Local Sports

Running down a record

October 11, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Will Poe knew the exact time.

He also knew the exact runner.

Because it’s a runner he’s trying to catch.

“Jose Espinosa. 16 minutes, 10 seconds,” the Zephyrhills High junior distance runner said, without a second thought.

Poe is referring to the 18-year-old school record Espinosa set for the fastest 5K run in 2004.

Will Poe, a junior distance runner at Zephyrhills High, is on the verge of breaking an 18-year-old school record for the fastest 5K run, which is held by Jose Espinosa, when the former Bulldog ran a 16:10 in 2004. (Mike Camunas)

“I don’t remember the year, but it was a long time ago, and I’ve been eyeing it for a while,” the distance runner said.

And, he is getting close.

With a 26th place in last year’s cross-country state tournament and his personal best time already at 16:26, Poe is on the verge of setting a new Bulldogs record.

However, his season was nearly derailed when he broke his toe over the summer, making everyone, including his coach, catch their breath.

“It was definitely a scary moment because his dad (Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe) told me, and I was like, ‘Oh … well this is going to be fun!’” second-year coach Matt Page said. “Luckily, it didn’t impact him or his season at all and it’s all water under the bridge now.

“You don’t want to hear it happen to any of your runners, and certainly not your top guy.”

Poe, himself, definitely was worried.

“My cousin broke his toe like a year ago and he had to get surgery, and it messed up the tendons and stuff, so I was pretty nervous I had messed up my foot for running on it,” he said. “But it healed up pretty nice and quick.”

After a collective sigh of relief, Poe went back to work on his goals. Those include not just breaking the school record, but also a return to the state tournament on Nov. 5 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

But first, there’s the little matter of the competition.

Poe’s biggest competitor has been Sunlake senior Alex Pena, arguably Pasco County’s top runner, who recently posted a 15:30 at the 40th Annual Spanish River XC Invitational in Boca Raton on Sept. 16.

However, with new Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) classifications this season, Sunlake moves up to Class 4A, while Zephyrhills stays in 3A. This helps both Poe and the Bulldogs, because the Seahawks and Pena both finished third as a team and individually in the 2021 state championships.

Yet, runners remain that Poe will try to catch or pace. Cypress Creek senior Zach Poekert is one of those. Poekert finished sixth at states last year, as well as second at the Spanish River Invite, just 11 seconds behind Pena.

There’s also River Ridge senior Chase Thurber, who was chasing Poe at the St. Leo Abbey Invitational on Sept. 24. Poe finished fifth (16:36) and Thurber was seventh (16:37).

In that same race, Cypress Creek junior Dylan Powell finished eighth (16:43), while Wiregrass Ranch junior Hunter Boggs also cracked the top 20 with a 17:06.

“I’ve been battling it out (with those guys) all year and for a long time,” Poe said. “They are my biggest competitors.”

Page, however, says Poe is an easy runner to coach.

“I don’t really have to show him anything, which is great,” said Page, who was a distance runner at Pasco High. “The other day, he literally told me, ‘You’re running with me,’ and so, we ran from Lowe’s in Zephyrhills to Winn-Dixie in Dade City, which is 10 miles. I’m a little sore, but it was fun.”

As much fun as it is to have a coach who can keep up, Poe is focused on one thing between now and Nov. 5.

And that’s to have a place on the podium that day.

“I’ve put a lot of work into this season, so hopefully I can get 15th place or better at states and break the school record at states,” Poe said. “The top 15 runners get on the podium and get a medal. It’s that position or higher, or nothing. That is what I’ve been running for all season.”

Cross-Country Postseason:

Sunshine Athletic Conference Tournament
When: Oct. 15
Where: Sunlake High, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Details: This is the annual conference tournament for all Pasco County High School boys and girls cross-country teams.

District Tournaments
Class 4A-District 3
Host: Plant High
When: Oct. 20, 8 a.m.
Where: Rogers Park Golf Course, 7910 N. 30th St., Tampa
Teams: Alonso, Armwood, Bartow, East Lake, George Jenkins, Steinbrenner, Haines City, Land O’ Lakes, Largo, Mitchell, Palm Harbor University, Plant, Plant City, Ridge Community, Sickles, Strawberry Crest, Sunlake, Wharton, Winter Haven, Wiregrass Ranch

Class 3A-District 4
Host: Citrus High
When: Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Whispering Pines Park, 1700 Forest Dr., Inverness
Teams: Belleview, Citrus, Cypress Creek, Fivay, Gulf, Lake Minneola, Lecanto, Leesburg, Pasco, River Ridge, Springstead, Tavares, Vanguard Ocala, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills

Class 3A-District 5
Host: King High
When: Oct. 18, 5 p.m.
Where: Mary Help of Christians Center, 6400 E. Chelsea St., Tampa
Teams: Blake, Boca Ciega, Brandon, Clearwater, Countryside, East Bay, Freedom, Gaither, Hillsborough, Hollins, Jesuit, King, Leto, Middleton, Northeast, Osceola, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Spoto, St. Petersburg

Class 2A-District 5
Host: Robinson High
When: Oct. 19, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Mary Help of Christians Center, 6400 E. Chelsea St., Tampa
Teams: Anclote, Bell Creek, Berkeley Prep, Brooks-DeBartolo, Calvary Christian, Carrollwood Day, Chamberlain, Clearwater Central Catholic, Davenport, Discovery, Dunedin, Four Corners, Gibbs, Hudson, Jefferson, Lakewood, McKeel, Mulberry, Robinson, Tampa Catholic, Tarpon Springs, Tenoroc

Class 1A-District 3
Host: Oak Hall
When: Oct. 18, 9 a.m.
Where: Alligator Lake, 420 Southeast Alligator Glen, Lake City
Teams: Bishop McLaughlin

Class 1A-District 5
Host: Indian Rocks Christian
When: Oct. 20, 8 a.m.
Where: Taylor Park, 1100 Eighth Ave., SW, Largo
Teams: Academy at the Lakes

Regional Meets
When: Oct. 26 thru Oct. 29
Where: Various Sites

State Championships
When: Nov. 5
Where: Apalachee Regional Park, 7550 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee

For more information visit, FHSAA.com/sports/cross.

*Bolded teams are Pasco County teams and teams in the publication’s coverage area.

Published October 12, 2022

What’s the cache?

October 4, 2022 By Mike Camunas

This was Pokémon Go before Pokémon Go.

Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, which involves participants using a GPS or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called ‘geocaches’ or ‘caches,’ at specific locations that are marked by coordinates all over the world. (Mike Camunas)

In fact, when geocaching, something tangible, real is actually found.

Geocaching — it’s the outdoor recreational activity in which participants use a GPS or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, or caches. Not only has it existed for decades, but geocachers are still going strong, with more than a million known in the U.S. alone, as of 2021.

“It’s definitely people who like the outdoors — exploring,” said Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Naturalist and Program Coordinator Rebekah Jenkins.

This is a screenshot from the Geocaching® app, showing a map view of Northern Land O’ Lakes. As seen by the numerous green dots, there are dozens of caches that can be found in the woods that line State Road 52, east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and north of the Connerton subdivision.

She runs a monthly introduction program to geocaching at Jay B. Starkey Park in New Port Richey.

“While it is popular and (Starkey Park) has more than 50 alone, it certainly takes a dip (in participation) in the summertime because it’s hot, but we do see a lot when it’s cooler.

“It’s just a super versatile activity, because it can be done anywhere,” Jenkins said.

Indeed, when using the Geocaching® app on a smartphone, it will give the locations of all and any nearby caches. Those do not have to be in a park or the woods. Caches can be found in neighborhoods, shopping plazas, even just off the side of the road.

“I think anyone who tries it, they usually grow to really enjoy it,” Jenkins said. “Especially, if they’re really into hiking and exploring.”

All around the geo
By all accounts, the first documented placement of a GPS-located cache took place in 2000 in Oregon. Since then, they’ve been scattered across the nation, and world, in the likeliest and unlikeliest places. And it’s because anyone can place a cache. There’s nearly nothing ‘official’ about it — all one needs to do is create one and place it in either a fun or difficult (or both) location.

Caches can be a waterproof container in just about any form — a small plastic box, an old paint can or even a former rice jug, as seen here. Several geocachers leave small toys or trinkets in caches either for fun or to be traded.

A cache typically is some sort of waterproof container. They vary in sizes from large to medium, to small to micro.

The only real “requirement” needed for a cache is a logbook, so that finders can log that they found it and when they did. Depending on preference, and size, the logbook could be the only thing in the cache. Or, as with several larger caches, little trinkets or toys can be left or traded by geocachers.

Finding caches varies in difficulty, depending on the clues left by the original placer and hints left by fellow geocachers on the app.

The app comes in handy, too, for keeping track of found caches.

Besides having different sizes, caches can have different themes. For instance, there can be a group of caches that might solve a mystery or finish a challenge. Each cache will give clues on how to find the next one, and several of them can come with a fun story.

Hide and seek
Jenkins says the Parks Department has yet to put any of its own caches in any Pasco County park. She says they will eventually, but by her account, there are caches in every county park, from Starkey to Withlacoochee River Park in Dade City to Cypress Creek Preserve in Land O’ Lakes. There are even several in Lake Park in Lutz, as well as Flatwoods Park in New Tampa.

Caches come in all sizes and degrees of difficulty to find. For instance, this ‘micro’ cache in Land O’ Lakes is camouflaged to blend in with the forestry.

For now, Jenkins says the Parks Department will continue to do monthly Geocaching 101 in Starkey, because it has been quite popular.

Plenty of people seem to enjoy coming out to seek what’s been hidden.

“It’s been a mix of experienced geocachers to first-timers, to young and old people coming out,” Jenkins said. “When it’s people who have never done it before, it’s exciting to see those people experience, and find a cache, for the first time.”

Geocaching 101
Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources will host a Geocaching 101 class at Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, at 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd., in New Port Richey, on Oct. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The program is to introduce participants to geocaching and to give them a chance to experience geocaching with either a smartphone or GPS unit.
Cost is $5 per person 10 years or older, and children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pets are not allowed.
The program begins in the Starkey Environmental Education Center and then will go out into the park. It is recommended to bring water, bug spray and wear close-toed shoes.
Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to download the Geocaching® app.
To register, visit secure.rec1.com/FL/pasco-county-fl.
For more information, email .

Published October 05, 2022

A hidden cache, like this one at Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park in New Port Richey, usually is a waterproof container containing a logbook and a few to several trinkets other geocachers may have left or to be traded. Caches can be created and left hidden by any geocacher to be found by fellow geocachers.

Some caches are very large and even sometimes not all that hidden, as is this ‘hotel’ box located in Jay B. Starkey Park in New Port Richey. Many geocachers create these large ones as a charitable way for use in the geocaching community.

Gators getting back to winning ways

September 27, 2022 By Mike Camunas

The Gators new first-year head coach is aptly named.

Dan Goodspeed.

The former NFL lineman took over as head honcho in May, but his shift in (good) coaching technique and (speedy) training style has already paid off.

Land O’ Lakes is off to a 4-0 start and is looking like one of the county’s top teams again.

“It’s still a work in progress, but we’re headed in that direction and (it is) reflected on the football field because football is fun — it should be fun,” said Goodspeed, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. “You won’t hear any screaming out here, nothing negative — I don’t think there’s a need to berate players, so we want them to have fun and that’s part of the culture shift.

“(That’s a) tough thing to say, if we’re back, but (our players will) determine that with the work they’re putting in. Basically, on game day, I have a ticket to watch the best game in town, but it’s up to them to put in the work. We’re just here to guide them. It’s up to them to want it.”

When Goodspeed took over as head coach in May — becoming the fifth Gators coach since 2008 when the legendary John Benedetto retired — there was a whirlwind of changes.

Senior linebacker Justin Leivas (30 tackles) anchors a Gators defense that has allowed just 28 points in four games, including two shutouts (River Ridge, Wesley Chapel).

The previous coach, Trac Braughn, stepped down just days before spring football season began. Then, Land O’ Lakes saw its star quarterback, Kyle Horvath, transfer to nearby rival Sunlake, just after wrapping up a 2021 season in which he threw for 2,067 yards and 28 touchdowns.

And while last season may seem like a success at 9-1, the Gators played as an independent team. They stayed out of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s very tough Class 7A District 10 that featured Hillsborough County schools such as Armwood, Strawberry Crest, Tampa Bay Tech and Wharton. Land O’ Lakes was in rebuild mode following back-to-back losing seasons (3-15) in 2019 and 2020.

“Winning is fun, but the purpose is to get better at football,” Goodspeed said. “Everyone wants to count wins and losses, but we’re also developing young men to be better athletically and academically.

Sophomore quarterback Mason Clarke, in his first year as starter, has thrown for 220 yards and four touchdowns, and also rushed for 243 yards and a score.

“When playing with the Bucs, as we made our home out here in Pasco County, I used to come here (to the games) on Fridays and watch those (Gators) teams (of the past) have that Land O’ Lakes football atmosphere and really saw what it meant. So I knew a shift in culture was important.”

Goodspeed specifically shifted the way the Gators train on the field and in the weight room. He brought in Chris May, director of sports performance at Saddlebrook Resort. May trains athletes in a wide range of sports, including football.

“That way we are doing training right, and not just running them until their tongues are hanging on the ground,” Goodspeed said. “We wanted to train explosiveness.”

Players are buying into the return of a winning culture and new techniques, which has them optimistic heading back into district play, which begins with a tough opponent: Mitchell on Sept. 30.

Senior wide receiver and defensive back Kennen Ayala leads the Gators with 11 catches for 180 yards and four touchdowns. He also has two interceptions and 12 tackles on defense.

Sophomore quarterback Mason Clarke, who earned the starting nod by throwing two touchdowns in the team’s Spring Game, is one of those players.

“With Coach Goodspeed coming in, I think we’re more of a team now,” Clarke said. “We’re still building the team skills, and that’s definitely shown with how we’re playing with this pretty big start. … That’s our goal — to play as a team finally, which feels good, just as much as it does winning.”

“It feels great,” agreed senior linebacker Justin Leivas, who has 30 tackles. “We’re playing some good football, so things have really been better as a team with Coach Goodspeed.”

For now, the Gators are focused on their first district game in two years, never wanting to look too far ahead on the schedule.

“We don’t have a lot of experience in things like coming from behind or protecting a lead,” Goodspeed said. “That’s something that comes from years of it happening, and a lot of these kids, that’s just never happened for them.

“Land O’ Lakes hasn’t had that for many years now, so we’re trying to instill that because once we get into a tough match, which we will be against Mitchell, we can say, ‘Hey, we’ve planned for this. We’ve practiced this,’ and we can go from there.”

Mitchell (3-2, 1-0) vs. Land O’ Lakes (4-0, 0-0)
When: Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
Where: John Benedetto Stadium at Land O’ Lakes High, 20325 Gator Lane, Land O’ Lakes
Coaches: Mitchell – Andy Schmitz; Land O’ Lakes – Dan Goodspeed
Outlook: The Gators are opening district play, while the Mustangs already defeated Wiregrass Ranch 50-6 on Sept. 16. Land O’ Lakes turns to its young quarterback, Mason Clarke, who has amassed 463 total yards and five scores. His top target has been senior Kennen Ayala, who has caught all of the team’s receiving touchdowns. … The Mustangs rely heavily on their running quarterback, senior Chris Ferrini, who has 11 total touchdowns, as well as 559 passing yards and 335 rushing yards. Mitchell has outscored opponents 155-65.

Class 4 Suburban, Region 2, District 6 Standings
Land O’ Lakes 4-0
Springstead 4-0
Mitchell 3-1
Sunlake 1-3
Wiregrass Ranch 1-3

Published September 28, 2022

Pirates punching up the points

September 27, 2022 By Mike Camunas

The Pirates are making waves again.

And not just the extremely loud sound waves from cannon fire that reverbs W.F. Edwards Stadium each time Pasco scores a touchdown. The Pirates, the county’s most successful high school football program, seemingly is back as one the area’s top teams, thanks to an impressive 4-0 start.

First-year Pasco High Football head coach Alphonso Freeney has the Pirates off to a 4-0 record, which is a stark contrast to last season when the Pirates went winless and scored just 18 points. (Mike Camunas)

A start that all began with a new head coach.

“Honestly, it’s about making the kids care about football again,” said first-year head coach Alphonso Freeney, who after seven seasons as an offensive assistant at Mitchell was hired by Pasco in December. “And not just football, but care about school. First thing we had to do was get them to understand that you’re not just an athlete, you’re a student-athlete. When they started buying up there on the hill (at school), everything else started rolling.

“Because I told them, if you go to school and get that done, then you come down here (to football), it’ll be easy — doing something you love will be easy. And at the end of the day, they’re high school kids — they’re not professionals. They’re kids and it needs to be fun.”

Senior running back Tayshaun Balmir is leading the way in the Pirates’ impressive 4-0 start, thanks to his 840 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, which rank him third and fourth in the state, respectively.

Unfortunately, Pasco High Football — the only county team to ever win a state championship (1992) — hasn’t had much fun since 2014, which was the last time the Pirates had a winning record. After 12 seasons under coach Tom McHugh (2007-2018), the program’s winningest coach (86-50), the Pirates struggled, to say the least. Three seasons under Jason Stokes produced a 9-22 record, including a winless 2021 season that saw Pasco score just 18 points.

Last season was a brutal stretch that included two forfeited games and a season-ending 56-0 loss in the 9-Mile War to rival Zephyrhills.

“Coming from Mitchell where we were successful, I told the kids, ‘I don’t know what it’s like to go 0-10 — I hope I never have to.’” Freeney said.

Junior safety Angel Miles is tied for the team high with two interceptions, and also leads receivers with two touchdown catches.

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s in the past, so we don’t even bring it up. We don’t go back there.

“When I first got the job, people asked how are we going to be, to give them football talk. I said, ‘I’m not going to give you football talk,’ and you know, we go off (winning), but we practice like we’re 0-0, that’s the mindset we take into each game,” Freeney added.

“But when I came in and I saw these kids, I said we’re going to be a pretty good football team and knew from the get-go we had something special.”

Senior defensive end Anthony Pratt leads the Pirates with 31 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries. The Pirates have allowed just 66 points in four games after allowing 343 points in a winless 2021.

It seems the Pirates have found something special — lightning in a bottle in the form of senior running back Tayshaun Balmir. Through four games, the 5-foot-9, 180-pound back has rushed for 840 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranking him third and fourth, respectively, in the state in those categories. In fact, Balmir’s yards are almost 400 yards more than the next county running back: Zephyrhills’ Rodney Smith, at 465.

“I expected myself to make a little noise, but I never expected to go (that high) in the state — I ain’t gonna lie (laughs),” Balmir said. “You know, it is pretty great, so I figure I’ll just keep running when I get the ball.”

Balmir didn’t play for the Pirates last season, but was around, even if now he is formally a starter. But like all Pirate football players, he’s well aware of the history, and the community’s affinity, for this team.

“Everybody is congratulating us, and making me feel good,” Balmir said. “(What’s different from last season is) communication on the team. Last year, our players were all fighting, like we weren’t playing as a team — we were just out there playing with no direction.

“Now, it’s a lot of fun. We have fun at practice, we have fun at the games, we have fun outside of football and school — like we just have a bomb as a team.

“And, yeah, it’s fun to win, too.”

Fellow senior and linebacker Anthony Pratt agrees.

“It was really tough,” said Pratt, who leads the team in tackles (31) and sacks (five). “Coming out here every Friday and knowing you were just going to get beaten. It was, of course, not fun. But now practice is fun, the games are fun, and I feel as if we’re all on the same page out here, finally, and the results are showing we are.

Senior quarterback Enrique Matos has amassed 386 total yards and five touchdowns.

“Hopefully, our offense keeps putting up points and our defense keeps stopping (the opponent).”

Cypress Creek (4-0, 0-0) vs. Pasco (4-0, 0-0)
When: TBA due to Hurricane Ian
Where: W.F. Edwards Stadium at Pasco High, 36850 State Road 52, Dade City
Coaches: Cypress Creek – Michael Johnson; Pasco – Alphonso Freeney
Outlook: Pasco and Cypress Creek head into district play, both undefeated and looking to get a leg up in the district standings for postseason positioning. Expect the Pirates to turn to star running back Tayshaun Balmir, whose 840 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns is not only best in the county, but some of the best numbers in the state. Pasco was winless last season and only scored 18 points, but has quickly turned things around under new head coach Alphonso Freeney, outscoring opponents 140-66. … The Coyotes are really churning behind a two-punch offense led by quarterback Jack Niemann (762 passing yards, nine touchdowns) and running back Malachi Askin (526 yards, eight touchdowns). This is just the sixth season in program history for Cypress Creek, which is looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Class 3 Suburban, Region 2, District 7 Standings
Pasco 4-0
Cypress Creek 4-0
Zephyrhills 2-2
Wesley Chapel 0-4

Published September 28, 2022

Adapting to the right fit

September 20, 2022 By Mike Camunas

There are no physical limits.

Especially for these Adaptive CrossFit athletes.

At CrossFit AERO in Lutz, trainers have developed a modified program allowing individuals with permanent physical disabilities or severe injuries to complete the Workout of the Day, or WOD, and become comfortable with the fundamentals of functional movement.

Stephanie Beaver, of Wesley Chapel, does a deadlift at CrossFit AERO during a session of Adaptive CrossFit. The program provides sessions for people with permanent physical disabilities or severe injuries to help them become comfortable with the fundamentals of functional movement. (Mike Camunas)

“The way we see it, with CrossFit, everything is scalable,” said Ellaine Sapin-Ancheta, the AERO Adaptive CrossFit director and head trainer.

“So, if there is a workout of the day — say its rowing — every single person that walks in the door, we want them to be able to do that, no matter what your ability or disability is,” Sapin-Ancheta said.

“As soon as they walk through the door, we try to modify it from what we see and what they tell us — that’s the beauty of CrossFit: to have functional fitness, safety for longevity, and to have fun with it.

“It may look different when they’re doing it, but they’re still working the same muscle groups,” she added.

Stephanie Beaver, a Wesley Chapel resident born with spina bifida, works handles connected to a fan bike at CrossFit AERO to get in her cardio during a session of Adaptive CrossFit.

Wesley Chapel resident Stephanie Beaver always thought she was in shape, until she tried Adaptive CrossFit, modified for her body.

“I’ve come a long way,” said the athlete who was born with spina bifida.

“The movements we do here translate into the things I have to do every day, from moving around at home or to picking things up. It just translates into everyday life for me, so that really helps a lot,” Beaver said.

“Never in a million years I thought I would ever be doing the things I am doing today while at CrossFit,” she added.

Sapin-Ancheta explained: “She thought she was fit, but she was always falling to the side with a certain move, so we worked really, really hard on core strength and she worked really, really hard to improve that.

Wesley Chapel resident Stephanie Beaver, who was born with spina bifida, gets in her wall ball reps with a medicine ball at CrossFit AERO.

“Sure, she looks good and she’s ripped, even now, but getting back into the chair from the floor is way easier for her than before, too.

“So, she has no function of her legs, so we just modify (workout moves) for her or all of our adaptive athletes. They might be doing something different, but we’re still trying to simulate the same function and growth as any other athlete.”

Indeed, Adaptive CrossFit athletes will perform traditional CrossFit moves — such as deadlifts, overhead presses, wall balls, even rowing — however, the modifications are individually customized for each athlete.

Beaver, for example, will use special handles attached to a fan bike that allow her to perform cardio exercises.

CrossFit AERO head coach and Adaptive and Inclusive Certified Trainer Ellaine Sapin-Ancheta watches intently as Stephanie Beaver works during a one-on-one Adaptive CrossFit session.

“When people see the things that I am doing here, they immediately want more information and, unfortunately, it is not at every gym,” Beaver said.

“And the community here is really nothing I’ve ever been a part of before,” Beaver added. “I don’t feel any different when I’m here, not like other gyms where I feel like I stand out. Everyone just sees me as another athlete here.”

With CrossFit, inclusivity is — and always has been — key. It’s no different with Adaptive CrossFit.

“I think that, like all of CrossFit, that really it’s about inclusivity,” AERO CrossFit owner Josh Willis said. “CrossFit is really about everyone being able to do it, so that means those with disabilities, too, and they are always welcomed into a CrossFit community.”

“I’m a physical therapist,” Sapin-Ancheta said. “I have always loved working with (people with disabilities), but (CrossFit) was not available to them and why not? They want to work out and be part of the community, as well.”

And it’s true — they just want to work out, too.

“It’s still CrossFit,” Beaver said, with a sly smile. “We still get our WOD in like anyone else.”

Adaptive CrossFit
Where: CrossFit AERO, 4450 Pet Lane, Suite 102, Lutz
Details: An athletic program that focuses on individuals with permanent physical disabilities or severe injuries. Sessions provide additional support and experience so impaired individuals can become comfortable with the fundamentals of functional movement. Sessions are open to every type of physical disability: amputation, limb salvage, neurological damage, sensory impairment or traumatic brain injury, and with or without mobility aids such as wheelchairs, hand crutches and so on.
Info: Email trainer Ellaine Sapin-Ancheta at ./">, or visit CrossFitAero.com.

Published September 21, 2022

Curl up with this different type of sport

September 13, 2022 By Mike Camunas

It’s a sport that typically only gains attention during the Winter Olympics, but curling is becoming a more popular sport, locally.

Russ Thor, of New Tampa, slides a stone across the ice on a rink at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel during a practice session of the Tampa Bay Curling Club. The club’s fall season began on Sept. 10 and runs through November. New people looking to take up the sport are encouraged to join at any time. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

It’s a pursuit that looks a little like shuffleboard on ice, with a splash of household cleaning.

And, there are opportunities to try your hand at it at AdventHealth Center Ice, at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

That’s the home of The Tampa Bay Curling Club (TBCC), which offers league play.

It’s also where people who are interested can give it a try, in Learning to Curl sessions.

“It’s a great sport because it doesn’t matter how old or how athletic you are, anyone can curl,” said John Drysdale, a hockey and curling coach at Center Ice. “A lot of people even do it as a date night — I know my wife and I do! It’s a very social sport, too. You can come out and chat, and interact with everyone, so it’s a very cordial atmosphere out here.

“So they come out thinking it looks easy on TV, and everything looks easy on TV, but they find out it’s also a blast to play.”

When Center Ice started the curling club in 2017, it came with a huge distinction: the largest curling club in the Southeast, even if Drysdale can’t remember the exact number it started with. However, the club has reached as high as numbers as 16 teams and 150 players.

“It’s something different,” he said. “It’s something unique and, in the time anyone does it — an hour to an hour and a half — they realize just how fun it is, too.”

The TBCC gains new members all the time, usually after they get hooked thanks to Learning To Curl classes hosted Saturday evenings before league play begins.

Andy LaRosa, of the curling team, I Swept With Your Wife, holds a perfect position, as he slides a stone down the ice at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, as part of the Tampa Bay Curling Club. The league hosts play on Saturday evenings. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

Cost is $30 per class, and Drysdale says he sees a lot of people trying it as a fun group activity, only to want to join the club, once learning about it.

“I guess it is a little like bowling,” Drysdale admitted. “A lot of teams, they’ll get here a little early, go up and get something to eat and drink at (the restaurant) Top Shelf, and then you come down and play.

“Then after the match, you go back up with all the teams and eat and drink some more maybe, then leave around midnight and the whole thing is very social — and a lot of fun.”

The Learning to Curl classes touch on the basics of curling, along with safety, etiquette and techniques. Teams of four slide a 38-pound to 44-pound stone, or rock, down the sheet that is 150 long and 16 feet wide, to the target, or house. Brooming techniques are taught, too, as they are used to speed up and slow down the stone.

Kyle Van Der Meyden, of the curling team, Mount Brushmore, works with his sweeping and stone sliding form during a practice session of the Tampa Bay Curling Club at AdventHealth Center Ice. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

While Learning to Curl is a very popular activity at Center Ice, Drysdale does admit every time the Winter Olympics coverage pops up, curling interest also increases.

“The Winter Olympics creates a boom (in participation) because there’s a lot of curling coverage during the Olympics, and sure, they probably showed it ironically back in the day, but it’s (well-watched now). People see it and they’re like, ‘Oh, I want to try that,’ and then realize, ‘Hey, it’s right here in Wesley Chapel!’”

Which is exactly how Mike Valentine, of the curling team, Athletic Calves, came from Clearwater to curl.

Ryan Schleich, of the curling team, Athletic Calves, directs his teammates where to slide the stone during a practice session of the Tampa Bay Curling Club. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

“It’s hard to find in Florida,” Valentine said. “I took a couple of classes of Learning to Curl and just got hooked. … (People) have no clue, really, (about curling) and you have to explain it to them. Sure, you’ve seen it on the Winter Olympics, but it’s harder and more fun than you see on TV.”

Other curlers didn’t need the Olympics to spur their interest.

Lutz resident Charles Lauricello, with the club since nearly the beginning, said: “I love curling because it’s like chess on ice.

“You’ve got to strategize a lot,” he said. “I don’t think people realize how much strategizing goes into curling, but I love it.”

Tampa Bay Curling Club
When: League play and practice is on Saturday evenings.
Where: AdventHealth Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Wesley Chapel
Details: The Tampa Bay Curling Club promotes and supports the growth of the sport in the Tampa Bay and surrounding area. It provides education and training to curlers 15 years or older via instructional programs and league play. All experience levels are welcome, however, it is recommended curlers bring their own brooms and shoe sliders. Participants are encouraged to dress warm.
AdventHealth Center Ice also hosts Learning to Curl sessions prior to league play on Saturday evenings. Cost is $30 per class and new curlers are recommended to attend at least three sessions before joining the club.
Cost: $1,000 per team per season ($25 per player per game), plus there is an annual membership fee of $85 per player.
Info and registration: Visit TampaBayCurling.com, or email .

Published on September 14, 2022

Senior softballers in a league of their own

September 6, 2022 By Mike Camunas

When the league formed a decade ago, 10 players showed up.

“We just played rag-tag ball, a little scrimmaging,” said Lutz resident Charlie Bell, one of the 10 original players in the North Tampa Senior Softball League (NTBSS).

“Before long, we grew to 20 (players), then had two teams. By the end of that first year, we had 40 players.

John Smith connects for a hit while Walt Bruschi looks on during batting practice of the North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League. The league is celebrating its 10th anniversary, with games played on Fridays at Heritage Park in Land O’ Lakes. The league has seven teams and more than 100 participants, including players, umpires and scorekeepers. (Mike Camunas)

“Everyone knew someone who wanted to play.”

Now, as the NTBSS kicks off its 10-year-anniversary season on Sept. 9, there are more than 100 people involved, including players, umpires and scorekeepers. Seven teams will play through the playoffs and a championship in May.

“It was an adventure (10 years ago) because many of us were coming back to the game we hadn’t played in many, many years,” said Lutz resident Fred Eckstein, another one of the original 10.

“We blew up back then and even sometimes now, where we get a new influx of players. But the play is good, the camaraderie is good — it’s a real diverse group, too, given everyone’s backgrounds and where they are from, originally.

A dozen or so of the 100 players of the North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League await selection for their practice lineup at Heritage Park in Land O’ Lakes.

“It’s really just fun to hang out with all (the players).”

The league’s formation is credited to Walt Bockmiller, who is remembered fondly by original members, as well as honored on league shirts.

Bockmiller died in 2018, after years of running the league and being very active in the Land O’ Lakes and Lutz communities.

It was this publication in which he ran the ad that produced the original 10 players.

“They come and get a smile,” Bockmiller told The Laker/Lutz News in 2016. “They make errors, they hit and they have excitement. They do good, they do bad, but they all have fun.”

Current league commissioner Walt Bruschi didn’t know Bockmiller, but says his competitive spirit and love for the game is still apparent on the field at Heritage Park.

David Meadows, of San Antonio, fields a play at second and looks to make a throw to first during North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League practice.

“I didn’t know him, but from everything they told me about Walt, he loved the game,” Bruschi said. “One thing they don’t say about him, but which you can see here on the field even to this day, is that between the (base) lines, Walt was so competitive.”

Bell added: “It’s really all about what’s in the logo, which my son-in-law helped design. ‘Friendship. Fun. Fitness. Sportsmanship.’ This is what it was set up for and, before you knew it, it just became a whole community.”

This community forged friendships beyond the diamond. Players would, and still do, get together to do other activities, such as fishing, bowling or golf.

As competitive as the league can be, the play has been finely tuned so games are enjoyable. The league has a board that has worked hard to come up with rules and bylaws, which are mandated to keep the game fair and fun.

As John Espsito, of New Tampa, waits on deck, he tries to keep his head cool, while practicing with the North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League.

For example, players 75 and over can’t be thrown out at first base if they put a hit into the outfield, while courtesy runners are available for any players who struggle with baserunning.

“With some of these guys,” Bruschi said, “the mind will tell you that you can still do it, but the body might say, ‘No, you can’t.’ But we stick with it. Everyone out here is supporting and not getting down on someone just because they struggle.”

Also, Bruschi said, like a community, players’ support even extends to new players that show up and might not know anyone.

“I didn’t know anyone, but they said they’d put me on a team and then everyone hovered around me,” Bruschi said. “They asked, ‘Do you need a bat? Do you need a glove?’ Here’s one. I’ve got you covered.’ Everyone is so supportive, everyone supports the new guys. Always have and always will.”

The league holds a draft, that way no “super team” can be formed and dominate play. The league also accepts players throughout the season, and it is looking for more women to join.

For now, and this season, the league, and its players, looks to keep the competitiveness tradition alive, in a way to make Bockmiller proud.

“Everyone in this league is a class guy,” Bruschi said. “They’re dentists, doctors, lawyers, firemen — but you never know it. Because the guys out here are just the most unassuming, most humble guys ever. They’re out here just to have fun, not to bring their egos on the field.

“It’s a blessing, every day, that we’re out here — a blessing.”

North Tampa Bay Senior Softball
When: Games are played Friday mornings through May; practices are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
Where: Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Cost: $40 for the season
Details: The league is open to women over 50 and men over 60. The league has its own rules and adheres to the Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA) national rules of play.
Sponsors: ARC Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, AMI Recycling, Payne Environmental, Culinary Packaging, Limberg Ministries, HOJO Softball Inc., RIPA and Associates, Humana.
Interested players should contact Walt Bruschi at 330-701-0646 or , or Denny Kato at 727-215-5345 or . Info: NTBSS.net

Published September 07, 2022

North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League Commissioner Walt Bruschi is somewhat animated, as he chooses players for either hitting or fielding during a practice at Heritage Park in Land O’ Lakes.

Roger Smith, of Land O’ Lakes, connects with a pitch during batting practice with the North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League at Heritage Park in Land O’ Lakes.

Gil Morales, of Land O’ Lakes, starts a double play during a North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League practice at Heritage Park in Land O’ Lakes.

Joe DePompa, of Trinity, connects with a pitch as part of hitting practice of the North Tampa Bay Senior Softball League.

A monster accomplishment

August 30, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Angie Ng didn’t see the creature.

First, she’s not sure the legendary monster of the Loch Ness exists. And secondly, the water in the Scotland loch is pitch black.

Angie Ng, a 52-year-old mother and nurse practitioner from Wesley Chapel, recently was part of a four-person team that swam the Loch Ness in Scotland and set the relay record with a time of 11 hours, 29 minutes and 27 seconds. (Mike Camunas)

“People say that it doesn’t exist because it’s a tourist trap,” the 52-year-old mother and nurse practitioner said, with a sly smile. . So … I didn’t see it — it’s not there (laughs), … but also the water is very deep and it’s very dark. So I didn’t get (how dark it was) until I swam in it. It was just black, so maybe it was hiding under the water, but I didn’t want to think of that (laughs).

“To me,” she added, “I always figured Nessie is friendly because there’s so many toys and fun things of it, so never really a ‘RAWR’ kind of monster, but a friendly one, so I guess that helped (laughs).”

From left: Ryan Leung, Angie Ng, Eliza Chang and CK Mak celebrate becoming the first Hong Kong relay team to complete the Loch Ness swim. The team also set a new record of 11 hours, 29 minutes and 27 seconds, besting a record set by a Czechoslovakian team set in 2019 by 9 minutes. (Courtesy of Angie Ng)

Ng partnered with friends Ryan Leung, Eliza Chang and CK Mak, and on July 27, they dove into the frigid Loch Ness waters to complete a 23-mile relay swim. Not only did they complete the bucket-list feat, but did so in record time. The foursome, all of whom hail from Hong Kong, finished in 11 hours, 29 minutes and 27 seconds, besting a record set by a Czechoslovakian team set in 2019 by 9 minutes.

Ng hangs her swimming cap on the record, which was certified by both the British Long Distance Swimming Association and Marathon Swimmers Federation, and is another impressive accomplishment for the longtime swimmer.

Ng also swam across Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong in 2016, marking the second time she accomplished that feat. She also did it as a 9-year-old and finished seventh, however, that swim was not held for decades due to water pollution.

“Why did I do it?” Ng asked. “There is really only one reason and that reason is … because it’s there! Because, really, why not? Yeah, it seems dangerous or a big goal, but it’s taking a calculated risk — because it’s not like I was going to do it without any preparation.”

Wesley Chapel resident Angie Ng took a fun selfie after finding the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie — a tiny stuffed animal she got while on her trip to Scotland. (Courtesy of Angie Ng)

Preparation included hours upon hours swimming laps at the pool at the Seven Oaks Clubhouse, starting all the way back in January. However, there was one thing Ng wasn’t prepared for. The airlines lost her luggage, which she would not have for the entirety of her three weeks in the United Kingdom.

“As adventurous as it can be, you try to plan for everything, but from the start, everything could go wrong,” Ng said. “As soon as I get there, I didn’t have my prescription goggles, I didn’t have my swimsuit, I didn’t have anything. … I had to go into town and look and look for a new swimsuit. … And in the shop there was a mannequin with a swimsuit and it fit perfectly — it’s the only one left and it’s bright orange, so (it’s) perfect for open-water swim, but that’s what I had to do within the first hour after I land.”

Angie Ng swims across the Loch Ness in Scotland, during one of her legs of the relay. (Courtesy of Angie Ng)

So as Ng battled the cold 50-degree water, while not thinking if Nessie was watching from below, she thought about what the accomplishment meant.

“Lesson learned: Even when nothing goes according to your plan, try to go with the flow and just see what surprises life will bring you,” she said. “Never underestimate your potential. A working mother can be very determined and powerful, too.”

Now back stateside and still getting in her laps, Ng shows no signs of slowing down. Already there have been discussions on her next challenge: swimming the English Channel, which, “I think that for open-water swimmers, that swimming that is the ultimate goal,” she said.

Because even at her age, Ng is a creature of habit.

“At age 50, it almost feel like the beginning, because it doesn’t matter the age,” she added, “I still want to be adventurous, and whether you’re 17 or 70, I think you’re still looking for something. You know when it’s something that you know it’s not a piece of cake, but you want to finish it — that’s what this was for me. I always want to finish the next challenge.”

Published August 31, 2022

Hoopsters seek to elevate their skills

August 23, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Colin Bolinger was coaching travel ball, but not the traditional way.

As coach of Chapel Rip City, which are AAU basketball teams, for the past eight years, Bolinger rented out gyms and spaces to practice.

When COVID hit, it was more difficult to rent out those gyms, mainly because they were at local schools.

At Hoops Heaven, Evan Butler gets set to shoot during a basketball training class. (Mike Camunas)

“Finally, it just came down to a desperate need to get a place for the kids, so I opened this place in October,” said the former Indiana State shooting guard.

He was referring to Hoops Heaven, an indoor training facility for basketball players of all skill levels.

Bolinger runs five teams — elementary boys, middle school boys and girls, JV boys and varsity boys — with Chapel Rip City.

Hoops Heaven has now become a place to identify players looking to not only take their game to the next level, but to also join those teams.

“Having the youth development league really gives us a way to identify kids here that want to join AAU, so that allows us just to lead them into it,” he said.

Jaylin Gordon, an athlete at Hoops Heaven (an indoor basketball training facility in Zephyrhills), concentrates on his dribbling skills during an evening class.

The facility, he said, provides an opportunity to find youths who have a keen interest in basketball.

“There is nothing like this around our area, nothing like that out here in Zephyrhills, and I’ve seen the huge growth in Wesley Chapel and just knew that there would be kids coming to me for basketball,” Bolinger added.

Being a native of Indiana, Bolinger has basketball in his blood. He was a graduate assistant coach at Indiana State, the storied program where basketball legend Larry Bird played. Bolinger also played for the last Sycamore team to make the NCAA Tournament in 2011.

And as a coach, Bolinger doesn’t focus primarily on winning. Of course, that’s the desire of all players and coaches, but his main interest is working with players to help them develop the skills to succeed on the court, no matter where they compete.

“I want these players to learn how to play the game from a complex level,” he said. “I definitely know that I approach (teaching) differently than a lot of coaches — I give the kids a lot of stuff, but I’m trying to make it where they can be successful under any coach.

Colin Bolinger teaches basketball skills to aspiring players at Hoops Heaven, a training facility in Zephyrhills.

“Some coaches are focused on getting them to win right this moment, and that’s not what we do here, which I know takes some getting used to on the players’ part.”

Once they buy into the philosophy, however, players are embracing Bolinger’s style, and then succeed in improving their skills.

“They teach you how to work on your handling a lot and they have a lot of great drills,” said Joe Brunfeld, who has been training at Hoops Heaven for six months now.

“I think they try to work you pretty hard, but in a smart way. More so where it’s helpful for your whole game and not just one certain part of it. I think my game has improved from being here,” the teenager said.

The players’ parents are seeing the results, too.

“She’s picking up good habits and fundamentals, and it’s something she loves to do,” said Delano Howson, whose daughter, Kayden, trains at Hoops Heaven. “Before she got here, she knew how to shoot and stuff, but is now putting it all together — like dribbling with both hands and making proper layups. The improvement has been (like) night and day.

“And,” Howson added, “having this right here in Zephyrhills, where she can meet some kids, too, is absolutely the best.”

In the end, Bolinger is trying to coach his players the best way he knows how.

“I try to give them the baseline so they can go to any program, any team, any coach and know what to do,” he said. “It’s a lot different than just working on layups. That’s important, but it’s also a little higher concept, so it doesn’t just look like a bunch of crowded kids running down the court.”

Hoops Heaven
Details: An indoor basketball training facility that teaches players of all skills the fundamentals, and offers camps, as well as parties.
Where: 40417 Chancey Road, Zephyrhills
Info: Visit TheHoopsHeaven.com, call 812-841-6042, or email .

Published August 24, 2022

Young basketball player Niko Figueroa works on his passing skills during a drill at Hoops Heaven.

Miley Sommers shoots a three-pointer during a skills class at Hoops Heaven in Zephyrhills.

Kayden Howson takes a long-range shot at Hoops Heaven in Zephyrhills.

Young basketball player Major Simmons is focused on developing his budding basketball skills at Hoops Heaven, an indoor basketball training facility in Zephyrhills.

Fabrizio Lacicco practices his dribbling skills at Hoops Heaven, in Zephyrhills.

Ellis Johnson passes the ball during a skills class at Hoops Heaven, an indoor basketball training facility in Zephyrhills.

They be jammin’ to gymnastics

August 16, 2022 By Mike Camunas

It tumbled right into Zephyrhills’s airport district.

JAMM Gymnastics is a new training facility — next to the Municipal Airport — and it’s already establishing itself as a place to enhance tumbling and other gymnastics skills.

Elaina Safft Guadawama, 9, works on a split tumble at JAMM Gymnastics in Zephyrhills. (Mike Camunas)

“We’ve been well-received by the community, especially since the demand for gymnastics has been pretty high in Zephyrhills for a while now,” said owner Steve Paul, who also coaches at the gym. “We’re focusing on recreational gymnastics, so a lot of tumbling classes, but they’re also able to work on the bars and beams and rings, too.”

Instructor Katelyn Napoleone helps Tayla-Anne Taylor, 12, execute a flip during a tumbling class at JAMM Gymnastics.

Paul and his wife, Gabby Quattlebaum, are co-owners of the center. It opened its doors on June 13.

The center offers tumbling classes, camps and space to host birthday parties.

The co-owners are both active coaches for the classes.

The East Pasco Invaders, a cheerleading squad for children ages 5 to 18, also has made its home at JAMM.

Paul and Quattlebaum have credentials, plus knowledge.

They have helped develop three Olympic trial members, an NCAA All-Around Champion, 12 NCAA All Americans, three World Team members, four USA Team members and 30 college scholarship recipients.

Payton Larkin, 8, works on keeping good form during bounces on a trampoline at JAMM Gymnastics, a new training facility and center at 5048 Airport Road, in Zephyrhills.

“I’ve been around or coaching gymnastics for about 30 years,” Paul said. “My wife used to be a gymnast, and we have the tools and the skills that we know will make them better cheerleaders, which is why we are now the home of the Pasco Invaders.”

Paul adds it’s not just aspiring gymnasts and cheerleaders that are looking to be coached.

Lillianan Salas, 7, works on her form and dismount on the trampoline during a tumbling class at JAMM Gymnastics in Zephyrhills.

Athletes from various sports see the value of gymnastics training, he said.

“What they learn in gymnastics will help them in just about any other sport they play,” Paul said.

“We can help kids develop through some gymnastic skills and become better football, basketball, soccer, baseball players — any sport — and help them run faster, jump higher.

“That’s where we really come in and want to help,” he said.

While JAMM has hosted open houses, and summer and back-to-school camps, it has seen its fair share of new athletes join the ranks. While tumbling and cheerleading are a big draw for now, locals are enjoying the affordability and laid-back atmosphere of a gym still very apt at improving skills.

JAMM Gymnastics instructor Gabby Quattlebaum, who owns the center with her husband, Steve Paul, speaks with a student during a recent class.

“My daughter is a cheerleader and her shortcomings were in tumbling scenarios,” Zephyrhills resident Teddy Taylor said. “This place allows her to expand her talents, work on the things she needs and become a better cheerleader.

“(It’s a) little bit more (of) nextdoor neighbor,” he added. “They don’t seem to be out to just make the big dollars — it’s about the girls, the athletes here, and whatever they can do to make them better as athletes and people.

“It’s all about fun, and that they’re having fun.”

Teddy’s daughter, 12-year-old Tayla-Anne, is definitely having fun.

“I wanted to take gymnastics so I could learn to do different things and so I could advance with my tumbling for cheerleading,” the Pasco Invaders cheerleader said. “I like this place a lot. It’s pretty fun, and I’ve learned a lot, especially during a gymnastics camp I took. I learned how to do stuff on the bar and the beams, so it’s been great to have a place I come to a lot, to learn even more tumbling.”

Next on the agenda for JAMM is to partner with after-school programs. By doing that, children can take gymnastics as an extracurricular activity in the afternoons.

It will be more than mere tumbling, Paul said.

“We do want to provide recreational after-school programs,” he said. “Because we’ll teach them tumbling and gymnastics, but also help them learn to set goals, and have a positive, can-do attitude. All while learning gymnastics.”

JAMM Gymnastics
Where: 5048 Airport Road, Zephyrhills
Details: A gymnastics training facility that offers lessons, classes, camps and birthday parties.
Info: Visit JammGymnastics.com, or call 813-602-8960.

Published August 17, 2022