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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Fun to spare: Special Olympics hosts county bowling competition

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If you wanted to do some bowling in Zephyrhills on Sept. 19, you probably had a long wait.

Around 200 Special Olympics bowlers were knocking down pins, laughing and showing off hard-earned ribbons at Pin Chasers, 6816 N. Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Pine View Middle School student Maryanne Meeker knocks down some pins at the Special Olympics bowling event Sept. 19, which was part of its Fall Classic schedule. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Pine View Middle School student Maryanne Meeker knocks down some pins at the Special Olympics bowling event Sept. 19, which was part of its Fall Classic schedule.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Athletes from eight area middle and high schools packed the lanes in two sessions at the event, which was part of Special Olympics’ Fall Classic season. Gymnastics and softball also are part of the season, which begins with county games before moving to area competition and the state games in November.

According to Judy Brunner, county coordinator for Special Olympics Florida, the athletes get excited about bowling day, which combines competition with socialization and fun.

“They look forward to it for weeks and weeks,” Brunner said. “They love being here, they love showing off their abilities. They especially love getting that ribbon to take home.”

The event is good for family members as well, she said. Like little league or other organized sports activities for traditional students, parents come out to Special Olympics events to support their athletes, watch them perform, and see them interact in a social setting.

Holland Meeker was one of those proud parents at the bowling alley. Her daughter, Maryanne, has learning and speech disabilities, and doesn’t usually enjoy social settings. But Special Olympics bowling was different, and she had been looking forward to the event.

“Since (Maryanne) found out she was going to be participating, she was super excited,” Meeker said. “She’s enjoying herself greatly.”

Her attitude was a welcome surprise for her grandmother, Pamela Stewart, who also came out to watch Maryanne bowl.

“It’s great because she’s an introvert. Even if she’s at my house, she just sits there by herself,” she said. “Maryanne couldn’t wait to come.”

Maryanne, an eighth-grader at Pine View Middle School, said she likes her classes and enjoys math in particular. But it can’t compare to her first bowling event with Special Olympics, where she stared down the pins instead of studying.

“It’s fun,” she said. “I get to miss school.”

Fun is what Special Olympics is all about, Brunner said. And in her 34 years with the organization, she’s seeing more people having fun over the years.

When she first started, there was one season with just 250 athletes participating. Now there are different seasons and separate events for east and west Pasco participants.

In all, around 1,200 students and adults participate in Special Olympics in Pasco County.

Having that many participants means plenty of volunteers are needed to keep events running smoothly. At the bowling event, Zephyrhills High School students were on hand to help. Students from Land O’ Lakes High School helped with a similar event in west Pasco.

Special Olympics benefits from having around 100 volunteers for the Fall Classic season, Brunner said, and they make a big difference to the organization.

“We couldn’t do it without the volunteers,” she said. “They’re crucial, and they’re so good with our athletes. They give them a lot of extra attention and a lot of kudos, and make them feel good about themselves.”

Brunner also credited the Pasco County school system with handling transportation and letting them organize events on school days, which increases participation.

The result is full lanes, a lot of smiles, and a desire to continue participating in Special Olympics. Even for athletes like Maryanne, who don’t normally look forward to social events and interacting with new people, it’s something fun to mark on the calendar.

“She’s already looking forward to the next one,” Stewart said.

Published October 1, 2014

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Bulldogs pick up pieces after tough South Sumter loss

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At least they know where they stand.

The Zephyrhills Bulldogs are a very good football team, as evidenced by their first three games — winning by a combined score of 146-44.

Zephyrhills kicker No. 15 Zach Gleaton punts as he gets protection from Bulldog’s Lorine Parker, 32, as he blocks South Sumter’s Carson Wells during game action Sept. 19 at Zephyrhills. South Sumter was up at the half, 28-10. (Fred Bellett/Photo)
Zephyrhills kicker No. 15 Zach Gleaton punts as he gets protection from Bulldog’s Lorine Parker, 32, as he blocks South Sumter’s Carson Wells during game action Sept. 19 at Zephyrhills. South Sumter was up at the half, 28-10. (Fred Bellett/Photo)

But they’re clearly not the class of their district after taking a 45-10 loss at home to defending Class 5A-District 6 champion South Sumter. And according to Head Coach Reggie Roberts, the Bulldogs definitely are not the kind of team that can hurt themselves and expect to beat a school of that caliber.

“We knew that we can’t make mistakes with that team and survive, and we did that,” he said.

The Raiders had a strong start against Zephyrhills, building an early 21-point lead. But the Bulldogs fought back, scoring a touchdown and getting in position to score another. Instead, they settled for a field goal, later gave up the ball on a muffed punt, and allowed another touchdown before halftime.

That took them from a more manageable 21-14 or 21-10 halftime deficit, to instead trailing 28-10 at the break — a big blow in a game marked by poor weather.

“That’s tough to do against a very good football team,” Roberts said. “I think that was a turning point.”

While it’s tough to lose a district game, it’s also disappointing to see some players not bring their best to such an important contest, Roberts said. Yet a few did answer the call and gave their best in difficult conditions. Players like offensive linemen Austin Larkin and Jonah Thomas caught the coach’s eye for their effort the entire game, and senior Jaylen Pickett was singled out for his mental and physical toughness, and efforts to motivate the team.

“I saw him all game trying to get the guys up,” Roberts said of Pickett. “He’s a competitor.”

While bouncing back after a tough loss isn’t easy, Roberts isn’t giving the team any other option. Zephyrhills had some good practices following the loss, and are working to get back to the dominant play they displayed earlier in the year. And with the rest of their district games coming up in consecutive weeks, there’s no room for error — and not much time to right the ship.

“We have to roll from here on out,” Roberts said. “We can’t lose anymore.”

The Bulldogs also can’t dwell on the loss. They have to have a short memory and focus on the opponents in front of them, Roberts said.

And if the team finds their early-season form and gets back to their winning ways, the coach doesn’t rule out a rematch with the Raiders down the road. It will take a consistent, strong effort, fewer mistakes, and a winning streak, but the postseason and another shot at South Sumter is possible.

“That’s the moral of the story here. We have to play hard,” Roberts said. “That’s a good football team. If we continue to win and don’t lose again, we’ll see them again.”

Published October 1, 2014

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Strong start: Saint Leo cracks top 10 in men’s soccer

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They’re only a few games into the season, but it’s never too early to get some national recognition.

The Saint Leo men’s soccer team (2-0-2) has earned a ninth-place ranking in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. The poll was released before their two most recent games: a 1-0 victory over 21st-ranked West Alabama on Sept. 19, and a scoreless tie against the University of West Florida Sept. 21.

Just a few games into the season, Saint Leo goalkeeper Manny Schoenhuber hasn’t allowed any goals and the Lions haven’t lost any games. They’re ranked in the top 10 of the most recent NSCAA poll. (Courtesy of Mike Carlson)
Just a few games into the season, Saint Leo goalkeeper Manny Schoenhuber hasn’t allowed any goals and the Lions haven’t lost any games. They’re ranked in the top 10 of the most recent NSCAA poll.
(Courtesy of Mike Carlson)

While they’ve won just two games in the new season, the first was a big one: The Lions toppled second-ranked Carson-Newman University out of Tennessee, 2-0. The victory boosted the 17th-ranked Lions up to the 11th spot in the poll, and a scoreless draw against Clayton State propelled them into the top 10.

According to coach Keith Fulk, a good showing against Carson-Newman — which also was last year’s national runner-up — was important to establish momentum at the beginning of the season.

“We’ve built the program for four years now, and if you’re going to try and get to the final four or get to win a national championship, you have to play the best,” he said.

Even with the confidence he has in his Lions, Fulk admitted to being a bit surprised at how well the team came together so quickly and dominated the second half of that game.

While Saint Leo’s defense has shined with three shutouts, opponents are spending a lot of time trying to keep the Lions from scoring. The team has outshot its foes 87-35 so far, including commanding 35-10 advantage in shots on goal.

While Saint Leo is playing well in both aspects of the game, Fulk believes his offense is the team’s strength right now. The team is pressing forward well and displaying a dynamic style that’s giving opponents problems.

That offensive style is making it harder for teams to get many shots on the Lions, so their goalkeeper doesn’t have to work as hard. It’s been a recipe for success, but Manny Schoenhuber, now in his third year, actually wishes he was a bit busier.

“I like getting a lot of shots on goal, to be honest. It keeps me ready,” he said. “Of course I’m glad I get shutouts and all that, but I’m also here to save the ball. I like my job. I like being a goalie.”

Schoenhuber has had plenty of time to learn to like his job. Now 22, he started playing soccer when he was 5, and was involved in club soccer at 7. He hails from a small town near Munich, Germany, and played at the professional club level before coming to the United States.

Now in his third year with Saint Leo, he’s become a team leader and has seen a great change in the Lions’ approach to the game.

“When I first came here, the biggest issue we had was discipline,” Schoenhuber said. “It was just not a very professional way of thinking among the players. But that’s changed a lot now.”

Fulk credits a lot of that change to players like Schoenhuber, who have joined the team from other countries. Saint Leo has a number of players from Germany and France on the team, and having athletes who come from countries where soccer is so important makes everyone better, he said.

“I think the difference is their experience, their culture, their knowledge, their confidence. It’s contagious to the younger players,” Fulk said. “The Florida kids have learned. A kid said to me the other day that he’s learned more in three weeks than he learned in 15 years. And a lot of that is learning from the other players.”

For now, Saint Leo is having to learn to play with some national recognition and status associated with their name. They won’t be able to sneak up on teams, Fulk said, and playing in the tough Sunshine State Conference means there aren’t any easy games on the schedule.

Fellow conference member Lynn University was ranked No. 6 in the same poll, for example. Since then, the Fighting Knights lost their first match on Sept. 20.

While the Lions are proud of their ranking and excited about the attention, they all agree that the goal isn’t to ascend in polls, accumulate statistics or earn votes. They want to keep winning games and play well when it matters most at the end of the year, and in the playoffs.

“We want to be there in November and December playing,” Fulk said. “That’s our real target.”

And Schoenhuber agrees.

“At the end, the only thing that matters is that we win as a team,” he said. “I don’t care if I have 15 shutouts this season or only two. If we win the national title, that’s all that matters to me.”

Published September 24, 2014

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Still in effect: No changes to county’s athletic transfer policy

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Pasco County’s athletic transfer policy for athletes isn’t going anywhere.

Earlier this month, the Pasco County School Board declined to make any changes to the policy, which requires students who switch schools to sit out a calendar year before playing for their new school. They can appeal the one-year ban, but unless they meet certain criteria, the student isn’t playing.

Students who change schools are subject to Pasco County’s athletic transfer policy, which could mean sitting out a calendar year before playing for their new school. That affects all high school sports, including the more popular ones, such as football. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Students who change schools are subject to Pasco County’s athletic transfer policy, which could mean sitting out a calendar year before playing for their new school. That affects all high school sports, including the more popular ones, such as football.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The purpose of the policy is to prevent students from changing schools simply due to athletic considerations. However, some consider it stringent and controversial. The policy brings both positives and negatives to the table, said Land O’ Lakes High School athletic director Karen Coss.

Having the policy adds an extra check between the school and the Florida High School Athletic Association, she said.

“Having that extra check is a benefit. Without a policy, the schools make their own decisions, which can be ill-informed, or they need to navigate the FHSAA bylaws and policies,” Coss said.

On the other hand, schools have to identify affected students in order to request an appeal, Coss said. There’s also additional paperwork, which can put a further burden on an athletic director’s time.

Many athletic directors also are teachers — Coss teaches American government and human geography, for example — so the extra work can be challenging.

School board member Steve Luikart has been a critic of the policy as it’s being applied. But some have portrayed him as being against the policy itself, he said, and that’s not the case.

“I was never trying to rewrite something,” Luikart said. “We don’t have real big issues with the policy. We’ve had some big issues with the procedures and how they’re being implemented.”

Luikart believes there is some ambiguity in terms, such as what constitutes an enrolled student or a transfer student, he said. As a result, there are athletes being forced into an appeals process based on these interpretations when they should already be eligible to play sports.

“I’m under the impression that, according to the FHSAA, if a student lives inside their attendance zone, and they live with a legal guardian and they’ve enrolled in school on the first day of school, then they’re an enrolled student,” Luikart said. “There is no definition of being transferred from one place to the other.”

For the public, one of the sources of confusion is in relation to the FHSAA and the county. They aren’t the same organization, and while they work together to create athletic opportunities for students, they have different roles.

“The county is not determining eligibility,” Coss said. “They are deciding if they will allow the student to participate in sports. Some students still have to be ruled on by the FHSAA in addition to the county, so it is possible that a student is permitted to participate by the county, but ineligible by the FHSAA, and vice versa.”

Creating a policy and applying it can be two different things, and it’s the application that has concerned Luikart. It’s also the source for some degree of optimism.

Instead of expressing disappointment that the policy wasn’t changed or rescinded at the last meeting, Luikart feels like they’re working on a clearer explanation of how to apply it.

While nothing formal has been sent to the board to review, he’s heard that some adjustments in the procedures could be made. At that point he’ll review the adjustments and see if it fits with what he considers a fairer implementation of the policy.

In that regard, even though the policy is still in place and no changes to it were made, Luikart believes he got what he wanted.

“I thought I won,” he said. “My whole argument was that the process was flawed. The procedures were totally flawed.”

Published September 17, 2014

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Gimme five: Youth receiver a bowl participant … again

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For the fifth year in a row, wide receiver Dean Patterson has been named an All-American by the Offense-Defense instructional football camp. He’s also been hand-selected to participate in the organization’s Bowl Week festivities, at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando at the end of the year.

Dean Patterson, 12, has been selected to join the Offense-Defense Bowl Week later this year in Orlando. It’s his fifth invitation to the event. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Dean Patterson, 12, has been selected to join the Offense-Defense Bowl Week later this year in Orlando. It’s his fifth invitation to the event.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Even though he’s used to the invitation by now, he still admits to some jitters before he steps onto the field.

“I get kind of nervous and freaked out,” Patterson said. “But as the days (get closer), I normally just get all excited and happy.”

Patterson can be forgiven for his nerves, considering he’s just 12 years old. The seventh-grader, who lives in Lutz and attends Martinez Middle School, plays for the South Pasco Predators Pop Warner football program. He’s played youth football since he was four, and started getting recognition from Offense-Defense when he was seven.

Like many athletes his age, Patterson loves watching football at the higher levels. As a fan of Florida State University and the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, he’s seen his teams achieve great success over the past year.

But he doesn’t watch the games like a regular preteen. Patterson keeps his eyes on the receivers, watching their movements, how they get separation from the defenders, and make adjustments to catch the ball. He supports his teams, but he’s also studying them, trying to find qualities he can emulate when he steps onto the field.

His system seems to be working. Each year, Patterson impresses the decision-makers at the Offense-Defense camp, even as he gets older and faces better talent coming to compete for spots at Bowl Week. But his reward includes a number of activities over the course of several days, including practices, a game at the Citrus Bowl, and another on campus at the University of Central Florida in Oviedo.

Even though Patterson’s a regular at the event, his first invitation didn’t even come at receiver. He was a running back at the time, and a cornerback the following year. But since then, he’s settled into the position he loves and plans to stick with it. He enjoys running routes and hearing his mother, Krystal, yell his name from the stands when he makes a big play.

At 5-foot-1, Patterson isn’t the tallest athlete on the team. Weighing 104 pounds, he’s not the biggest. And by his own admission, he’s only third or fourth fastest. It’s the intangibles, hard work and focus that allow him to excel at his position.

“It’s kind of getting to know your quarterback and what speed you have to run,” he said. Adjusting to a ball that might be over or under-thrown and making the catch is part of the job.

His future receiving opportunities include a potential athletic career at Steinbrenner High School when he’s old enough to attend. But before he can suit up for the Warriors, he has to stay focused and remain disciplined.

That includes in the classroom, too. Patterson reads to keep his vocabulary up and makes sure his studies are a primary focus.

“School’s always first,” he said. “You have to make sure you get good grades.”

Patterson also spends a lot of time with his head coach, going over game film and doing exercises every morning. But it’s not hard to schedule those workouts since his father coaches the team.

While it’s not unusual for a father to get involved in his son’s athletics, Robert Patterson had been coaching well before Dean had even seen a pigskin. An athlete himself who played football in high school — and soccer and lacrosse in college — he said that a coach was instrumental in helping him stay focus and motivated, and achieve success beyond high school. He wanted to be that kind of role model for other children, and that now includes his son.

“I’ve been working with at-risk youth for 20 years, helping kids get back on track or stay out of trouble with the law,” Robert Patterson said. “So to be able to do that with your kid, and see him flourish on the football field as well as the classroom, it’s a special deal.”

In addition to practicing three days during the week and playing a game on Saturdays, father and son have a regular early-morning jog that includes push-ups mixed in as well. Dean wakes up at 6:30 every morning to take care of his dog, Brady — named after the famous New England Patriots quarterback — before heading out on their morning routine.

The Pattersons are a close family. Dean’s little sister Kyra is on the cheer squad for the Predators, so she’s on the field while her brother practices at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center.

But they can be competitive, too.

When playing video game football on their Xbox 360, both Dean and Robert agree that dad has the upper hand. But what about a hypothetical match-up between the Patterson men if they were the same age, with Robert at his high school position of cornerback covering Dean as wide receiver? In that case, they have differing opinions over who would get the best of that encounter.

“I don’t know. It would have been a competitive deal, put it that way,” Robert said.

But Dean thinks he’d have the edge and could get open.

“I definitely do think so,” he said with a smile.

Published September 17, 2014

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Labor Day domination: Travel ball team wins Fort Myers tourney

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When a baseball team goes to a tournament and scores 40 runs while only giving up five, you’d expect them to win the tournament handily.

Ryan Glass, left, C.J. VanEyk and Cam Coakley were part of the Carrollwood Gators’ 6-0 run at the Perfect Game Labor Day Classic in Fort Myers. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Ryan Glass, left, C.J. VanEyk and Cam Coakley were part of the Carrollwood Gators’ 6-0 run at the Perfect Game Labor Day Classic in Fort Myers.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

And when the Carrollwood Gators competed in the Perfect Game’s World Wood-Bat Association Labor Day Classic in Fort Myers, that’s exactly what happened.

The Gators’ 16U team — for athletes graduating high school in 2017 — went through the tournament with a perfect 6-0 record, claimed the title, and earned Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Pitcher honors as well.

Performing well at a Perfect Game event is a big deal, according to Danny Rodriguez, general manager and founder of the Carrollwood Gators.

“It’s the organization to go to in order to get your boys seen on a college and a pro level,” he said.

In addition to the victory at the recent 16-team Perfect Game tournament, the Gators also finished in the top 16 of the organization’s 100-team Memorial Day tournament, and in the top eight of its 86-team Fourth of July tournament.

While the Gator athletes also play on their high school teams — several attend Steinbrenner High School, and most live in Lutz or Land O’ Lakes — the travel ball team offers them extra opportunities to get noticed by college scouts. The Perfect Game system is extremely competitive, Rodriguez said, and good performances in tournaments will get the club — and its players — noticed by colleges around the country.

The 16U team should have a national ranking after the victory; the general manager is hoping for a top 10 spot when they’re released in a couple of weeks.

That kind of recognition is essential for players looking to extend their careers beyond high school, Rodriguez said. In addition to playing in high school, a quality travel ball team experience is essential to helping athletes take that next step.

“It’s a must,” he said. “If they want to go to the next level, they need to go to the college showcases that they want to go to, and they need to be a part of something that’s going to get them seen, that’s going to be right there in front of the college coaches.”

Rodriguez tries to help get his athletes noticed by colleges, and said the tournament win will only increase the stature of the program. Athletes playing for the Carrollwood Gators have gone on to play in schools like Pasco-Hernando State College, the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Alabama State University. Some students attend on full scholarships as well.

While all the teams in the Perfect Game system are talented, the Gators do things differently. Instead of large-scale tryouts that draw athletes from different cities, or even states, and multiple teams representing each club, the team prefers to draw from local talent, mostly hand-selected athletes who play different positions.

That keeps the traveling team small: The Gators brought just 11 players to the recent tournament. And according to head coach Pete Mocny, there are significant benefits to their philosophy.

“They all know each other from previous travel teams,” Mocny said of the players. “The team chemistry is big in helping us do a little extra to beat the sometimes more-talented teams. We can still really compete, and many times beat them.”

C.J. VanEyk, a Steinbrenner student whose pitching was instrumental in the team’s only close game at the tournament, a 5-3 semifinal win, agrees.

“Everybody knows each other really well. We have good chemistry and everybody gets to play more with a smaller team,” he said. “We hit the ball really good, and we had the pitching to back it up. And when you do that, you can’t really be beat.”

Strong fundamentals were another reason why the Gators weren’t beaten at the tournament, Mocny said. The team committed no errors in the first five games, and shut out their opponent in the final by a score of 7-0. As a result, it was one of the best performances the coach has seen from the team.

“It’s easy to coach them,” Mocny said. “I’m proud of them. They did a great job out there.”

And Rodriguez believes the team that achieved so much is full of players who can achieve even more in college.

“Every single one has the talent,” he said. “If they play it right and they keep their grades (up), there’s a place in college for each one of those players.”

Published September 10, 2014

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Rebels fall to Miami in FBA title game

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The Tampa Bay Rebels, a semi-professional basketball team that plays its home games at Freedom High School, always seem to finish their seasons the same way: In the Florida Basketball Association championship game.

Hard work during training camp led to another strong season for the Tampa Bay Rebels, which fell just short of the title for the second year in a row. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rebels)
Hard work during training camp led to another strong season for the Tampa Bay Rebels, which fell just short of the title for the second year in a row.
(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rebels)

For the third year in a row, the Rebels were one of two teams left standing. But while they took the title in 2012, the last two years have ended with a loss — this time a 98-82 defeat to the Miami Midnites on Aug. 10.

While it was a disappointing end to the year — it was the first time they were held to under 90 points all season, and just the second time they were held to under 100 — it was still another impressive campaign. A 10-2 record meant they’ve compiled a 31-4 mark over the past three regular seasons.

Finishing with a loss to the Midnites was a tough-but-familiar feeling for the club. Miami was the only team that beat them all year: The Rebels lost two home contests to Miami while winning one against them on the road during the regular season.

Add in a third loss to the Midnites in the title game, and those setbacks mean Tampa Bay had a successful 2014 season, but finished runner-up to Miami in 2014.

The Rebels’ 2015 season will begin next spring. For more information, visit TampaBayRebels.com.

Published September 10, 2014

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Putting the ‘cool’ back in Oscar Cooler Sports Complex

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When it comes to baseball, a level playing field is crucial.

That’s one of the reasons a fundraising effort is under way to buy a better grade of clay for the baseball diamonds at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex.

A player warms up in a batting cage at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex. More batting cages are needed to meet the demand. (Courtesy of Lutz Baseball)
A player warms up in a batting cage at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex. More batting cages are needed to meet the demand.
(Courtesy of Lutz Baseball)

Warming up properly is important, as well, to improve form and prevent injuries. And that explains the goal of building additional batting cages for the baseball teams that compete at the park, located at 766 E. Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The fundraising effort — which includes a baseball clinic, a golf tournament and an equipment drive — aims to raise money for improvements at the park, said Jeff Stanislow, a member of the Lutz Baseball board.

The organizers came up with a catchy name for their effort, asking people to “Put the Cool Back in Oscar Cooler Park.” They also enlisted the aid of Lou Piniella, whose career in Major League Baseball spanned a half-century, including stints as a player, manager, broadcaster and consultant.

The University of South Florida baseball program also is pitching in by hosting a clinic for players, to help them hone their skills. And Domingo Ayala — a baseball celebrity known for providing comic relief — will be there, too.

Piniella will be a keynote speaker at a banquet following a golf tournament that is at Avila Golf & Country Club on Sept. 15. Organizers hope to attract about 200 baseball players to the clinic and about 120 golfers to the golf tournament.

They want to raise enough money to pay for six new batting cages and some repairs to existing cages. The goal is to have the new baseball cages ready by next February, in time for the spring season.

Organizers also hope to purchase some clay to top dress the diamonds, to help prevent bad bounces and help prevent injuries to players.

“For years we’ve been using the less expensive clay because it’s $300 a truckload, and baseball clay is $1,500 a truckload,” Stanislow said.

Besides reducing bad ball hops and preventing injuries, the more expensive clay lasts longer, he said.

Piniella agreed to volunteer his time to help the cause because he has friends at Oscar Cooler park, Stanislow said, and he lives at Avila, where the golf tournament is being held.

About 300 players compete in the fall league, and about 400 play in the spring league, Stanislow said. About three-quarters come from Lutz, but there also are players from Odessa, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

The park hosts some practice sessions for travel ball teams during the off-season, as well.

“The park is an important place for kids. A place to build relationships. A place to build teamwork,” Stanislow said.

It also provides a healthy alternative to video games or other diversions, which can get them into trouble, he added.

Giving young people healthy diversions was exactly what the late Oscar Cooler had in mind when he pushed Hillsborough County commissioners to provide land for a baseball field in Lutz. When commissioners were dragging their heels about providing funding to build the baseball facility, Cooler recruited community volunteers to get the job done.

That was decades ago. Since then, thousands of youths have enjoyed a sports complex that has brought together generations of families to play and watch sports.

“When you have something of that kind of legacy, that’s been part of a community for so long, it’s really important to embrace that and have that story continue on,” Stanislow said.

Lutz Baseball is a nonprofit organization. For more information, visit LutzBaseball.com.

If you go …
WHAT: ‘Domingo’ Day at Oscar Cooler Sports Complex
WHEN: Sept. 14, with registration at 10:30 a.m., and event concluding with a 3 p.m. awards ceremony
DETAILS: Baseball clinics led by the University of South Florida baseball team, with visits from baseball celebrity Domingo
Ayala; a hit, run and throw contest; a keynote speech from Ayala; and an awards presentation.
COST: $25

VIP Tent Access
Those wanting more personal access to Domingo Ayala can have their pictures taken with him in a VIP tent. Cost is $50 per person, $150 per family

Play It Again Sports equipment drive:
Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at parking lot at Oscar Cooler Park, 766 E. Lutz Lake Fern Road

Play It Again Sports will purchase used sporting equipment from people who wish to donate. Proceeds will help improve the baseball facilities at Oscar Cooler Park. The company will purchase equipment used in all sorts of sports.

Charity Golf and Banquet:
WHERE: Avila Golf & Country Club, 943 Guisando De Avila in Tampa
WHO: Baseball legend Lou Piniella, keynote speaker
WHEN: Sept. 15, with golf tournament at 1 p.m. The banquet and silent auction is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
COST: Packages and sponsorships range from $75 to $5,000
INFO: LutzBaseball.com

Published September 3, 2014

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Dwindling ranks of golfers handicap golf courses

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Golf courses are in trouble, and Florida — which boasts more golf courses than any other state in the nation — could be hit the hardest.

The latest to experience trouble is Scotland Yards Golf Club on U.S. 301 in Dade City. The bank that holds the mortgage on the course, First National Bank of Pasco, started foreclosure proceedings against the 100-acre course last month. However, course owner David Rinaldo says those problems look worse than they actually are.

Golf courses are a favorite pastime of many older players, but have not really attracted the younger generation. For golfers like Richard Buddy of Wesley Chapel, it might be harder to find golf courses in the future. (Courtesy of Ron Ludwin)
Golf courses are a favorite pastime of many older players, but have not really attracted the younger generation. For golfers like Richard Buddy of Wesley Chapel, it might be harder to find golf courses in the future.
(Courtesy of Ron Ludwin)

“The course has financial issues like every golf course in America,” Rinaldo told The Laker/Lutz News in an email. “But it is not shutting down.”

Golf courses are suffering financially in different parts of the country, especially Florida, as interest in the sport wanes from its peak over the last few decades. Last year, 160 golf courses shut down in the nation, and 300 have closed in the last few years, the National Golf Foundation reported, according to published reports.

Florida has more than 1,200 courses, enough to have one course for every 16,000 people. That’s just too many for the market to sustain, one golf pro says, especially with other recreational activities that may be less time consuming and less expensive competing against the game.

“Golf was in its heyday 20 or 30 years ago, when that was the thing to do, both socially and sports wise,” said Laura Sanderson, a pro at Meadow Oaks Golf & Country Club in Hudson. “Everyone built a bunch of golf courses because, back then, we could keep them full. But now people’s interests have changed, especially the younger generation. People just have better things to do with their time and money.”

The summer season hasn’t helped, when many seasonal residents are in their northern homes, and those remaining finding it too hot to hit the links. Even Meadow Oaks, which averages 275 golfers a day during the peak season, is seeing just a little more than 100 during the summer months.

But getting through those times means knowing that it’s coming, and being ready for it. Quail Hollow Golf Course in Wesley Chapel, for example, has focused on attracting a lot of non-golf events like motorcycle shows and big band performances, Sanderson said.

“You just have to take care of where you’re at,” said Nic Kalojiannis, one of the people in the ownership group that leases and manages Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club in Lutz. “We do a lot of weddings, sweet 16s, and golf tournaments. It’s a process as a whole that you need to have, just to try and get you through tough seasonal times. Like this year, it’s rained pretty much all day every day, it seems like.”

These events give exposure to the golf course, which is owned by the Heritage Harbor Community Development District.

“We’re out here on Lutz Lake Fern Road off of North Dale Mabry, and we have a beautiful sign and the upkeep is really nice,” Kalojiannis said. “But the clubhouse was built in the back, kind of off the beaten path. We always have people coming in to our events telling us they didn’t even know we were back here.”

Other courses, however, would likely struggle no matter what they tried to do. And all of that goes back to how golf courses were originally financed.

Mortgages — typically in the millions of dollars — were structured in a way that a course could pay its note and still make a profit by charging $70 a round, for example.

“People don’t have that kind of excess money anymore, or if they do, they are not really willing to put it toward golf,” Sanderson said.

Instead, many have to cut fees, and then find ways to save expenses. More often than not, golf courses choose to skimp on maintenance — which could drive away even more golfers, and make their financial situation worse.

Even after Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes shut down in May, maintenance crews kept the course in mostly good shape. However, when the workers stopped coming, the course fell into disrepair.

“After a matter of a couple months of that, it becomes completely unplayable,” Sanderson said. “You’ll lose the greens, and it’s not that you can just go back and mow it. You’ll have to replace it, and that could cost you $1 million right there.”

Plantation Palms was put up for sale last month for $1.2 million, considerably down from the $2.2 million MJS Golf Club LLC paid for it in 2011.

Plantation Palms was one of many communities in the region, and in the country, anchored by golf courses. But that’s not happening anymore. Some homeowners in Plantation Palms complained about the loss of home value, and many golf course designers have turned to Europe and Asia to build new courses, not finding any market in the United States.

But is golf fighting for its life? Sanderson doesn’t think so. It’s more about “righting the ship.”

“Golf is still strong, we just have too much product out there, too many courses out there,” she said. “We definitely need to grow the industry from the standpoint of the younger generation, but we’re just shaking out some of the excess courses. The ones that survive are going to end up being good in the long run.”

Published September 3, 2014

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Bulls hope to raise big money with funny fundraiser

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Wiregrass Ranch High School believes comedy and cross-country means some cash for their sports program.

Tommy Johnagin, a ‘Last Comic Standing’ runner-up, performs at Side Splitters on Sept. 7. The show also is a benefit for Wiregrass Ranch High School’s boys and girls cross-country teams. (Courtesy of TommyJComedy.com)
Tommy Johnagin, a ‘Last Comic Standing’ runner-up, performs at Side Splitters on Sept. 7. The show also is a benefit for Wiregrass Ranch High School’s boys and girls cross-country teams.
(Courtesy of TommyJComedy.com)

On Sept. 7, the school’s cross-country teams will benefit from a comedy show at Side Splitters Comedy Club, 12938 N. Dale Mabry Highway. The weekend’s headliner, Tommy Johnagin, will perform at the 7 p.m. show, with 70 percent of admission receipts going to the school.

According to Side Splitters general manager Brian Thompson, having a comedy fundraiser is a good way to raise money and have a good time doing it.

“It’s a nice way for the parents to get out and generate some money for whatever event they’re raising for specifically,” Thompson said. Wiregrass Ranch has had fundraisers at Side Splitters in the past, and the comedy club has also had events benefiting other groups.”

The audience can seat 250, and has the potential to bring in thousands of dollars in fundraisers, he said.

Those funds would be welcome, since maintaining good teams can be expensive. It can cost between $4,000 and $6,000 each season to meet all expenses and maintain adequate funds in reserve, according to boys coach Chris Loth. Several rounds of T- shirts and meet entry fees can add up, with an awards ceremony thrown in as well.

Wiregrass Ranch also charters a bus for one meet each season. The school will use it this year to compete in Tallahassee.

As a result, Wiregrass Ranch must get creative with their fundraising, and pairing up with a comedy club seemed like a good fit.

“We have very supportive families and friends and alumni who are going to come out,” Loth said. “So we thought it would be a good night to get some of the families together without the kids, and have a good time and raise some money as a result.”

A fan of stand-up comedy, Loth is familiar with the club and the headlining comedian. He saw Johnagin at a local stop a few years back, and thought his style would be a good fit for the event. Johnagin is a regular on late-night talk shows, and placed second in an earlier season of “Last Comic Standing” on NBC.

If the event does well for the school, Loth said it could become part of their regular fundraising efforts. The Bulls already host a 5-kilometer run, sell advertising space on their T-shirts, and partner with a merchandiser to raise money.

It’s important to stay creative with fundraising and not fall into a routine, he said.

“Our philosophy is we don’t want to do the same thing every single year,” Loth said. “We want to give lots of different people the ability to participate and reach a lot of different folks.”

Loth is hoping for a sellout on Sept. 7, and could see doing a similar event every other year if it’s successful.

The school would be happy to see the event match the success of the teams themselves. Wiregrass Ranch is known to have successful cross-country programs for both boys and girls. They’re considered one of the top teams in Pasco County, and have a number of top 10 finishes at the state meet to their credit.

The parents have been very supportive of the team and they expect to have a successful fundraising evening at the comedy club, Loth said. As a close-knit group, he feels like everyone does their part of make sure the teams, and the program in general, maintain a level of success.

“We ask a lot of ourselves, and in turn ask a lot of our parents and they always come through for us,” Loth said. “We try to make it a family, and family supports each other with whatever you’re trying to accomplish.”

Comedians Alex Stone and Krishna Reddy also will perform.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit SideSplittersComedy.com. Tickets purchased on the website also benefit Wiregrass Ranch’s cross-country teams.

Published September 3, 2014

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