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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local Sports

Facility upgrades highlight Leaguerettes 2017 season

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Coming off a calendar year of fast-pitch softball, the Lutz Leaguerettes have taken another step forward.

The girls recreational softball league recently announced the completion of several new capital improvement projects at both Oscar Cooler and Nye parks.

Some of the highlights:

  • Field refurbishments, including new clay and magnetic break-free bases on all five fields
  • Outdoor batting turfs and mats for hitting cages
  • New remote-operated scoreboards
  • Updated concession area with a sound system
  • Remodeled board room with new carpet and paint job
  • Park security cameras

Hillsborough County owns both parks, but the Leaguerettes have a field-usage agreement, and work closely with county’s parks and recreation department.

New clay surfaces are one of the many facility upgrades for the Lutz Leaguerettes 2017 spring fast-pitch season. The girls recreational fast-pitch organization plays its games at both Oscar Cooler Park and Nye Park. (Courtesy of Mike Cook)

Mike Cook, president of the Lutz Leaguerettes, said the additions were made gradually during the past 18 months to two years.

He estimates more than $40,000 in upgrades were made via a combination of donations, league funds and various sponsorships.

“We try not to skimp on equipment, because it gets used every day,” Cook said.

Affiliations with local professional sports teams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, USF Bulls) and other businesses (Disney World, Great Clips, Publix) also helped make the upgrades possible, he said.

“We work with a lot of different organizations,” Cook said. “We work with whoever we can.”

Though he’s unsure of a timeline, the league president said he’d eventually like to install CCTV video cameras for each field; the cameras would allow players’ families and friends to live stream Leaguerettes games through a computer.

The announced upgrades, meanwhile, follow what was an eventful 2016 for the organization.

Last January, the Leaguerettes announced they were offering a recreational fast-pitch league for the first time in its 37-year history.

Just six months later, the Leaguerettes discontinued their slow-pitch leagues altogether, citing dwindling registration figures and an overwhelming preference for fast-pitch.

(Other softball programs — the Brandon Leaguerettes, North Tampa Leaguerettes, Tampa Bay Velocity and FishHawk Miss Tampa Bay Softball — all transitioned exclusively to fast-pitch over the past few seasons.)

For the Leaguerettes, the exclusive move to fast pitch has been a success thus far.

The 2016 fall fast-pitch season reportedly had about 160 players.

That figure, Cook said, was about three times as many as previous slow-pitch fall leagues, which typically drew “40 or 50 players.”

“We were pleasantly surprised to get as many registered players as we did,” Cook said of the fall season. “I think a lot of that has to do with the upgrades to the field…and the word spreading of moving over to fast pitch.

“I’m really happy with the turnout.”

Meantime, the 2017 Leaguerettes spring season is just around the corner.

Registration is open through Jan. 21, with the season slated to kick off in February.

The spring league is limited to the first 300 players that sign up, due to available field space and resources; about 130 players were registered, as of Jan. 11.

Cook said six divisions will likely be offered, for girls ages 4 to 18.

They include: t-ball (ages 4-5), 8U (ages 6-8), 10U (ages 8-10), 12U (10-12), 14U (ages 12-14), 16U (ages 14 to 16) and 18U (ages 16 to 18).

Despite “some growing pains” in the initial transition to fast pitch, the second full season should be smoother, Cook acknowledged.

“We’ve had a lot to learn—a lot of meetings and a lot of different ideas,” Cook said. “We had to learn the rules of fast pitch compared to slow pitch.”

In fact, the organization brought in a few fast-pitch experts, training Leaguerettes coaches and players via skill clinics. League board members, too, spoke at length with high school coaches and athletic directors, learning the nuances of the game.

In general, the offensive strategy differs between fast pitch and slow pitch.

In fast pitch, the general offensive approach is to play ‘small ball,’ where bunting, slapping and hitting singles are heavily relied upon to generate runs. Conversely, offensive players in slow-pitch softball are often taught to hit the ball as far as possible, due to the relative ease at making contact.

More protective gear, such as facemasks, is also required in fast pitch.

“We’re at the point where we’re pretty sufficient in our knowledge of the game; a lot of people are happy about fast pitch,” Cook said. “We’re continuously evolving,”

The league president also noted there aren’t too many requests for slow pitch anymore.

“I think we’re at the point where everybody realizes we’re completely fast pitch, and now we’re just in the process of growing the league.”

Even so, the league’s “ultimate objective” remains the same — create a family based atmosphere in a community setting.

And, let the youngsters have fun. The Leaguerettes are a PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) Softball affiliate. For more information, visit LutzSoftball.com.

Published January 18, 2017

Getting and staying fit in 2017

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Getting in shape can be tough.

Staying there can prove even tougher.

With the New Year in full swing, many aspire to drop a few pounds, tone up, or just live a healthier lifestyle.

A group from Wicked Awesome Racing waits to begin the bicycle ride at Trail Jam, an event held in June at the Hardy Trail in Dade City.
(File)

A recent survey by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute found that 61.8 percent of 1,001 respondents hope to lose weight in 2017. Additionally, 32.4 percent of the surveyed adults vowed to exercise more throughout the New Year.

Those ambitions, however, are often easier said than done.

Only about 8 percent of Americans follow through with New Year’s Resolutions, according to a commonly cited statistic by the University of Scranton. The study, moreover, shows 92 percent of people abandon those resolutions within 30 days.

For one, it takes about six weeks to develop and form a habit, said Dr. Christopher Wolfe, an assistant psychology professor at Saint Leo.

“It’s easy to make the resolution and hard to keep with it,” Wolfe said, “because there’s not that ongoing incentive of the holiday — the sort of social tradition of making a resolution. Then, you’re kind of left to your own individual drive to complete it.”

For many, just even launching a resolution — like getting in better shape — is difficult.

“People need something to kind of pull them through that first initial phase,” Wolfe said.

A positive support system — friends or family— is one way to do so, Wolfe said.

“Social support is one of the big factors in all areas, where people are trying new things,” he explained. “You want someone who’s kind of on a similar journey—someone you can kind of be compatible with and accountable to.”

Samantha Taylor, owner and head trainer of Pure Health and Fitness Studios in Land O’ Lakes, concurs.

“Accountability is huge,” Taylor said. “If you just answer to yourself, sometimes we let ourselves off the hook. But, if you have accountability, and you’re plugged into a support group with other people that are headed in the same direction, that’s another huge thing that I find that people need for success.”

So, too, is tempering initial expectations.

Fitness newcomers, Taylor said, should slowly build up a workout regimen.

Even a 30-minute routine just a few times a week is a solid program.

“A lot of people overdo it,” Taylor said, “and get really sore. Then they’re just so sore, they’re like, ‘Oh, I can’t do that anymore.’”

To maintain consistency, Taylor advises people should track workouts on a calendar.

“You can look at it on a weekly basis and make sure you’re actually doing what you said you were going to do,” Taylor explained.

To maximize fitness results, gym-goers should combine cardio and resistance training.

Quick, explosive movements across short periods often prove most effective, said Carrie Kukuda, owner of Get A Grip Total Fitness in Lutz.

“I’m a firm believer of mixing high-intensity interval training,” Kukuda said, “because the after-burn is more effective, and you can work out less.”

She added: “You don’t have to live at the gym; you don’t have to live on machines.”

Breaking a sweat is just one part of the fitness equation, however.

A proper diet, too, is a major factor in shedding body fat and unwanted pounds.

“It’s 80 percent how they’re eating,” Taylor said. “If they start a fitness program, but they don’t adjust their food, then they’re not going to see their weight-loss results that they want.”

Taylor recommends eliminating sugar, and incorporating more low-glycemic foods.

“Start your day with protein and fats, instead of carbohydrates,” she said. “Most people have like pastries, cereal, breakfast oatmeal, stuff like that — and that’s really going to spike your blood sugar.”

Eating clean is also imperative.

“If you’re going to count anything, count the ingredients — not the calories,” Kukuda explained. “Avoid artificial sweeteners and processed foods; it’s another thing that your liver has to detoxify, and anytime you put something in your body that’s unhealthy, your liver turns off fat burning, and goes and takes care of that first.”

In reaching your ultimate objective, experts suggest setting more short-term, achievable goals.

“Have a goal in mind, and then work it backwards and look at the habit that you would need to accomplish that end goal,” Kukuda said. “And, stay away from perfection, because you’re not going to be perfect.”

When a goal is achieved, reward yourself with a gift.

“And, not like a brownie fudge Sundae,” Taylor said, earnestly. “A massage, a new outfit or something…tangible to shoot for.”

Some tips for getting fit and staying healthy in 2017:

  • Partner with a buddy or fitness group
  • Set short-term, achievable goals
  • Start slow, and don’t over do it
  • Balance cardio and resistance training
  • Limit sugary and high-glycemic foods
  • Consume clean, unprocessed foods
  • Track your workouts and progress
  • Think positively
  • Reward yourself

Published January 11, 2017

Former Wesley Chapel track star encourages kids to run

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A Pasco County track legend is sharing his passion of the sport he still loves.

His name is Bernard “BB” Roberts.

And, he’s encouraging more kids to run — fast.

He knows a little something about that.

Bernard ‘BB’ Roberts started the Speed Starz Track Club in 2013. The USA Track and Field member club is open to all youths, ages 4 to 18.
(Courtesy of Bernard ‘BB’ Roberts)

Roberts, now 31, still claims five sprinting records at Wesley Chapel High School — 100-meter dash, 200-meter, 400-meter, 4×400-meter relay and the sprint medley.

As a high school senior in 2004, Roberts ran the fastest 100 (10.64) and 200 (22.65) in Pasco County. A four-time Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state qualifier, Roberts finished fifth in the 400 meters (50.40) at the 2002 Class 2A state finals. In 2003, he finished 12th, but recorded a faster 400 meter time (50.33).

Also a standout football player, Roberts was a jack-of-all-trades. He was a running back, defensive back and kick returner for the 2003 Wildcats (10-1), arguably one of the program’s best teams ever.

Roberts’ prep athletic career was enough to earn him a track scholarship at Coffeyville Community College, an intimate junior college in southeast Kansas.

Since then, he’s been busy— teaching the sport he excelled in.

Roberts organized the Speed Starz Track Club in 2013, and simultaneously created a sports training company — Fast, Sprint, Quick Athletic Performance LLC.

Speed Starz is now a USA Track and Field (USATF) member club.

It had humble beginnings, starting with only about four youths.

From there, it’s grown markedly.

Roberts now regularly trains more than a dozen kids, ranging from ages 4 to 18.

His pupils come from all over Pasco, including Dade City, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass and Land O’ Lakes.

Each year, they compete in about six or seven USATF meets from February through June, concluding with a national championship.

The club will soon begin practice twice a week at Wiregrass Ranch High, in advance of the upcoming season.

Speed Starz is open to all youth, of all abilities.

“Anybody can join,” said Roberts, also a former track coach at Pasco High. “I’m just trying to encourage kids to run track.”

And, hopefully, help them reach their athletic potential.

Track and field, Roberts said, complements other sports that require sprinting.

“It’s a sport that helps you get fast,” said Roberts.

It also potentially opens the door for more scholarship opportunities, he said, because many colleges recruit athletes — particularly football players — to compete in both disciplines.

“If you’re fast, you’re fast,” Roberts said.

And, the younger that kids start running track, the greater chance of becoming elite. Roberts noted the largest developmental strides are usually made between the ages of 10 to 15.

“If you start at an early age now, you’ll be better at it at a later age,” Roberts explained. “Then you’re able to (master) some of the events.”

With 16 total events, middle school and high school track teams often have a need for sizable rosters.

That means plenty of opportunities for involvement are available, serving as a contrast to other team sports — like baseball.

“Not everybody can make a baseball team nowadays,” Roberts said. “Baseball has a limited roster; sometimes kids can’t play baseball.”

But, that’s not the case with track and field.                                                                                  “I can train anybody to run,” he said, unequivocally.

Another benefit of track and field — especially from a parent’s point of view — is the relatively low risk of serious injury.

Because of that, Roberts said more families have recently inquired about Speed Starz, in an effort to steer their children away from contact sports, like football.

“People are running from the sport of football,” he said, “because of concussions nowadays. A lot of times parents don’t want their kid playing football because they don’t want ‘little Johnny’ to get hurt.”

By the same token, track still builds character, Roberts pointed out.

“It teaches you how to compete — at a high level,” he said. “It teaches you to have heart — on and off the field.”

The vigorous exercise is an added bonus, too.

“The sport…will definitely keep the kids active,” Roberts said, “and get them out of that video game room.”

As for his coaching philosophy, Roberts is “a big fan” of resistance training, utilizing Kbands and speed parachutes, among other products.

“You’re guaranteed to get faster like that — if you do it the right way,” he said.

Other drills, meanwhile, emphasize proper sprinting form.

One such technique is called “hip to lip.” The moniker reminds sprinters to lower their shoulders and apply a more pronounced arm swing, during competition.

“Had I known what I know now, I’d be a 10 times better athlete,” Roberts said of the modern training aids.

New this season, Roberts is enlisting the help of a name familiar to followers of the East Pasco prep sports scene: Bryan Thomas, a former Zephyrhills High football and track star who played safety at the University of Florida.

In 2006, Thomas was crowned 2A state champion in the long jump (23-03.5 feet). The prior year, he finished second in the high hump (23-06 feet) and fourth in the 400-meter (49.08 seconds).

“We raced each other all the time,” Roberts said, referring to their high school track days.

Meantime, Roberts is holding a series of training camps at Wesley Chapel District Park through Jan. 16.  Along with track athletes, the sessions are open for youth who play other sports, such as baseball, football and tennis.

The focus is on enhancing speed, agility and quickness to mold youth into more explosive athletes.

To Roberts, it’s all just a matter of paying it forward.

“I trained so much (in my career) and did so much research with speed,” he said, “that I wanted to give this knowledge back to someone else.”

For more information, call Roberts at (352) 807-0397, or email .

Published January 4, 2017

Chiefs wrap up Super Bowl season

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Through 38 years of organized youth tackle football, the 2016 fall varsity season will go down as one of the Lutz Chiefs’ most dominant ever.

They went 14-1.

They were crowned Tampa Bay Youth Football League (TBYFL) Super Bowl champs.

And, they won “The Battle of the Bay,” toppling the best Pinellas County had to offer.

The Lutz Chiefs varsity team, made up of 13- and 14- year-olds, recently was crowned Super Bowl champs for the Tampa Bay Youth Football League (TBYFL). The Super Bowl victory marked the organization’s first championship since 2009 — and the first for a Chiefs varsity squad since 2006.
(Photos courtesy of James Monahan Photography)

All told, it was a remarkable year for the Chiefs 13-14-year-old division team.

In fact, the Super Bowl victory marked the organization’s first championship since 2009 — and the first for a Chiefs varsity squad since 2006.

As for the team’s lone blemish? It came in the form of a 12 to 6 overtime loss in the fifth game of the season.

Tom Wiltse, director of the Lutz Chiefs, described the season this way: “It’s just one of those things where everything kind of clicked. We knew we had a really good opportunity to go far this year.”

The outcome was perhaps a year in the making.

Many integral pieces — including a stable coaching staff — returned from a respectable two-loss 2015 season.

“We brought back a lot of the same players,” Wiltse said, “but, we picked up a couple of other key players — really good athletes.”

Getting the group to play as a cohesive unit, however, was the critical part, said Zack Kilburn, Chiefs varsity head coach.

“We had a great deal of talent,” Kilburn said, “but, the biggest success was for them to become a team.

“We had a bunch of kids that had been used to being the superstar at multiple levels… and we had to teach them to be a part of a team, and how to work through those aspects.”

That meant an enhanced focus on building positive character traits — like integrity and dedication, and honesty and sportsmanship.

A blitz-heavy defense helped propel the Lutz Chiefs to a 14-1 fall record.

“Talent can only take you so far,” said Kilburn, who’s coached with the Chiefs for more than a decade. “We had a big philosophy on concentrating on the little things — teaching these kids that the little things are going to make them successful in life, and on the football field.”

On the gridiron, the Chiefs coach said the Chiefs’ pressure-heavy 4-4 defense was “probably the biggest deciding factor” in the 14 wins — several of which were shutouts.

“We kind of adapt what our defense is doing,” Kilburn said. “We do a lot of blitzing to try to mix it up and confuse the opposing offense.”

Unsurprisingly, several names etched on the Chiefs’ 2016 varsity roster have lofty ceilings ahead.

Many will eventually dot the football rosters of area high schools like Steinbrenner, Freedom, Wharton and Gaither.

“I’d bet there’s seven, maybe eight kids that are going to be really good players in high school,” Wiltse said.

A few may even don Division I uniforms.

“When you’re moving up, the competition gets better…but we got a couple of kids that for sure are going to be playing DI football,” Wiltse said.

Reaching the game’s uppermost levels isn’t foreign to the Chiefs.

The organization has produced two current NFL players — wide receiver Nelson Agholor and quarterback Aaron Murray.

Both are Philadelphia Eagles, ironically.

Agholor, for one, is particularly passionate about his Lutz Chiefs playing days.

During the 2015 NFL offseason, he made an appearance at a Chiefs practice, where he spoke to current players about the bonds he formed throughout youth football.

There, Agholor proclaimed, “I’m a Chief for life.”

“It was just really, really cool.” Wiltse said of the memorable moment. “People got goosebumps.”

Agholor, like countless others, are part of what Wiltse refers to as ‘Chiefs Nation.’

The moniker — like the organization — casts a wide net. It describes current (and former) youth players and cheerleaders, along with families and other volunteers.

“We kind of got something special up here,” Wiltse said.

And, while winning games is important, the Chiefs director noted the organization’s purpose rests in “teaching family values.”

“I tell people all the time, ‘If you can get the infrastructure behind you, the wins…will come shortly thereafter,’” Wiltse said. “But, you got to build that infrastructure.”

Meantime, the varsity squad — and the Chiefs’ other age divisions— will shortly suit up for spring football, where practices begin Feb. 1.

They’ll compete in the Tampa Bay Extreme Spring Football (TBXSF) league, which has a short season league, and draws squads from Pop Warner and Pinellas County.

Simply put, the Chiefs will compete against teams they normally wouldn’t face.

“It’s pretty good at judging where your whole organization is when you’re playing some of these other teams,” Wiltse said.

For more information on the Lutz Chiefs, visit LutzChiefs.org.

Published December 28, 2016

More girls pumping iron at Academy at the Lakes

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When Academy at the Lakes began its girls weightlifting program, there was just one girl on the team.

That was in 2014, and the sole lifter was senior Kennedy Van Zandt Lachiotte.

Since then, the program has grown steadily.

Academy at the Lakes basketball standout Imani Thomas is a first-time member of the Wildcats weightlifting team. Second-year coach Marla Oliver believes she has potential to reach states this year.
(Photos courtesy of Winning Photography)

Participation (and expectations) is up under second-year coach Marla Oliver, who took over in 2015 after John Castelmare’s retirement.

And, despite the exit of three graduating seniors — Maggie Hult, Natalie Davis, Grace Faith — the weightlifting coach has managed to increase from seven a year ago to 12 for the 2016-2017 roster.

How does the coach do it?

It starts with an open invitation, followed by encouragement.

“Either they like it and want to stay with it,” Oliver said, “or, it’s not for them, and it’s no pressure at all. I always tell them that.”

However, she added: “Most of the girls end up liking it.”

That includes the school’s senior basketball sensation Imani Thomas, to whom Oliver one day suggested that she give weightlifting a chance.

Thomas — who according to Oliver possesses “natural strength”— fell in love with the sport, instantly.

“I’m…drawn to weightlifting,” Thomas said. “The environment, the intensity that people have around you — it’s pretty nice.”

She, too, enjoys the camaraderie aspect of weightlifting.

“We have this team that will cheer you on no matter what,” Thomas said, “even if you’re struggling.”

Another positive: it’s boosted her performance on the hardwood.

Sophomore Victoria Yanez sets up for a clean-and-jerk at a recent weightlifting meet.

“I’ve gotten a little bit more stronger in the paint,” said Thomas, who’s averaging 10.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

Other lifters, like sophomore Victoria Yanez, are bullish to the sport because of its obvious health benefits.

“I was really into personal fitness and being really healthy,” Yanez said, “and I wasn’t really feeling like I was getting that out of collective sports like volleyball or softball. We tried (weightlifting) in one of our gym classes in the weight room, and it was so invigorating and so much fun.”

Yanez, like Thomas, appreciates the sport’s “supportive community” often apparent at meets.

“We’re there cheering on other teams that might be our biggest competitor,” Yanez said, “because you see these girls and you see how hard they’re working, and you know how hard they’re working…because you go through that.”

That mindset often trickles to coaches from opposing schools, she added.

“Their coaches will help you and they give you pointers because they want real competition,” Yanez explained. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, let’s let them slip away and win.’”

Being a smaller private school, winning meets against larger public schools is a substantial hurdle, however.

So, too, is fitting in workouts for girls like Thomas, who have other sports and extracurricular obligations.

“It’s about trying to get them in the weight room with so much going on,” Oliver said. “There’s everything from auditions for a play, to girls in cheerleading…”

Second-year weightlifting coach Marla Oliver has steadily increased participation among girls at Academy at the Lakes.
(File Photo)

To compensate, the Wildcats coach schedules intensive full-body workouts, striving to master each lifter’s technique for the bench press and clean-and-jerk.

“With the time that we have,” Oliver said, “we can’t really do a leg day, or an arm day.”

That’s fine for Yanez, who’s just looking to improve her lifting fundamentals as the season progresses.

“I look at technique specifically,” Yanez said, “because that’s one thing that definitely helps you. It’s not about pure grit and throwing up weights; it’s about how you go about doing it.”

The Wildcats coach, meanwhile, believes as many as five Wildcats can qualify for regionals, based on past invitational and district results. A few — like Thomas— even have potential to reach states someday.

“I’m just happy right now that we are putting up points,” Oliver said, “and, the girls are increasing their numbers.”

As she continues to elevate the program, Oliver feels the sport’s popularity, especially among the girls at Academy at the Lakes, lies in weightlifting’s ability to serve as a “confidence boost.”

Yanez agrees.

“You can go from being this meek, timid person to being someone who grows confidence,” Yanez said, “because (girls) are like, ‘I can do this and I can accomplish so much more if I set my mind to it.’”

Academy at the Lakes girls weightlifting
Haven Blinder-8th grade
Brooke Blankenship-8th grade
Rori Gerstner-8th grade
Christin Harris-Freshman
Isabella Lyons-Freshman
Jessica Mott-Freshman
Amber Nadeau-Freshman
Haneen McNamee-Sophomore
Victoria Yanez-Sophomore
Melissa Feingold-Junior
Julia Davis-Senior
Regan McCormick-Senior
Imani Thomas-Senior

Published December 21, 2016

Thomas leads makeshift AATL hoops team

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Imani Thomas has had to adapt —and lead — in the face of mass exodus.

The Academy at the Lakes senior, like others, wasn’t even sure if the private school would field a basketball team prior to the 2016-2017 season.

Senior Imani Thomas has helped guide an Academy at the Lakes team with a new coach and a bevy of young, inexperienced players.
(File Photo)

The program had lost its uber-successful coach — Karim Nohra— who “retired” then wound up at Carrollwood Day School. It lost its most prolific scorer — junior Audra Leipold (24.8 points per game) — who defected to Seffner Christian Academy. As if that wasn’t enough of a blow, the program, too, lost a pair of battle-tested seniors — Janise Cassanello, Lulu Santiago — from last year’s 2A state runner-up squad.

“It’s basically a new team, a new environment,” said Thomas, a two-time Florida Association of Basketball Coaches All-State selection. “It’s very different.”

“It’s more pressure on the (players) that came back,” she added.

Including Thomas, the team returns Nini Chester and Loren Wells, also seniors.

Everyone else — including head coach Todd Huffman — is new.

So, too, is the style of play — slower and more deliberate.

They’re finding a way to make it work, however.

Despite the turnover — and just seven healthy players — the team stands at 6-2 (as of Dec. 9).

Much of that record can be attributed to the efforts of Thomas, a 6-foot power forward many consider as one of the premier frontcourt players in Tampa Bay.

ESPN’s high school girls basketball recruiting service — HoopGurlz—pegs Thomas as a three-star recruit and the nation’s 68th best forward for the 2017 class.

Dan Olson, proprietor of Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, describes Thomas as a “strong, physical interior prospect with nimble footwork and soft touch in the block.”

Others suggest it’s Thomas’ ability to rebound and score consistently that makes her such a force in the paint.

“She’s just really dominant,” Chester said. “She knows how to keep the ball in her hands and keep pushing through any type of defense. She’s willing to get that ‘And-1.’”

AATL’s first-year coach is equally effervescent in his praise of Thomas, citing her back-to-the-basket skills and on-court leadership.

“She is incredibly intelligent, a very smart player,” said Huffman, a former assistant men’s basketball coach at Hillsborough Community College. “She understands the game, and reads and reacts to situations with split-second adjustment.”

That comprehension of the game is a rarity, he added.

“There are players that…either have sense like that or don’t,” Huffman said, “and she possesses both the skill sets that you can develop as a coach and from a teaching standpoint to make her better.

“She has a lot of that ingrained in her DNA, so to speak.”

Considering half the Wildcats roster is new to the sport, Huffman acknowledged his first season has had its share of challenges.

But, having core players — like Thomas — has made the transition run more smoothly.

“The kids that are out there…have done a fabulous job of developing chemistry and really working hard to do what we as a coaching staff have asked of them,” said Huffman. “I just think they’re such a joy to coach, regardless of who has experience — like Imani’s experience — versus some of the other players that may not have played before.”

The work is starting to show.

Since early setbacks to Carrollwood Day School (63-to-19) and Bishop McLaughlin (48-to-46), the Wildcats have reeled off six straight wins, including a 25-point victory over Land O’ Lakes High School on Nov. 28.

“We kind of lost our confidence in the beginning,” Chester said, “but, we’re starting to come back around.”

That starts with Thomas, who averaged 12.6 points and 12.8 rebounds per game last season, and has over 1,000 career points.

“She has had to take a leadership role,” Chester said, “and be patient with the younger girls who are trying to learn…”

Thomas, meanwhile, has her sights on playing basketball at the U.S. Naval Academy next year.

Until then, she has one goal.

“Make it to states,” she said.

Published December 14, 2016

 

Pickleball is popular among local seniors

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Don’t let the strange-sounding name fool you.

It’s called pickleball. And, it’s becoming increasingly popular, especially among seniors over 50.

Bill Castens, 71, gets ready for a pickleball match at the Northdale Recreation Center. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)
Bill Castens, 71, gets ready for a pickleball match at the Northdale Recreation Center.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photos)

There are more than 2.5 million pickleball players in the United States, according to a report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).

In Florida alone, there’s more than 370 pickleball sites, a USA Pickleball Association database shows.

More recreation centers, like the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, are adding pickleball as part of their regular weekly programming.

A racket sport, pickleball incorporates elements from other sports, like tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong.

It’s played with a rectangular-shaped paddle —smaller than a tennis racket but larger than a Ping-Pong paddle — and uses a hard rubber ball filled with holes. Courts (indoor or outdoor) measure 20-by-44 feet, with a 3-foot-high net across the middle. Though singles matches can be played, doubles play is more common.

The rules are relatively simple.

The ball is served with an underhand stroke. Points are scored by the serving side only, occurring when an opponent faults—fails to return the ball, hits ball out of bounds, or steps into the non-volley zone (seven feet from the net). The return of service, meanwhile, must be allowed to bounce by the server before it can be volleyed. Matches are typically played to seven or 11 points.

Bob Matthews, 76, organizes pickleball lessons and matches each Thursday morning at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.
Bob Matthews, 76, organizes pickleball lessons and matches each Thursday morning at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

Bob Matthews, 76, organizes pickleball lessons and matches each Thursday morning at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

A longtime tennis player, the Land O’ Lakes resident was introduced to the sport in July.

He’s loved it ever since.

“It’s fast and quick — I love fast and quick,” he said. “All you got to have, really, is eyeball-hand coordination. If you’ve got the slightest bit of that, you can play.”

In recent months, it’s become his go-to activity of choice.

“The great thing about it,” Matthews said, “is someone can really improve on this.”

That was the case for Linda Maniscalco, another Land O’ Lakes resident.

Maniscalco began playing the sport in September. Not “knowing anything,” she quickly learned the game’s strategy after just a few short lessons at the rec complex.

“It’s not super hard to play,” she said. “It’s fun; I’m addicted to it.”

At the Northdale Recreation Center, pickleball has been offered for several years. It’s become such an attraction that time slots are set aside five days a week and segmented into skill levels: learners, intermediates and advanced. Players are ranked, as in tennis, according to skill levels.

Bill Castens is one of the founders of the Northdale OWLS (Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors) Pickleball Club.

A five-year veteran of the sport, Castens, 71, said pickleball is ideal for seniors who’ve had pre-existing lower body injuries.

“For seniors with replaced knees or a new hip, you can still play,” Castens said, “because the court is so much smaller than a tennis court. You’re not running and stopping and all that stuff like tennis, but you still can get pretty competitive.”

The most challenging aspect of the game, he said, is grasping its nuances.

“The game is not standing on the baseline and trying to drill it,” Castens said. “The game is to keep (opponents) back, and eventually you want to dink the ball or lob the ball.”

Patience, too, is key to mastering pickleball, added Tom Murray, a Boston transplant who plays with Castens at Northdale.

“Ninety percent of points are not won, they’re lost,” said Murray, a retired Massachusetts high school athletic director who had knee replacement surgery about seven months ago. “When somebody screws something up, it’s usually because they try to make the point; you give people the chance to make the mistake.”

What does Murray, like others, enjoy most about pickleball?

“The exercise,” he said.

Published December 7, 2016

‘Florida Finale’ event added to lacrosse tourney

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A popular youth lacrosse tournament in Wesley Chapel soon will feature even more teams from across the nation.

NDP (National Development Program) Lacrosse announced last month it will debut the Dick’s Sporting Goods Florida Finale lacrosse tournament, held in conjunction with the 11th annual Tournament of Champions presented by Pasco County.

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions typically draws more than 70 teams. The participation-based Florida Finale event should add to that figure. (File Photo)
The Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions typically draws more than 70 teams. The participation-based Florida Finale event should add to that figure.
(File Photo)

The Florida Finale event, like the pre-collegiate national championship, will feature high school elite and rising stars divisions, as well as 15U, 13U and 11U competitions.

Both tournaments will take place simultaneously on fields at Wesley Chapel District Park and Wesley Chapel High School, from Dec. 29 through Dec. 31.

The biggest difference, however, is the invitation process.

While teams must earn bids to compete in the Tournament of Champions, entry into the Florida Finale is open to all teams that participate in an official qualifying tournament this year that do not earn a national championship bid. One local qualifying tournament — the Derek Pieper Memorial Cup Tournament at Wesley Chapel District Park — wrapped up on Nov. 20.

“Coaches and players from teams that haven’t qualified have been asking for the opportunity to play lacrosse over New Year’s in warm, sunny Florida,” said Josh Gross, NDP’s senior director of lacrosse operations. “This event will be a great extension of the qualifying tournament series and the coveted national championship platform.”

Ed Caum
Ed Caum

Ed Caum, Pasco County’s tourism manager, said the Florida Finale add-on is a “no-brainer” due to the anticipated economic boost for the Tampa Bay area.

“We’re going to have more foot traffic through the Wesley Chapel area,” Caum said, “so it’s going to affect…Fowler Avenue all the way up through Wesley Chapel, and maybe as far north as Dade City because (hotel) rooms are already hard to come by.”

That being said, the Florida Finale likely won’t create a large draw until next year, since the event’s formal announcement was made too late for many travel lacrosse teams.

Gross noted “a few teams” have indicated they’ll compete in this year’s Florida Finale, but he expects a considerable participation bump in 2017.

“There’s definitely a lot of interest for it. I think in 2017 is when you’re really going to have the impact from it,” Gross said.

“A lot of teams are setting their schedule for next year,” he added, “and they can let the parents prepare for it as an expected expense and something they can book further out.”

Last year, the Tournament of Champions alone drew 73 teams — 59 of which were out-of-state. The 2015 tournament involved 1,533 players and 219 coaches. Additionally, there were about 3,250 spectators on each day of the three-day tournament.

The event’s economic impact for the Tampa Bay area is typically substantial.

Josh Gross
Josh Gross

The total impact in 2015 was estimated at about $2.1 million for Pasco and Hillsborough counties. That figure, however, is down compared to prior years, including 2014 ($2.9 million) and 2013 ($2.6 million), respectively.

Besides the economic uptick, the tournament offers lacrosse players a chance to showcase their skills against elite competition, exposing their abilities in front of scouts from collegiate lacrosse programs.

“These are all-star teams that travel from different places around the country. We truly get some of the best competition in the world,” Gross explained.

In June, Pasco County and NDP signed a two-year deal (which includes a third-year option) through 2017 to keep the Tournament of Champions in Wesley Chapel.

“We’ve got so much building in this area, including more hotels, that it just made more sense to do a two-year and see what we got,” Caum said.

The tournament has been in Wesley Chapel since 2008.

Published November 30, 2016

Sophomore paces Wharton boys cross-country

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Wharton High School’s Tre Rivers is quietly making a name for himself as one of the state’s top distance runners. And, he’s just a sophomore.

The Wharton High boys cross-country team picks sophomore Tre Rivers up after he led the squad to second place in the Class 4A District 6 meet. Rivers won the individual district title at the meet. (Photos courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)
The Wharton High boys cross-country team picks sophomore Tre Rivers up after he led the squad to second place in the Class 4A District 6 meet. Rivers won the individual district title at the meet.
(Photos courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)

On Nov. 5, Rivers placed ninth in the Class 4A FHSAA Cross Country Finals at Appalachia Regional Park, crossing the finish line in 16:16.09, a 5K personal record and the fastest time of any Hillsborough County runner at the state meet.

“It was a goal I had, but I never thought it would actually happen,” Rivers humbly said of his top-10 state finish.

His secret to success?

“I just stay relaxed, said Rivers, “and just be confident.”

The rise to becoming one of the state’s top cross-country runners has been rather swift for the underclassman.

Rivers, who began running competitively at 8 years old, focused exclusively on track throughout middle school, mainly competing in sprints and middle distance races.

“Track was like my niche,” said Rivers, whose older sister, Bryanna, recently signed a track scholarship with the University of Massachusetts.

Wharton sophomore Tre Rivers (in navy shirt) won the individual district title at the Class 4A District 6 meet.
Wharton sophomore Tre Rivers (in navy shirt) won the individual district title at the Class 4A District 6 meet.

But, it wasn’t until he started high school that his penchant for running long distance was realized.

As a freshman, Rivers ran his first high school cross-country race in a rather uneventful time of 20:33, a 6:38 pace per mile. By the start of the 2016 cross-country season, however, Rivers had slashed his 5K mark to 17:34, a 5:40 pace per mile.

Wharton cross-country coach Kyle LoJacono said he knew Rivers had the ability to be a “very strong runner,” but first had to gear his training regimen towards longer, sustained runs that incorporated cross country terrains, like hills and trails.

“We knew that once we got his distance base built back up that he was going to really cut (time),” LoJacono said.

“With him, the longer it is, usually the better.”

Rivers, who now holds the school’s sophomore 5K record, is eyeing the Wharton all-time record of 15:55, set in 2005, by Ryan Courtoy.

Tre Rivers outkicks Plant junior Walker Thomas to the finish during the Class 4A District 6 meet this year. Rivers won the individual district title at the meet.
Tre Rivers outkicks Plant junior Walker Thomas to the finish during the Class 4A District 6 meet this year. Rivers won the individual district title at the meet.

“That would definitely be within his reach,” said LoJacono, “especially with the fact that we know his work ethic is going to continue.”

That work ethic, LoJacono said, often helped inspire Rivers’ fellow teammates throughout a grueling cross-country season.

“He never, ever cheats you on a workout. He will give max effort,” LoJacono said. “He kind of sets that standard for everybody else, and because he works so hard every single day, it gives everybody else that goal.”

It surely worked, as Wharton reached the state finals for the first time since 2008, finishing in ninth place (out of 20 teams).

“What really was the key,” said LoJacono, “was Tre being that No. 1 every single day.”

“He gets stronger as the race goes on,” the Wharton’s third-year coach added.

“It really kind of allows everybody else to do the same thing, because they see, ‘Wow, look at that,’” LoJacono said.

With no seniors on the roster, the Wildcats’ recent success — like Rivers’—doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.

All of Wharton’s other top runners are expected to return in 2017, including: Noah Damjanovic (17:18.91 at states), Sahil Deschenes (17:30.46), Frank Goldbold (17:34.72), Casey Pleune (17:46.76), Denarius Murphy (18:44.99) and Ryan Anders (19:18.20).

“This groups wants to establish itself.” LoJacono said.

In the meantime, Rivers will look to continue his success this spring — on the track.

Last season, he set school track records for freshman in the 3,200-meter (9:58.68), 1,600-meter (4:36.14) and 800-meter (2:07.83) races.

“I really can’t live without the other,” Rivers said of competing in both track and cross-country.

Published November 23, 2016

Pasco all-star football game on tap for Dec. 8

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The rosters have been set.

The coaches are named.

Now, event organizers are looking to build off the success of last year’s inaugural Pasco County all-star football game.

The 2016 Pasco County East-West Classic is slated for Dec. 8 at 7 p.m., at Sunlake Field, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The second annual Pasco County East-West Classic is slated for Dec. 8 at 7p.m., at Sunlake Field. (Courtesy of Pasco Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes)
The second annual Pasco County East-West Classic is slated for Dec. 8 at 7p.m., at Sunlake Field.
(Courtesy of Pasco Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes)

A total of 80 players — all seniors— representing each of Pasco’s 15 high schools were selected in a “draft day” format last month.

Players on the East team will represent Land O’ Lakes, Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Pasco, Bishop McLaughlin and Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

Players on the West team will represent River Ridge, Ridgewood, Mitchell, Anclote, Hudson, Fivay, Gulf and Sunlake.

The game, organized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), had a strong showing in its first year, with nearly 2,000 fans in attendance.

“Last year, being the first time, we didn’t know what to expect,” said Bob Durham, FCA area director. “It was very exciting, and all the events went well.”

The game went so well, in fact, the Pasco County school district has asked the FCA to organize all-star showcase games for other sports, such as baseball, basketball and soccer.

First up: a Pasco County all-star baseball game in May 2017.

“They want us to do a lot of different sports, and we’re honored by the offer,” Durham said. “We just said to them we’re happy to do it…and let’s just take our time and do one sport at a time.”

The idea for a countywide all-star football game was spearheaded by Durham, upon the suggestion of Pasco Area FCA board of directors, who pointed to the success of long-established all-star games in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Durham said high school football coaches in Pasco tried to create an all-star showcase for more than a decade, but plans never materialized, due to constant personnel changes countywide.

For various reasons, it never was executed, he said.

The game, Durham said, gives high school seniors one last chance to perform in front of college recruiters, many of whom attend the game from all across the southeast region.

“A lot of these guys are looking at Division II, or Division III schools. Some have Division I potential, but most are DII or DIII,” Durham explained. “Their season’s over, their playoffs are done, and they get one more game to showcase themselves.”

Wiregrass Ranch head coach Mark Kantor said the game is especially important for players on teams that didn’t advance to the playoffs.

“It gives kids the opportunity for another game to be put on their highlight reel,” Kantor said. “In a setting like this with other good players, it’s always good for them.”

Zephyrhills head coach Nick Carroll said the annual all-star game is “a very good thing” for Pasco County.

“We’ve started a tradition,” Carroll said. “It exposes Pasco County and the best play in it, so…we’re able to show the talent we do have, at different positions.”

Carroll added: “Hopefully we got some recruiters in town…and playing against other top talent throughout the county, it will hopefully shoot (players) up the recruiting boards for colleges.”

Meanwhile, Durham said Sunlake Field might possibly be the permanent home for future Pasco all-star football games.

“It’s such an ideal location in the middle of the county,” he said. “We’ll talk about it, and I’ll just open it up to the coaches, and have them decide it.”

Tickets for the game are $10. For information, visit PascoAllStarGame.com.

East team:
Bishop McLaughlin
Marc Herraera
Joe Mastrino
Louis Valentine
Chris Cigarran
Gilbert Estein

Land O’ Lakes
Erick Marcel
Brayden Lyman
Justin Kren
Dylan Hohenthaner
Spencer Childress
Jared Granruth

Pasco High
Aaron Leslie
Nate Hawkins
Corey Mills
Niko Mirrop

Wesley Chapel
Jacob Thomas
Christian Austin
Donovan Willingham
Ellrie Allen
Kyle Brown
Devon Singletary
Marcus Gillot

Wiregrass Ranch
Ryan Scamardo
Jason Winston
Aaron Beardsley
Chris Faddoul
Matt Welsh
Dylan Bryan
Ramon Rodriguez

Zephyrhills Christian
Mykh’ael Chavis
Hunter Barber
John Emmanuel
P.J. Seekens
Dominic Moss
Kareem Mehrab

Zephyrhills High
Jarrett Black
Kameron Howard
Brett Lemay
Antwoine Sims
Darius Causey

West team:
Anclote
Michael Cannion
Carlos Yglesia
Kyndal James
Braxton Johnson
Taino Arocho

Fivay
Cole Coyne
Brandon Young

Gulf
Kahlil Masson
Issaiah Groen
Bryce Hollenbeck

Hudson
Justin Griffin
Cyler Doran
Jaryd Johnson
Remynte Turner
Ray Pennetti
Spencer Shoun
Corey  French

Mitchell
Mason Castricone
Larry Dalla Betta
Jermane Cross
Anthony Moe
Michael Doyle
Matthew Hegwood

Ridgewood
Javon Wright
Chris Melton
Michael Bautista
Jacob Marsh
Darrin Bright

River Ridge
Trevor Hawks
Dylan Spaeth
Dalton O’Toole
Gabe Angeles
Alex Kostogiannes

Sunlake
Chris Galdos
Ryan Clark
Tyler Peretti
Justin Hall
Chris Williams
Israel Aquino
James Perez

East coaches:
Mike Frump (Land O’ Lakes)
Tony Egan (Wesley Chapel)
Nick Carroll (Zephyrhills High)
Tom McHugh (Pasco High)
Josh Ballinger (Zephyrhills Christian Academy)
Mark Kantor (Wiregrass Ranch)
Tico Hernandez (Bishop McLaughlin)

West coaches:
Matt Kingsley (Anclote)
Justin Fenton (Mitchell)
Gary Allen (River Ridge)
Jay Fulmer (Ridgewood)
John Krupp (Gulf)
Matt Smith (Sunlake)
Matt Durchik (Fivay)
Rob Mahler (Hudson)

Published November 16, 2016