By Chad Kimberley
Splash Column

Summer is traditionally a down time in the sports world. The NBA and NHL seasons wrap up right as summer gets under way. The NFL doesn't have meaningful games until the calendar flips over to September. College athletes are on summer break. The MLB season hasn't mattered to me much since the Cubs were usually eliminated by June 15. And yes, I know the MLS season is going on but unless it is a World Cup summer I am not too interested.  

So summer is left for weddings, vacations, book reading and camping trips. Now don't get me wrong, I have had some great summers without sports:

But for the most part, summer is a bit of a let-down for a sports fan like me. So, this summer I am going to create my own summer sports challenge so that I ensure I don't accidentally become overly cultural by reading books and watching art house films all summer. 

I would encourage you to take the challenge with me. There are very few rules involved, the cost is fairly minimal, and unlike all the 14-day/21-day/three-month challenges that are detailed in every infomercial on television, I do not promise to remake your body, appetite or personal life. I simply want you to have a sports-filled summer. 

To the checklist. 

I used to be a fairly consistent golfer. I went out three to four times a month. Managed to get my scores into the 90s. Had an eagle once. Just missed a hole in one. And believed it was a great day when you came home with more golf balls then you had when you left. Now, I golf maybe one time a year, but this summer will be different. I will make it onto all three courses over the next three months and will combine to shoot less than Jamie Moyer's career wins.  

I can proudly say I have ran/walked/pushed a stroller/pulled a wagon in each Liberty Lake Loop since we moved to the area several years ago. The Loop, which is a 4-mile race that takes you from Pavillion Park, down near the lake, out toward the woods and back past the golf courses, is a fun and challenging course that should become a staple of your summer. 

I remember the first time I thought I hit a home run. I was 13 and crushed a ball towards left field. I had never hit an over-the-fence home run in my Little League career, and I was pretty sure I finally did. I watched it sail toward the left-center gap and instead of soaring over the wall it smacked right into the chain link fence with a sickening sound that I still remember. It was a sound of sadness. This summer, I am going to erase that feeling by heading up to the beautiful new baseball fields behind the elementary school and taking some swings until one sails over the fence. And, yes, I am going to hit on the bigger field.

This may not seem as sporty to some of you, but it meets the summer mandates of being outdoors and is an awesome thing to do as a family. Head out to the Liberty Lake County Park and tackle the near 8-mile, round-trip hike. It is a beautiful area, and you can stop at the Ewok Village (as my son and I call it) for a bit of a lunch before you hit the switchbacks. Of course, if you really need it to become a competitive event, feel free to make the hike a few times and work on completing the task in less than 90 minutes. 

For the basketball fans out there, you need to grab a partner or two and head to each of the community basketball hoops to play a game of PIG, 21 or any other basketball-related game you love. For a greater challenge, you can do it on the same day. Start at Rocky Hill Park and then work your way through Pump House Park, Liberty Lake Elementary, Pavillion Park and Little Bear Park while shooting some hoops and enjoying some sun. 

I am exceptionally good at this challenge. I have managed to colossally fall off of skis, tubes and even a paddleboard (the paddleboard wipeout was particularly embarrassing). Of course, it is not summer without getting a bit wet. Like many of you, I have to find a friend willing to take me out on the lake, but I find if I stand on the beach with a life jacket and a very sad look, someone will pick me up and take me out on the lake. I have yet to wipeout while on a wakeboard. Challenge accepted. 

I am excited for this one. On July 25-26, there will be barefoot soccer at Pavillion Park. The soccer is 3 v 3, so I am going to have to grab my soccer-loving brother-in-law (who actually pays money for the MLS Live season pass) along with one other glutton-for-punishment friend and play a little barefoot soccer. Despite coaching soccer for two seasons, I am fairly confident that I have little skill in this area, so it should be as entertaining as when I jump in a bubble and smash into people later in the day.

Liberty Lake does the Fourth of July exceptionally well. It is one of my favorite parts of the summer. This summer, I want to make it more meaningful by jogging and working out on the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course to remember those who have given their life for my freedoms. I am planning on starting at Rocky Hill, jogging over to Pavillion, down to Liberty Lake Town Center, and finishing on Trailhead to honor those who have served. 

Enjoy the summer, and I hope to see you on the course, diamond, trails, water and pitch!