Sports Editor

Walking into the Troy Parks and Recreation’s main office on Elm Street the first thing you notice is the hands.

Hand prints actually.

The TPRD as been busy getting the tiles ready for the "Wall of Hands", a wall which will be erected at the Murphree Park Playground when renovation is complete. All of the old playground equipment has been removed from the park with new equipment expected to be arriving sometimes next week.

Tables at the TPRD Main Office are littered with tiles of hand imprints from people in Troy that have donated to the Murphree Park Playground renovation project.

"We are so glad that people came out to support this cause," said TPRD Director Dan Smith. "And we want to remind people that there is still room for more hand prints on the wall. Any parent, or grandparent, who wants to get their child’s hand print made for the wall can come by our main office. They only take a few minutes to make."

As regular season play winds down in baseball and softball, not only is Smith and the Parks and Recreation Department looking forward to tournament play, but also the formation of tennis and soccer summer leagues.

Smith said the TPRD will offer both youth and adult tennis and soccer.

"Tennis registration for youth and adults is currently taking place in our main office," he said. "We our offering leagues, instruction as well an

opportunity to compete in tournaments."

The Troy City Tennis Complex is expected to be open sometimes in the very near future.

For soccer, the TPRD will over a five-on-five adult soccer league and a youth league for ages 4-6. Emphasis in the youth league, according to Smith, will be placed more on instruction then competition.

"The idea of the summer youth soccer league is to give younger kids an introduction to the game of soccer because it has become one of our most popular sports in the fall."

Smith said he and his staff are also looking forward to the Troy Tiger Sharks’ home swim meet against Eufaula on Thursday, which will be held at the Troy State University Natatorium.

"The meet will start at 3:30 p.m. and if anyone is interested in their child being a part of the Tiger Sharks in the future then they should come by on Thursday," said Smith.