CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 51 Sports Sports Flyball is one of the country's fast- growing sports – animal sports, that is. Dogs compete in teams of four to complete a relay race. They must hurdle four barriers and then jump on a box, which launches a tennis ball into the air. A dog must catch the ball and race back over the hurdles until it crosses the start line; then the next dog on the team takes off. All of this without any stops to sniff the other dogs racing next to them or any, um, potty breaks. The Castros formed the team last April, after their Shetland sheepdog, Rocky, lost his agility trainer to a move. "I had seen flyball online," Angela Castro said, "so I went to Raleigh to watch a tournament." A small contingent of local residents has been hooked ever since. In September, the team traveled to its first tournament BY NATHAN WALLS in Raleigh. The dogs spent the summer fine-tuning their jumps, turns and spins. Scoring is based on the number of jumps, plus speed and agility. But owners play a big role, too. Masters must hold on to their dogs until it's their turn to tear down the course, make the mid-air leap and spring around, like a swimmer kicking off the side of the pool. Then it's time for attaboys, rubs and smiles. "One of the things you train for is figuring out when to release your dog so you get the best time possible," Angela Castro said. "We're working on that right now, figuring out the dog's speed and when to release them." Plenty of discipline is involved – for the dogs that is – and aggressive pets are not allowed. But breed doesn't matter. Owners say discipline and social intersection are key factors in their Large dogs and tiny ones, purebreds and mutts, dashed down the 51-foot lane, their owners cheering them on with the zeal of Little League parents. It's a Sunday afternoon in Marcus and Angela Castro's backyard, the weekly meeting place of the Fayetteville Freedom Flyers. & Opposite | Angela Castro cheers on Reagan at a recent meeting of the Fayetteville Freedom Flyers. Castro founded the flyball team last spring. Top | Dogs are trained to compete in a relay race. It's Oz's turn as he springs on a box and releases a tennis ball. Above | Becky Evans congratulates her dog Fred at the finish line. T H E FA S T F U R R Y T H E

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