By C.D. DeSALVO
Hays Post

For most kids in grades 3-8, the basketball season comes to an end in early March and the baseball/softball gloves and track spikes get laced up for the upcoming spring sports. For those having a tough time letting go of the basketball season, there is a final opportunity to taste some competition on the basketball court.

Members of the Thomas More Prep-Marian girl’s basketball team are hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and hot shot contest for any area kids that are in 3rd-8th grade. The event will be Saturday, March 18, and will be split between three locations — TMP, Holy Family Elementary and the former Kennedy Middle School in Hays.

The TMP girl’s basketball team is organizing the event for the fourth straight year as a fundraiser to help with expenses within the program.

“It is a fundraiser for any extra items we might need,” said head girl’s basketball coach and event coordinator Rose McFarland. “Some money went to a shooting machine for the team, travel bags that the girls use during the year, shooting shirts and stuff like that.”

The 3-on-3 basketball tournament will be played on half courts, with a 12-minute running clock in each game. The first team to reach 31 points or whichever team is up at the end of the 12 minutes wins.

The hot shot contest is an individual contest where participants will have a minute to shoot from different designated spots on the floor. Points are based on the spot’s location in relation to the basket with closer shots being worth less points and further shots being worth more. Kids participating in the hot shot contest do not have to be in the 3-on-3 tournament.

“It is fun for them and gives them a chance to show off their individual shooting ability,” said McFarland.

Teams are split up in divisions by gender and grade level for both the 3-on-3 tournament and the hot shot contest with third and fourth grade girls and boys playing on an 8.5-foot rim.

“It is a way to encourage kids to play. It is a way for the kids to have some fun, and it also serves a purpose for the student athletes in our programs to work and give back to kids that are wanting to learn how to play basketball,” McFarland said. “Parents and players work the tournament. They keep score, run concession stands, etc. It is service to the community and kids.”

Medals will be awarded to the first-place team in each division and also to the Hot Shot winner in each division. The entry fee is $10 per player and entry forms can be found here: https://tmp-m.org/3on3-2017/3-on-3-basketball-2017/

Registration is due by Tuesday, March 14.

For more information, contact Rose McFarland at 785-365-0850 or at [email protected].

A full list of the rules can also be found here: https://tmp-m.org/3on3-2017/

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

GREAT BEND — Chirps, whistles, croaks, and clicks all combine in an animal opera of high drama for eavesdropping scientists. The public can discover what animals are saying during the free program, “Listening to Animals,” at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 12, at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at the Cheyenne Bottoms Refuge, northeast of Great Bend on K-156.

Mark Nolen, a professor of biology at Hutchinson Community College, will share information on the up-and-coming field of biology called bioacoustics, the study of animal communication and sound. Studying the sounds animals use to communicate provides a window into animal worlds and information on social interactions.

“Knowledge of bioacoustics in the environment enriches our experience in nature and adds a new dimension to our scientific understanding of biology and ecology,” said Nolen.

“The natural soundscape provides a non-invasive method for monitoring biodiversity, and it is a window into the complex breeding behaviors and social lives of animals,” he said.

Nolen also said that biologists are studying how the soundscape is an information resource for animals themselves — providing clues about food location, habitat quality and safety from predators in their chaotic environments.

This program will be a kickoff to the KWEC’s Cheyenne Bottoms FrogWatch year. FrogWatch is a citizen science program administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that enlists volunteers to monitor local frog and toad populations by listening for their calls. KWEC staff provide training and resources to volunteers to be able to identify local frogs and toads throughout the breeding season at Cheyenne Bottoms.

Attendees at the March 12 program do not have to participate in FrogWatch, but more information about FrogWatch will be available. If you are interested in participating in this year’s FrogWatch, call the KWEC for more information at (877)-243-9268.

ELLIS CO. EXTENSION

The words Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) may sound very technical or maybe even scary to some. This might be because consumers may not fully understand what a GMO is, how they are developed or the potential benefits.

On Thursday, March 9 at 12:00 noon, the Ellis County Extension Office will host an informational program on understanding genetically engineered foods for consumers. The program will be held at the Extension Office meeting room, 601 Main Street in Hays.

Stacy Campbell, Ellis County Extension Agriculture Agent, will present this introductory overview on genetically engineered foods (commonly referred to as GMOs) to explore consumer questions and concerns.

The public is encouraged to attend this free program from K-State Research and Extension. To ensure adequate supplies, please pre-register by calling the Ellis County Extension Office at (785) 628-9430.

ELLIS CO. EXTENSION

Like daffodils, robins or new leaves on the trees, another sign of spring will soon be here– the annual Walk Kansas program from K-State Research and Extension. Now is the time to begin forming your teams for this statewide health and wellness program.

Walk Kansas runs from March 19 to May 13 this year. It’s a program that’s open to anyone who’s interested in working toward or maintaining a healthy lifestyle at any fitness level. Last year, more than 14,000 people participated in the accessible program.

The eight-week program is team-based, with six people to a team. Participants do not even have to live in Kansas. Many teams form with family members or friends in other parts of the country and around the world. “Technology connects us,” said Sharolyn Jackson, K-State Research and Extension family and consumer science specialist and Walk Kansas coordinator.

“Walk Kansas addresses critical issues in our state,” Jackson said. “Less than half of Kansas adults meet the minimum recommendations for physical activity (150 minutes a week of moderate exercise) and only 19 percent eat enough fruits and vegetables. These simple behaviors affect health.”

Chronic disease is responsible for more than 70 percent of health care costs. If Americans were to stop smoking, exercise regularly and eat well, they could prevent up to 80 percent of heart disease and stroke, 80 percent of type 2 diabetes and 40 percent of cancers.

“Think of health as something you earn every day, just like you work to bring home a paycheck,” Jackson said. “If you practice healthy lifestyle behaviors, you can delay and even prevent chronic disease. If you have an illness, symptoms can be managed better if you make choices that support a healthy lifestyle.”

The cost for Ellis County Walk Kansas participants is $8 per person. Purchasing an optional t-shirt is an additional cost. Participants receive a weekly emailed newsletter along with local events and classes. Registration will open for Ellis County teams on Monday, February 27. Teams are encouraged to register by March 10.

Teammates do not have to walk or exercise together, but are encouraged to connect and support each other. Participants log minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise daily and report online or to their team captain. Activities besides walking, such as strengthening exercises, yoga, bike riding, team sports, swimming and others count toward Walk Kansas minutes.

The goal is to meet one of three challenges the team sets for itself before the program starts:

• Challenge 1 – Each person reaches the minimum goal for physical activity – 2-1/2 hours of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week. Collectively the team’s exercise distance would add up to 423 miles – the equivalent of the distance across the state of Kansas.
• Challenge 2 – Take the equivalent of a meandering trek diagonally across the state from Troy to Elkhart. Each person logs 4 hours of activity per week which would take the team total to 750 miles.
• Challenge 3 – Walk the equivalent of the perimeter of Kansas – 1,200 miles – with each person logging 6 hours of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week.

Walk Kansas began in 2001 and now reaches more than 14,000 people a year. More than 254,000 people have participated since it began.
“Health brings a freedom we often take for granted until we no longer have it,” Jackson said. “Preserving and protecting your health is what Walk Kansas is all about.”
For information on how to register your team, contact the Ellis County Extension Office, (785) 628-9430, or check out team materials on our website at www.ellis.ksu.edu.