The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

Roller Derby event July 17

By

The Rolling Valkyries women’s team will face the Sintral Florida Derby Demons on July 17 at Astro Skate, 875 Cypress St., in Tarpon Springs. Doors open at 5:45 pm., for the event. Tickets are $8 in advance, and $10 at the door. For information, email .

PHSC announces cheer team tryouts

By

The Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) cheerleading team is hosting open tryouts for its 2016-2017 season on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21. Tryouts begin each day at 9 a.m., in the Fitness Center, in Building K, on the West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road.

A tryout preparation session for the upcoming season will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Aug. 15. Stunting and jumping skills are required; tumbling skills are recommended.

The tryout preparation session will include practicing with peers and receiving tips from coaching staff; participants also will receive a cheer tryout application packet.

The college’s cheerleaders compete at the state and national level, promote school spirit on campus and at all home basketball games. Team members also are required to support additional college athletic programs, host fundraisers and participate in community service projects throughout the year.

Male and female PHSC students, including incoming freshmen, returning sophomores and transfer students in good academic standing may try out. Cheerleading tryout requirements and additional information can be found at PHSC.edu/athletics/cheerleading.

LOL High names new girls basketball coach

By

Ed Mulliken has been named the new Land O’ Lakes High varsity girls basketball coach.

He replaces Phyllis Crain, who guided the Gators to regional championships in 2014 and 2015; Crain compiled an 85-50 in five seasons as head coach.

Mulliken, a longtime coach throughout Kentucky and Ohio, last coached girls basketball three years ago at Evangel Christian School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Ed Mulliken was named the new Land O’ Lakes varsity girls basketball coach. He replaces Phyllis Crain, who compiled an 85-50 mark in five seasons as head coach. (Courtesy of Ed Mulliken)
Ed Mulliken was named the new Land O’ Lakes varsity girls basketball coach. He replaces Phyllis Crain, who compiled an 85-50 mark in five seasons as head coach.
(Courtesy of Ed Mulliken)

With relatives moving to Pasco County, Mulliken sought out various head coaching opportunities throughout the area before getting in touch with Karen Coss, Land O’ Lakes High’s athletic director.

Mulliken was hired after several rounds of interviews with school officials.

Mulliken has retained Justin Dargahi as an assistant, and former Sunlake High basketball player Alison Washburn will also join the new coach’s staff.

As he transitions to his new coaching job, Mulliken has already met with several prospective players, and recently held three open gyms to evaluate the team’s initial strengths and weaknesses. (Due to FHSAA Bylaws, coaches cannot assign sport-specific drills or tasks during off-season open facilities sessions.)

Once sanctioned practices are in place, Mulliken plans to beef up the team’s conditioning efforts.

“By the time basketball season starts, these girls will probably be in the best shape they’ve ever been in,” he said. “That’s one thing we believe in and that’s one thing our coaches will believe in: the girls being in great shape and being super conditioned, so when they get into the ball game, they’ll know the game is going to be easier than what practice was.”

To do that, Mulliken will try to instill an unquestioned work ethic by pushing the players through rigorous workouts and training.

“You can’t make up for athletic ability, you can’t make up for size, but you can control how good of shape you’re in and how aggressive you are on the floor,” he said. “You come out and give it 100 percent, and you get out what you put in.”

Mulliken noted that teams he’s coached in the past have always had a “scrappy” identity.

“The one thing that I will have is…an aggressive team,” he said. …“We’ll push the ball and we’ll get after people. I don’t believe in playing a lot of zone — I want to try to control the tempo of the game.”

Land O’ Lakes is coming off a 14-11 (2-4 district) mark in 2016. The new coach will have to replace five seniors from last year’s squad, including top scorers Makela Canada (12.4 points per game) and Gabby Mills (11.4 points per game).

With the team in a rebuilding stage, Mulliken said his first year as Land O’ Lakes High’s coach will be a “learning experience” for both the players and coaches.

While it’s too soon to attach a win-loss goal for 2017, Mulliken is more focused on making sure the team just “gets better every day.”

“You can go all season and not win a single game, but you can have growth and learn a lot of things about yourself,” Mulliken said. “It’s really up to the girls and the coaching staff with what we’re going to do with this team.

“We’re going to put in a lot of work.”

Key Losses
Makala Canada (12.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.7 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game)
Gabby Mills (11.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 blocks per game)
Breana Barnes (5.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.9 assists per game)

Key Returnees
Lily Lazar (5.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG)

–Stats via Maxpreps.com

Published June 29, 2016

Guv’na candidate increasing fundraising efforts

By

Greg Gilbert is new to the area — just like his competitor in the Lutz Guv’na race.

And just like his rival, Andre Pamplona of Royal Lanes Bowling, Gilbert was urged by by Suzin Carr, the Lutz Guv’na ambassador, to jump into the 2016 race.

“She was relentless,” Gilbert said, describing Carr’s encouragement for him to enter the race.

“However, it did sound like a lot of fun to do something like this, and to be involved in the community a little bit more,” said Gilbert, who took over as the managing owner of Beef O’ Brady’s in Lutz in December.

Greg Gilbert is a candidate for the annual Lutz Guv’na race. Gilbert is the managing owner of Beef O’ Brady’s, 18421 N U.S. 41 in Lutz. (File Photo)
Greg Gilbert is a candidate for the annual Lutz Guv’na race. Gilbert is the managing owner of Beef O’ Brady’s, 18421 N U.S. 41 in Lutz.
(File Photo)

Before moving to Florida, he spent 20-plus years in Michigan working as a general manager for both T.G.I. Fridays and Ruby Tuesday.

Due to his wide-ranging obligations to his restaurant, Gilbert admits he has some catching up to do on the Guv’na campaign trail.

To try to make up some ground, Gilbert plans to dive headfirst into fundraising efforts between now and July 4, the final day of the annual charity event.

He hopes to organize a car wash behind the restaurant, and perhaps hold a classic car show over the next few weeks to boost his campaign.

“I’m new to this area, so I have to find some avenues to make some of this happen,” said Gilbert, who lives in Spring Hill.

Though he considers himself to be “quite a shy guy,” he enjoyed participating in the whimsical Lutz Guv’na debate last month at the Old Lutz School.

There, he showed the ability to step out of his comfort zone during the question-and-answer portion of the debate, where he offered some clever responses to some of the “hot-button issues” pertaining to Lutz residents.

For example, during the light-hearted banter, Gilbert proposed to have “all Canadians stopped in Land O’ Lakes” as a solution to prevent snowbirds from inhabiting Lutz.

It’s also where he revealed his campaign slogan: “Beef it up at Brady’s.”

“I was pretty apprehensive going into it, but I had a lot of fun doing that,” Gilbert said about the tongue-in-cheek debate.

When he’s not working or dedicating time to fundraising efforts, the Guv’na candidate has a passion for brainteasers — he describes himself as a “crossword and Sudoku junkie.”

Despite his busy schedule, and no matter the outcome of this year’s Guv’na race, Gilbert has no qualms about becoming a candidate all over again.

“I’d be more than happy to try this next year, where I’ll be able to put a lot more into it,” he said.

The Guv’na race continues through the Fourth of July weekend.

The winner will be announced after the community’s traditional parade.

The next honorary mayor will receive the coveted “sash” from last year’s winner, Jennifer Rankin, who raised more than $9,200 in the 2015 race.

The annual charity event— which started in 1991— is sponsored by the Lutz Civic Association, and benefits about 20 local causes, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Old Lutz School and the Friends of the Library.

The winner of the Guv’na race may also earmark 10 percent of what they raise to the organization of their choice.

If you’d like to contribute to Gilbert’s campaign, call (813) 909-2300, or email .

Published June 22, 2016

Zephyrhills’ city employees to get raises

By

The Zephyrhills City Council has unanimously approved a plan to give 160 city employees a raise.

At its June 13 meeting, the council approved a compa-ratio, or “parity hybrid,” salary plan.

City employees with the most tenure will see the largest salary increases, which range from 4 percent to 14 percent.

The move will essentially place Zephyrhills employees in a more competitive pay grade compared to other regional municipalities.

For example, a 20-year employee will see a 30 percent jump in salary placement, while a 10-year employee will see a 20 percent bump. Employees with five years of experience will see a 10 percent pay grade placement jump.

The approved salary plan will cost the city approximately $1.5 million through September 2017. Under the plan, all but a few of the city’s employees will get a raise.

In determining the increases, the city consulted with Evergreen Solutions, who collected salary data from 18 different regional agencies.

City Councilman Charles Proctor was one of the most outspoken proponents of the salary increases, saying they are “long overdue.”

“I like the idea that we’re taking into account the longevity of employees,” Proctor said. “It’s not going to be easy to add another $1.5 million into the upcoming budget, but I do think our employees are well worth it.”

After September 2017, the wage increases will add roughly $1 million (including FICA taxes and benefit contributions) to the city’s subsequent annual budgets, and will come from four funding sources: airport, general, sanitation and utilities.

“It’s extremely difficult for us to come up with this kind of money — and that’s not just for this year, it’s from now on,” Proctor said. “Once we do it, it’s forever. In my opinion it’s not enough (of a raise), but it’s a good start.”

City Councilman Alan Knight said it was important to present a plan that would offer competitive pay compared to other Tampa Bay area municipalities.

“We do have a problem with turnover, and we’re in competition with people that are offering more money,” Knight said. “I think this is a good package.”

Knight added he feels “secure in the growth of Zephyrhills” to sustain the higher pay grades.

Over the past several months, City Manager Steven Spina and city department heads analyzed several salary proposals before settling on the “hybrid” plan, which affects the majority of the city’s employees.

“The pay grades we selected…were the best jump that we could afford at this time,” Spina said. “There are…more expensive plans that would benefit another group of employees, but we have to look at the viability of what we can afford and what we can continue to pay them down the road.”

Spina noted there’s approximately $3.1 million in the city’s budget contingency that can be used for funding the new pay hikes. Furthermore, Spina said the city is looking at other revenue sources to fund the increased salaries each year, adding that increases in the city’s property values could help ease the additional financial burden.

Though City Councilman Lance Smith ultimately voted in favor of the plan, he showed the most resistance in tacking on more money to the city’s budget: “The worst-case scenario is the economy falls off again and somebody gets laid off or several people get laid off because we’re locked in now (with the raises).”

Should Zephyrhills lack the needed funds to support the pay increases, city leaders pondered the idea of slightly raising millage rates in coming years.

“I have a feeling that we may have to look at the millage again to cover all of this,” Proctor said.

Brian Williams, the city’s finance director, agreed.

“I can’t promise that we won’t have to raise the millage in two years,” Williams said.

Published June 22, 2016

Walking soccer league begins in New Tampa

By

Colin Eke was fed up with playing soccer.

The 60-year-old was tired of the nagging injuries and the over-aggressiveness of “younger lads” he regularly played against.

After undergoing several operations — including Achilles and knee surgeries, plus a hip replacement — Eke decided about four years ago that it was best to stop playing the game he still loves.

“I hung my boots up,” said Eke, a native of Ipswich, England. “I was really wearing myself out.”

Colin Eke, center, has started an ages 50-and-over walking soccer league in New Tampa. The league begins play on July 3 at Benito Middle School. Eke is flanked by Daniel Coimbra and Samantha Buterbaugh — winners of the New APSL’s Golden Boot for scoring the most goals during the season. (Courtesy of Colin Eke)
Colin Eke, center, has started an ages 50-and-over walking soccer league in New Tampa. The league begins play on July 3 at Benito Middle School. Eke is flanked by Daniel Coimbra and Samantha Buterbaugh — winners of the New APSL’s Golden Boot for scoring the most goals during the season.
(Courtesy of Colin Eke)

After a few idle years, Eke is planning to play the sport again, albeit in a fashion that’s more accommodating to his age, and his knees.

As the league director of the New APSL (Adult Premier Soccer League) in New Tampa and Dade City, Eke is forming an Over 50s Walking Soccer League that begins play on July 3. Games will be played each week on the fields of Benito Middle School, 10101 Cross Creek Blvd., in Tampa. An introductory practice session will be held on June 26.

Described as “the fastest growing sport in the United Kingdom,” walking soccer is completely non-contact.

Many of the rules are different than traditional soccer.

For instance, there’s no running or jumping, no off-sides, no throw-ins, no entering penalty areas and no slide tackling.

As opposed to 11 versus 11, each walking soccer squad can only have six players on the field at any given time.

Considering the reduced numbers, the field (50 by 25 meters) and goalposts are also smaller than conventional soccer.

The sport (walking soccer) is growing very quickly, and I thought this could be a good chance to try something locally in Tampa,” said Eke, who started organizing various New APSL soccer leagues in 2012. “It tries to avoid injuries that can be caused through muscle strain, hamstring problems, back problems, ankle twisting and all those other things that happen when you’re over the age of 50.”

To further reduce the risk of injuries, there’s a penalty box, or “sin bin” for those that get hotheaded or try to bend the rules of the game, which last an hour, consisting of two 30-minute halves.

Eke hopes the variations to the world’s most popular sport will reignite the passion of the game for older players “without having to go to work on crutches.”

The league director said men and women of all skill levels are welcome, and he fully expects to have some people sign up that haven’t played the game in decades.

“We just do it for the fun and enjoyment of it,” he said. “That’s purely what the game is all about — some people are playing in their 90s in the U.K., which is quite incredible.”

Eke hopes to have at least four teams in place by June 26, with an eventual goal of 12 teams. To reach that mark, registration will remain open throughout the nine-week season for additional teams and individual players.

“If we get one person who loves it, he or she will tell their friends — that’s how we’ve grown to now,” he said.

In addition to a little competition and exercise for middle-aged and older folks, Eke said walking soccer will also serve as a bridge to meet others.

“It’s a lot of fun for us to meet new people and introduce it to so many that haven’t played the game for a long time,” he said. “They play together and make friends; it’s a social event where everyone shows up, and has a laugh and a joke, and goes home hopefully uninjured ready to play another game.”

Individuals can register for $45. A team (nine players) can register $400.

For more information on the league, visit NewAPSL.com, or call Colin Eke at (813) 610-2278.

Published June 22, 2016

State champs!

By

(Courtesy of Mike Connell)
(Courtesy of Mike Connell)

The FC (Football Club) Tampa Rangers won the 2016 Florida U18 Boys State Cup championship last month. The club team will be advancing to the U.S. Youth Soccer Southern Region Championship in Greenville, South Carolina, from June 23 through 30. They will face top teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

State bound!

By

(Courtesy of Matthew Como)
(Courtesy of Matthew Como)

The Wesley Chapel American League All-Star tee-ball team won the District Championship in Wildwood, Florida on June 15 after defeating Bushnell 26-15 in five innings. The group of 6-year-olds won five consecutive games, defeating each opponent by at least 10 runs to capture the title. The Wesley Chapel all-stars will be competing in the state tee-ball tournament in Bristol on July 8. The team is coached by Jeff Myers, Matt Como, Eric Piet and Brad Christensen. If you’d like to support the team through the state tournament, call (813) 928-1983 or .

Saint Leo’s Troy Sieber selected in MLB Draft

By

Saint Leo junior first baseman Troy Sieber was selected by the Houston Astros in the 24th round with the 727nd pick of last week’s Major League Baseball Draft.

(Courtesy of Saint Leo Athletics)
(Courtesy of Saint Leo Athletics)

“We’re very proud of Troy and all the hard work he has put in to make this happen. We wish him all the best, and we will miss him,” Saint Leo head baseball coach Sean O’ Connor said in a release.

Sieber, a Second Team Division II All-American, batted .457 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs this season.

A native of Salem, New Jersey, Sieber also ended the season with a 14-game hitting streak.

“It’s hard to lose a player of Troy’s caliber, but it’s fun to see them go on and play. This is what Troy and all these guys train for – a chance to play professional ball,” O’ Connor said.

Since 2013, the Lions have had at least one player selected in the MLB draft.

PHSC player named elite hitter

By

Freshman Emily Stafford led PHSC with a .455 batting average last season. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)
Freshman Emily Stafford led PHSC with a .455 batting average last season.
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) freshman outfielder Emily Stafford has received the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Marucci Elite Hitter Award for District F Regions 8 & 10. Stafford led the PHSC women’s softball team with a .455 average, and added nine doubles, two triples and one home run, with 21 RBIs. The Palm Harbor native only struck out nine times in 122 total at bats.

The PHSC softball team finished the season with a 22-15 record after last month’s elimination in the NJCAA D2 Southeast District Tournament in Burlington, North Carolina.