Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

The rest of Steinbrenner High was empty June 25 to 28, but the Warriors gym was packed with basketball players improving their game.

In fact, the Steinbrenner Warriors Basketball Camp was split between two sites to accommodate the 98 participants ranging in age from 8 to 16. The youngest filled Martinez Middle’s gym, while the older kids were across the parking lot at Steinbrenner.

Warriors girls basketball coach JR Allen couldn’t have smiled bigger when he said the camp had grown from 31 kids during the inaugural event last summer.

“When I got hired here I wanted to do this, but we wanted to get that first year under our belt to build our program before thinking about branching out,” said Allen, adding they may include a second session next year because of the popularity.

The first mission was accomplished when Allen’s team won a district championship last season in the program’s third year. The second goal also seems guaranteed with so many kids participating in the camp.

“I do believe that the accomplishments we had last year has helped build this camp,” said Steinbrenner senior forward/guard Bailey Hooker, who volunteered at the event the last two years. “A lot of these kids are from Martinez, and it’s really cool. Coach Allen told us we’re going to become some little girl or some little boy’s hero. That’s cool to see them look up to you. Out of everything I’ve gotten from coaches, I get to give it back to them.”

Allen said it’s a privilege to introduce a lot of the campers to basketball.

“I’ve been able to do a lot because of basketball,” Allen said. “I kind of see this as a way of paying the game back for all it’s given me by not only coaching the kids at Steinbrenner, but also these younger kids.”

Among the 98 campers are most of those who participated last year, including Makenzie Muley. The guard will be a freshman at Steinbrenner this fall and wanted to get used to the faster paced game in high school.

“It’s a lot different than middle school,” Muley said. She added, “They also teach really good skills; taught me a lot of shooting drills.”

Also back is Steinbrenner sophomore Alex Abdul. He doesn’t play on the school’s basketball team and doesn’t plan to, but returned to the camp because he liked learning about the game.

“It’s a good way to stay active during the summer and learn more about basketball,” Abdul said. “This year I think my defense has gotten better.”

Allen had a lot of help coaching the event. All nine of his returning varsity players volunteered, along with many from the junior varsity team.

“Not only are they getting volunteer hours, but they’re getting leadership skills, which is something every team can build,” Allen said. “It
isn’t always just about the ball on the court. If you’re well refined as a person, that’s going to translate onto the court. Now, instead of having one or two leaders, we can have a whole group of leaders because of this camp.”

Allen added all the money from the camp is going directly into the Warriors girls basketball program for equipment and other expenses.

Senior forward Lauren Shedd organized and ran the camp for the younger kids for the second straight year, despite the time and energy it requires.

“I just have a heart for little kids,” Shedd said. “I don’t have any younger siblings, so I never got to be around them a lot. They’re cute and fun to work with, and I’m a big kid too.”

Last year, Shedd had less than 10 youngsters to coach. This year she had 38.

“We break it down to its simplest form,” Shedd continued. “It’s all about basics. The first day we worked on ball handling. Then we worked on defense and passing. I just take it down to the lowest you can and build up from there so they understand. We want them to learn and take as much knowledge as they can from the camp so they grow as players.”

Shedd said the time together will also benefit the high school team once the season begins as the Warriors look to defend their district title.

“It’s nice to get the junior varsity and varsity team together on common ground,” Shedd said. “Now it’s not like we’re JV and varsity. We’re just one big team. It’s cool as well to get to step on the other side and see how difficult it is to coach. It gives us an appreciation for our coach. … It’s a lot harder than I ever imagine. I give coach Allen mad props.”

James Tringali to begin 2012 as St. Norbert’s starting QB

By Kyle LoJacono

James Tringali is used to being the No. 1 quarterback on football depth charts.

He ran first team while an eighth-grader at John Long Middle and became the starter at Wiregrass Ranch High halfway through his freshman year. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound signal caller was the first-string quarterback for 33 games with the Bulls, so it was strange for him being third on the depth charts for the entire 2011 season.

Tringali, who started playing flag football at age 7, was the No. 3 quarterback last year as a freshman at St. Norbert College, a Division III program in De Pere, Wis. He got into three games in 2011, closing out the final series or two.

“It was different,” Tringali said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be competing for a starting job because we had two senior quarterbacks ahead of me, so I came in with the mindset of just learning from them. I’d never had to do that before, but I had an open mind with it. Both of those quarterbacks are great guys, so that helped the process.”

His efforts and patience have paid off, as Tringali was named the Green Knights’ starter during spring practice.

“One of the things that helped me earn the starting job in the spring is I got to start 33 games in high school,” Tringali said. “A lot of kids only get to start 10 or 15.

“Once the season ended, my goal was to win the starting quarterback job,” Tringali added. “The first part of spring, the reps were equal and everyone had an equal chance. The last couple days, I was with the first teamers. Once that happened, I just started to work on getting chemistry with those guys. That’s really important for a quarterback, to have good relationships with the team, including the defense.”

Tringali said the top two quarterbacks from last season were very receptive to helping him prepare to take over the reins once they graduated.

“Watching them really helped a lot,” Tringali said. “They were two different types of quarterbacks. (Kevin Hansen) was more of a pocket passer and the starter last year (Mike Fabrizio) was more athletic. I learned a lot watching how they both did things at practice and in games.”

Tringali said the physical workload was similar to what he experienced at Wiregrass Ranch. The biggest difference was the mental preparation for college games. He estimated he spent more than twice as much time in meetings and watching film than when he was in high school.

Another big difference is the expectation level to win at St. Norbert.

Wiregrass Ranch was in its third year when Tringali took over under center in 2008. The Bulls went 1-9 that season, but increased their win total each campaign until 2010 when the squad was 6-5 to clinch the program’s first district championship and playoff berth.

Statistics were not kept before Tringali’s sophomore season, but he totaled 3,219 passing yards on 277 completions and 23 touchdowns during his final three years in high school, all program records.

The Green Knights went 7-3 last year, finishing third in the Midwest Conference. They have won at least seven games the last 13 seasons, averaging more than eight Ws since 2006.

“It’s a different kind of pressure from Wiregrass when we were trying to build something,” Tringali said. “There was a lot of pressure put on you by yourself to bring a program somewhere it’s never been. At St. Norbert there’s a very rich tradition.”

St. Norbert coach Jim Purtill said he has been pleased with Tringali’s physical and mental progression and predicts he will take additional steps as a leader as he spends more time running the first team offense.

“The starting quarterback is always a leader on the team,” Purtill said. “Typically leadership falls into the arms of the upperclassmen; juniors and seniors.  If you have a young QB starting, team leadership is still in its early phases. Obviously with good performance will come success. With success will come confidence from the individual and from the team itself. Those things will lead to leadership.”

Tringali, who is studying business, has plans to do more than just continue the program’s triumphant ways.

“There have been a lot of wins, but in terms of conference championships they’ve been pretty down,” Tringali said. “It’s been only one the last four years. The team goal is to win the conference this year. We’ve got a lot of guys coming back on both sides of the ball.”

St. Norbert opens up the 2012 season in Dublin, Ireland against John Carroll University Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m.

By Jeff Odom

Florida State University (FSU) women’s golfer Alex Milan knows what it’s like to be on top.

The 2010 All-Laker/All-Lutz News Girls Golfer of the Year won four individual district titles and earned berths in the state tournament three
straight years at Sickles and Steinbrenner. She was the Warriors’ valedictorian with a 6.32 weighted grade point average.

Now, with high school long gone and a year of college under her belt, Milan said she found the level of competition greater than the prep level. However, her extensive experience in junior tournaments helped prepare her for the rigors of FSU golf.

“High school (golf) doesn’t count for much in the grand scheme of things, because I played a lot of individual tournaments all year,” said Milan, who averaged 78.20 strokes in 20 rounds with the Seminoles. “It wasn’t too different, it was just the fact that I would do that and travel just around Florida, but now we’re getting on a plane and flying anywhere.”

During her freshman season, Milan competed in seven tournaments for the ‘Noles, including the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship
tournament, where she finished tied for 40th overall.

Her best finish came in her first collegiate tournament, the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic at the University of Oklahoma, where she carded a
72 and a career-best 26th place in bitterly cold rain. She said that experience helped her get through rough conditions later in the season.

“Just putting on the FSU colors and getting in your uniform was really cool,” Milan said of her first tournament. “I was just excited to walk
to the airport with my team. When I got out there, in the first couple rounds I didn’t put together the rounds I was hoping for, but in the last rounds it was freezing cold, but I was just able to focus.”

Seminoles women’s golf coach Amy Bond said what sets Milan apart from others on the course isn’t just academics or a great work ethic, it is her ability to adapt to certain playing conditions.

That ability is something Bond identified early.

“The interesting thing (in Alex’s first tournament) was on the last day when the weather was the worst and what it seems to be with Alex, which is a great attribute to have, is that she plays really well when the weather is bad,” Bond said. “She’s a fighter and she fights throughout her entire golf round, never gives up on anything. … It’s something I was really impressed with.”

Milan said the biggest adjustment between high school and college golf is time management, adding that having a set schedule was something completely new. Her transition was made easier thanks to some help from the seasoned upperclassmen.

“It was really cool to have some older girls on the team, and to have some leadership made it fun to get used to it all because I wasn’t the one in charge,” Milan joked. “You know, you start over and it was different. It was kind of nice too, because they helped me adjust to my new schedule.”

Steinbrenner girls golf coach Mark Mann said Milan has left a legacy behind that is continuing the program’s winning attitude.

“I think what she brought to us was the leadership that speaks volumes for how successful the program has been,” said Mann, whose team finished a program record 10-0 in the regular season last year. He added, “A lot of the girls fed off of (Milan’s) spirit and wanted to continue the success and be like her.”

As far as the future goes for Milan, she wants to build a tradition much like she did at Steinbrenner. She said she learned a lot playing with the Seminoles and will continue to build on that each season.

“I didn’t have the year that I anticipated to have, but I feel like I learned a lot of important things about golf and playing on different
courses across the country,” Milan said. “I got to play in different climates and on different grass and styles of courses, and I definitely think that will help me in seasons to come.”

Bond added Milan has the potential to be one of the best golfers on the squad moving forward if she continues working at her current pace.

“Basically if Alex continues to work hard, she is going to be a big member in our squad in the next couple of years,” Bond said. “Alex worked really hard this year and if she just kind of fine tunes her short game, I look for big things in the future from her.”

—Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter: @JeffO_TheLaker

By Andy Warrener
The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The Tampa Bay Inferno girls basketball club is living up to its name — it’s on fire.

All five of the fifth-year program’s teams are ranked in the top 20 in the AAU national standings, including the No. 1 seventh-grade squad in the country.

The Inferno seventh-grader red team moved to the top spot by winning four tournament championships in 2012. In all, the club has six titles this season.

Such success was exactly what club founder Harold Givens, of Wesley Chapel, intended when he started the Inferno with his wife, JoAn.

“These girls learn to understand the game of basketball,” JoAn said. “We don’t teach girls basketball, we teach basketball.”

The Givens captain the six teams, but each squad has a different coach. One of those is sixth-grade coach Kelsey Gatz.

“We have genuine people in the organization,” Gatz said. “At any time any parent can come talk to us.”

The grueling AAU summer schedule has the Inferno competing as far north as the Florida Panhandle and as far south as Miami. The progression from when the season started has been great, according to Gatz.

“When these girls started in March, they could barely dribble and cut,” Gatz said. “Now look at them.”

Unlike many athletic clubs, the Givens actually seek talent. Harold and JoAn can be spotted at YMCAs and middle school basketball games looking for new players.

“We have about a 60/40 recruit-to-walk-in percentage,” JoAn said.

The Inferno has fifth-, sixth-, two seventh-, ninth- and eleventh-grade teams. JoAn said they like to have 10 to 12 players on each team to spread out the talent.

“There is no fall off when we make substitutions,” JoAn said.

Gatz and the other coaches work on a voluntary basis. The club is a nonprofit group, which has several fundraisers to offset the fees for the athletes.

“We hold car washes, try to get sponsors, we try to get it to where the girls have to pay little or nothing to play for us,” JoAn said.

The Inferno keeps a low overhead by relying on low-priced use of several facilities, such as the First Baptist Church of Land O’ Lakes and Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church.

The consequence of all the bouncing around is the Inferno does not really have a home court.

“These girls are used to playing on the road,” Harold said.

For more information on the Inferno, call Harold at (813) 997-9933.

By Jeff Odom

Recent Steinbrenner High graduate and second baseman Christian Diaz committed June 25 to Jacksonville University, a Division-I baseball program.

Diaz, who plans to officially sign when he visits the school on July 9, batted .343 with 17 RBI, seven doubles and recorded one home run.
The three-year starter, who began his high school career at Sickles in 2009, was also an honorable mention for the Wade Boggs Achievement Award in June.

“(I feel) happiness really, glad to get (the recruiting process) over with and have a chance to further my career there,” Diaz said. “I can’t wait.”

He added he is happy for the opportunity to play with the Dolphins.

“It opens a world of possibilities,” Diaz said. “(It) gives me a chance to compete at the highest level possible.”

—Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter: @JeffO_TheLaker

Warriors’ Merrell picks USF

Steinbrenner junior middle infielder/center fielder Kevin Merrell has committed to the University of South Florida (USF), Warriors
baseball coach John Crumbley announced June 28. Merrell played in all 24 of Steinbrenner’s games last season, batting .258 with a .343 on base percentage, 12 runs, seven RBI and six steals.

—Stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches

 

Camp also marks Graham’s last duties as Steinbrenner coach

By Kyle LoJacono

The only football coach in Steinbrenner High history had one more duty before stepping away from the post.

Floyd Graham resigned several weeks ago to take care of his sick parents in his home state of Alabama, but he already committed to leading the Lutz Chiefs Summer Football Camp at Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in Lutz, which ends June 29.

“I came back just for this camp because of the relationship I’ve had with the Lutz Chiefs being our school’s feeder program,” Graham said. “My players are out here running it, so I’m working here during the day and packing at night. … It’s giving me the opportunity to hang out with my players and coaches again before I leave.”

Graham and his wife, Jennifer, are taking a leave of absence from their teaching positions at Steinbrenner, which required them to resign as the Warriors football and volleyball coach, respectively.

Linda Cobb, spokeswoman for Hillsborough County schools, said those with an approved leave of only one year are guaranteed their same teaching position back if they want it. Graham said he and Jennifer would like to return to Steinbrenner for the 2013-14 school year if their family matters are resolved.

About a dozen of Graham’s football players volunteered at the camp, including junior Curtis Fitch. The quarterback, who is the son of University of South Florida offensive coordinator Todd Fitch, said coaching the kids gave him a greater appreciation for what Graham and his father do.

“We do a small game at the end, and we get fired up watching,” Fitch said. “I can only imagine what coach Graham or my dad feels during a game.”

Fitch also volunteered at the camp last year. He said it’s great to give back to the community while helping develop young football players.

“Every other school, like Gaither and Sickles, have been around for awhile and have built off this kind of thing,” Fitch said. “They’re the future of Steinbrenner football, and someday it’s going to be us coming back to see them play when we’re alumni. That’s something I really want to build is pride in our school.”

Graham said having a relationship with the local youth football organization is important for a successful high school program.

“Zach Kilburn is the director here for the Lutz Chiefs, and we’ve worked together on this camp,” Graham said. “He helped get the word out about the camp, and all these young kids are Lutz Chiefs. We’ve had some coaching clinics where his coaches came over in the spring to learn how we’re doing things at Steinbrenner so we’re on the same page.”

The first week of the camp is for players ages 6 to 10 where they teach the basics, followed by a session for those up to 13. The younger players are invited back for the older camp to watch the more advanced drills.

Graham said he received several comments from parents touting the camp’s added benefits.

“I had three sets of parents say to me this is fantastic because they go home and take a nap.” Graham said with a smile.

Logan Kilburn, 10, is a running back/linebacker for the Chiefs midget team and is the son of the organization’s director. He participated in the camp last year and said the drills are improving his game.

“It helps me with my footwork and technique,” Kilburn said. “It also helped me with catching the football and getting faster. That’s what I need to work on because I play running back.”

Another returning camper was Nicholas Testa, 10, who also plays linebacker for the Chiefs super midget club.

“It’s going to help me a lot because they’re teaching me the things that they’re doing in high school,” Testa said. “That’s what I want to do is play football. … They’re teaching me rules about what I’m supposed to do and not supposed to do that I didn’t’ know before.”

One of the newcomers to the camp is Brian Ford, who is volunteering for the first time.

“It’s fun to be a coach,” Ford said with a smile.

Ford, a junior center, started playing football in high school. He said the campers will be ahead of where he was when they start playing under the lights on Friday nights.

“It lets them know all those basics I didn’t know going into high school,” Ford said. “It gives them a lot of good conditioning habits, and we’re telling them how important it is to drink a lot of water and stay hydrated. It lets them know what’s expected.”

A lot of fun and teaching happens at the sessions, but football rivalries also bleed through.

Connor Whelan, 10, showed up to the third day of the youth camp wearing a Gaither shirt. The Cowboys have become one of Steinbrenner’s rivals, and the two teams compete in the same football district.

Graham couldn’t let the fashion choice go without at least some lighthearted kidding.

“I told him I was going to have him run extra sprints because he’s got that Gaither shirt on,” Graham said with a laugh.

 

Summer league gives football teams chemistry, rhythm

By Kyle LoJacono

June 19 marked the start of the North Suncoast 7 on 7 Passing League, giving football teams in Pasco and Hernando counties the chance to sharpen their skills before the fall.

Games are each Tuesday at two locations in either Pasco and/or Hernando counties, with eight teams scheduled for each site.  Squads play for about 20 minutes before rotating, allowing players and coaches to see different offensive and defensive schemes.

“It’s an opportunity to compete against other people,” said third-year Wesley Chapel coach Ben Alford. “Having a little bit of competition during the summer is a good thing to keep them in the flow. You also get to see a bunch of different teams each day instead of just playing against your teammates in practice.

“You can go undefeated in 7 on 7 and not win a game during the fall, but I think it helps guys build confidence,” Alford continued. “Especially the younger guys can start feeling some confidence.”

The biggest benefits usually materialize for teams looking to replace key playmakers. Wesley Chapel falls into this category, as the squad graduated 19 seniors, including a Pasco County-leading 13 who signed to play in college.

One of the few Wildcats back with experience is sophomore quarterback Ty Tanner, who started the second half of 2011 under center.

“The biggest thing is just us getting used to each other,” Tanner said. “It’s good for everybody because we can get the timing down, and it’s just fun to play 7 on 7. … We need to get every rep we can, and take everything seriously. We need to get every play straight so that we don’t have to think about it in the fall.”

Tanner also played in the league last year and said that experience helped him transition easier to the fall season, but he did admit the lack of pads and helmets does take some of the fun out of it.

“The thing is, I can’t get mad and hit somebody like I can with pads on,” Tanner said with a smile. “I want to hit somebody, but it’s still fun.”

Wiregrass Ranch was hurt less by graduation, losing 14 seniors, but the Bulls are still figuring out who will start at quarterback.

Sophomore Shane Bucenell, who was Wiregrass Ranch’s junior varsity starting quarterback last season, took the majority of reps under center in Week 1, while senior Jake Day played mostly at wide receiver and cornerback.

A lot of passing goes on, which is how the league got its name, but second-year Land O’ Lakes coach Brian Watchel said it is just as beneficial for the defenders on the field.

“There’s a million different offenses people can run, and you have to be able to check and adjust,” Watchel said. “If you can’t check and adjust you’re in trouble, and this gives us a chance to see a bunch of different teams each week, one right after the other.”

It is that very reason some programs stay away from the league.

Zephyrhills participated two years ago, Reggie Roberts’ first summer as the squad’s coach. The Bulldogs opted out of 7 on 7 last season, but are back to prepare for the 2012 campaign.

“Last year we were installing a new offense, a primary run offense running the flexbone,” Roberts said. “We went to a flexbone camp and spent a lot of time teaching that and putting it in all summer. This year we can do multiple things, and I think 7 on 7 will help us getting our timing down and get our quarterbacks some experience.”

Jeremy Shobe has had his Bulls compete in the league since he took over the program in 2008. Along with reps and timing, he said 7 on 7 helps break up summer conditioning and weightlifting sessions while also identifying which kids are dedicated.

“Right now it’s about who’s committed and who’s putting in the time to develop,” Shobe said. “That shows who’s ready for when the real football starts in the fall, so the coaches are looking for who’s here and who is working and not just going through the motions.”

And whenever different teams are competing, the players still want to win, even if there are no pads, helmets or lineman on a Tuesday afternoon instead of under the lights on Friday nights.

“I still want to do really good out here each week,” said Sunlake senior quarterback Josh Zifer. “I’m coming out and treating it like a game.”

Teams will take next week off because of Independence Day. Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills will be six of the eight squads competing at Land O’ Lakes High on July 10 at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.