The 92nd SLA Annual Conference is quickly approaching and will take place in beautiful San Antonio, Texas, USA. There are many compelling reasons for attending the conference, but unbeknownst to many, San Antonio is a sports mecca! It's home to the 1999 NBA Champion Spurs, the AA San Antonio Missions, and the Central Hockey League Iguanas. While not all of these teams will have home games during the conference, there should be enough sports activity in the city to satisfy any sports fan.
Spectator Sports
For the armchair athlete, San Antonio has a variety of venues where you can indulge your sports addiction. Perhaps the most recognizable is the famed Alamodome, home of the Spurs and the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame. It's been a huge part of the city's sports life for over a decade and continues to be the most popular sites for athletic competitions.
Baseball fans who don't want to make the road trip to Arlington or Houston can take a trip out to the ballpark and watch the SA Missions.
Also, if the sound of engines revving and the swirl of the checkered flag gets your pulse racing, head out to the NASCAR sanctioned races at the San Antonio Speedway on Highway 16 or NHRA Championship Drag Racing at the Alamo Dragway. If you prefer racing of a more genteel nature, you may want to venture out to nearby Retama Park and some of the finest quarterhorse and thoroughbred racing in the South.
Golf (Full Course)
Many people may not realize it but Texas is a golfer's dream. The San Antonio metropolitan area and the surrounding Hill Country has over forty public, municipal, semi-private, military, and private golf courses of all difficulty levels and price ranges. Guests staying at hotels near the Riverwalk (and who don't want to break the bank on greens fees) may want to tote their clubs over to the Brackenridge Municipal Golf Course, the Willow Springs Municipal Golf Course, or the legendary Pecan Valley Golf Club. Die-hard golfers who want to feel like ranking members of the PGA will find much to drool over at the Quarry Golf Course, the lavish La Cantera Golf Club, or the picturesque Canyon Springs Golf Club.
Fitness & Exercise
If tennis is your game, you might want to check out the McFarlin Tennis Center on San Pedro Avenue or the Trinity University Intramural Facilities for some hard court action. The downtown branch of the YMCA participates in the YMCA AWAY Program for those of you who are members in your hometown. Walkers and joggers may want to join the masses of locals who enjoy the scenic Riverwalk during the early morning hours, take a walk through history with a visit to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, or take advantage of the padded jogging track at Trinity University.
Recreation & Relaxation
There is also a plethora of family-oriented and social sports centers to be found throughout San Antonio. Some fun places to visit include the Cool Crest Miniature Golf Course, the AMF Wonder Bowl on Austin Highway (complete with the 1950s style atmosphere), Bananas Billiards on San Pedro, Viking Archery, and the very popular Malibu Grand Prix go-cart track. If you enjoy a little ‘liquid refreshment' with your sports fix, San Antonio has a great variety of sports bars and clubs around the city and especially downtown near the Riverwalk.
As you can see, San Antonio has much to offer in addition to its well know historic and shopping attractions. The conference will be loads of excitement in itself but if you need a break and a chance to recharge your spirits, take advantage of one of the relaxing athletic options available to you during your stay.
Sites to visit:
ALAMODOME (http://www.alamodome.com):
ALAMO DRAGWAY (http://www.marketdigest.net/alamodragway/index.htm)
GOLF SAN ANTONIO (http://www.AmigoGolf.com)
RETAMA PARK (http://www.retamapark.com):
SAN ANTONIO IGUANAS ( http://www.sa-iguanas.com)
SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS (http://www.samissions.com)
SAN ANTONIO SPEEDWAY (http://www.saspeedway.com)
TRINITY UNIVERSITY JOGGING TRAIL AND INTRAMURAL FIELDS (http://www.trinity.edu)
YMCA (Downtown Branch-Away Program Participant): Office: (210) 246-9600.
Kenneth Carriveau is a science and engineering reference librarian at Baylor University. His email is Kenneth
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