Calling all Family Circle Cup Tennis fans!  This is your chance to be an integral part of one of Charleston’s signature events.  The Family Circle Cup is currently accepting applications for 375 adult volunteer positions for the March 31 – April 8 event.  This year, the Family Circle Cup will be celebrating its 40th consecutive year, right here in the Best Tennis Town in America, Charleston, SC.

“Without the outstanding efforts from our volunteers, the Family Circle Cup wouldn’t be the world class event it is today,” Eleanor Adams, Family Circle Cup Tournament Manager, said. “They are the reason the fans have such a memorable experience at the event each year and we greatly appreciate their generosity and dedication.”

A good portion of the tournament’s pool of volunteers and temporary staff are island residents, who are proud to have this world-class event take place in their hometown and take pride in the fact that their contributions go a long way towards making the tournament a success. Last year was no exception.  Nancy Heinz, a long-time resident of Daniel Island’s Codner’s Ferry Park neighborhood, served as the Family Circle Cup’s Volunteer of the Year. To read her story, click here.

Adult volunteer opportunities this year involve 17 areas including Guest Services, Player Lounge, Transportation, Media Center, Information Technology, Ticket Office, Ushers, Food & Beverage, Adult Ball Crew and other areas.  The volunteer uniform fee is $60 and provides a week full of benefits.  For more information about adult volunteerism, direct inquires to Jo Cooper, Volunteer Coordinator at Jo.Cooper@familycirclecip.com or by leaving a message on the Family Circle Cup Volunteer Hotline at (843) 849-5309.  Applications are available on line at familycirclecup.com

Daniel Island’s Bishop England High School football team claimed their first state championship title recently by defeating Central High School to a record 10-0 shutout. It was the Bishop’s seventh shutout of the season and a testament to a strong defense that has proved to be indestructible all season.

It was the football program’s 400th victory since the school first fielded a team in 1944. It was also the football program’s first state championship, and the school’s 100th state title overall.

A huge congratulations to the Battling Bishops and their outstanding playing ability. Charleston’s Island Town could not be more proud!

Daniel Island’s Bishop England High School is scoring big in the athletic department, particularly when it comes to volleyball.  Earlier this month, the school’s girls volleyball team defeated Gilbert High School to win their 12th consecutive Class AA Volleyball State Championship and 22nd state championship overall. With 22 titles under their belts, the team is now tied with Burris High of Muncie, Ind., for the most state titles held by a high school girls volleyball team. Bishop England’s impressive capture of 12 consecutive state titles places the team in fifth place on the all-time list for  state volleyball titles.

Congratulations to the team for all their hard work and dedication in once again accomplishing the state championship this year!

Check out these highlights from the 2011 Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island:

Molly May and Jennifer Jones enjoy a casual jog on Daniel Island.

“If you live in the Daniel Island, SC area and are looking for other women to keep you motivated in your running, biking or swimming, Daniel Island Girls in Training (DIG IT) can be your networking place. 

We are fortunate to live on a beautiful island with miles of paved and natural paths for running and biking. We also have an outdoor lap pool, Pierce Park Pool, open to residents April-October for lap swimming. 

Members of DIG IT can schedule weekly runs, share their routes, organize pace groups, plan meet-ups at area races, or just communicate with fellow members.

 Can you DIG IT?”

Molly May certainly can DIG IT. This is the description found on the Facebook group that Molly May started last March when she was trying to recruit some running partners. Since then, her group has grown to more than 65 members, all of whom are island residents that are dedicated to getting fit on Daniel Island.

“After I had my third child, I was finding it hard to get back to a regular running schedule,” says Molly.  “After meeting female runners through various social groups on the island, I started wondering if women runners could benefit from a running network where they could arrange meet ups for training or race events.”

That’s when Molly decided to create a Facebook group where members could easily communicate and post comments regarding daily runs.

“I had no idea that the group would grow so fast,” says Molly. “The motivation and camaraderie that the Facebook group offers is really amazing.”

Whether you can run one mile or 10 miles, the group organizes runs that can be modified to everyone’s ability.

“I’d say we have about ten girls in the group who run consistently with one another,” says Molly. “Some of us are training for marathons and others just want to get in shape. We had one girl join us the other week that ran her very first mile ever!”

And the members don’t only run.  It’s a very diverse group that also has members who spin, do Crossfit, Hip Hop, practice yoga and participate in boot camps.

Molly May (left) and Jennifer Jones. Molly created DIG IT in March. The women's-only running group now has more than 65 members.

“What I love most about it is that we’re all out there for similar reasons – to excersie, for a mental release and for the camaraderie.  It’s very therapeutic!” says Molly.

Jennifer Jones, an active DIG IT member, recently moved to Daniel Island  from Jackson, Tennessee.

“When deciding where to live, my husband’s boss recommended we take a look at Daniel Island. One step on the island and we knew this was the place we wanted to be. We didn’t have to look anywhere else. The only downside was that we didn’t know a soul. It’s hard to move to a new place when you don’t know anyone,” says Jennifer.

An avid runner herself, Jennifer was a member of a co-ed running group while living in Tennessee.

“I just loved my running group back in Tennessee, so when I found out about DIG IT I was immediately eager to get involved. I’ve met so many wonderful women. The experience has been amazing! Molly and I are currently training for the Savannah Marathon,” says Jennifer.  “I could not be running the mileage I am without the support and camaraderie that I’ve received from the group.”

Because DIG IT is a members-only Facebook group, postings are private. “This makes the group not only safe, but members have also started to feel comfortable using the Facebook page as a resource to find a babysitter or to get a recommendation for a good hairdresser.  But even though the group is private, all women are welcome to join,” says Molly.

“I’ve made so many new friends through DIG IT. Not only do we organize runs together, but we also schedule social gatherings and outings,” says Jennifer.

Getting healthy and spending time with good friends. Sounds like a wonderful recipe for success.  And rumor has it that they are even designing their own t-shirts.

If you are a woman and would like to get involved with DIG IT, you can find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/danielislandgirlsintraining/

The PGA Tour’s Nationwide Tour comes to its annual pressure-packed conclusion this week on the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course. The field has been narrowed to the season’s top sixty money winners, who will compete in the Nationwide Tour Championship October 27-30 for a $180,000 first prize and one of 25 PGA Tour cards for the 2012 season.

“I love coming back to the Ralston Creek course,” said Kyle Thompson of Greenville, S.C. at a press conference earlier this fall. “I think you’re going to see some great golf playing out on Daniel Island this year.”

Thompson, who enters the tournament at number 13 on the money list, is one of six players from South Carolina competing this year. The international field is bringing players from as far away as Australia and New Zealand to Charleston’s island town. Thousands of fans are expected to attend, and millions more will watch the live coverage on The Golf Channel.

In addition to nail-biting competition, the Nationwide Tour Championship brings live music and entertainment to the back of the clubhouse all week long, starting with the Carolina Studios Pro Am Jam on Tuesday, October 25th, featuring Mark Bryan and Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish, Branford Marsalis, Pat Green, Johnny Lee and other special surprise guests. Fans and players will also enjoy the 19th Hole Happy Hour and live music following play each day of the tournament.

The Nationwide Tour Championship is presented by the Student Transportation of America Education Foundation, which advances education opportunities available to high school seniors in Charleston and throughout the country. In addition to raising funds for this notable cause, the tournament raises money for dozens of area non-profit organizations through its TICKETS Fore CHARITY program.

For your chance to win tickets to this year’s Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island, be sure to “like” the My Island Town Facebook page and look for chances to win all week long. And if you can’t make it out to see the action live in person, be sure to check out the television coverage from Daniel Island on The Golf Channel October 27-30 from 2:30-5:00 pm each day.

Five rookie players who received their PGA TOUR cards at last year’s Nationwide Tour Championship right here on Daniel Island are producing impressive wins on the PGA TOUR this year, including rookie Keegan Bradley, who captured the year’s final “major” at last week’s PGA Championship. This is certainly good news for the Nationwide Tour, which is producing some very competitive players:

• Last year’s Nationwide Tour Champion, Brendon Steele, broke through with a win at the Valero Texas Open in April, holding off Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman with a strong par on the 72nd hole.  Brendon also shared the leader board last Sunday.

• Fresh off his first first career victory in May at the HP Byron Nelson Championship (following a playoff with Ryan Palmer), Keegan Bradley won his first major title this month in a two-way playoff with fellow American Jason Dufner at the 93rd PGA Championship.

• Scott Stallings won the Greenbrier Classic in July, sinking a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Bob Estes and Bill Haas.

• Also in July, 26-year old player Chris Kirk took on the Viking Classic, shooting a 4-under 68 to beat Tom Pernice Jr. and George McNeill by one stroke.

• In January, Venezuela native Jhonattan Vegas won the Bob Hope Classic after hitting into the water on the second playoff and making a 13-foot shot for par to beat Gary Woodland.

Watching these five young rookies win big makes this year’s Nationwide Tour line-up even more exciting. Be sure to keep your eye on rising star players such as Mathew Goggin, Matt Davidson, Danny Lee, Kyle Thompson and Scott Brown as they prepare to compete in the 22nd Nationwide Tour Championship on the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course October 24 – October 30.

The Nationwide Tour’s 22nd season got underway last spring at the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City, Panama. More than 200 players from the United States and 18 other countries are competing in this season-long quest to win one of 25 PGA TOUR cards for 2012. Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage. Two out of three PGA TOUR members are Nationwide Tour alumni.

Golf fans can follow the Nationwide Tour on its exclusive television home, The Golf Channel. For further information about the Tour, visit www.pgatour.com, and stay tuned to My Island Town for updates on this Fall’s Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island.

Come out and give your forehand a try this Saturday at the 6th Annual Tennis Block Party at the Family Circle Tennis Center.  Island residents and friends are invited to partake in this free, family event that will be held from 9:00 am until noon on Saturday, August 6. The staff at the Tennis Center’s Instinctive Tennis Academy (I.T.A.) will be demonstrating the newest techniques in tennis instruction, all designed to introduce tennis in a fun and easy manner where everyone can participate.

Children and adults will enjoy a wide range of tennis activities for beginner to advanced players, along with music, games, contests, a fast serve challenge, food, refreshments and much more.

As part of this day of family fun, complimentary drawings will be held throughout the morning for prizes worth more than $2,500, including two 2012 Family Circle Cup Intro Ticket Packages, a Family Circle Tennis Center membership, and an assortment of non-tennis items, including tickets for the upcoming Hootie & The Blowfish concert and Charleston RiverDogs games. The event will conclude with a complimentary cookout lunch at noon.

For more information about the 6th Annual Tennis Block Party, visit familycirclecup.com or call (843) 849-5300.

Marquis players such as Serena Williams, Pete Sampras, John Isner, Melanie Oudin and John McEnroe will be hitting the courts for some non-stop, loud and exciting competition.  Tickets start at $15 and can be purchased at www.familycirclecup.com or by calling (800) 677-2293.   For more information about World Team Tennis, click on www.wtt.com

The New Primal Games are open to all competitors ages 15 and up. There will also be a separate Kids’ Primal Games that will take place prior to the adult competition on the morning of June 25th.

Register on-line at www.thenewprimal.com or the day of the event starting at 7:00 am. Games begin at 8:00 am and last until 4:00 pm with an awards ceremony following play to recognize the winners of their respective categories. Rumor has it there will even be a slip-n-slide at the end of the day where participants can cool off. So, come out and play! Be sure to bring your inner caveman and be ready to test your primal fitness.