| Sports and Recreation |  |
 Professional and amateur sports enthusiasts have a lot to cheer about in the Lake Wylie area. Minor-league baseball team the Charlotte Knights are based right next door in Fort Mill, and professional football and basketball teams play nearby in Uptown Charlotte.NASCAR is the area’s oldest professional sport, as the region embraced stock car racing long before it became a national passion. More NASCAR teams are based in the Charlotte area than in any other city. Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, the largest sports facility in the Southeast, hosts three major races – the Bank of America 500 in October and the Nextel All-Star Challenge and Coca-Cola 600 in May – as well as numerous other events throughout the year. Particularly since their 2004 Super Bowl debut, the NFL Carolina Panthers draw fans to Bank of America Stadium to see stars like quarterback Jake Delhomme and wide receiver Steve Smith. In 2005-2006, the Panthers ascended to the NFC Championship game with a 13-6 overall record. The 2006-2007 season promises to be equally exciting with new additions Keyshawn Johnson and DeAngelo Williams. Under the ownership of Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, the Charlotte Bobcats played their first season in 2004 at the Charlotte Coliseum and moved to the brand-new Charlotte Arena in 2005. The Bobcats continue to entertain crowds with stars like Raymond Felton and Sean May – both from the 2005 NCAA Championship Tar Heels team – and 2004 #2 draft pick Emeka Okafor. The Charlotte Sting, an original WNBA team, arrived on the scene in 1997. In 2006, the team moved to the new Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The Sting draws thousands of fans to its games each summer and consistently makes it to postseason play. If hockey’s your game, check out the Charlotte Checkers. The Checkers play in the East Coast Hockey League and are affiliated with the NHL’s New York Rangers. In 1996, the Checkers won the ECHL Championship and fans’ excitement about the team has remained high ever since. The team also plays in the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Uptown Charlotte. If golf is more your speed, don’t miss the Wachovia Championship in May. Hosted by Quail Hollow Country Club, the tournament had a successful fourth year in 2006. Jim Furyk won the sudden-death playoff with Trevor Immelman to secure the $1.134 million prize. The tournament’s purse is one of the largest on tour, which brings many of the greats to Charlotte, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. While Charlotte is not a Major League Baseball town, the Charlotte Knights, 1999 International League Champions, are a favorite of all who enjoy the national pastime. As the Chicago White Sox’s AAA affiliate, the Knights afford local residents the opportunity to see the sport’s rising stars. The team plays at Knights Castle in Fort Mill, just across the S.C. state line off I-77. Additionally, the Charlotte Eagles who play in the Second Division of the United Soccer Leagues, and the Lady Eagles, who play in the W-League of the United Soccer Leagues, will delight soccer fans. Catching a Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball game is a must. Led by head coach Bobby Lutz, the 49ers joined the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2005 and consistently make postseason play. Outdoor sports enthusiasts are excited about the brand-new U.S. National Whitewater Center, a world-class park with controllable rapids that is modeled after the 2000 Olympic site in Australia. Located on the Catawba River near the interchange of I-85 and I-485, the park features rock climbing walls, mountain biking trails and flat water canoeing and kayaking in addition to the rapids. With 325 miles of shoreline, Lake Wylie offers 13,443 acres for boating, skiing, swimming, kayaking or sailing. More than a dozen boat launches are scattered across the lake for public use. Additionally, Lake Wylie is hailed for its excellent fishing. In fact, it was the site of the Bassmaster Classic in 2004. On the south end of the lake in Rock Hill, Ebenezer Park is one of the few places on the lake that offer a public swimming beach. Maintained by York County, the 26-acre park is staffed with lifeguards during the summer and includes a campground, picnic sites and three boat ramps. McDowell Nature Preserve, a 1,108-acre park along the shores of Lake Wylie, includes more than seven miles of hiking trails, fishing sites and campgrounds. On the eastern edge of Lake Wylie off Youngblood Road, the Catawba Yacht Club was formed in 1939 to provide sailing and docking facilities for members. The club offers programs in sailing and rowing as well as social activities. Another club is the Lake Wylie Kayak and Canoe Club, which meets on weekends throughout the year to paddle a section of the lake . Public Access Areas Anne Springs Close Greenway 803-548-7252 www.leroysprings.com/Greenway.html Catawba Yacht Club Charlotte-Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Clover Parks and Recreation Commodore Yacht Club Ebenezer Park Fort Mill Parks and Recreation Harbortowne Marina Lake Wylie Kayak and Canoe Club Lake Wylie Marina Long Cove Marina & Yacht Club McDowell Nature Preserve River Hills Country Club River Hills Marina Rock Hill Parks and Recreation Steele Creek Athletic Association Steele Creek YMCA Tega Cay Marina Terry’s Marina U.S. National Whitewater Center YMCA Camp Thunderbird YMCA Upper Palmetto
Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte Sting Charlotte Knights Charlotte Checkers Charlotte 49ers Lowe’s Motor Speedway Wachovia Championship Charlotte Eagles and Lady Eagles |
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