeck Division and major business sponsors Big 5 Sporting Goods, One West Bank, and the Spectrum Clubs, it’s all happening again. Bring your kids to see Santa and receive a gift, then join in the fun at the “Kids’ Game Zone,” or you might want to enjoy some very talented youth bands/mariachis perform on 1st St., and finally, interact with some specially invited guests. Don’t miss Santa as he makes his early stop at the Hollenbeck Youth Center!! (See flier for more details)

* January 10, 2015, Saturday, East L.A. Spartans, Minor League Football Pre-Season Opener

     Attention All East L.A. Sports Scene hard-core football fans!! Can you believe more Eastside-based football is just around the corner after the New Year’s holiday. Minor league football is fast approaching with Nikolaus “Niko” Gonzalez (Team Owner) and the East Los Angeles “Spartans” returning to the field for a pre-season game on January 10, 2015, at Roosevelt High School, 456 S. Mathews St., L.A. 90033, located in Boyle Heights. Kickoff is set for 7 pm. The Spartans will compete in the PAC West Football League, made up of nine teams from cities such as: San Diego, Santa Clarita, and Compton to name a few. The season officially starts on February 7th. More in-depth East L.A. Sports Scene media coverage on the team will be coming soon! For ticket info send your E-mail to eastlaspartans2013@yahoo.com

                                                   [ONGOING EVENTS]

 * December 10th & All Wednesdays Of The Month, at 8 pm. 

  There it is! The mighty 4th Street Bridge, waiting for all of the action to begin each and every Wednesday night. The Boyle Heights Bridge Runners Club sponsors a weekly evening community “Run” across the 4th Street bridge, starting in Boyle Heights at the Mariachi Plaza. The short 3 mile route then heads west over the bridge to our Civic Center and then winds back to the starting point. The group routinely gathers at at El Espacio, 1839 E. 1st St., (right near the Plaza) at 7:45 pm to stretch, receive a brief introduction/orientation, and then it’s off to the “Run the Bridge” at 8 pm sharp. At the Run’s conclusion, a group stretch is done at Mariachi Plaza before everyone breaks up.This has become a great way to stay healthy, as well as meeting new friends. For more information on how to join up, go to their FaceBook page and type in Boyle Heights Bridge Runners. The Run is also broken down for Beginners and Advanced. The formula is easy to followand adapt to — (3) miles for the Advanced and (2) miles for the Beginners group. Beginners will do (5) intervals of (4) minutes running/with (2) minutes walking. The group’s Directors say they are nearing their goal of establishing (5) minutes running/with (1) minute walking at the (3) mile route.No excuses now! Get out those new and/or old running shoes and get into the swing of healthy living with the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners Club! It’s a fresh start you won’t forget!

*Thru DECEMBER – Co-Ed Youth Basketball League Registrations @ Belvedere Park

Parents of youth basketball players, this is the time for you to take a moment and review the offer from the L.A. County Dept. of Recreation & Parks and register your boy or girl for their Winter 2015 recreational league at Belvedere Park. The park is located at 4914 Cesar Chavez, Ave. L.A. CA 90022. See the Blue flier below for more details. Registrations will continue through the end of the year, with the start of the season scheduled for January, 2015. Park Staff are encouraging “Sign-Ups” NOW since space will be limited. Start off the new year watching your son or daughter take to the basketball court with that huge smile on their face. It’ll be the start of something very, very good in their young lives. Call (323) 260-2361 for more details.