built are several climbing
platforms that look
like mini-tree forts—
what else would you
expect from a circus
arts center?
Safety is a priority
for participants, says
is to learn how to fall
safely and how to be
responsible for helping
keep your partner safe,
too. Acro requires one
person to be the base,
either standing or lying
down, while the other
balances in various
yoga poses. Beginner
classes are offered and
you don’t need a partner.
“You have to experience
to understand
it,” says DeLeo.
THE ST. PETE SHUFFLEBOARD
CLUB AT MIRROR LAKE
different from acro yoga. But it has just
as passionate a following among its
loyal fans. On a Friday night, all of the
Club are full as families, young professionals
and couples enjoy a friendly
game under the stars.
A game long considered to be your
-
board is experiencing a huge surge in
popularity among young professionals,
especially here in the Sunshine City.
There are currently 1,200 members with
more joining all the time, especially at
the low yearly rate of $35. Members can
participate in club leagues and tournaments,
as well as social events. “It’s a
great game for all ages and can be as
competitive or friendly as you want,”
says Executive Director Christine Page.
“It’s an easy game to learn but you can
spend years learning the strategy.”
The club’s historic stature is part of
the charm. Founded in 1924, the St.
caught the public’s imagination. By the
late 1930s, there were more than 116
courts and 4,000 members, making the
club the oldest and largest of its kind in
the world.
“You could come and stay all day,”
says Page. “There was a second story
ballroom where they had tea dances
two or three times a week. There were
bridge games going all the time. It was
a huge community social center.”
As a testament to its popularity, in
the club’s heyday, the cue house, where
members stored their cue sticks in
small, narrow lockers, ran out of room.
“They had to build 2,000 cue lockers
under the bleachers,” says Page.
The original clubhouse, built in 1927
and expanded in 1931, still stands. It
was designated a local landmark in
1991. Extensive renovation is underway
to restore the buildings to their original
vintage glamour.
Friday night is free, BYOB and food,
and open to the public—the perfect
opportunity to introduce people to
the game, which is exactly how Page
learned about the club. “I came for a
social, signed up as a volunteer, then
joined the board and became president
in 2009. By 2015, the club had grown
so much we needed a full-time director,”
says Page.
Erik Hahmann also came with friends
instantly hooked. A 30-something
St. Pete resident and University of
South Florida St. Petersburg graduate,
Hahmann has achieved status as one
in Florida. He’s competed in state,
national and international events, and
has been on Team USA twice in the
competitions.
“It's a sport that combines skill with
logic. Every frame is basically a minichess
game,” says Hahmann. “I've
always enjoyed sports and games
where out-thinking your opponent
is crucial. It's also the only sport I can
think of where age or physical stature
doesn't make a difference. The playing
can rise.”
“IT'S A SPORT THAT COMBINES
SKILL WITH LOGIC. EVERY
FRAME IS BASICALLY A MINICHESS
GAME."
— ERIK HAHMANN
ECLECTIC CITY, ECLECTIC SPORTS
20 'BURGLIFE | Living, Working and Playing in St. Petersburg, FL