The Minneapolis Log Rolling Club (MLRC) is only six months old but it’s already jumping feet first into hosting its first log rolling tournament. The 1st Annual Twin Cities Indoor Open will be staged on March 13th at the Eden Prairie Community Center, featuring beginning and intermediate regional log rollers.
The club was formed by a group of citizens who learned to roll via Key Log Rolling® classes at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Log rolling is a little addictive and after the classes ended, they wanted more.
"Two of our kids learned to log roll and soon worked their way through every beginner's opportunity in the city", said Julie Colby, Chair of the Youth Committee. "We realized we needed to develop an on-going club that would provide year round log rolling and really develop their skills, to allow them to grow into competitive log rollers. The club has provided sparring partners for them and a lot of fun for our entire family. My husband and I are learning, too!"
The Minneapolis Log Rolling Club is the first of its kind to be incorporated as a not-for-profit sports club, using the portable, synthetic Key Logs. In the summer months, the club rolls at East Cedar Lake Beach, also known as Hidden Beach. In the winter months, they go indoors to the University of Minnesota, with occasional demos at the Blaisdell YMCA and Uptown YWCA indoor pools.
“I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started 5 years ago, but we have a lot of fun rolling together and teaching others about this crazy sport”, said Sarah Spiegle, Chair of the Outreach Committee. “It’s an addicting activity that’s also a great work out… and you meet a lot of fun people in the process!”
The Minneapolis Log Rolling Club’s organization of the tournament is a natural outgrowth of people learning to log roll, according to Abby Hoeschler, the twenty-eight year old co-founder of the Minneapolis Log Rolling Club and president of Key Log Rolling®.
“Once people gain a little proficiency in log rolling, they naturally want to measure themselves against others”, said Hoeschler, also an elite level competitive log roller. “Tournaments are really fun and challenging, and they inspire people to keep improving their skills.”
Hoeschler said the club hopes the tournament will attract beginning log rollers from the scores of Key Log Rolling classes sprouting at Minnesota school districts and park and rec programs. “Once people get started, it often becomes their favorite sport." Hoeschler also hopes the Minneapolis Log Rolling Club will serve as model for other communities. "Now that we have access to portable logs, we believe log rolling can become an Olympic sport someday. Clubs will play an important role in the development pipeline."
The Twin Cities Indoor Open will be open to all youth and adult beginning and intermediate log rollers in the region. Click here for registration and schedule information.
Want to get rolling? Find a Key Log Rolling program near you.
For more information, contact minneapolis.logrolling@gmail.com
