Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

After the 51-30 win against Zephyrhills High Jan. 4, first-year Academy at the Lakes coach Karim Nohra congratulated his team as he has following his previous 399 victories.

The 20-year coach thinks there is nothing special about winning his 400th game in high school.

“I never even thought about (400),” Nohra said. “All that’s saying is I’ve coached a long time. As far as I’m concerned it’s just a long time of coaching.”

Nohra, who is a professor at the college of engineering at the University of South Florida, started as a boys junior varsity coach from 1987 to 1990 and then became the girls coach at Tampa Catholic High. He moved to Cambridge Christian High for two years and eventually to Wesley Chapel High the previous two seasons before coming to the academy.

“We’ve had success, but that’s not just because of me,” Nohra said. “It’s the people around me. I have two assistants and I haven’t gone anywhere without them.”

Those assistants are Gene Miranda, who has been with Nohra since he went to Tampa Catholic, while Mackenzie Vidonic played for him at Cambridge and joined his staff after graduating in 2006.

“He tries to act like it’s no big deal, but it is,” Vidonic said. “He’s a great coach and this shows it.”

Nohra guided Wesley Chapel to consecutive regional finals the last two seasons, but was not retained with the team. He did not have to wait too long before another group of Wildcats was knocking at his door.

“I’ve known him for 25 years,” said academy athletic director Tom Haslem. “I’ve followed him the whole way. He’s won a ton of games everywhere he went. When I heard he was having to reapply for his job at Wesley Chapel, which to me means you’re not going to have your job, we jumped on him.”

For a coach who won 48 games in two years at Wesley Chapel, the change with coming to the academy was stark. The Wildcats went 0-15 in the 2009-10 season and needed a lot of work to get to the 9-1 mark they are at.

“They always fielded a team, but they’d get trounced,” Nohra said. “They’d be everyone’s senior night because you know it would be a W. I came in and said the mentally has to change. I’m screaming, yelling at them and they’re like, holy cow this guy is crazy, but I’ve changed their perception of what basketball is all about. They don’t know how to win and you have to know how to win and prepare to win and no one did that before.”

Nohra also put them on a weight lifting and running program to get them faster and stronger to run his system.

“We press and run, that’s my style,” Nohra said. “If you’re not in shape you can’t press and run. I tell them all the time ‘I want the ball.’ Go get me the ball and they can’t score and we have more opportunities to score. That’s the bottom line. Are we good at it yet? No, but if I take it away from you half the time it gives us a better chance to score.”

His players said Nohra says that at least 20 times each practice, “Go get me the ball.” He demands perfection in every drill, asking players where they should be at any point and why.

“He’s just a great coach,” said forward Andrea Mauger, who played for Nohra at Wesley Chapel last season. “He worked me hard and is going to make me a better player. I want to play college ball and he’s a great coach to help be do that. He’s very intense, but he’s awesome. He definitely knows what he’s talking about, but if you don’t do your job you’re going to hear it.”

In practice, Nohra also does not miss an opportunity to remind them where they were one year ago.

“Lazy gets us 0-15,” Nohra yelled during a recent practice.

Sophomore forward Christina Stark was a part of that Wildcats team last year that went winless.

“It’s been a whole different program this year,” Stark said. “He takes practice as serious as games.”

Junior center/forward Alexis Holler also suffered through that 0-15 season.

“It’s a lot faster paced all the time,” Holler said. “We get a lot more done in practice and it’s working. … My goal is to win the first district championship for girls basketball this season. I think we have a chance.”

Only one team has a district title at the academy, the girls golf team this school year. The basketball program reached the district finals in 2007.

In the milestone win Nohra’s press defense forced 25 steals, with Mauger leading the way with nine and also adding a team-high 20 points. Guard Marjorie Rivera added eight steals, 17 points and five rebounds and five assists.

Many of Nohra’s former players, including the entire Wesley Chapel team, watched the 20-year veteran record No. 400. Nohra acknowledged the achievement, but would give them all up for a championship run.

“If anybody wants to trade, I’ll trade my 400 for seven in February,” Nohra said. “That’s really what I’d like to do. … Seven wins in February means we just won the state title.”

The academy had a game against Lakeside Christian Jan. 10, but results were not available by press time. The squad next plays at the Academy of the Holy Names Jan. 18 at 6 p.m.

Link between coaches Castelamare and Nohra

By Kyle LoJacono

It seems John Castelamare and Karim Nohra really like Wildcats.

Both coached at Wesley Chapel High for the 2009-10 school year, Castelamare for football and Nohra for girls basketball. The similarities do not stop there as the two both took over the same position at Academy at the Lakes this season.

Nohra, a professor at the University of South Florida, led the Wesley Chapel girls basketball program the last two years, guiding the squad to back-to-back regional finals appearances. However, Carin Nettles became the school’s principal for the 2009-10 school year and put a new emphasis on coaches being teachers at Wesley Chapel. He was not retained.

Castelamare, a physical education teacher, started the Wesley Chapel football program when the school opened in 1999. He was forced to retire before last year, which was his fifth in the deferred retirement option program. The academy was waiting with open arms to welcome the two veteran coaches.

“What we’re trying to do is get the best coaches we can find,” said academy athletic director Tom Haslem. “We have coach John Castelamare for football, coach Nohra for basketball. We’re a small school and those guys have a lot to offer to our programs. As an AD it’s a no brainer for me.”

Nohra and Castelamare both express thanks to Haslem for giving them an opportunity to coach at the academy.

Castelamare coached for 38 years in Pasco County public schools, working with Ridgewood High’s program before Wesley Chapel. During that time he compiled a 108-126 record, 63-50 at Wesley Chapel including two 10-0 regular seasons and three district championships.

Coming to the academy Castelamare had to get used to coaching six-man football.

“The rules are very different and it took some time to get them all down, but in the end it’s still football” Castelamare said. “A lot of the players didn’t really know anything about football and we had to teach them drills I’d used at Wesley Chapel for years.”

The academy went 6-5 and reached the playoffs in Castelamare’s first season, but he has more than just winning on his to-do list.

“The goal is to get the program to 11-man football,” Castelamare said. “We’d need at least 25 good football players to do that. Just 25 bodies isn’t enough. We need football players. I think the excitement in football is up here at the academy and I hope our numbers will be up next season.”

There were about 15 players on the academy football roster last year. The program moved up to 11-man football for one season in 2007 and went 1-9.

Nohra did not have to worry about new rules when he came to the academy, but he did have to work on many of the basics with his new squad as Castelamare did.

“The first thing I saw is they needed directions as far as skill work,” Nohra said. “I immediately made them start doing some weight lifting and running, and that scared quite a few of the girls away. They’ve never been asked to do a lot other than let’s roll out the balls, put on the uniform and go play. Now I’m demanding more of their time and effort. It’s a really big culture change.”

One player who wasn’t scared off is sophomore Andrea Mauger, who played for Nohra at Wesley Chapel last year and transferred to the academy. She said she enjoys playing with Nohra’s high-tempo style.

“He runs the same system no matter where he’s at and I like what he runs,” Mauger said. “It stops a lot of people and the pressure is just so high that it confuses people. You have a job and if you do it right everything is fine, but if one person doesn’t it just falls apart. Coach breaks down everyone’s job and gets you to understand what to do and why you have to do it that way.”

Last year the academy girls basketball program went 0-15, but have turned that around fast for 9-1 start including Nohra’s 400th win as a high school coach.

“We have coaches who are really good at turning programs around and both teams are flat out working harder than they did last year” Haslem said. “They have everyone at the school talking about athletics here and I’m hoping for many more years with them leading the programs.”

Football coach Matt Kitchie and cheerleading coach Celisa Cook remain teachers

By Kyle LoJacono

Land O’ Lakes High cheerleading coach Celisa Cook and football coach Matt Kitchie will not return to lead their sports next season.

Gators principal Ric Mellin confirmed the two will not have their positions renewed, but will both remain as teachers. Kitchie is a physical education teacher, while Cook is the exceptional student education department head. Neither coaches any other sport at Land O’ Lakes.

Mellin said both teachers received a letter from Pasco County Superintendent Heather Fiorentino Dec. 22, the day before schools let out for the winter break.

“There was a decision made that went against what’s outlined in our code of conduct,” Mellin said.

Fiorentino said the discipline was under her direction.

Both coaches, as well as defensive coordinator Jason Hatcher, were indefinitely suspended after an off the field incident involving an unnamed student in November.

The three coaches missed the Gators’ last regular season game against Hudson High, a 42-10 win, and their first-round playoff loss to eventual state champion Jefferson High. Also absent from both those last two contests was senior quarterback Stephen Weatherford. Offensive line coach Pat Corcoran took over the football team and junior Ryan Bird was the quarterback to end the year.

Hatcher was not a teacher, but a permanent substitute at Land O’ Lakes. He was told he would no longer be working at the school in December.

Mellin said the football position is being advertised this week, but is not tied to any teaching opening. He hopes to have a new coach in place before the start of spring practice, which begins in May.

“We want to give the new coach time to select the assistants,” Mellin said. “Continuity is very important for high school athletics, but I’m sure the next coach will want to have some say in the staff.”

As for cheerleading, the sport is very much in season. The Gators competed in the regional tournament Jan. 8, but results were not available by press time.  Junior varsity coach Andrea Burkhart has been the acting varsity coach since Cook’s suspension.

“I commend both Pat and Andrea for stepping in under difficult circumstances,” Mellin said. “I know it wasn’t easy for them.”

Mellin said the cheerleading position, which is also not tied to a teaching job, will be advertised after the season.

Cook did not comment on the decision, but Mellin said she has been the cheerleading coach for the last several years except for the 2009-10 season when she resigned for personal reasons. She reapplied after the position opened again the next year.

Kitchie became the football coach for the 2009-10 school year, coming from Saint Stephen’s Episcopal High. He took over for John Benedetto, who coached the Gators for 32 seasons. Land O’ Lakes went 17-3 under Kitchie, including two playoff appearances as the Class 3A, District 7 runner-up.

“I loved coaching this program, but at least the kids have closure now instead of wondering what’s happening,” Kitchie said. “I’m not worried about me though. I’ll get another coaching position. I’ve still got my teaching job here at Land O’ Lakes and I’ll do the best job I can.”

Mellin said he does not regret bringing Kitchie to the school.

“I selected him as coach and I’m proud of his accomplishments here and still consider him a friend,” Mellin said. “I wish him the best of luck. It just didn’t work out here.”

There are currently two high school head football positions opened in Pasco and north Hillsborough counties, including the head job at Mitchell and Gaither. Kitchie has applied for the Gaither position, which was vacated when nine-year Cowboys coach Mark Kantor stepped down in December.

New athletes needed to compete in ultra-tough region

By Kyle LoJacono

First-year Zephyrhills High wrestling coach Jeff Beson is not the kind of coach who shies away from a tough competition.

“All the best teams in the state are right here in our region,” Beson said. “It’s good to know your opponents. Even if you don’t wrestle them, just to be able to see them. Other than that, you want to go against the best to get better. It’s hard to grow as a wrestler if you don’t have challenges. Competition will make you better.”

The Bulldogs compete in Class 2A, District 8, and sent seven athletes to regionals and one to the state meet last year with a team of 15. Unfortunately for the east Pasco County squad, the eventual overall top three teams — Oviedo, Springstead and Lake Gibson high schools in descending order — all are in the same region as Zephyrhills.

“We’re really starting to see the improvement from the start of workouts,” Beson said. “We’ve got 27 kids on the roster. About half of the guys are new to the team and most of those kids started working earlier because they weren’t playing fall sports. They started to get a feel for it and how tough it can be to wrestle, and then the older guys started coming in from the fall sports. Having those experienced wrestlers around helped reinforce how to do things.”

One of those leaders who is now focused on wrestling is senior Duke Morrison, who played tight end and on the defensive line for the football team. Morrison has wrestled for three years and was the district champion in the 215-pounds class last season.

“There’s a different intensity with football that I don’t think these younger guys had or saw yet,” Morrison said. “In football you really get into it, so I don’t think the younger guys saw anything like that. We came in and took things a little more seriously. They see what hitting it hard can do.”

Morrison does not hold back when talking about his individual goals for his final campaign.

“I want to place in top six in states,” said Morrison. “… I’ve never been to states before. I should have been and I don’t want to go out my senior year without getting there.”

Stephen Cottrell is another senior who just finished the football season. He played both the offensive and defensive lines and competes in the heavyweight class.

“Wrestling and football are really different,” Cottrell said. “In football everything you do is for the team, but in wrestling you’re competing in your own matches. In football you can beat the guy you’re going against, but you might not win the game. In wrestling, if you’re the better one you’re probably going to win.

“You still work with the younger guys and make the whole team better,” Cottrell continued. “That’s where the team comes from. It’s different, but we still feel like a team.”

Cottrell also said his goal is to reach states this season, as did 125-pound senior Jasper Starnes.

“That’s the whole goal is get to states and from there anything can happen,” Starnes said.

The Bulldogs have seven freshmen, but one is different from the traditional novice to high school wrestling. Brian Matthews, 130 pounds, competed for two years in Colorado before moving to Zephyrhills this year.

“I think I’ve taken on a little bit of a leadership role because of that,” Matthews said. “Some of the younger guys didn’t know basic moves and sometimes it’s easier to see a teammate do something.”

Matthews is only a freshman, but his goal is the same as the Zephyrhills veterans.

“The goal is get to states,” Matthews said. “You have to aim for that.”

Beson has coached wrestling for six years, the last three at Zephyrhills, but this is his first head coaching position. Bulldogs athletic director Bruce Cimorelli has been impressed with the new man leading the squad.

“Jeff’s a very hard worker and doing a very fine job with the team,” Cimorelli said.

Beson was flattered by Cimorelli’s praise, but said any success is because of the team’s hard work.

“That’s the key for us,” Beson said. “We have to come in and work every day. If you do that every day you’re going to see improvement. I expect us to bring at least seven to regionals this year and we should have about three guys make states. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t because we have the talent and work ethic to.”

Zephyrhills last won an overall district championship in 2003 when the squad went 20-5 and finished third in the state. The Bulldogs also won district titles in 1997 and 1998.

By Kyle LoJacono

Hillsborough County has offered adult softball for at least 10 years, but until now there was nothing for weekend warriors looking to live out their football dreams.

The Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department is launching an adult 4-on-4 flag football league with games starting Wednesday, Jan. 19 and continuing for 10 weeks.

“We’ve had a lot of calls from people interested in adult football,” said Charlie Jones, adult sports coordinator for the department.

The season will have one game each week, followed by playoffs for the top-two teams from each of the five league sites. One of those locations is the Keystone Recreation Center, 17928 Gunn Highway in Odessa.

“We have the space and there is a demand for adult programs at the Keystone facility,” said department spokesman John Brill.

Jones said the number of teams will be based on how many people register. He said if things go well they may offer the league multiple times during the year.

“We thought winter would be the best time to start because it isn’t hot yet and people are looking for ways to exercise after making New Year’s resolutions,” Jones said. “Football is so popular, so it was the natural sport to pick.”

The games will be at either 6:45, 7:30 or 8:15 p.m. each Wednesday. Teams will have eight players who must be at least 18 years old to participate. The cost is $250 per squad.

“We also are taking individuals,” Jones said. “They can sign up and we’ll put them on a team.”

Jones said teams can either pay the fee, or as many have with the county’s softball program, get sponsorships from businesses. All participants receive a T-shirt, and the top two squads from each location also receive awards.

Jones said there is a good chance the county will offer more adult programs in the future, including a wiffle ball league. Those interested in the football program or any other adult league with the department can sign up by calling Jones at (813) 744-5595 ext. 225.

“We’re always trying to offer more programs for our community,” Jones said. “We welcome any ideas or insight on how to give the best services to our citizens.”