An ice rink in Goshen—  could it be? Many longtime Goshen residents know that remains a question. My Reporting for the Public Good class in 2022 covered the news of a possible ice rink and pavilion in Goshen, potentially at Goshen College.  When my family ventured to Mishawaka or South Bend or Elkhart to ice skate this winter, I felt a pang of disappointment as I longed for a closer, more accessible rink. A couple years older and wiser, I now know this ice rink question has been in the works for years—decades, in fact. While we can continue to...

By Anna Groff • April 11, 2024 • Features

  The Warehouse Climbing Co. opened its doors in Goshen on 605 Logan Street almost two years ago. It is a bouldering gym with 15 foot high walls of angles ranging from vertical to fully horizontal. The hours are typically 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and continue from 5-9 p.m. for the evening climbers everyday except Tuesdays. A Q & A with Lily Bowser, routesetter at Warehouse Climbing Co. Q: Why do you work here? Why do you rock climb?  A: I really enjoy the physical activity aspect of it. I enjoy outdoor recreation a lot [and] since there is nowhere near...

By Albert Aguilar • April 11, 2024 • Features

For thousands of years, yoga has helped humans control their thoughts and senses. Now, it has evolved into an accessible tool for stress management and physical well-being. Just a few poses a day can help get you back into your body, paying attention to your senses and releasing tension throughout the body.  Angie Nisley is a former yoga instructor at Spacious Heart Yoga, a studio in Goshen that was sold to new owners in 2020 and has since lost its presence in the community. Nisley said that yoga is a “wonderful way to develop focus and attention on the physical...

By Sadie Brenneman • April 11, 2024 • Features

For non-student athletes at Goshen College, it can be difficult to find easy access to organized sports on a regular basis and intramurals are limited. There is an option for organized sports that is easily accessible and found locally in Michiana: co-ed volleyball. There’s even a direct connection to campus: Raquel Montanez-Gonzalez, assistant professor of biology at GC who participates in several co-ed volleyball leagues. Q: Tell me about your involvement with the South Bend Volleyball League and what got you interested in joining the league? A: In 2019, I started summer beach volleyball at Wings Etc. (Osceola). During the...

By Collin Echols • April 11, 2024 • Features

Walking into East Race Muscle in South Bend, is unlike entering any commercial gym in the area. Once a car factory, the gym itself has massive concrete columns supporting its ceiling, and large windows along one wall allow for plenty of natural light during the daytime.  The facility was established in 2015, and its ethos is reflected in its mantra: “Be a Lion.” Lions are emblematic of strength and loyalty—apropos to such a place—but also, they are pack animals. The same can be said of the powerlifters and other patrons at East Race Muscle.  Powerlifting is a thoroughly Midwestern sport,...

By Liam Morris • April 11, 2024 • Features

It’s hard to nail down how disc golf got its start. Was it the patent for the frisbee in 1966, or the patent for the modern disc golf basket in 1975? Regardless, disc golf has exploded in popularity over the last 25 years. In 1999, the Professional Disc Golf Association had 5,653 members, and last year the association celebrated the 250,000th member. Goshen was an early adopter in the disc golf world, adding an 18-hole course to Ox Bow County Park back in 1989. The course hosted the Disc Golf World Championship in 1996 and the “Michiana Open,” which was...

By Seth Smith Kauffman • April 11, 2024 • Features

A leisure activity is on the rise in Elkhart County, a new sport rather. It requires a wooden racket, sending and returning a ball over a net, some lateral quickness and, most importantly, an open mind.  And although this may sound like tennis, it’s not. It’s pickleball.   Pickleball’s popularity is growing exponentially throughout the United States with an estimated 223.5% growth since 2020, making it the fastest-growing sport in America, according to USA Pickleball. This growing popularity has made its way from the West Coast in Washington, where it originated, to Goshen, with the creation of various pickleball courts and...

By Charlie Aldrich • April 11, 2024 • Features

I’m not good at dancing. The only time I’ve danced in an organized way in front of others was during my good friend’s quinceañera when I was 14. I had to take dance lessons twice a week for about two months to feel somewhat comfortable to perform a 45-second routine. When the opportunity presented itself to better my dance skills, I was excited at the chance. I’ve always been envious of those who can naturally find the beat and move with such intention that it looks unintentional. But as I drove to GoDance Studio in downtown Goshen, the nerves really...

By Alyssa McDonald • April 11, 2024 • Features

On April 18, 1868, Goshen was incorporated as a city. On that same day, construction was completed on the Millrace. According to the Goshen Historical Society, it took a 40-person crew, horses and plows to dig the canal over the course of a year. The original intent was for the canal to generate electricity, and the addition of the canal helped boost industry in Goshen. But as time went on, that need decreased, and in 1968, ownership transferred from NIPSCO to the city of Goshen, who turned it into a park. Today, 2.75 miles of trail run alongside the canal;...

By Tyson Miller • April 11, 2024 • Features

Men’s and women’s bowling will be added to the Maple Leaf sports lineup starting this fall, Goshen College announced last year. Head coach for both bowling teams, Scott Curtis, continues scouting for his teams. With 13 recruits for the men’s team and nine for the women’s, he is on his way to a full roster. The college does not have its own bowling facilities, but Maple City Bowl in Goshen is the closest bowling alley to the college. The bowling teams will use Maple City Bowl for practice, so college students and community members will naturally get to know one...

By Liliana Herrera • April 11, 2024 • Features