Recreation Director Playing His Part

LAKE PLACID - John Komasa likes to scuba dive, ride a bike, read and just get out and take walks.

Although an accountant by trade, he seems like a natural for a recreation director, and that's what he became a year and a half ago when he headed Lake Placid's parks and recreation department.

"I'm not in as good as shape as I used to be, and I took this job to get from behind the desk," he said.

Komasa's new job is not just a way for him to be more physically fit. He's also supervising some ambitious recreation projects for the town, but one venture that Komasa feels really made a difference is the new Miracle League.

The League is for those with a physical or cognitive disability that prevents them from participating in mainstream sports. It just finished its first season, attracting 70 male and female athletes from ages 3 to 68 from seven counties.

It is offered free, with support from sponsors. People can download registration and information at www.lpflrecreation.net or www.miraclelegueoflakeplacid.com or call Komasa at 863-699-3935.

Two hundred volunteers assisted at this event. Each participant was assigned a buddy, and great relationships blossomed. Some were wheelchair-bound, while others had Down's syndrome or autism.

"There were so many accomplishments and feats of focus," Komasa said. One person with cerebral palsy couldn't pick up a bat the first weekend, but was later able to swing at it.

None had ever played baseball before. One participant started out hitting off a tee and eventually succeeded in being pitched to. This event was not only physically challenging, but emotionally uplifting for the participants and volunteers.

Komasa is also excited about the 20-more acres for development, which will provide three more multi-purpose fields for football and soccer.

These new fields will add to existing facilities in the town.

Lake Placid's recreation opportunities include Lake June Park and Sports Complex, located on Lake June off Interlake Drive. The park includes a boat ramp and a beach area for swimming, fishing or scuba diving.

There are three baseball fields and one softball field for youth.

Four covered pavilions are located on the beach for picnics and seven additional covered pavilions are near the beach.

Especially popular for parties is another concrete-slab pavilion which also has bathrooms.

"The romantic in me likes the nice grassy area where you can sit on a blanket and overlook Lake June," Komasa said.

He feels the town's facilities get a workout with a good mixture of people: the senior men's softball league uses two-four fields daily, there's co-ed softball for adults, men's and girls' softball leagues, and a boys' baseball league.

Two new playground areas were constructed for ages 5-12, plus a new softball and T-ball field.

Komasa has other dreams and goals, such as future tennis and basketball courts, and a skateboard park, and is open to any ideas and input on feasibility.

The proposed new T-ball field being built would be enhanced by using a rubberized surface. In that way it would be conducive for the Miracle League, T-ball for ages 7-8, and girls' softball.

"Hopefully, funding or a generous donation will come through and make it possible," he said.

Komasa and his wife, Shelly, have an 18-year-old daughter, Rebecca, and 14-year-old twins Robert
and John. They moved to Lake Placid 15 years ago.

"It's like a nice, quiet Mayberry," Komasa said of Lake Placid. "That's what I like, especially after the East Coast."