The Friendswood Parks and Recreation Department makes sure it’s easy to stay active all year round, with a variety of activities offered for young and old.
Some of the most popular outdoor activities are youth sports, adult sports, fitness classes, basketball, tennis, volleyball, disc golf and fishing.
In addition to regular youth sports league play, the city has a Youth Sports Day, which includes a parade and celebration to recognize Opening Day for baseball and softball each spring. Also, there is a Pitch, Hit and Run event each April that is an official skills competition of Major League Baseball for baseball and softball players.
The most popular parks for outdoor activities are:
Stevenson Park, which features a playground with a splash pad, basketball/volleyball/tennis courts and a half-mile fitness trail.
Centennial Park, which has picnic pavilions, a half-mile paved hiking/jogging trail, playground, 10 lighted soccer/multipurpose fields, a 4-lane recreational track and the Evelyn B. Newman Amphitheater.
Lake Friendswood Park has a lake that is stocked four times each year, two fishing docks, a kayak/canoe launch, multiple fitness workout stations along a 1-mile hiking/jogging/biking trail and picnic areas.
Popular events include the Youth Fishing Derby each May; Concerts in the Park in May and June; Movies in the Park in July and August; and the Fourth of July Celebration. The July 4 event includes a grand parade, daytime activities in Stevenson Park and an evening program at Centennial Park that culminates with a fireworks display.
Adults looking for physical activity can join a team in one of the slow-pitch softball or flag football leagues. A variety of fitness classes both indoor and outdoor take place every day of the week. The Parks and Rec Department offers classes such as yoga, Camp Gladiator, Jazzercise, Zumba, weight training, Barre, Pop Pilates, and more.
The top activities during the winter include the Blue Santa Softball Tournament, Flap Jack Fun Run and Santa in the Park Festival. The Parks and Rec Department also plays host to a Daddy Daughter Dance each February.
The Parks and Rec Department’s center for indoor activities is Leavesley Park. It is a repurposed airplane hangar that was donated to the City of Friendswood and now is the home of the department’s fitness program and is offered as rental space.
The Activity Building is host to the Friendswood Senior Citizen Program, where residents over the age of 50 can enjoy programs, events and trips to meet the ever-changing needs of the active adult population. Programs such as yoga, Zumba, line dancing, chair volleyball, Spanish lessons and painting are just a few offered weekly.