Kevin Weiss

Imani Thomas scores 1,000 points

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

When it comes to scoring points, Academy at the Lakes’ Imani Thomas is in rare company.

The Wildcats’ junior post player became the fifth player in school history to surpass the career 1,000-point mark when she scored 17 points in a 79-45 victory over Cornerstone Orlando on Dec. 2.

“It was great,” said Thomas who is coached by Karim Nohra.

“When I got to 1,000 points, coach called a timeout and my (teammates) all gave me a hug and congratulated me.”

Coach Nohra put the achievement in perspective.

Imani Thomas goes up for close-range shot during a recent contest. The junior center is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds this season. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes) — Imani Thomas goes up for close-range shot during a recent contest. The junior center is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds this season.
(Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

“It’s a huge accomplishment because not everybody gets to a landmark like 1,000 (points),” said Nohra, who’s in his sixth year coaching the Wildcats. “She actually did it early in her junior year, which is even more impressive.”

Standing at 5-foot-10, Thomas plays with a bruising mentality, utilizing her strength to gain position in the post and get easy baskets, even against taller opponents.

“She goes up against 6-footers and has no problem because she uses her size and abilities to her advantage,” Coach Nohra said. “She has good feet and she jumps pretty well for her size. When she comes to play it’s like, ‘Oh, my goodness, she’s tough to stop.’ ”

In addition to averaging 13.2 points per game, Thomas is able to leverage her size and leaping ability to average 13 rebounds per game.

Since her freshman year, Thomas has continually refined her game by improving her post up moves and shooting ability, while learning to efficiently dribble with her left hand.

“As a freshman, I was still learning and trying to develop my skills,” said Thomas, who’s been playing basketball since the sixth grade. “Now, I’m putting up more shots, rebounding more and taking the ball to the basket harder than I was my freshman year.”

Coach Nohra added that Thomas, who has an offer to play college basketball at Flagler College in St. Augustine, has a better understanding of the game, and also has more control over her emotions compared to when she was younger.

“I think she’s grown as a player in that a lot of things used to upset her and now, they don’t upset her as much,” he said. “Before, as a freshman, I had to sometimes yank her out of the game to calm her down because she’d be like, ‘I got fouled, Why didn’t (the referees) call a foul on me?’ ”

As she’s matured, Thomas has used the lack of foul calls as a motivating factor to play tougher defense and make plays at opposite end of the floor.

“I’m a lot bigger than my other teammates and I know I’m not going to get the foul,” Thomas stated. “It’s frustrating, but I know when I get back on defense I’m going to get a stop and I’m going to come back down (the floor) and score.”

Coach Nohra believes Thomas doesn’t get more foul calls because the general consensus from refs and officials is that “she can take a beating” because of her unique combination of size and strength.

“She’s got people draped over her and when you hit her, she doesn’t flinch,” he said. “She absorbs those hits. That’s how strong she is.”

With just a few games left in the regular season before district play, Coach Nohra is hoping to lead the Wildcats to the Class 2A girls basketball state championships for a fifth consecutive year.

“It’s something that no team in the area can say,” Nohra remarked about reaching the state finals the past four years. “Our overall goal is always to win the district, be one of the best teams in the area and get to Lakeland for the state championships. … We have a great shot to get there.”

Nohra, who’s been coaching for 23 years — with stops along the way at Tampa Catholic, Cambridge Christian and Wesley Chapel high schools — subscribes to a philosophy that focuses on playing up-tempo, utilizing defensive pressure systems and scoring baskets quickly in transition.

He refers to his coaching methods as “choreographed chaos.”

“If you looked at our team, you’d say, ‘What in the heck are they doing? That’s not what normally happens,’” said Nohra, who’s amassed over 500 career wins. “We do not follow standard basketball protocol…like a point guard must dribble down the middle of the court or when you line up for a free throw, you have two people from your team on the line.

“I think our success lies in the fact that we do things so differently than other teams do.”

From a player’s perspective, Thomas said many of Coach Nohra’s drills seem peculiar in practice, but end up benefitting the team in live-game situations.

“Every practice we go through drills and sometimes I’m thinking like, ‘What is he doing? These drills are not made for me. This is not going to work,’ ” Thomas said. “And then, when he explains it we go into a game and we do it and he says, ‘This is the drill I told you to do. This is the drill we’ve been working on…they’ll work for you.’”

With the likelihood of playing several more games in the postseason, Thomas and her fellow teammates are focused on sending the roster’s two seniors, Janise Cassanello and Luz Santiago, out on a high note.

Thomas believes this year’s team has the formula to do just that.

“We connect outside of basketball and inside of basketball,” Thomas said. “We connect with each other and that’s what a team is. If you connect, you’ll play well on the court.”

Published January 13, 2016

Trail extension receives rave reviews

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

A new 4.35-mile section of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail is receiving widespread approval from walkers, joggers and cyclists, alike.

“The general feedback has been very positive,” said Forest Turbiville, Hillsborough County’s director of conservation and environmental lands management. “I mean, people love it.”

New Port Richey seasonal resident Bob Zook, 70, leads a pack of riders north on the trail, passing southbound riders, south of the new rest facility at 7020 Lutz Lake Fern Road. Zook also leads a group of senior bicyclists every Tuesday from the Ja-Mar Mobile Home Community. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — New Port Richey seasonal resident Bob Zook, 70, leads a pack of riders north on the trail, passing southbound riders, south of the new rest facility at 7020 Lutz Lake Fern Road. Zook also leads a group of senior bicyclists every Tuesday from the Ja-Mar Mobile Home Community.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The $6.2 million project, which was unveiled on Dec. 1, featured the completion of the northernmost segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, making it the first-paved, multi-use trail constructed in a Hillsborough County preserve.

From the Lutz Lake Fern Road trailhead, the path extends 1.5 miles east and then north to connect with the Suncoast Trail. Additionally, it extends nearly 3 miles to the southwest along the crossing at Lutz Lake Fern Road, as well as nearly 3 miles to the southwest along the edge of Brooker Creek Preserve.

“I think one of the things (that stands out) is that it goes through the edge of a nature preserve, and I think that really makes it unique,” Turbiville said. “To have 4.5 miles of new trail, the majority of it going through a nature preserve, gives the user that different experience maybe from some other parts of the county that are more developed.”

Since it’s opening, the new section has been a hot spot for exercisers looking to distance themselves from the noise and commotion of city life.

Paula Mitchell and Ruddy Arzon, of Homeland, walk the trail 1.5 miles at least once a week since the new segment opened. The pair noted how well maintained the trail is.

“Oh, I love it. It’s great,” said 41-year-old walker Jeff Hebrank of Odessa. “You’re walking out in the woods, away from the traffic. It’s nice and quiet. It’s beautiful with natural surroundings.”

Polk County resident Paula Mitchell, 64, said the trail’s new section is “a wonderful place to walk.”

“The trail has more nature than the part heading up along the Suncoast Parkway, which is not as picturesque because you’re along the highway,” said Mitchell, who spends her weekends in Lutz. “The (new trail) has a lot shade and foot trails where you can get off the paved area and go hiking through the woods.”

Seventy-year-old Bob Zook, a seasonal resident from Columbus, Ohio, was especially impressed with the trail’s mix of “beauty” and “scenery.”

“It’s a combination of what I’d call ‘Old Florida’ and some of the newer, more modern parts of Florida,” said Zook, who leads a senior citizens biking group in New Port Richey. “It goes all the way out to the Suncoast Trail, so you have the combination of going along a busy highway versus being out in the middle of basically nowhere. Quite often, that’s what bikers like—a variety of scenery.”

Zook remarked that it is one of “prettier trails” he’s ridden on over the years.

“It’s obvious (Hillsborough County) spent an awful lot of money on it,” he added.

Bicyclists can stop the traffic by using a crosswalk signal, where the trail crosses busy roadways.

Lutz resident Mike Lopez, 51, who typically rides his bike about 10 miles per week on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, commended Hillsborough County officials for doing a “great job” with the new section.

“At first I thought: ‘What are they doing? Why are they putting this trail in?’ “But, after I rode it, the first thing I thought was, ‘Oh, it’s so nice. Finally, my taxpayer dollars are being used for something I like,’ ” Lopez said.

Lopez enjoys the convenience of a signalized crossing at Lutz Lake Fern Road, where he can ride his bike directly from his home to the trailhead, without having to worry about using a car and having to pay a $2 parking fee.

“It’s very relaxing to get away from a hard day’s work,” he said. “Just one subdivision over and the next thing you know, you’re in the woods.”

The signalized crossing is not only convenient for nearby residents, but it makes getting to the trail via bicycle much safer, especially when accompanied with children.

Nature is the main feature along the Upper Tampa Bay Trail’s new section.

“I hated crossing over (State Road) 54 because of my kids, so I wouldn’t always take them,” said 47-year-old Corinne Wolthuis, of Lutz. “But, now it’s nice because we can really ride in that trail, and if they want to stop and walk, they can. It’s nice, because we can ride from our neighborhood on the sidewalk, and then when we get to the trail, we just have that one little path that we have to cross over where they put a stoplight.”

Wolthuis was impressed by the added amenities at the new Lutz Lake Fern Road trailhead, which features a rest area, water stations and several picnic tables and benches to utilize after a long walk or bike ride.

Before the new trailhead facilities opened, Wolthuis said she would have to leave the trail entirely, so her 6-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl could use a restroom at a nearby fast-food restaurant or department store.

The only issue Wolthuis has come across is the trail can be difficult to navigate when there are large crowds of people walking in groups with their pets.

One time, she almost got into a wreck, because a dog was in her pathway as she was biking along the trail.

Those utilizing the new 4.35-mile segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail can stop at the trailhead at 7020 Lutz Lake Fern Road. It features 50 parking spaces, restrooms, a picnic area and large maps of the trail.

“I was coming around a corner pretty quick, and the dog was on the leash but kind of extended out, and if the owner didn’t pull him back quick enough, it would have been a disaster,” Wolthuis said. “I’m not saying we should exclude the dogs, but that would be the only thing, especially when it’s very, very congested like that, and you’ve got bikes, people rollerblading and then you mix dogs in there on a long leash; you can forget it.

“I don’t know really how to fix that. You just have to kind of be aware of your surroundings,” she said.

When less congested, the 12-foot asphalt path has proven to be wide enough for more avid cyclists like 53-year-old Jim Griffin, of Odessa, to safely make wide turns at high rates of speed.

“They’ve cleared the vegetation off so you can see ahead of you as you’re making these large sweeping turns,” said Griffin, who uses a 22-speed racing bike to ride 100 miles per week. “It’s very important because…I’m riding a racing bike with skinny tires and 120 pounds of pressure in them. …We’re running 20 miles per hour average.

“They’ve got it set to where you come on a turn, you can see clearly ahead,” said Griffin, a member of the West Coast Florida Cycling Club in Tampa.

The new section’s grand opening was scheduled in August, but delayed until December because of flooding.

“If I have a complaint with it, it’s during rainy season,” Griffin said. “It was in the water; spots where water was covering it, so they postponed the grand opening. They did some remediation, and it looks like they got into some ducts and trenches and pits to keep the water from crossing the trail.”

With the trail free of flooding, and open every day from dawn to dusk, Griffin has found it to be a “beautiful” location to train with his 55-member cycling group,

“We use it a lot. A lot,” he stated.

New additions to the Upper Tampa Bay Trail
What: A 4.35-mile multi-use trail that marks the completion of the northernmost portion of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, making it the first paved trail in a Hillsborough County preserve.
Where: 7020 Lutz Lake Fern Road
When: Open every day from dawn to dusk
How much: $2 daily car parking fee
For more information, visit HillsboroughCounty.org/UTBTrail.

Published January 13, 2016

Preparing to pig out in Zephyrhills

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The 6th annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The festival, presented by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, at 39450 South Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Admission is free, but parking is $10.

One way to reduce the mess of eating ribs is to enjoy them on a stick. These are some of the ribs that were ready to be sold at the Pig In or Pig Out BBQ booth during last year’s festival. (File Photos) — One way to reduce the mess of eating ribs is to enjoy them on a stick. These are some of the ribs that were ready to be sold at the Pig In or Pig Out BBQ booth during last year’s festival.
(File Photos)

The event features both professional and amateur barbecue competitions, and is sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association.

There will be approximately 50 barbecue teams, 70 judges and a total of 60 vendors, concessionaires and exhibitors at the festival.

“I just think this event is probably the best thing we have in the area,” said Kevin Bahr, amateur barbecue competitor and owner of Bahr’s Propane Gas & A/C. “It’s huge in Z-Hills (Zephyrhills). It’s one of, if not the leading fundraiser here. It helps out so many things in the community and as a business owner, it’s really nice to be involved with it.”

The barbecue competition has a total cash purse of $8,000 and will have winners in four standard categories: chicken, pork, brisket, and ribs.

The festival is also a qualifier for three prestigious barbecue championship contests: the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in Lynchburg, Tennessee; the American Royal World Series of BBQ in Kansas City, Missouri; and the Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown Invitational in Sanford.

Bahr said being involved as an amateur competitor is “like nothing else.”

“It’s one of the most fun events that you can do, if you’re cooking,” he remarked.

Probably the toughest part of a barbecue cooking contest is waiting for the judges to render their verdict of whose barbecue is best. Dan Haynie of Zephyrhills sat on the edge of his smoker and waited for the judges' decision for the Tri-S BarBQ entries in the backyard division during last year’s Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ and Blues Festival. — Probably the toughest part of a barbecue cooking contest is waiting for the judges to render their verdict of whose barbecue is best. Dan Haynie of Zephyrhills sat on the edge of his smoker and waited for the judges’ decision for the Tri-S BarBQ entries in the backyard division during last year’s Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ and Blues Festival.

According to Bahr, what makes the festival even more exciting is the entire process of barbecuing with friends and getting food prepped in advance of the competition.

“Cooking in competition is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life,” he said. “You sit there, and you’ve got to get a specific kind of meat from a specific place. …Then you’re up all night long with smoke blowing in your face worrying about the temperatures and the basting, especially for the chicken.

“It’s very humbling, and it’s incredibly rewarding,” Bahr said.

The event has grown dramatically since it was introduced six years ago and attracted between 2,000 and 3,000 people. Now, it has reached the point where 10,000 people are expected to attend, and more amateur barbecue teams are signing up each year.

“When we started this, we had no idea what it was going to do,” said Bahr, whose business is one of the sponsors of the event. “The first year, I thought, ‘All right, maybe we’ll have a few teams.’ And all of a sudden, it’s just overwhelming how many people came and what happened with getting it sanctioned.”

Tim Linville, president of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, said changing the event from its original date in October to its current date in January and relocating it in 2013 from Krusen Field in Zephyrhills to its current site at the airport also has helped the festival expand.

The hope is to make the airport a permanent venue for ‘Pigz in Z’ Hills’ and several other events, he said.

Jason Mistretta of San Antonio, Florida, prepared chicken for those stopping by his booth. Mistretta was ready to serve 400 dinners last year

“If we get a permanent venue at the airport, then we’ll have a place for nonprofit organizations to have different events,” Linville said. They would have a stage and power and water, and we’ll have more room for expansion.”

The event’s attraction also is buoyed by the varied musical choices brought in each year.

This year’s slate of performers includes Coldiron, Wendy Rich & The Soulshakers, the R.J. Howson Band, and Damon Fowler. Live music will be presented from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

“We’re always trying to upgrade our bands, because that’s a key part, and also we have different barbecue people every year,” Linville said. “The two things that bring in people from outside the area is one, it’s a sanctioned barbecue, and the other thing is we have lot of blues bands that have a following themselves.”

In addition to a smorgasbord of food options and musical performers, there will be a family fun zone with games, a car show, aviation displays, helicopter rides and amusement park attractions.

In addition to providing more exposure for Zephyrhills, the festival also aims to benefit several local youth and education programs.

The event’s success has paved the way for many donations to scholarships, youth leadership programs and children’s charities.

“I think we’re very fortunate to have a community that volunteers so many thousands of hours to put this event on,” said Rod Mayhew, chamber director.

“Without the community and these hours they put in, we would never be successful,” Mayhew said.

Sixth annual Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ & Blues
When: Jan. 16, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., Zephyrhills
How much: Admission is free; parking is $10
What: Barbecue teams compete for prizes, blues bands perform, and event-goers can purchase barbecued foods and check out monster trucks, aircraft displays, and other attractions and activities.

January 13, 2016

New charter school to open in Lutz

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

If all goes smoothly, Sunlake Academy of Math and Science will open for the 2016-2017 school year.

The eight-acre site for the school is on North Dale Mabry Highway, about a half-mile north of Exciting Idlewild Boulevard.

Construction for the 40,000-square-foot, two-story charter will break ground sometime within the next month, and is expected to be completed over the summer.

The charter, which will be tax-funded and tuition-free, is expected to pull students from within a 5-mile radius of the school’s location.

Sunlake Academy will look similar to Valrico Lake Advantage Academy. (Courtesy of Charter School Properties) — Sunlake Academy will look similar to Valrico Lake Advantage Academy.
(Courtesy of Charter School Properties)

Developed by Charter School Properties (CSP), Sunlake Academy will be large enough to eventually accommodate up to 1,150 students, from kindergarten through eighth grade. It will have a focus on STEM curriculum, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math. It also will offer an interdisciplinary approach to learning, in which lessons will emphasize the interrelationships between various subjects.

The school’s features will include a library and media center, science laboratories, computer labs, art rooms and an area for outdoor activities.

In creating the school, Charter School Properties, which also developed Valrico Lake Advantage Academy, is working closely with Charter School Associates, the school’s Education Management Organization.

“We’re pleased to be bringing the local community new educational opportunities with this state-of-the-art building and a proven, high-tech STEM curriculum,” Joseph Rauenhorst, president of Charter School Properties, said in a release. “Partnering with Charter School Associates and other leading charter school operators, we focus on creating stimulating, nurturing environments that maximize each child’s achievement and develop the skills needed to succeed today.”

The company and its site engineer, Chris McNeal, are currently working through the site permitting process with several Hillsborough County agencies and the Florida Department of Transportation.

“We hope to have it wrapped up soon to start with building,” said McNeal, founder of McNeal Engineering, Inc. “Since it’s properly zoned already for the use, there’s no public hearings or anything like that. It’s straight to construction.”

According to Cindy Hughes, Charter School Properties’ director of operations, the local school district approved the charter in November. Since then, getting the charter up and running has been an ongoing process.

“There’s two moving parts,” Hughes said. There’s the construction of the building by the developer who also has to get all approvals running, then the school is required to get all their FEA (Florida Education Association) things handled, hire teachers and do their end of it. Then it all comes together.”

Sunlake Academy was originally proposed to be located on an 8.4-acre piece of land at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard. However, the piece of property has not yet been sold to the developer.

Hughes said the property is “still an option” for building a charter school in the future.

“We’re still in negotiations, so nothing’s for sure yet,” Hughes said.

Hughes added that if a charter were built there, it would most likely have a different managing operator than CSA, which will run Sunlake Academy.

Last year, several Lutz residents voiced their concerns about building a school at the Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern Road location. They cited traffic congestion, interference of wetlands and natural habitats, and possible flooding as potential issues that could arise if a school was established there.

“It’s an inappropriate project in scope and size for that proposed location,” said Mike White, founder and president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition. “That’s the type of thing that brings local neighborhoods to their knees. The new location is off of Dale Mabry Highway, so it’s not as impactful to the local area as it would have been.”

White said the citizen’s group is closely monitoring the project at North Dale Mabry Highway, but currently has “no issue” with it and has not been asked to intervene by members of the Lutz community.

“The main thing that we’re looking at right now is access to that project,” White said. “Right now, it’s designed for Dale Mabry primarily, and that’s fine. That’s really what Dale Mabry was built to do. However, if they change it to where they’re coming out on Van Dyke Road or rural two-lane roads, which would dramatically impact our local neighborhood, then we would step in and get involved.

“It’s a large school, but if they were to keep access limited to Dale Mabry, then you know, Dale Mabry can handle it.”

Published January 13, 2016

Pasco County Adult Softball league gearing up

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department will soon be accepting spring registrations for its 2016 adult softball leagues. Registration begins on Jan. 29 end ends on Feb. 13. The league will start on Feb. 22, with teams playing a 10-game regular season, plus a single elimination postseason tournament. Games will be played at Mitchell Park and Veteran’s Park. For more information, call (727)-942-7439.

Tri-County Tennis League forming

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

A men and women’s team tennis league is forming for singles and doubles competition. Matches will be played at certain home and away locations, with a final championship round. Players from three counties are now being rated for play. For more information, contact Walt Bockmiller at (813) 527-8211.

Zephyrhills golf scramble next month

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Registration is currently being accepted for the Thomas Promise Support the Troops Golf Tournament on Feb. 6 at the Silverado Golf & Country Club, 36841 Clubhouse Drive in Zephyrhills. Start time is at 8:30 a.m. The scramble’s format is four-person, best ball; the lowest two scores counting toward a team’s total. Teams will be made by blind draw for partners. The entry fee is $50 per person, which includes golf, lunch and prizes. For more information, call Cal Dickinson at (813)-838-1788, or email .

Pasco-Hernando State College issues first four-year degree

January 6, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

For one former football star, the opportunity to witness palm trees and visit family was simply too great to pass up.

Jamal Roberts recently became the first student to graduate from Pasco-Hernando State College with a bachelor of applied science in supervision and management, taking advantage of one of PHSC’s two four-year programs.

Jamal Roberts converses with other Pasco-Hernando State College graduates after the college’s winter commencement. (Photos courtesy of Jamal Roberts) — Jamal Roberts converses with other Pasco-Hernando State College graduates after the college’s winter commencement.
(Photos courtesy of Jamal Roberts)

“It was an accomplishment,” said Roberts, 21, who graduated in December. “It was a milestone for me, and it was a milestone for the college as well. It’s wonderful.”

While primarily a two-year college, PHSC began offering four-year programs in 2014, starting with the supervision and management program, as well as offering a bachelor of science in nursing. Formerly known as Pasco-Hernando Community College, the institution changed its name to reflect its broader program offerings.

Wasting no time after graduation, the Dade City native has already lined up a job as an administrative assistant at Irvin & Petty, a St. Petersburg-based law firm that primarily focuses on personal injury cases.

“I just want to be able to get dressed up nice for work every day,” Roberts quipped.

While still unsure what career path he wants to follow for the next 30-plus years, Roberts hopes to work for a company that features a positive work environment where fellow co-workers get along.

Former Zephyrhills’ football star Jamal Roberts in action at a Kent State football practice.

“I can have the best (job) or the easiest job duties, but if I’m in a terrible place, then I’m not going to like that job,” he elaborated. “But, if I have hard duties and everyone around me is friendly, and we’re all working together, then that’s going to be somewhere where I can stay.”

Prior to graduating from PHSC, Roberts was a standout athlete at Zephyrhills High School, where he shined as a dual-threat quarterback on the football team, was an All-Conference sprinter on the track team and also lettered in baseball.

Showcasing extraordinary athleticism, Division I football scholarships rolled in from several out-of-state programs, including Ball State, University of Massachusetts and Eastern Michigan. However, Roberts opted to attend Kent State in Ohio in 2012, where he suited up to play defensive back.

“Honestly, it was probably the best time of my life,” said Roberts, who spent three years on the Kent State Golden Flashes football team. “I had so much fun. I met a whole a bunch of people that I can call real friends.”

His most memorable experience at Kent State occurred in 2012, when he was redshirting as a freshman, the Golden Flashes finished 11-3 and earned a berth to the GoDaddy.com Bowl game.

“It was just unbelievable,” Roberts reminisced. “Just the way everybody played together, it was crazy.”

Jamal Roberts (right) is presented with his diploma from Pasco-Hernando State College from Dr. Timothy Beard, the college’s president.

While Roberts enjoyed his college experience, the bone-chilling Midwest winters in northeast Ohio started to become unbearable. “It was terrible,” he stated.

The opportunity to move back to the Sunshine State arose when his mother, Pamela, who works at PHSC as a student development assistant, told him the college offered four-year programs.

It became a seamless transition for Roberts, where most of his college credits at Kent State transferred and applied to the new bachelor’s degree program.

“Honestly, I did miss my family,” he said about moving back to Florida. “So, after some thinking and some consideration, and given the opportunity, I thought it’d be best if I was back at home and I finished up (at PHSC).”

While his football-playing career is over, Roberts hasn’t forgotten about the lessons he learned from the sport, which he uses in his everyday life.

“One of the first things I learned about football in high school, one of my coaches said, ‘you wake up and you get better, or you wake up and you get worse,’ and that’s what I stick by with absolutely everything,” he explained. “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse and there’s no in between.

“That’s my mentality going towards things in life.”

With the burden of attending classes and studying on the weekends no longer tying up his time, Roberts plans to stay involved with the game he loves by getting into coaching youth football.

“I definitely see coaching as an opportunity for me to get out and teach young kids the game,” he said.

Published January 6, 2016

Lacrosse tourney runs smoothly

January 6, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions presented by Pasco County, which wrapped up on Dec. 31, drew favorable reviews from coaches, spectators and vendors.

The event featured 73 pre-collegiate lacrosse teams from 15 states, including Canada, which made the trek to Wesley Chapel to compete in the three-day tournament.

The warm Florida weather was a pleasant feature for many out-of-state spectators who spent several hours outdoors, watching lacrosse at the Wesley Chapel District Park.

Jimmy Watson of @FCALacrosse wins the @UnderArmour Rising Stars Championship Game MVP. (Photos courtesy of NDP Lacrosse) — Jimmy Watson of @FCALacrosse wins the @UnderArmour Rising Stars Championship Game MVP.
(Photos courtesy of NDP Lacrosse)

“It’s a good time of the year,” said Rod Hidusky, who drove from Roanoke, Virginia, to see the tournament. “The weather’s been real good. It’s a little chillier up there (in Roanoke).”

While Hidusky acknowledged, “parking was tough,” he said the event was well organized.

“I think the fields are really good,” Hidusky said, noting the fields are marked and well maintained. “They’ve got some vendors and stuff, so it’s a pretty good time.”

Todd Anderson of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, said the experience is great for youth lacrosse players being able to compete against opponents they’ve never seen before.

“It’s pretty neat for them being able to play kids from all over the country,” said Anderson, who supported the Bucks County Select 2020 lacrosse team. “We’ve played (teams from) Florida, Virginia and Minnesota. It’s been great having these teams from all over the place.”

In between games, lacrosse players and their families relaxed and tailgated under tents set up throughout the park. Others visited the playgrounds or checked out vendors selling lacrosse gear and apparel.

Evan and Tara Jones, who invented a lacrosse ball resurfacer, traveled from Roswell, Georgia, to sell their product at the tournament.

The idea for their product, “The Ballscratcher,” was created about four years ago when they grew tired of purchasing new lacrosse balls every few weeks for their two sons.

The Jones family, who travels to about 30 lacrosse tournaments across the country every year, enjoy the convenience and setup at Wesley Chapel.

Everest Academy of Ontario was the champion of the Elite Division.

“Having all the fields in one location is wonderful for vendors and also for families, so they’re not having to drive in between schools or parks and stuff,” Tara said. “I know from traveling across the country doing this, the setup of having everything under one location helps tremendously. We love it.”

Evan said the more a lacrosse ball is used, the more stains it gets, causing it to lose its grip and feel.

“The kids hate ’em because they shoot differently,” Evan said about discolored lacrosse balls. “Imagine if you had nothing but dead tennis balls that you’re practicing with, and you went out in a game and got a (new) one.”

The invention, which they introduced at the tournament three years ago, ended up cutting the Jones family’s spending on lacrosse balls in half.

“We spent about 50 bucks a month on balls, and so we were tired of spending it,” Tara said. “For coaches, a case of balls is about $180. That’s money that could be used for fields, coaches, uniforms and equipment.”

Having a large number of lacrosse teams and families at the tournament has allowed the Joneses to get beneficial exposure for their product.

“People like to touch, feel and see it, especially with a lot of Internet stores that carry our product,” Tara said. “They don’t believe it until they see (it).”

In addition to fans and vendors, the Tournament of Champions was convenient for coaches.

From a coach’s perspective, the tournament’s schedule was easier to maneuver after event organizers introduced a mobile app that provided updates on scores, opponents and game locations in real-time.

“It’s honestly one of the cleanest tournaments I’ve been to,” said Pasco Lions Rising Stars head coach Chris Burke. “They have your entire schedule, and they have your standings. …I was able to break down the standings and go, ‘OK, we’re either playing these guys or those guys the next game because it’s the playoffs,’ and that was because of the mobile app.

“The information that you’re getting is a lot better, rather than running and trying to find a guy in a green shirt, saying, ‘Hey, I need to know where we’re (playing) at.’ I was able to do that on my phone on the sidelines and tell (players) immediately.”

The tournament’s competition level impressed Burke, who’s also a junior lacrosse player at Saint Leo University. Catching Burke’s eye in particular was the unique style of play from Canadian youth lacrosse teams.

Canadian teams typically play box, or indoor lacrosse with six players, as opposed to playing outdoor field hockey with 10 players, making it an adjustment for both Canadian teams and their opponents.

“Canadians usually play more of a box aspect, so they’re really good in close quarters,” Burke explained. “They’re stick handling is really good. Most of the time they don’t switch hands. …They’re impressive, because in a box environment, it’s a smaller field, so they have to be aggressive; they have to always be sprinting. It’s really a different type of athlete rather than field, you’ve got a bigger environment, and you’ve got guys going all over the place.

“Whenever you get a very diverse environment like this, you’re going to get better.”

In between preparing for games and coaching, the tournament also gave Burke the opportunity to try to lure some players to join the Saint Leo’s lacrosse program.

“I saw a couple of kids, and I texted my coach; I was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to be here,’” Burke said. “I’ve been meeting with kids the whole time, saying, ‘Hey, where are you playing? You’re a senior, non-committed? I’ve got a home for you.’ ”

Published January 6, 2016

Park master plan meetings on tap

January 6, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will host a series of meetings during the next 2½ months to provide information to residents about the county’s regional park system, and gather input for a master plan.

The public meetings will take place at 10 locations, with the first on Jan. 9 at the Upper Tampa Bay Park on Double Branch Road. All meetings will take place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to11:30 a.m.

The meetings will provide an overview of the conservation department’s duties, outline recreational opportunities in the area and explain the master planning process in detail. Department officials also will field questions.

When the master plan is finished, it is expected to include specific recommendations on policies, procedures and practices relating to natural resource management, facility uses and upgrades, and outdoor recreation for the parks and trails.

The Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will have a public meeting at Lake Rogers Park on March 27. (Photos courtesy of Hillsborough County) — The Hillsborough County Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will have a public meeting at Lake Rogers Park on March 27.
(Photos courtesy of Hillsborough County)

“The master plan is really going to focus on the vision for our regional parks,” said Forest Turbiville, the county’s director of conservation and land management. “We want the public to kind of tell us what they would like to see. …What kind of services, activities and, potentially, facilities that they would like to see in the future at each one of our regional parks, as well as our ELAPP (Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program) sites.”

For those unfamiliar, ELAPP is a voluntary, non-regulatory program established for the purpose of providing the process and funding for identifying, acquiring and protecting endangered or environmentally sensitive lands in Hillsborough County. It is a citizen-based program made up of volunteer committees.

While the department has a few possible ideas for the plan, Turbiville said he first wants to gather residents’ ideas and feedback on improvements that can be made for the regional parks and trails before organizing the bulk of the plan.

The public meetings will provide information about the regional park system and will gather resident feedback to help create a master plan.

“Really, we’re waiting for the feedback from the public,” said Turbiville, whose department manages over 78,000 acres of land across regional parks and ELAPP sites. “We’re going to have a survey that’s available that we’re going to hand out at the public meeting. It’s going to consist of a pretty extensive list of questions centered around what people would like to see in the parks.

“The public input is going to drive the outcome of the plan,” he said.

As an example, Turbiville said some people might suggest additional programming at select park facilities, request the construction of a new nature center or may want the county to build additional boardwalks on the trails.

The master plan is expected to be completed by the end of December 2016, so its programs’ budgets can be set in motion for the 2017 fiscal year, and successive fiscal years, Turbiville said.

Park master plan meetings
What: Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department will have a series of public meetings to help develop the county’s master plan for parks and conservation. The meetings will be on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 11: 30 a.m.

Meetings in the general vicinity include:

Jan. 9: Upper Tampa Bay Park, 8001 Double Branch Road in Tampa
March 5: Upper Tampa Bay Trail, 9201 W. Waters Ave., Tampa
March 12: Lake Rogers (meeting will include Lake Park): 9586 N. Mobley Road in Odessa

For a complete list of meetings, visit HillsboroughCounty.org/Conservation.

Published January 6, 2016