No Boys Allowed

SAT 5/29
Are you suffering from football withdrawal symptoms? Feeling aimless on Sundays? Counting down the months until the Chiefs’ season opener? (Yeah, that’s 112 days — 2,688 hours — what of it?) If so, here’s something to tide you over until autumn: the National Women’s Football League. Our home team, the KC Krunch, operates under the same rules as the men’s game, except that the ball is a bit smaller and the players aren’t paid astronomical, NFL-sized salaries. In fact, Krunch players aren’t paid at all. “They play for love of the game,” says team owner Cheryl Fields.

Football fans can see this love in action when the Krunch plays its two remaining regular-season home games at J.C. Harmon High School. Kickoff is at 7:05 p.m. (but the team asks that you get there by 6:35 for the pregame festivities). Happily, one of those games is against the Krunch’s version of the Broncos. Fields says Saturday’s game against its cross-state rival, the St. Louis Slam, will sell out quickly. If you miss it, you’ll have to wait until June 5, when the team plays the Denton Stampede. For more information or to buy tickets, call 913-906-9496.
— Jen Chen

Horsing Around
A rhinestone cowboy shows how it’s done.

SAT 5/29
Around the time that Paula Cole was asking where all those cowboys were, a teenage feller by the name of John Harrison was learning to rope and ride in Soper, Oklahoma. Now in his midtwenties, Harrison — the grandson of a world-champion bull rider — has mastered the arts of Roman riding (standing with one foot on each of two speeding horses) and trick riding (all classes of dangerous, equestrian tomfoolery). His saddle will be blazing Saturday at this year’s Abdallah Shrine Rodeo, which starts Thursday at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds. Lest you fear for the horses leaping through flaming hoops, understand that Harrison is a modern, compassionate sort of cowboy — he’s a certified equine massage therapist. The fairgrounds also boast a carnival, a car show and a craft show over the weekend. For a schedule or more information, call 913-362-5300 or see www.abdallah-shrine.org/rodeo.— Sarah Smarsh

Big Fish
In the dark, exaggerate about size all you want.

SAT 5/29

Like bowling, golf and Frisbee, fishing is more exciting when things glow in the dark. This Saturday’s inaugural overnight fishing session at Shawnee Mission Park (7900 Renner Road in Lenexa), affords the angler who is used to squinting into the sun an opportunity to bliss out on a neon-green bobber and a sky full of stars. The park will be open from sundown to sunup, with rangers on duty all night to keep the peace and bust limit breakers, so be sure to have both your Kansas and Johnson County permits. Night fishing isn’t easier, but the darkness helps hide your face if you end up making that fishless walk of shame back to your car. Call 913-438-7275 for more information.— Chris Sebela

Pass the Buggy

5/29-5/31
This weekend, bicyclists can travel to Jamesport, Missouri, for three days of cycling, hiking and camping for an event dubbed the Double Nickel. On Saturday and Sunday, bikers have the option of 30- or 55-mile routes through the Amish countryside. There’s a shorter off-road ride Monday, and non-mountain bikers can hike instead. Campgrounds will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 816-453-9199 or see www.kcbc.org for more information. — Annie Fischer