SRWAC offers sports and comradery for women
By Patricia Overton
Not only does the Scripps Ranch Women’s Athletic Club (SRWAC) offer recreational sports leagues and activities for women 25 years old and older, it also emphasizes giving back to the community, which has become a fundamental part of the club.
The organization has been providing an athletic outlet for women since the 1980s. What started off as more of a social club for wives, has since developed into a multi-layered athletic club, with a growing number of members joining every year.
SRWAC is a nonprofit organization that sponsors fundraisers for local school sporting events, invests in various types of field renovations and, most importantly, rewards scholarships every year to female senior high school athletes living in the Scripps Ranch area. The scholarships have become a local tradition and is quite an honorable award given, helping many young women entering college – inspiring future generations of young women who are involved in sports.
With an increase in members and women wanting to participate, social events have decreased due to the lack of support from the city, making it challenging for the organization to hold social events the way it used to. The primary issue is that event insurance costs and liability risks are becoming too expensive. Some other concerns have been not being able to find recreational fields to play on as well as a lack of funding from the city.
“We can’t afford to insure events anymore as we used to since the City has taken away all of our funding. The City’s decision to allocate fields has negatively affected the organization and others in the area, yet we still continue to grow and accommodate everyone who is interested,” said Mary Lawler, president of SRWAC.
Although there have been some bumpy roads along the way, the organization keeps thriving by finding ways to bring the community together, with fun sports events and various outings such as trivia nights.
“We have co-ed softball in the summer months and it’s flourishing like no other. The soccer is huge. We’ve doubled it this year post-COVID and we are up to almost 60 players,” Lawler said.
SRWAC offers basketball, soccer, co-ed softball, and soon – pickleball. Every level is welcome to join, whether you are an ex-college or high school player, or just starting a sport.
“The thing that is great is that somebody who you played against in one season, they’re now on your team in the next season. So, every season everybody is mixed up, so it’s nice. You meet everybody, you get to know everybody. Then the abilities can be balanced out, too, because some people played in college and they are pretty good,” said Sylvia Ferrer-McGrade, scholarship coordinator for the organization. “I joined, I played a tiny bit of basketball in high school, but I learned more and everybody kind of just puts their arm around you and moves you along. So, that has been really fun.”
SRWAC is an organization in which women can come together, play sports and make friends, all while having an enjoyable experience – which is what this organization is all about.
Spring basketball registration is opening soon. Currently, games are being held at the Scripps Ranch Recreation Center gymnasium on Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. Winter/spring soccer registration is now open, and games are being held at Sycamore Canyon Park on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Registration for summer co-ed softball opens in May.
For more information, visit srwac.org.
