Local Sports

Academy weightlifters advance to regionals

January 20, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Just two years after forming a girls weightlifting team, Academy at the Lakes is sending some of its team to regionals.

Seniors Maggie Hull and Natalie Davis will compete on Jan. 22 in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 1A Regionals at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.

Academy at the Lakes girls weightlifting coach Maria Oliver provides some encouragement and tips to senior Grace Faith during the district meet. (Photos courtesy of Jim Faith) — Academy at the Lakes girls weightlifting coach Maria Oliver provides some encouragement and tips to senior Grace Faith during the district meet.
(Photos courtesy of Jim Faith)

At districts last week, Hull, in the 129-pound weight class, recorded a 110-pound bench press and a 130-pound clean-and-jerk for a combined total of 240 pounds.

Davis, competing in the 154-pound weight class, benched 80 pounds and clean-and-jerked 110 pounds for a total of 190.

This year’s team has seven members, which is quite impressive considering there was just one weightlifter in the program’s first year, when former the academy’s former football coach John Castelamare was overseeing the program.

After Castelamare’s retirement, Marla Oliver took over as the girls weightlifting coach this season.

Oliver, who also doubles as the girls basketball coach, used her knowledge as a certified personal trainer to develop a specialized weightlifting program.

The program is geared toward strengthening the muscles used in the bench press and the clean-and-jerk.

“I did a lot of research to find different (activities) they could do if things weren’t working or building up their lifts,” Coach Oliver said. “We just started using resistance bands with the bench press. I did a lot of research on that and I have probably two or three girls that increased their bench by 10 pounds in two weeks.”

Coach Oliver, an avid weightlifter herself, implemented exercises that centered on using a barbell to perform the military press, bent-over rows and squats. She also emphasized the use of free weights and body weight exercises like pushups.

“All of (the girls) have seen tremendous gains,” she said. “Every girl in the program.”

Her program also stresses a proper diet — ensuring girls get the proper ratio of proteins and carbohydrates so their bodies can recover, and also see improvement in their results.

“When they start working out and they start seeing results, they want to eat better and healthier,” Oliver said.

Oliver has been influence on Davis, who’s also a captain on the cheerleading team, to take the next step in her development as a competitive lifter.

“I like having a coach that wants you to do better and not really be easy. I love our coach,” Davis explained. “She’s the best because she pushes us, but she’s not mean about it and I really like that. She knows what we can do and pushes us for that.

“She’s so motivating, especially at meets,” Davis said.

Senior Natalie Davis clean-and-jerks 110 pounds at the district meet.

Grace Faith, a fellow senior, regards Coach Oliver as her “biggest motivator.”

“Coach definitely cracks us into shape,” Faith said. “I don’t think I can do certain things and she will tell me: ‘You are 100 percent capable of doing it.’ I wouldn’t be lifting half of what I’m lifting now if I didn’t have somebody telling me I could do it.”

This year, the interest in the academy’s girls weightlifting team flourished with the help of Hull, as she encouraged some of her friends to give weightlifting a shot.

“I just kind of went like, ‘You should try it,’ for those that were on the fence about it,” Hull said. “I was like, ‘Just come for a practice and see how you feel.’”

Hull’s support helped fellow classmates like Faith to stick with the sport once they tried it out for he first time.

“I couldn’t even lift the bar at the beginning of the season when I started and Maggie told me: ‘It’s going to be okay. You’ll gain,’” Faith said. “She’s been giving me advice all season.

“The first meet was definitely intimidating. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I saw all of these girls who have been doing it for years and I was intimidated, but then I realized I wanted to just do my best,” she added.

With regionals looming for both Hull and Davis, the key for them is to get into the proper mindset during the event.

“Weightlifting is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical,” Hull explained. “At a meet a couple weeks ago, I went to bench 100 or 105, which I’ve done thousands of times before and for some reason I scratched out. …That got in my head and I did terrible the rest of the meet. It’s just about trying to get your mental game strong.

“Its like a mental block. It’s not a physical one,” Davis added. “I know I can do stuff. You just have to push through it.”

To advance to the state championships on Feb. 4, both Hull and Davis will likely have to add at least 5 pounds or 10 pounds to their current lifts, which is much easier said than done.

“It’s a lot more than you think,” Hulls said about the challenge of adding just a few more pounds to current lifts. “You think, ‘Oh, 5 pounds is not a big deal and then you actually lift it, its like: ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It’s crazy how much of a difference it makes.”

While academy’s program is still in its infancy, Oliver is confident it can continue to grow — even though the team is losing three seniors from its roster.

Senior Maggie Hull gets ready for a bench press rep at the district meet in River Ridge on Jan. 13.

“I just think it’s a great sport,” the coach said. “Some girls never even thought they would do weightlifting, but once they get started, it’s addictive.

“It just shows the girls that they can do more than one sport or do something that may not be in their comfort zone,” she said.

Seeing more peers get involved in the sport could also lead to more interest in the future.

“Growing up, I never really saw a lot girl weightlifters and never really had anybody to look up to,” said Faith, who plans to attend West Virginia University next year. “But, seeing people from this school who have succeeded so much in the sport of weightlifting is really cool. It’s growing a lot.”

Davis, who plans on attending the University of Florida next year, believes the recent shift in adolescents’ attitudes toward fitness will also lead to more girls getting involved in weightlifting.

“It’s becoming a lot cooler to work out and that sounds kind of weird, but there was a big phase in teenagers where it was a lot cooler to be like: ‘I don’t work out. I just like to stay at home and watch Netflix,’” Davis said. “But now, people like to work out and like to have a gym buddy. That’s really cool because it’s a lot of fun.”

Published January 20, 2016

Girls fast-pitch coming to Lutz

January 20, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Dwindling registration in recent years has prompted the Lutz Leaguerettes girls’ softball organization to add a recreational fast-pitch league for the first time in its 37-year history.

The league expects 15 teams, across four age groups, and the deadline for registrations is Feb. 1.

Girls in the fast-pitch league will transition to new bats, which are several ounces lighter than bats designed for slow-pitch softball. (Courtesy of Lutz Leaguerettes) — Girls in the fast-pitch league will transition to new bats, which are several ounces lighter than bats designed for slow-pitch softball.
(Courtesy of Lutz Leaguerettes)

The Lutz Leaguerettes, a nonprofit organization, has provided slow-pitch softball to girls ages 5 to 18, making it the lone recreational slow-pitch girls’ league in Hillsborough County.

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.

“The Lutz Leaguerettes is the last of a dying breed,” said Mike Cook, president of the Leaguerettes. “Slow-pitch is kind of dying out, because a lot of people want to play fast-pitch, and they see all these college girls playing fast-pitch; there’s just a lot more interest in fast-pitch.”

Jennifer Parry, who’s the league’s secretary, said the increased desire for young girls to play in high school also has had an influence.

“I think with the popularity of (former Olympic gold medalist softball pitcher) Jennie Finch, the Olympics and all these girls playing softball in college, it’s really changed softball for kids,” she said. “So many more kids want to play softball in high school, so they’re having to learn how to play fast-pitch. The registration numbers are dwindling for slow-pitch, so now we’re adding fast-pitch. …We’re trying to get girls excited and out there playing.”

The Lutz Leaguerettes girls’ softball recreation league is adding a fast-pitch program for the first time in its 37-year history.

Before the rise of fast-pitch, Cook said the Leaguerettes once had 400-plus girls playing in the league. Now, the league has around 120 girls participating in the slow-pitch category.

The dip in participation has made scheduling difficult, and the competition monotonous.

“Last season, my daughter played in the Pixie (ages 5-9) division and there were five teams, and this season there’s only three,” Parry said. “Just for the kids, to be able to keep it going, you got to have more participation.”

Ideally, the Leaguerettes would like to offer both slow-pitch and fast-pitch leagues, with the former running from November to January, and the latter starting in February each year.

“We’re going to see what happens. If we have to give up slow-pitch by the wayside, then we’ll make a decision when the time comes,” Cook said. “Until then, we’re going to try to continue with both leagues.”

Cook noted that “fast-pitch isn’t all that different from slow-pitch,” but there will be a few adjustments. For example, there are a few rules that differ for fast-pitch, as well as the type of equipment required for players to be safe and effective.

Additionally, the offensive strategy for fast-pitch softball contrasts with 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.

Typically, fast-pitch age divisions are separated every two years, but the Leaguerettes will start with just four age divisions: 8U (ages 6-8), 12U (ages 9-12), 16U (ages 13-16) and 18U (ages 17-18).

The deadline for registrations is Feb. 1. The league expects 15 teams, across four age divisions

“I’d be willing to bet we’ll have 15 teams divided up among the divisions,” said Parry, who expects about 150 girls in the league’s inaugural fast-pitch season. “The 18U is our toughest (to fill) right now, because the girls at that age don’t want to transition from slow-pitch to fast-pitch, because they’ve been playing slow-pitch their entire life, and that’s a big adjustment…but, the 12U division is blowing up and is by far the fullest.”

A majority of the games will be played at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in Lutz, with the league hoping to host some tournaments that feature rec teams throughout Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Brandon and Temple Terrace.

The league has already been selected to host the all-county Early Bird Tournament from Feb. 26 to Feb. 28, which will include up to 10 different leagues.

“We’re in the process of scheduling some tournaments,” Cook said. “We’d love to have some tournaments at our field, because it’s a wonderful fundraiser, and it just creates a buzz at the field like no other. …When you have three fields going — three different games, six different teams playing, concession stand buzzing — it just gives a feeling of belonging.

“The concession stand is, bar none, the best you will find in the county. It’s clean, they provide quality service and have monthly specials, and it’s volunteers that run it all,” he said.

Getting the league back to its height of popularity isn’t the only goal. League officials also stressed the importance making sure the participants’ experiences are rewarding and enjoyable.

“It’s an opportunity for the girls to make new friends. All the girls can commiserate and create friendships that last a lifetime,” the league president said. “The lessons that they learn are lessons they’ll carry for the rest of their life — patience, understanding, tolerance and communication.

“There’s a number of things the girls learn and a number of tools they receive that they utilize for life that they don’t even realize at the time,” Cook said.

Published January 20, 2016

Carrollwood Day School soon to get home field advantage

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

A $1 million matching gift donation program has paved the way for the construction of a new athletic complex at Carrollwood Day School.

Located near the west entrance of the school’s Bearss Avenue campus, the new athletic complex will be a well-lit, multi-use space for the private school’s football, baseball and soccer teams.

This $2 million multipurpose sports complex at Carrollwood Day School will also include a baseball facility. After this season, the baseball program will no longer have to travel to Citrus Park to play their home games. (Photos courtesy of Carrollwood Day School) — This $2 million multipurpose sports complex at Carrollwood Day School will also include a baseball facility. After this season, the baseball program will no longer have to travel to Citrus Park to play their home games.
(Photos courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Billionaire entrepreneur Todd Wagner, and his wife, Keri Wagner, made the donation program possible by agreeing to put forward a $1 million pledge in August, contingent on the school also raising $1 million.

The school reached the $1 million mark by mid-December, through contributions from numerous other families with ties to the school.

“It kept coming in bunches,” said Head of School Ryan Kelly. “We had a number of families step forward from smaller amounts to larger amounts, from three figures to six figures.

“It just was a community effort, and I’m just thrilled that families stepped up and supported it.”

The multi-use athletic complex is expected to be completed in time for the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year, just in time for the high school football season. And, instead of playing on a grass surface, home football games will be played on turf.

Carrollwood’s soccer program has played their home games on a leased parcel of land. Next year, their games will be played in the new sports complex.

“There aren’t that many (turf fields) around here, so I think from that standpoint, we’ll be one of the few independent schools that have a turf field,” said Kelly, who has been at the school for eight years and has been head of school for three years.

The school’s athletic director, Baker Mabry, also is enthused about the turf field, which he referred to as the “shiny piece” of the new complex.

“We really pushed hard for turf,” said Mabry, who’s in his ninth year as the school’s athletic director. “Anybody that has to manage a field that has natural grass knows the headaches with that. I think everybody is pretty excited about the turf.”

Being able to have stadium lights at the complex is another feature that stands out for Mabry, who noted other private schools like Tampa Catholic have “had to wait years” before getting approval for lights.

“To be able to host night games, you know everybody loves the ‘Friday Night Lights’ with football, but just for athletics across the board…I think it’s really going to be a neat thing for our school,” Mabry added.

The complex, which will also include a press box and enough bleacher seating for 500-plus people, should make Mabry’s job easier, as he won’t have to worry about leasing off-site fields for the various athletic programs’ practices and home games.

Carrollwood Day School’s new athletic complex will feature a football field with a turf surface. Previously, the football program played their home games at Skyway Park.

“It should streamline everything,” he said. “Having everything on campus, for me personally, will really help streamline that process, but I also think it’s going to raise expectations for our program, which is a great thing also. It keeps our coaches motivated. It keeps our athletes motivated. Hopefully, we’ll just continue to build.”

Mabry believes the new complex will increase athletic participation and has other benefits, too.

“I think it increases school spirit, and I think it’s going to increase participation across the board with our sports,” he explained. “We’re also hoping it increases enrollment, as people see our facilities and people see that we are a school on the move, and a school that’s growing. It entices more families to attend CDS (Carrollwood Day School).”

Mabry said there’s been an added emphasis over the past years to get the school’s athletic facilities up to par with its highly regarded academic facilities.

“The No. 1 thing that we hear is the academic facilities are fantastic,” he said. “But people would ask, ‘When are the athletic facilities coming in line?’”

The athletic complex is the second phase of the school’s capital campaign program, known as Patriot Pride. The first phase of the program, a 25,000-square-foot gymnasium, is currently under construction. Once completed, it will house three volleyball courts, two full-size basketball courts and a weight room.

The facilities are a step forward for the school, Kelly said.

“For our campus, I think it’s going to be a huge enhancement for our athletics and also our PE (Physical Education) program. We’ll be able to match what we do on our athletic side with what we do on our academic side,” he said.

Carrollwood’s athletic director concurs with that assessment.

“I think it’s just one of the final pieces that makes Carrollwood Day School one of the top schools in the area,” Mabry said.

Published January 13, 2016

Imani Thomas scores 1,000 points

January 13, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

When it comes to scoring points, Academy at the Lakes’ Imani Thomas is in rare company.

The Wildcats’ junior post player became the fifth player in school history to surpass the career 1,000-point mark when she scored 17 points in a 79-45 victory over Cornerstone Orlando on Dec. 2.

“It was great,” said Thomas who is coached by Karim Nohra.

“When I got to 1,000 points, coach called a timeout and my (teammates) all gave me a hug and congratulated me.”

Coach Nohra put the achievement in perspective.

Imani Thomas goes up for close-range shot during a recent contest. The junior center is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds this season. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes) — Imani Thomas goes up for close-range shot during a recent contest. The junior center is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds this season.
(Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

“It’s a huge accomplishment because not everybody gets to a landmark like 1,000 (points),” said Nohra, who’s in his sixth year coaching the Wildcats. “She actually did it early in her junior year, which is even more impressive.”

Standing at 5-foot-10, Thomas plays with a bruising mentality, utilizing her strength to gain position in the post and get easy baskets, even against taller opponents.

“She goes up against 6-footers and has no problem because she uses her size and abilities to her advantage,” Coach Nohra said. “She has good feet and she jumps pretty well for her size. When she comes to play it’s like, ‘Oh, my goodness, she’s tough to stop.’ ”

In addition to averaging 13.2 points per game, Thomas is able to leverage her size and leaping ability to average 13 rebounds per game.

Since her freshman year, Thomas has continually refined her game by improving her post up moves and shooting ability, while learning to efficiently dribble with her left hand.

“As a freshman, I was still learning and trying to develop my skills,” said Thomas, who’s been playing basketball since the sixth grade. “Now, I’m putting up more shots, rebounding more and taking the ball to the basket harder than I was my freshman year.”

Coach Nohra added that Thomas, who has an offer to play college basketball at Flagler College in St. Augustine, has a better understanding of the game, and also has more control over her emotions compared to when she was younger.

“I think she’s grown as a player in that a lot of things used to upset her and now, they don’t upset her as much,” he said. “Before, as a freshman, I had to sometimes yank her out of the game to calm her down because she’d be like, ‘I got fouled, Why didn’t (the referees) call a foul on me?’ ”

As she’s matured, Thomas has used the lack of foul calls as a motivating factor to play tougher defense and make plays at opposite end of the floor.

“I’m a lot bigger than my other teammates and I know I’m not going to get the foul,” Thomas stated. “It’s frustrating, but I know when I get back on defense I’m going to get a stop and I’m going to come back down (the floor) and score.”

Coach Nohra believes Thomas doesn’t get more foul calls because the general consensus from refs and officials is that “she can take a beating” because of her unique combination of size and strength.

“She’s got people draped over her and when you hit her, she doesn’t flinch,” he said. “She absorbs those hits. That’s how strong she is.”

With just a few games left in the regular season before district play, Coach Nohra is hoping to lead the Wildcats to the Class 2A girls basketball state championships for a fifth consecutive year.

“It’s something that no team in the area can say,” Nohra remarked about reaching the state finals the past four years. “Our overall goal is always to win the district, be one of the best teams in the area and get to Lakeland for the state championships. … We have a great shot to get there.”

Nohra, who’s been coaching for 23 years — with stops along the way at Tampa Catholic, Cambridge Christian and Wesley Chapel high schools — subscribes to a philosophy that focuses on playing up-tempo, utilizing defensive pressure systems and scoring baskets quickly in transition.

He refers to his coaching methods as “choreographed chaos.”

“If you looked at our team, you’d say, ‘What in the heck are they doing? That’s not what normally happens,’” said Nohra, who’s amassed over 500 career wins. “We do not follow standard basketball protocol…like a point guard must dribble down the middle of the court or when you line up for a free throw, you have two people from your team on the line.

“I think our success lies in the fact that we do things so differently than other teams do.”

From a player’s perspective, Thomas said many of Coach Nohra’s drills seem peculiar in practice, but end up benefitting the team in live-game situations.

“Every practice we go through drills and sometimes I’m thinking like, ‘What is he doing? These drills are not made for me. This is not going to work,’ ” Thomas said. “And then, when he explains it we go into a game and we do it and he says, ‘This is the drill I told you to do. This is the drill we’ve been working on…they’ll work for you.’”

With the likelihood of playing several more games in the postseason, Thomas and her fellow teammates are focused on sending the roster’s two seniors, Janise Cassanello and Luz Santiago, out on a high note.

Thomas believes this year’s team has the formula to do just that.

“We connect outside of basketball and inside of basketball,” Thomas said. “We connect with each other and that’s what a team is. If you connect, you’ll play well on the court.”

Published January 13, 2016

Sunlake’s Hrenko sets national mark for shutouts

January 6, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

A lack of height isn’t an issue for Sunlake High soccer phenom Danny Hrenko.

The 5-foot-10 Hrenko, a senior goalkeeper on the Sunlake Seahawks soccer team, achieved his 75th shutout on Dec. 14, setting a new national career record for the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations).

“Once I broke the record, it was definitely a good feeling,” said Hrenko, who has started as Sunlake’s varsity keeper since his freshman year. “I definitely felt a huge sense of accomplishment over my last four years here playing high school soccer.”

Sam Koleduk, head Seahawks soccer coach, put the accomplishment in context.

Sunlake High goalkeeper Danny Hrenko set the national career shutout record on Dec. 14. (Courtesy of Sam Koleduk) — Sunlake High goalkeeper Danny Hrenko set the national career shutout record on Dec. 14.
(Courtesy of Sam Koleduk)

“You’ve got to look at the record, and if you put it into perspective, he’s going to average over 20 shutouts a season, which is quite remarkable. I think it’s the biggest accomplishment in probably Pasco County soccer history and, probably, in the state of Florida.”

Thomas Gallagher, who played at St. Louis Christian Brothers College High School in Missouri, set the previous record of 74 career shutouts in 1997.

Interestingly, Hrenko had “no idea” how close to the shutout record he was before the start of the 2015 season, until someone gave him the heads-up, so he could keep track of the statistic.

“At the beginning of the season, I was made aware of it, and I started counting down game after game, ‘only 12 more, only 4 more,’ or whatever it was,” he said.

With a significant chunk of the season remaining in both the regular season and postseason, Hrenko has an opportunity to put the longstanding record even more out of reach for high school goalkeepers across the nation.

“He’s not only going to break the record, but he’s probably going to shatter it by 10 or 12 by the end of the season,” his head coach said. “I think it’s pretty remarkable.”

Hrenko, who has played soccer since age 3, has only been a goalkeeper for the past seven years. The position change happened by accident after he tried it out one day in practice and quickly realized he had a knack for it.

With additional instruction from Koleduk and Tampa Rangers coach Mike Connell, Hrenko was able to take his goalkeeping production to new heights by improving his footwork, leaping ability and overall comprehension of the game.

“I got the proper training and the proper coaching, and everyone was behind me,” said Hrenko, who used to be a midfielder. “And, I definitely worked on being the best I could be at my position.”

Also, not having an interest in playing other sports like football or baseball allowed Hrenko to put all of his focus on soccer, where the additional experience allowed him to develop his skillset even more.

“Playing so many games for high school, playing so many games for club and training all the time, it definitely has added another dynamic to my game,” said Hrenko, who has played in more than 100 high school soccer games.

While his natural athleticism allows him to be a physical presence in front of the net, it’s Hrenko’s leadership skills on the field that really stand out, whether it’s organizing the team’s defensive structure or giving his teammates direction during a game.

“It’s like having a coach on the field,” said Koleduk, praising his standout goalie. “He basically instructs everybody where to be… like if a kid makes a couple of bad passes, he’ll get up to him and talk to him. And, he does it in a good manner. He’ll get up and explain what his teammates are doing wrong, even during the game he’ll do it, and I think the kids appreciate that.”

Hrenko’s consistency and eye-popping statistics over the past four years have drawn the interest of several Division II, Division III and NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) college soccer programs. However, he has yet to land a coveted Division I offer from a major university.

Both Hrenko and Koleduk agree that the main reason Division I programs haven’t called yet is because he’s less than 6-feet tall.

“I’d say it’s 100 percent his height,” Koleduk explained. “And, in his case, it doesn’t matter. It’s almost like an NFL quarterback like Drew Brees or someone that’s kind of shorter. There are certain guys that can do it and some that can’t. But, for some reason, a lot of the DI coaches want somebody that’s 6-foot-4 or 6-(foot)-5.”

“Not (being) tall enough is one of the main things, but I don’t let that get me down,” Hrenko said about the absence of Division 1 offers. “I try to play to the best of my ability, and I try to showcase myself in the best manner possible. I’ll just do my best and hope for the best. That’s all I can do.”

While the soccer player hasn’t received a Division 1 offer yet, Koleduk believes there is still a good chance one will come Hrenko’s way, possibly by March or April.

“Soccer’s a weird thing for scholarships,” Koleduk explained. “Even for the best field players…so much of it is done last minute because it’s not like (college) football where (programs) just have tons of offers and scholarship money. So, for soccer it’s a little bit more difficult; you’ve got to kind of wait it out a little bit.

“I think by the time it’s said and done, someone’s going to offer him that’s not scared of the height issue,” the coach said.

While Hrenko is proud of his individual accomplishments, he said the “ultimate goal” this season is to win a state championship with his team come February. The Seahawks have reached the state semifinals in the playoffs three consecutive years, falling short to the eventual state champion on each occasion.

Coach Koleduk noted this year’s Seahawks squad doesn’t have quite as many “superstars” as the past years, but the players have better cohesion and chemistry as a unit on the field.

“I think this year we’re maybe not as strong as we were last year, but I think we’re a better team,” Koleduk said. “We play better together.”

His senior captain agreed.

“This year, I think we have more camaraderie, more teamwork, more understanding of each other,” Hrenko said. “They’ve all been great squads over the past four years, but I think this squad has something special.”

Published January 6, 2016

Anderson lifts Sunlake’s girls weightlifting

January 6, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Buoyed by the performance of senior Brianna Anderson, the Sunlake Seahawks girls wrestling team has been on a tear of late.

The Seahawks most recently placed first (out of six teams) in the Eastside Girls Weightlifting Tournament at Zephyrhills High School on Dec. 16.

Competing in the 183-pound weight class, Anderson recorded a 160-pound bench press, and maxed out a 195-pound clean-and-jerk for a 355 total, a tournament best.

While Anderson didn’t reach her goal of a 225-pound clean-and-jerk, she still felt comfortable with her performance.

“I was pretty confident, I guess,” she said about her results. “I knew if I (completed) all of my benches, and my first clean-and-jerk, I was going to get first (place).”

Several teams from the Eastside tournament go through bench press warm-up drills. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo) — Several teams from the Eastside tournament go through bench press warm-up drills.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

A relative newcomer to the sport, Anderson showed an interest in weightlifting as a high school sophomore, hoping to become more physically active to boost her athleticism for basketball and track.

She proved to be a natural in her first year competing, reaching the 2013-2014 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Girls Weightlifting Finals, placing 19th overall in the 199-pound weight class.

As a junior last year, Anderson became more focused on improving her weightlifting totals. She altered her diet and spent more time on proper weightlifting technique, utilizing the expertise of Sunlake High head coach Denise Garcia.

The extra dedication paved the way for Anderson to drop to a lower weight class (183) and enhance her strength enough to place third in the 2014-2015 finals.

“The most improvement I would have to say is clean-and-jerk as far as my technique and going up in my max,” Anderson said. “My favorite is the clean-and-jerk, so for the bench (press) I just try my hardest. My lower body is stronger than my upper body.”

Coach Garcia commended Anderson’s work ethic and believes she has a great chance to win a state title in February.

“I’m hoping that she continues to go up and get that gap, because there’s other girls that are great up there, but with her passion and her wanting it, I know she’ll be on top.”

For Anderson and her Sunlake High teammates, the overall goal is to perform better at the FHSAA State Finals on Feb. 5 in Kissimmee, where the group finished 12th last year.

Before they can look ahead to the state championships, they must first compete in a district qualifier on Jan. 13 at Mitchell High School in New Port Richey. The district meet will determine qualifiers for the 2016 Girls Weightlifting regional meet on Jan. 20 at Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda, which then determines who qualifies for the state finals.

Garcia believes this year’s group, which features 22 members, is unique because of their overall “commitment and dedication.” She also noted the team’s camaraderie.

“They listen, and they’re coachable,” said Garcia, who’s been coaching girl’s weightlifting at Sunlake High for 10 years. “They’re always working on their personal bests, and there’s no drama.

“They’re all great kids.”

Coaching weightlifting is sometimes a logistical challenge for Garcia, who was to divvy up one-on-one coaching among 22 pupils.

Garcia is typically forced to organize her practice schedule around other sports the girls compete in, such as cheerleading and basketball. Practices are usually held for two hours every weekday (and sometimes weekends), with a focus on strengthening different muscle groups.

For girls that are novices to competitive weightlifting, Coach Garcia said the key is to focus on proper technique and not necessarily how much weight is being lifted.

“It’s always about technique first,” Garcia said. Don’t worry about what the other person is doing. If 55 (pounds) is all you can do, it better be the best 55 (pounds) technically, because if not, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

While Coach Garcia’s team isn’t as large as others she’s had in the past, she’s optimistic about the sport’s future growth, which she attributes in part to the popularity of CrossFit.

“The girls are getting more exposed to it,” she explained. “CrossFit is big, so it’s (transitioning girls) into weightlifting. It’s not just a boy’s sport. The girls are coming in and doing it well.”

Anderson, who plans to join the U.S. Naval Academy after she graduates high school, credits Coach Garcia for her marked improvement over the past three seasons.

“She got me when I couldn’t even clean-and-jerk 100 pounds,” she said. “And now, I can do 200.”

Published January 6, 2016

Fresh start for softball at Carrollwood Day School

December 30, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Frank Arcuri has nearly three decades of experience coaching softball. He was an assistant coach for Eckerd College last year, and spent many years in travel ball, where he won multiple championships. His daughters even played Division I college softball.

So what brings him to Carrollwood Day School, 1515 W. Bearss Ave., to head their softball program?

It’s the timing. Not for the coach; for the players.

“I feel like my niche is the 14-, 15-, 16-year-old athlete,” Arcuri explained. They’re right where you want them in the development stage, and it’s a real joy to take them to the next level of playing.”

Softball coach Frank Arcuri is the new head softball coach for the Carrollwood Day School Patriots. He is shown here wearing the shirt of his former team. (Courtesy of Frank Arcuri) — Softball coach Frank Arcuri is the new head softball coach for the Carrollwood Day School Patriots. He is shown here wearing the shirt of his former team.
(Courtesy of Frank Arcuri)

At the college level, coaches are doing more fine-tuning and strategizing with players, he said. But when they’re a few years younger, they can still learn new things to improve their game significantly, yet they’ve already established that they have the talent to compete.

Carrollwood Day School’s softball team has already demonstrated its abilities.

The Patriots have reached the regionals in state playoff competition in each of the past three seasons, including a trip to the state semifinals a couple of seasons ago.

Arcuri wants to build on that success, but there’s a lot of time between now and the start of the season. That’s why he wanted the team to participate in a Hillsborough County fall league, to give the players time to gain extra experience and additional time playing together.

It also enables Arcuri to have a chance to evaluate his team before the season starts, he said. By identifying its areas of strength, and what needs the most work, he can prepare efficiently, and get the most out of his team.

Arcuri believes he can get more out of the team by having the athletes play on other teams. He doesn’t want them to adopt a “softball all year” attitude, which is becoming more prominent in athletics today. Instead, he wants them to focus on school and encourages them to play other sports that might even help them with improved footwork when they return to the softball field.

“Track and basketball are very good. So is soccer,” Arcuri said.

That footwork will be important, because he wants speed to be a character trait of his team. He’s considering bringing a special trainer out to teach them different techniques, and to allow players to use their speed to cause problems for opposing defenses.

Arcuri also will focus on selling the program to the team and building trust, since he views himself as a players’ coach.

With so much experience teaching and coaching at different age levels, he has a good feel for how to handle athletes at different stages of development. And for female athletes in high school, the best method is to instruct without being too critical, he said. It’s better to use positive language to put them at ease, but keep them in a learning mindset.

“It’s pretty good, but let me show you where it might be even better to help you out,” Arcuri suggests as a method of teaching an athlete a new technique. “You have to keep a positive spin on everything.”

As he settles into his new job, Arcuri is already feeling positive about the talent he’s inheriting, the school’s commitment to a successful program, and the opportunity to teach young players and make a good athlete even better.

“There are some good players over there. I was impressed with the talent level at such a small school,” Arcuri said. “I can’t wait to get started.”

Published December 30, 2015

Zephyrhills’ girls weightlifting looks ahead to districts

December 30, 2015 By Kevin Weiss

After finishing in second place to Sunlake High at the Eastside Tournament on Dec. 16, the Zephyrhills girls weightlifting team hopes to build off that momentum once district qualifiers begin.

The Bulldogs notched 47 points, behind Sunlake (71 points), but ahead of third-place finisher Land O’ Lakes (38 points) at the tournament.

“We did better than I expected and better than years’ past,” said Zephyrhills’ head coach Joseph Rinaldo, who’s in his ninth season. “Over the past five years, I think it’s the best we’ve ever done. Granted 71 to 47 is a big lead, but I didn’t expect for us to score as many points as we did.”

Zephyrhills’ Rebecca Swift performs a 90-pound clean-and-jerk before a panel of judges at the Eastside Tournament (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo) — Zephyrhills’ Rebecca Swift performs a 90-pound clean-and-jerk before a panel of judges at the Eastside Tournament
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

The Bulldogs’ next test is the 1A district qualifier on Jan. 13 at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.

The road to advancing to regionals and possibly the state finals is perhaps more favorable for the Bulldogs since bumping down from Class 2A to 1A.

“We’re in a lower division now, and there’s less teams that we’ve seen in years past, so it should be advantageous,” Rinaldo remarked.

Rinaldo added there’s a “long way to go” before the Bulldogs can think about reaching the state championships. For example, the team must improve certain aspects of their weightlifting techniques by the time district qualifiers ramp up.

“There are things that aren’t major, but can be cleaned up,” Coach Rinaldo pointed out. “Some of these girls haven’t peaked yet. Some (girls) are still misfiring.

“It’s time to get people in the right positions to try to advance to regionals, and from there, try to get them to states,” he said.

Published December 30, 2015

LOL girls soccer works hard, aims high and consistently wins

December 30, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When a team lets the opponent score 11 goals in soccer, it sounds like the defense is struggling.

But, when those goals occur over a 17-game span, it sounds like a championship defense.

The Land O’ Lakes Gators girls soccer team is seeking a championship, and the defending Class 3A-8 champions are off to a 15-2 start.

Earlier this year, the Gators closed out its previous season in a 2-1 loss in the title game against American Heritage from Plantation.

While some teams might stumble a bit after that kind of loss, Land O’ Lakes has raced to a strong start. Aside from a 3-0 loss to Academy of the Holy Names on Dec. 1 and a 2-3 loss to Mitchell High on Dec. 14, only a handful of their games have been particularly close. And, they have won several of their games by sizable margins.

Coach Vicky King doesn’t see any secret formula to the Gators’ success.

“We work hard. We do have a good bit of talent. They have high expectations,” she said. “We work for everything we get. We know that nothing is given to us.”

That work includes a preseason conditioning program, which ensures that the athletes are in good shape when the first whistle sounds. Many of them also play club soccer, which helps, King said.

Many of them also play on different club teams, which the coach sees as an advantage. The players come together after being exposed to a variety of philosophies and styles of play, and when they play for their high school team, they execute at a high level on the field.

Even bumps in the road can have positive benefits. The loss to the Academy (who was also undefeated) was a lesson that they still have areas that need improvement.

“It was a good game. It was very challenging for us and shows what we need to work on,” King said. “It makes us refocus. If we want to reach our goals and succeed, then we know we have work to do.”

“Work” is a common theme with King. It has built a strong program over her 29 years as the team’s soccer coach, and it’s something she discusses with her players regardless of their opponent or their record at the time. By maintaining that focus, it builds a level of expectation that freshmen and sophomores recognize immediately, and work to meet or exceed from the very beginning.

It also helps maintain impressive records from year to year. Including the two losses this year, the team has lost only six games since the beginning of the 2013-14 season.

With that much success, some coaches might see a return to the state championship game as a likely event, or at least one that has a good chance of happening. But, King lives by the “one game at a time” mentality she preaches to the athletes. Like her players, she takes nothing for granted and only allows that continued success is a possibility if they remain focused and work hard.

“A lot of things can happen. They’re teenagers. Injuries, illness — the cards have to fall just right,” she said.

Those cards tend to fall into place for Land O’ Lakes, but it doesn’t happen with animated yelling or aggressive coaching on game days. The real work is done in practice, King said. If a team is prepared and focused, that should show up on the field. And, with all the players understanding what’s expected of them, most of the pieces are already in place when they step onto the field.

At that point, it’s up to them to execute. With all her success (the team won a state title in 2003) King said it’s ultimately their team, and they understand what it takes to continue the winning legacy of Land O’ Lakes girls soccer.

“I coach the team, but the team belongs to the players,” she said. “It’s their team. They know what our expectations are as far as performance on the field, performance in the classroom and performance in the community.”

The team has two remaining games on its schedule. It plays Pasco High on Jan. 6 at 7:45 p.m., and it plays Tampa Catholic on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.

Published December 30, 2015

Raising funds to strike out cancer

December 23, 2015 By Michael Murillo

On Jan. 10, the Saint Leo baseball team will have its first practice of the year.

Players will run drills, hit, catch and field the ball in anticipation of a new season.

They’ll also shave their heads. Just like last season.

It’s not a fashion statement.

Saint Leo baseball coach Sean O'Connor and most of his team got their heads shaved last year to close out the team's fundraising for cancer research. They'll do it again on Jan. 10. (Photos courtesy of Saint Leo University) — Saint Leo baseball coach Sean O’Connor and most of his team got their heads shaved last year to close out the team’s fundraising for cancer research. They’ll do it again on Jan. 10.
(Photos courtesy of Saint Leo University)

It’s a celebration of their off-season project, which is raising money for the Vs. Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to fight cancers that impact children.

Saint Leo is one of many college and high school baseball programs, as well as other sports teams from around the country, that donate to the cause.

The players solicit donations on social media, collecting money for several weeks before the start of their season.

Saint Leo coach Sean O’ Connor was contacted before last season by foundation CEO Chase Jones, a former college baseball player who was diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer at 18 years old.

Now cancer free, Jones founded the Vs. Cancer Foundation and reaches out to sports teams to help raise money for the cause.

O’ Connor was impressed with the story and wanted to help.

“I thought it was something we should do, and it was something we should be a part of,” he said.

But, he didn’t make it mandatory. If a player wanted to help, he was welcome to do so, but it wouldn’t be forced on anyone. And, he didn’t want them simply donating the money themselves, or hitting up their families for large contributions. Instead, they would reach out through their social media profiles and get the community to help.

While it wasn’t a team requirement, it became a popular cause. Around 90 percent of the team participated last year, raising $3,200 for the foundation. The success didn’t surprise O’ Connor, who played baseball at Saint Leo when he was a student athlete. Charitable giving and community support isn’t just a characteristic of O’ Connor or the baseball team. It’s part of the university culture.

“I think it’s a Saint Leo thing, to tell you the truth. I think a lot of our teams do the same thing,” he said. “I think it’s something we do here, and we do it pretty well.”

So well in fact, that the baseball team has upped its goal for the current campaign. It is looking at raising $5,000 this time around, and it is off to a good start. In the first week of fundraising, the team collected around $700. That puts the overall goal well within reach before Jan. 10.

Saint Leo baseball's offseason program includes cancer fundraising — Saint Leo baseball’s offseason program includes cancer fundraising

This season, the team will take a trip to visit a children’s hospital in St. Petersburg that benefits from the funds, and it is starting it fundraising efforts earlier than last year.

While raising money to fight cancer doesn’t log any runs or pitch any strikes, O’ Connor believes it’s good for the team as a whole. And, since the team won 36 games last season (their third straight season with at least 30 victories) it’s a positive for morale as well.

“I think the kids feel good about themselves. I think it’s certainly something that they come together and do,” he said. “It gives them a sense of purpose.”

It will also give them new haircuts at the first practice. Lesa Walley and the Regency Beauty Institute in Carrollwood donate their time to come out and perform the cuts, which also aren’t mandatory on the team.

Still, the vast majority of players participate, even if a shaved head isn’t their normal style.

The coach participates, too.

“I was freaked out last year about shaving my head,” O’ Connor admits.

That’s because he had never done it before.

But, he joined the athletes, and in addition to finding a cause the baseball team can get behind, he found a new style as well.

“I’ve shaved it numerous times since last year,” O’Connor said. “Now, I really like it.”

For more information or to make a donation, visit Team.Vs-Cancer.org/SaintLeo.

Published December 23, 2015