The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kevin Weiss

National medalist

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File

Zephyrhills Christian Academy graduate Evan Miller medaled and placed fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.66 seconds at the recent AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa. Miller recently accepted a track scholarship with Division I University of South Carolina. He previously signed with NAIA Warner University (Lake Wales) on a football/track scholarship. In May, he won the Class 1A boys 100-meter dash (10.75 seconds) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships.

Bilirakis focuses on veterans at chamber stop

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U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who represents Florida’s 12th Congressional District, emphasized efforts he’s making on behalf of veterans during a recent appearance at a North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce meeting.

The congressman indicated “a top priority” is fighting to improve and expand veterans’ health care benefits and offerings.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis

“The veterans are a big deal for me,” said Bilirakis, the featured guest speaker at the chamber’s August luncheon at Fox Hollow Golf Club, in Trinity.

Bilirakis, who serves as vice chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, outlined several pieces of legislation that would provide veterans “the health care they deserve.”

One such bill that he’s introduced — Protection for Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2018 (HR 6582) — would allow veterans exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan to immediately access the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) medical care and disability benefits by providing a presumption of service connection.

Bilirakis cited a correlation between burn pit exposure causing cancer, and other lung and respiratory problems.

The VA currently does not recognize toxic burn pit exposure as a contributing factor to the development of such illnesses.

He compared the burn pit issue to veterans who had been exposed to Agent Orange in earlier wars and died while the VA took decades to study its effects.

“A lot of heroes are coming home and they’re sick — some have passed away,” Bilirakis said. “I don’t want to see another Agent Orange issue.”

Ensuring veterans’ access to dental care is another undertaking, the congressman said.

Last year, Bilirakis introduced the Veterans Early Treatment for Chronic Ailment Resurgence through Examinations (VET CARE) Act, to require the VA to put in place a four-year pilot program providing dental care for veterans.

Current law places limitations on the availability of dental care for veterans through the VA. Access to VA dental care is primarily restricted to patients with a 100 percent disability rating, former prisoners of war, and a few special exceptions.

“Right now, it’s extremely limited,” Bilirakis said of veterans’ access to dental care, noting such preventive health care could result in lower overall health care costs for the VA.

“We want to make sure every veteran, ultimately, has an opportunity to get dental care,” he said.

“First of all, we’ve got to take care of our veterans. Secondly, we’re going to save money on the backend — if we take care of our veterans,” Bilirakis said.

Since 2015, he has partnered with the West Pasco Dental Association and Pasco-Hernando State College to highlight the need for VA dental care, and to provide free treatment for local veterans at the Stars, Stripes and Smiles event.

Bilirakis also mentioned the need for wholesale improvements to the VA’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which helps veterans reintegrate into civilian life.

Said Bilirakis: “It takes what, six months to train a soldier, and then, they get a week in the TAP program? That’s not enough to get them back into society, find them jobs and treat any issues they may have.”

Remedying some of those problems within TAP are already in progress.

Last month the House passed the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Bill” Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act (HR 5649), which would provide grants to organizations that deliver veteran job readiness services, such as resume building and interview training, while connecting veterans with businesses in their community.

Bilirakis also touched on some of his other legislative priorities — mental health, the opioid crisis and improving care for people with congenital heart disease. He also stressed the importance of increased bipartisanship “for the good of the country.”

Bilirakis receives award
During the luncheon, Bilirakis also received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Enterprise Award, which he received in recognition of his support of pro-growth policies in the first session of the 115th Congress.

The annual award was given to 249 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 48 members of the U.S. Senate.

During the first session of the 115th Congress, the Chamber scored members on seven Senate votes, including those on tax reform legislation and the confirmation of Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch; and 14 House votes, including votes on tax reform legislation, access to Medicare, and lawsuit abuse. Various votes in support of small businesses were scored, too.

Members who supported the Chamber’s position on at least 70 percent of those votes qualify to receive the award; Bilirakis had a 93 percent voting record.

“I guess I earned it,” Bilirakis said of the award.  “I’m a pro-business guy, I’m a small business guy, and, I know that these tax breaks are going to really do a lot,” he said.

“We want you to grow, we want you to innovate, and hire more employees at a higher rate. Things are going good right now, and we have to keep it going,” Bilirakis said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

Published August 15, 2018

Prep football primer

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With high school football practices in full swing and games beginning Aug. 24, here’s a look at teams, players and games to watch as the 2018 season unfolds, for programs in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Teams to watch:

Academy at the Lakes will aim to defend its FCAPPS eight-man state title. (File)

Academy at the Lakes Wildcats
The defending Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ (FCAPPs) eight-man champions — who also went 11-1 — appear to be in line for another solid campaign, even with the exodus of a handful of top players such as running back/linebacker Daniel Gonzalez, receiver Isaiah Smith and defensive back Jordan Oladokun, who transferred to Gaither High School for his sophomore season.

The talent cupboard isn’t completely bare, with a roster that includes a combined 17 juniors and seniors. Along with FCAPPS Coach of the Year Shawn Brown, the Wildcats return a handful of All-Conference or All-State players in sophomore quarterback Jalen Brown, sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Kilfoyl and senior defensive lineman Dylan Price. Also expect significant contributions from senior tailback Jamaal Johnson (1,093 all-purpose yards, nine touchdowns) and senior tight end/defensive end Tioma Stepanets (221 yards, four touchdowns; 52 tackles, four sacks).

New Land O’ Lakes head coach Chad Walker looks to steer the Gators to its first winning season since 2013.

Land O’ Lakes High Gators
The Gators will look to secure its first winning season since 2013, under new head coach Chad Walker. The 34-year-old played professional football in Italy and Sweden, and spent several years as a college assistant, before delving into the high school coaching ranks. Walker inherits a sizable roster that includes 1,000-yard rusher Kyle Leivas and leading tackler Myron Bloom (76 tackles, five tackles for loss). Aside from those senior standouts, the Gators must find consistent quarterback play and additional offensive contributors.

The schedule doesn’t offer a ton of favors for the new Gators coaching staff. A tough district slate includes Mitchell and Springstead, along with other formidable opponents, such as Anclote, Hernando, and Lakeland Christian — each of which had winning seasons last year.

Wiregrass Ranch High Bulls
Wiregrass Ranch will have to move on from having one of the county’s most highly recruited football prospects in years — defensive back Jordan Miner, now at Penn State — plus a bevy of top contributors on offense such as 1,000-yard rusher Adrian Thomas, now at Division III Thiel College (Greenville, Pennsylvania).

The Bulls, however, should have enough reinforcements in place for a third straight winning season, after going 9-3 last year and 7-4 in 2016 under head coach Mark Kantor.

Incumbent quarterback Grant Sessums returns for his senior year after throwing for 1,483 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. Other key returnees include senior receiver/defensive back Dorien Green, senior defensive lineman Kasean Ridgel, and junior linebacker Dylan Ridolph, who tallied 89 tackles, and led the team in sacks (15) and tackles for loss (23). Also expect contributions from several up-and-coming players who’ll move up from a junior varsity team that went 6-1 last season.

Coming off a 10-2 mark and District 8-5A crown, Zephyrhills High could be in store for another dominant season.

Zephyrhills High Bulldogs
Zephyrhills fans will have to get used to rooting for a new quarterback, following the graduation of Charles Harrison III — who became one of the county’s most prolific signal callers in his three years as a starter.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, whoever takes snaps certainly won’t lack throwing options, with arguably the region’s top receiving corps — seniors Ja’Quan Sheppard (35 catches, 797 yards, 13 touchdowns), Tre’ Pavis Mobley (41 receptions, 640 yards, 10 touchdowns) Cartrell Strong (25 receptions, 410 yards, four touchdowns) and Tyreese Wigfall (15 receptions, 286 yards, seven touchdowns). Another constant is third-year head coach Nick Carroll, who’s tactfully built off the sustained success of former coach Reggie Roberts, going 10-2 and 8-3 his first two seasons, respectfully. With a collection of Division I and college talent, don’t be surprised if the program secures its eighth straight winning season. Last year the Bulldogs outscored opponents by a margin of 562-209 and went undefeated in District 8-5A. That included several blowouts against the likes of Sunlake (36-7), Ridgewood (59-7), Fivay (70-0), Gulf (70-0), Hudson (63-0) and Pasco (43-13).

Zephyrhills Christian Academy’s Malik Jones (Courtesy of Zephyrhills Christian Academy)

Zephyrhills Christian Academy
The Warriors have transitioned to 11-man football under head coach Mike Smith, going 8-3-1, 7-2 and 4-4 the past three years, respectively. Now coming off a playoff appearance in the Class 2A ranks, the team figures to have another big season, as 24 of its 27 players are juniors or seniors. Among that senior group, on offense, is starting quarterback Jacoby Braxton, leading receiver Kavbion Marbra, and Javion Hanner, who tallied over 1,000 all-purpose yards and led all skill players with 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, on defense, most contributors return to a unit that last season allowed fewer than nine points per game and racked up 51 sacks and 16 interceptions. Among the standouts are Marbra (five interceptions at cornerback) and defensive end/linebacker Jalen Spencer (21 sacks). The team’s second-leading tackler from last season, Eugene Davis (94 total tackles), also returns.

Five more players to watch:

Chris Butash, quarterback, Carrollwood Day School, senior
The skinny: Butash, who lives in Wesley Chapel and formerly attended Academy at the Lakes, is coming off a season where he threw for 2,088 yards and 18 touchdowns/15 interceptions, and rushed for 570 yards and six touchdowns. Verbal commit to Division I FCS Holy Cross (Worcester, Massachusetts).

Darrion Robinson, receiver, Pasco High School, junior
The skinny: Coming off a breakout season where he caught 25 balls for 577 yards and eight touchdowns. His 23.1 yards per reception ranked tops in Pasco County.

Malik Jones, offensive/defensive lineman, Zephyrhills Christian Academy, junior
The skinny: The 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman is an intimidating force on both sides of the trenches, particularly on defense posting 60 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and four sacks last season. A multisport athlete, Jones is also one of the state’s top heavyweight wrestlers, finishing third at the 2018 FHSAA Class 1A State Championship in March. Holds a scholarship offer from Division III Mount Union (Alliance, Ohio).

Freedom High’s Jeremiah Ashe (Courtesy of Freedom High School)

Jeremiah Ashe, receiver/safety, Freedom High School, senior
The skinny: Formidable two-way player that snagged six interceptions on defense, while posting 945 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns on offense. Claims over a dozen Division I FBS offers, including Cincinnati, South Florida and Rutgers universities.

Jeromy Reid, running back, Gaither High School, senior
The skinny: Rushed for 1,110 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Tallied five 100-yard games, including a monstrous 267-yard, two touchdown performance against Brandon High early last season. Holds Division I FBS offers from Western Kentucky and South Florida universities.

Games to watch:

Wiregrass Ranch at Zephyrhills  (Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.) — Two of Pasco County’s top squads last year square off in the first week of the 2018 season.

Sunlake at Land O’ Lakes (Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m.) — The annual “Butter Bowl” rivalry has been one-sided of late — Sunlake has won eight straight (including one via forfeit in 2011) — but Land O’ Lakes figures to be more competitive with the matchup on its home turf and the Seahawks coming off an uncharacteristic losing season (4-6 in 2017).

Zephyrhills at Pasco (Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.) — The annual 9-Mile War may be more heated after Pasco head coach Tom McHugh this summer accused Zephyrhills’ coaches of recruiting improprieties, based on a July letter sent to Pasco County athletic director Matt Wicks. While the Pirates lead the all-time series 40-20, Zephyrhills has won the past three contests by a combined 138-29.

Zephyrhills Christian at Victory Christian (Lakeland) (Oct. 5, 7 p.m.) — The Warriors seek to avenge its 12-0 loss in the first round of last year’s FHSAA Class 2A playoffs.

Gaither at Wiregrass Ranch (Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.) — Matchup could decide the District 8-7A runner-up — as it has the past two years — assuming Plant High repeats as district champs.

Schools in Laker/Lutz News Coverage Area (and their 2017 records)

Hillsborough County:
Carrollwood Day School Patriots (Class 2A-Region 3): 2-7 overall, 1-2 district
Freedom High School Patriots (Class 7A-Region 8): 3-6 overall, 2-4 district
Gaither High School Cowboys (Class 7A-Region 8): 7-4 overall, 5-1 district
Steinbrenner High School Warriors (Class 8A-Region 6): 2-7 overall, 1-5 district

Pasco County:
Academy at the Lakes Wildcats (eight-man Florida Christian Region 2): 11-1 overall, 7-0 district
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School Hurricanes (Independent-Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC): 3-7 overall, 2-2 district
Cypress Creek Middle High School Coyotes (Class 4A-Region 3): 0-11 overall, 0-0 district
Land O’ Lakes High School Gators (Class 6A-Region 6): 4-5 overall, 1-3 district
Pasco High School Pirates (Class 6A-Region 6): 4-7 overall, 0-4 district
Sunlake High School Seahawks (Class 6A-Region 6): 4-6 overall, 2-2 district
Wesley Chapel High School Wildcats (Class 5A-Region 8): 6-4 overall, 4-3 district
Wiregrass Ranch High School Bulls (Class 7A-Region 8): 9-3 overall, 4-2 district
Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs (Class 5A-Region 8): 10-2 overall, 7-0 district
Zephyrhills Christian Academy Warriors (Class 2A-Region 2): 8-3 overall, 0-1 district

Published August 15, 2018

Former radio programmer launches new musical venture

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In his former days as a music radio program director, Rick Schmidt helped launched the careers of such hit bands as Sister Hazel, Creed, and Shinedown.

His next venture: A music school in Lutz.

Schmidt is the new franchise owner of Bach to Rock, which offers a progressive music education for all ages.

The school, slated to open in October, will be located in the Van Dyke Commons shopping plaza, at 17463 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

Former 98 Rock program director Rick Schmidt is the new franchise owner of Bach to Rock Tampa music school, in Lutz. The school, scheduled to open in October, will be located in the Van Dyke Commons shopping plaza, at 17463 N. Dale Mabry Highway. (Courtesy of Bach to Rock)

The Bach to Rock franchise calls itself “the music school kids would have designed for themselves.”

Schmidt describes it as “a music school on steroids.”

Before taking on the franchise, the Odessa resident said he’d been searching for music lessons for his four children for the past few years.

Uninspired by local offerings, he caught wind of Bach to Rock — and figured he’d open his own.

“As a parent, it sort of worked that I just got the most expensive music lessons ever,” Schmidt jokes about opening a music school.

It marks the Tampa area’s first Bach to Rock franchise. Nationally, there are more than 30 locations of the franchise that first opened in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2007.

Bach to Rock Tampa will offer individual and group lessons in piano, voice, guitar, drum and DJ/EDM production. It also offers music programs for preschoolers and toddlers, and beginning piano for children in kindergarten through second grade.

Students at the school will quickly be able to form bands once they learn the basics of music theory and how to read music. The school will have between six and eight music instructors to start.

Weekly ensemble instruction and band formations will lead to public concerts, Battle of the Bands and recording sessions in the school’s professional recording studios.

Schmidt explained: “The goal is to get you into a band and get you playing out on a stage within a couple of months, and get you comfortable being out and getting practice on your songs.”

Students will be free to learn various instruments and play music of all genres, whether it be alternative, country, pop, classic rock or jazz.

They also will be encouraged to play current hits — everything from Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, to Imagine Dragons, Twenty One Pilots, and so on.

“There’s so many kids nowadays that go from (listening to) a country song to a hip-hop song,” Schmidt said, “so I really like the idea that there’s multiple music genres.”

In addition to music instruction and performances, Bach to Rock Tampa also will host summer camps, birthday parties and corporate events inside its 2,100-square- foot space.

Not everyone has to be a rock star
Schmidt said the goal of the new school isn’t necessarily “to find the next rock star.”

Instead, he wants kids to learn to play music — and have a blast doing it.

“You don’t have to be a rock star to play a song,” Schmidt said. “The goal is to try to get them to play, to get them to have fun and enjoy it.”

For students who exhibit exceptional musical abilities, Schmidt believes he will be able to leverage his music industry experience and connections.

“I have radio ears,” said Schmidt, who spent 20-plus years in the industry before stepping away in 2007. “I can hear a single and go, ‘Hey, let’s tighten this up, let’s do this, let’s move this bridge over here.’”

As a music radio program director, Schmidt ran Tampa’s 98 Rock and DC101, a heritage rock station in Washington D.C., that famously housed Howard Stern’s radio show in the early 1980s.

He also programmed stations in other locations, including Gainesville, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

With an ability to spot talent, Schmidt gave airplay to rock bands like Sister Hazel, Creed, and Shinedown — well before they were famous and sold millions of records.

One of Schmidt’s favorite tales comes from doing radio in Tallahassee in the 1990s.

When he was helping to record some commercials for a local bar, he was handed a 6 ½-minute song on a cassette.

Schmidt liked the song, but urged the bar owner to tell the band to cut the song’s length for radio play.

That band happened to be Creed, which went on to sell more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Before their massive popularity, Schmidt remembers Creed playing “all these tiny little gigs” such as Tallahassee’s The Mill Bakery, Eatery and Brewery.

While working at 98 Rock a few years later, Schmidt gave early airplay to another band, based out of Jacksonville.

That band was Shinedown. It has since sold more than 10 million records worldwide and produced a dozen No. 1 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. That is second of all time, behind Van Halen and Three Days Grace, which each have 13.

“It’s neat to see them become that,” said Schmidt, who now works in marketing.

Schmidt hopes to enlighten future Bach to Rock students about the history of Florida’s deep-rooted music scene.

Lesson and performance rooms will be named after those Florida-based artists and groups, as well as others such as Tom Petty and Casting Crowns.

A wide assortment of memorabilia will permeate the school’s hallways and walls, including references to Matchbox 20, NSync, and Lynyrd Skynyrd — who each broke ground in Florida.

“Having that Florida theme is really important for people to just sort of recognize, ‘Wow, there’s so much talent here in this area,’” Schmidt said.

To learn more about Bach to Rock, visit BachToRock.com.

Published August 8, 2018

Nurturing quilts uplift spirits in the courtroom

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When children enter Judge Lynn Tepper’s family courtroom in Dade City, they’re often welcomed with healthy snacks, stuffed animals, and lots and lots of books.

Another staple in Tepper’s courtroom of late: Dozens of homemade quilts, stitched with an assortment of bright colors, shapes and other unique designs.

The quilts are given to adoptive parents and caregivers of infants and young children, to help form a nurturing bond for families navigating custody cases.

Members of the Rotary Club of San Antonio donated a batch of handmade quilts to Judge Tepper’s courtroom. The quilts are given to adoptive parents and caregivers of infants and young children, to help form a nurturing bond for families navigating custody cases. (Kevin Weiss)

They’re made and donated by members of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, as part of one of its many community service projects.

Creations range from small baby quilts to full-size bed quilts. Handbags have even been designed for older children.

“The quilts have been amazing,” said Tepper, who oversees dependency, delinquency and domestic violence cases for the 6th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.

“It’s a positive thing for (parents) to wrap around the baby or when the baby is now starting to come home with them. It’s just such a positive — the expression is so positive that they’re coming here, giving them something.”

For Tepper, the quilts are part of a broader theme of facilitating positive, impactful relationships for youth in her courtroom, many of which have experienced adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse and neglect.

“It is a buffering relationship that makes the difference,” said Tepper, who’s served on the bench for 34 years. “You should see the look on the parents’ faces. …They just get such a kick out of them. My bailiff loves to give them away.”

Rotary club members last week handed off another batch of quilts to Tepper, who was the featured guest speaker at the organization’s monthly dinner meeting at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club.

Her talk centered on trauma-informed care and the importance of getting to the root of societal problems through rehabilitation, as opposed to outright punishment.

“She likes to take care of the children,” San Antonio rotary club member and past president Winnie Burke says of Tepper. “It’s good when they come in, for them to have something to be happy…”

Fellow Rotarian Betty Burke earlier this year came up with the idea of donating quilts to Tepper, after she picked up the craft.

“I have a great time (quilting),” Burke said. “I just started doing it, but I’m having a wonderful time, enjoying it.”

Burke enjoys it even more knowing the creations are being put to good use — uplifting the spirits of children going through challenging circumstances.

She explained: “You know, these kids come to court, sometimes they have nothing. If they’re abused and taken out of the homes in the middle of the night, they might not have any clothes but what’s on their backs, so we thought, ‘Well, if they get a quilt, this is theirs (and) something that belongs to them.”

Burke has also enlisted the help of a few quilting friends, like Darlene Kirkpatrick, who work together on producing creative, thematic patterns.

“I just love creating things,” said Kirkpatrick, who’s been quilting for over 20 years using scraps of materials from yard sales. “And then when you get a quilt, (it’s fun) trying to decide what kind of pattern to put on. Some have flowers, others have Xs. You just kind of look at the quilt for awhile and try to decide what you’re going to do.”

About 40 quilts have been donated to Tepper already this year.

Many feature squares with vibrant colors. Others have more unique patterns much like the American Flag or Christmas designs. Some are designed with characters, like Snoopy.

The rotary club plans to continue donating quilts “as long as somebody can use ‘em,” Burke said.

“We try to make different ones that appeal to different kids,” Burke said. “I call mine ‘happy quilts’ because they’re bright colors and they make me happy, and they can make somebody happy.”

The Rotary Club of San Antonio was founded in 2005, and is one of eight clubs in east Pasco County.

Rotarians are governed by Rotary International, which has about 1.2 million members in 32,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographic areas, according to the international organization’s website.

Published August 8, 2018

Wesley Chapel boxer has big goals in sight

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From the likes of Jeff Lacey and Keith Thurman, to Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver, the list of world boxing champions with ties to Tampa Bay runs deep.

Wesley Chapel’s Evander Lamourt wants to be next.

Since turning pro in 2016, the 26-year-old super featherweight has compiled a 4-1 record and actively ranks among the top 100 boxers in the United States for his weight class.

Lamourt, who moved to Wesley Chapel from New Jersey at age 14, was an accomplished amateur fighter before that.

Lamourt, who graduated from Wesley Chapel High School and attended Saint Leo University, was one of the nation’s top amateurs before turning pro in 2016. (Courtesy of Joe Mestas)

From 2013 to 2015, USA Boxing ranked him among the top ten fighters in the light welterweight elite division. Across 65 amateur bouts, Lamourt was a seven-time state champion, two-time Florida State PAL (Police Athletic/Activities League) boxing champion, and 2013 Florida Golden Gloves state champion.

Beefing up his professional boxing resume is the next focus for Lamourt, who graduated from Wesley Chapel High School and studied at Saint Leo University.

He plans to schedule five to seven more fights through the end of next year. The next likely will be in September at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, through Fight Night Promotions.

The busy slate is all in hopes of hitting the radar of any one of boxing’s four sanctioning bodies: World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization.

In order to be considered for a title fight, pro boxers typically must have at least seven to nine fights under their belt, said Roi Maya, who represents Lamourt through Urban Athlete Management.

“I would like to next year win some junior belts. They’re not world titles, but they’re belts that help you climb the ladder against some better opposition and, if not by the end of next year, by 2020 I would like to be fighting for a world title,” said Lamourt, who trains at the St. Pete Boxing Club and Punch Boxing Wesley Chapel.

Known as a boxer-puncher, Lamourt and his trainers of late have focused heavily on honing his strength and power.

Lamourt explained: “Last couple fights I’ve been very patient, trying to get the rounds in. But this next fight, we’re really emphasizing power, and we’re expecting these next couple fights to end with knockouts.”

The quest for a world title goes beyond a personal ambition. It’s also to support his wife and future family.

“I love boxing,” he said, “but my ultimate goal is to be able to put my kids through college before they’re even born.”

Wesley Chapel’s Evander Lamourt hopes to be the next in line of Tampa-area boxers to win a world championship. Since turning pro over two years ago, the 26-year-old super featherweight has compiled a 4-1 record and actively ranks among the top 100 boxers in the United States for his weight class.

Though he didn’t start boxing competitively until he was 15, the sport’s been entrenched in Lamourt’s family, of which several members were boxers at one point, including his father.

In fact, Lamourt was named after four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.

He also grew up watching boxing greats like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and, of course, Holyfield.

“It was always something I wanted to do, a passion of mine,” said Lamourt

His boxing career hasn’t been without some punches.

Lamourt admits to losing a lot of fights early in his amateur career, as he often faced more experienced and skilled boxers.

Going toe to toe against better competition early on served him well later on, however.

“I was fighting some very accomplished amateur fighters. I wasn’t winning, but I was learning every time,” Lamourt said.

“I definitely had some talent, but I didn’t know from the beginning that I would become as good as I have now. I always worked hard, but I was a slow learner. I struggled at the beginning a lot — a lot of ups and downs to get to where I am now.”

Along the way Lamourt picked up the nickname “Lionheart,” from his brother.

Said Lamourt, “Everybody that’s always seen me fight since I was a kid, any fight, people knew they were in for a tough fight because I had a lot of heart, even if the other guy was more skilled.”

Whatever comes of a world title shot, Lamourt said he expects to continue boxing through his early 30s. From there, he’s considered opening a slew of boxing gyms to inspire and mold the next generation of young fighters.

“It’s all about desire,” Lamourt said of being a successful fighter. “Coming up, I could’ve stopped boxing several times if I would’ve listened to other people saying, ‘It’s a rough sport, it’s this, it’s that, you’re not talented enough for it…’ People pigeonhole boxers into like a specific type of person. If you love something and have the work ethic, you can achieve anything.”

Published August 8, 2018

Twisted Sisters are top-notch

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(Courtesy of Frontier Communications)

The U-10 Twisted Sisters softball team, part of the North Tampa Athletic Association (NTAA), battled over 200 teams in local, district and state tournaments to finish undefeated in the Babe Ruth Softball State Tournament. The achievement allowed the team to represent the state of Florida and the NTAA in the Babe Ruth World Series, which wrapped up on Aug. 4. Coaches, back row, from left: Otis Bass, Jamie Ankers, Michael Connell, Justin Horne and Devon Connell. Players, middle row, from left: Chelsea Andersen, Jordan Ankers, Isabellarose Bass, Eliza Connell, Lola Coole and Hailey Horne. Players, front row, from left: Allison McDuffie, Grace Mercado, Eliana Rivera, Willa Soorus and Skylah Stephens.

Regional Champs

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(Courtesy of Sean Coniglio)

Jason Nicolette, left and Dominick Coniglio, of the FC Tampa Lutz Rangers, were members of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Florida U-17 team that recently won the ODP Southern Regionals. The 18-member select squad had three wins and a draw against teams from Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Nicolette is a rising senior at Pasco High School; Coniglio, a rising senior at Tampa Catholic High School.

More devices, social media, make users a target for cybercrime, expert says

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As we become more tethered to smartphones, computers and other devices, those connections are putting us more at risk for being the victim of a cybercrime.

That’s according to Michael Horn, a U.S. Secret Service senior special agent assigned to the Tampa Bay Electronic Crimes Task Force, where he specializes in cybercrimes and network intrusion investigations.

Horn was a guest speaker at a recent luncheon presented by North Tampa Chamber of Commerce, at Atria Lutz.

U.S. Secret Service senior special agent Michael Horn was a guest speaker at a recent North Tampa Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Horn, who’s assigned to the Tampa Bay Electronic Crimes Task Force, covered current trends and techniques used by cyber criminals to compromise identity or personal information online. (Kevin Weiss)

His hour-long presentation covered current trends and techniques used by cyber criminals to compromise identity or personal information online. He also discussed some of the most commonly used scams and electronic crimes, and he offered tips on how to protect and minimize the risk of becoming a victim of these scams.

Much of the discussion centered on phishing scams.

The speaker said it’s “by far” the most common scam, whereby criminals pose as legitimate entities — such as banks and corporations — to defraud users and obtain sensitive financial information, such as usernames, passwords and account numbers.

While typically an email scam, phishing can also occur via U.S. mail or telephone correspondence.

Horn explained social media is a large reason why phishing, ransomware, business email compromises and other scams have become increasingly prevalent.

“It happens all the time, unfortunately,” he said.

That’s because users, more often than ever, are sharing gobs of information about their personal lives on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other popular applications. In other words, “we put all our business on the Internet,” Horn said.

Horn said posting details about where we work, shop, travel and bank has made it easy for hackers to obtain credit card information, because they can pose as one of those places in a personalized email.

“The bad guys are using social media to cater their fraud to be more effective towards you,” he said.

The speaker suggests posting something even as simple as ‘We’re going to Disney for a week’ on social media can greaten the risk for being the victim of phishing or another cyber-based crime.

Said Horn, “It’s like if I put a sign on the lawn, ‘I’m going grocery shopping for three hours. By the way, the back door’s open.’ That’s what we’re doing electronically whenever we’re either being careless with how we manage ourselves on the Internet, or, the information we’re providing.”

He added: “There’s a 100 different ways they could target you, but we’re giving them information to make their scams seem more legitimate.”

One phishing example the speaker gave was a hacker purporting to be Chase Bank, requesting users to verify their account information through email.

Horn recommends what he calls the “sniff” test to vet out such dubious messages.

Carefully inspecting such emails for spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors are dead giveaways it’s a targeted scam, he said.

The speaker also advises conducting independent verification before providing financial or log-in information online — such as calling the bank or the legitimate entity supposedly sending the email request.

As a general rule, Horn said, he just always assumes anyone sending him anything financial-related is a possible scam.

Another rule of thumb: Do not click links or open attachments from unknown sources or questionable emails.

“This is what gets everybody in trouble,” Horn said of mindlessly clicking through emails. “Malware, business email compromises and phishing scams largely are activated through people irresponsibly using their email.”

Those aren’t the only ways to lessen the risk for being a victim, the speaker noted.

Some other “best practices” for cyber security include:

  • Using data backups (thumb drive, hard drives) to save valuable information
  • Automatically updating anti-virus and anti-malware software
  • Using strong, random passwords of 10 or more characters (“Not your kid’s birthday, not your dog’s name…”).

The speaker revealed that arresting and prosecuting cyber criminals and hackers proves difficult for U.S. law enforcement agencies, as the sources frequently comes from overseas, selling to other criminals on the dark web.

“Very rarely do we catch anybody,” Horn said. “Our victories are, No. 1, did we get you your money back? Number two is, if we help you remediate (future cyber crimes) by saying, ‘Hey, this is something that I can teach you about being safe going forward.’”

As for recovering money and compromised information, Horn said, “it’s all about timing.” “If they don’t catch it within the first 24 or 48 hours, it’s gone,” he said.

Published August 1, 2018

Land O’ Lakes youth reaches motocross championship

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Colt Golembeski’s dream of racing in the sport’s premiere amateur competition is coming true this week.

The 10-year-old Land O’ Lakes resident is competing this week in the 37th Annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, held at the iconic Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

Colt Golembeski began riding dirt bikes at age 6. Qualifying for amateur nationals isn’t the only accomplishment the young rider has had. In 2017, Golembeski won the Florida Winter Amateur Series 65cc 7-9 division. In 2016, he won the Dade City MX Triple Crown Series for his age group. (Courtesy of Brian Golembeski)

Golembeski, who began racing at age 6, endured a series of area and regional qualifiers in multiple states to earn one of 1,446 coveted spots, out of about 22,000 hopefuls. The national championship event runs through Aug. 4.

The lengthy qualification period ran from April through June, and took Golembeski throughout Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio and Virginia.

His performance culminated with a fifth-place finish in the 65cc 10-11 division at the Loretta Lynn’s Northeast Regional Qualifiers at Birch Creek Motorsports Park, in Sutherlin, Virginia. Only the top six finishers in each racing class from each regional earned a spot to amateur nationals.

Golembeski said the feeling “was awesome” when he crossed the finish line and realized he qualified for the Loretta Lynn Amateur Nationals: “I mean, I was like yelling, ‘Yeah!’”

“Man, we were ecstatic,” added Golembeski’s father, Brian, who travels race to race with his son. “It’s hard to explain to people that are outside the sport, but it’s like going to the Super Bowl — it’s huge.”

Not unlike the Super Bowl, just reaching the exclusive national race is an achievement in itself, said Golembeski’s father.

It requires an immense amount of time, effort and skill — not to mention a little luck, he said.

The Loretta Lynn AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship is regarded as the premiere amateur national series in the United States, and the proving grounds for America’s future professional Supercross and Motocross riders. Colt Golembeski earned one of the 1,446 spots, out of approximately 22,000 hopefuls. (Courtesy of MX Sports Inc.)

He explained: “You can fall, you can have bike problems, you have all the different variables, different tracks, different guys, and, on top of it, they’re all good (riders),” he said.

“There’s tons of skill and all that, but then you’ve gotta put all of it together and on that day have everything go right,” he added.

Loretta Lynn’s, as it’s simply called, is “a Holy Grail of sorts” for motocross riders, as it tends to be the final stop for amateur riders before entering the pro ranks.

Many of America’s top professional motocross racers, including James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Ryan Dungey, have won AMA Amateur National titles at Loretta Lynn’s.

Golembeski, who’s entering the fifth grade at Florida Virtual School, will compete in 65cc and 85cc classes. In total, there are 35 different classes of competition, for children as young as age 4, all the way up to a senior division for riders over 50.

Racers will compete in three 15- to 20-minute races per class over the course of the week.

The track contains a variety of jumps, corners and other obstacles, all designed to test the skills and stamina of racers.

That could work to Golembeski’s advantage, who said he likes to ride on “really rough, deep rutted tracks.”

Golembeski trains locally at Dade City MX, Tampa MX and Spyder MX in Wildwood. He said he’s worked to “just get better at riding everyday,” specifically getting faster out of the starting gate.

In addition to the tracks, Golembeski said he’s “done tons of stuff” to up his strength and endurance in preparation for the event — everything from riding his road bike and running regularly, to weightlifting and other bodyweight exercises.

The fitness component, his father said, may be the key to gaining an edge against competitors: “One of the big parts of this race is not only being a good rider, but being physically super-fit,” he said.

“That’s what really separates guys, because they all get really good and then the strongest guys are able to hold that for the entire Moto,” he added.

Golembeski is no stranger to success at big races.

In 2017, he won the Florida Winter Amateur Series 65cc 7-9 division. The year before that, he won the Dade City MX Triple Crown Series for his age group. He’s also collected several other top-five and top-10 finishes in other major during the past couple years.

“He’s done really, really well, in a short period. He’s a good rider,” Golembeski’s father said. “He’s a strong, physical rider.”

Determined to perform well in his first appearance at Loretta Lynn’s, Golembeski also wants to have some fun and take in the entire experience with his mom and dad, who are all trekking to Tennessee in an RV.

Besides the races, the weeklong event hosts many family friendly activities, including swimming, a talent show, concerts and live entertainment, making it an ultimate family vacation.

“I just want to do the best I can and see where that is — if it’s first (place) or it’s 15th,” Golembeski said.

Loretta Lynn’s isn’t the only big race for Golembeski this year, however.

He also plans to compete in the Ponca City (Oklahoma) MX Amateur Nationals in October and the Thor Winter Mini-Olympics (Alachua) in November.

He estimates he’s raced in more than 60 events since picking up the sport nearly four years ago.

“I just love riding my bike and feeling free. It’s just like my whole other world,” the 10-year-old said.

Published August 1, 2018