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Wesley Chapel/New Tampa Sports

New Tampa teen’s javelin throw among nation’s best

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As a kicker on the Wharton High School varsity football team and a defender on the varsity boys soccer team, Zach Godbold relies on his legs quite a bit.

But, it’s his right arm and throwing ability, that could take him furthest in his athletic endeavors.

The 17-year-old New Tampa resident happens to be one of the nation’s top high school javelin throwers, as a junior on the Wharton varsity track and field team.

New Tampa teen Zach Godbold is ranked among the nation’s top high school javelin throwers. The 17-year-old Wharton High School junior’s best mark so far this season is 191 feet. (Courtesy of Kyle LoJacono)

At an AAU meet last month in Fort Lauderdale, Godbold recorded a javelin throw of 191 feet, which, for a short period, ranked No. 1 nationally for junior athletes 18 years old and under.

While the mark has since been surpassed, it still ranks among the top 10 throws nationally —and tops in Florida.

“He’s by far the No. 1 in the state,” Wharton track and field coach Kyle LoJacono said.

The feat earned Godbold a coveted spot at the annual New Balance National Outdoor meet, regarded as the most prestigious postseason track and field championships for high school athletes. The meet, set for June in Greensboro, North Carolina, showcases more than 2,900 of America’s elite and emerging high school talent.

Not one to regularly look up his national ranking, Godbold couldn’t help himself following his recent performance in South Florida.

“I actually hadn’t been looking at the national rankings at all,” he said, “but then, after I threw that one and it felt really good, I went and looked it up, and I was very happy, obviously.”

Godbold isn’t settling with his current mark, though. He said he wants to surpass 210 feet in the javelin by the end of the year.

“I was very excited with my throw this year because it’s so early in the season, that later on I’m hoping to improve on that, obviously,” Godbold said.

Javelin comes naturally
Success in javelin is not foreign to Godbold, since taking up the discipline about six years ago.

When he was 12 years old, he finished second overall in javelin for his age division at the 2014 AAU Junior Olympics Track and Field meet in Des Moines, Iowa.

Over the years, he’s gone on to finish among the top performers multiple times for his age bracket in the Junior Olympics championships, including earning a gold medal as a 14-year-old when the meet was in Houston, Texas.

Godbold also competes in the shotput and discus.

Like javelin, he took up the throwing events after growing tired of always running in track and field, which he did mainly to stay in shape for football season.

“I really didn’t want to run anymore,” Godbold said, “so I just tried all three of the throwing events.”

Javelin has come most natural to Godbold, as a multi-sport athlete with a background in baseball and football.

He explained: “I’ve always been playing sports where I have to like throw a ball. I always played baseball, football — I was the backup quarterback for like Hail Marys — so I’ve always just been like throwing something and it just translates, like having a strong arm.”

“It was something that just translated to me really well,” he said.

Javelin, however, takes more than throwing ability to master, said Godbold, who stands at 6 feet and 190 pounds.

As “probably the most technical” of all throwing events in track and field, Godbold noted javelin requires power and strength from the lower body.

Godbold practices his throws about two or three times per week. The rest of the time is dedicated to quick sprints and medicine ball work, as opposed to lifting heavy weights.

“It’s more like throwing with your legs than your arms, despite what people think. It’s about more running and working with your legs and stuff,” he said.

Lofty goals ahead
Godbold’s javelin performances of late have drawn the attention of major college track and field programs.

He’s received interest from the likes of Florida, Florida State, Cornell and Stanford universities, among others.

“I’m definitely trying to make the Division I level,” Godbold said.

The 2024 Olympics is also on his long-term radar. “That would definitely be a goal of mine, to compete for the U.S.,” he said.

More immediately, Godbold is looking to make history at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) track and field meet over the next two years.

The FHSAA, for the first time ever, will crown an individual champion in the javelin as a provisional event, after it’s been an exhibition event each of the last two years.

However, the javelin throw won’t accumulate points toward team scores until the 2020 season when it officially becomes the FHSAA’s 18th sanctioned track and field event.

“My goal is to win states,” Godbold said, “and then hopefully next year, when it’s an official event, do the same and score points.”

Meantime, the prospect of finally being able to benefit from the elite javelin thrower has Wharton coaches excited.

“It’ll be huge,” LoJacono said, noting the track team would’ve won a recent divisional meet had Godbold’s javelin throws counted toward scoring.

It also has the team gearing up for the event sooner than other area schools, said longtime Wharton throws coach Wes Newton.

Said Newton, “Because we have Zach, and because they’re (the FHSAA) going to put the javelin in, we started the javelin much earlier than most everybody else, and so, no school in this county does what we do, because we have him.”

Newton also said Godbold’s presence in the javelin has led to several other Wharton athletes taking up the throwing event.

“We have four guys that throw the javelin and about five girls that throw the javelin,” Newton said. “No other school has that.”

Published April 03, 2019

Women’s sports museum opens in Wesley Chapel

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Wesley Chapel’s AdventHealth Center Ice is widely known as the training grounds of the gold-medal winning 2018 U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey team.

The Women’s Sports Herstory Museum is a virtual museum dedicated to female pioneers in hockey. Located on the second floor of the AdventHealth Center Ice hockey complex, it features interactive wall panel displays where visitors scan QR codes from their phones to view content online; the museum is also decorated with various female hockey memorabilia and equipment. (Kevin Weiss)

Now, the 150,500-square-foot ice sports complex houses what is believed to be the first virtual museum dedicated to women’s hockey trailblazers.

The museum, called the Women’s Sports Herstory Museum, is the brainchild of female hockey coaching legend Digit Murphy and her friend, Jeff Novotny, a Wesley Chapel resident.

Situated in a second-floor viewing room of the ice hockey complex, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., the museum features interactive wall panel displays where visitors scan QR codes to view content online in the form of videos and in-depth stories.

The poster-sized displays highlight several of hockey’s female pioneers, including Katey Stone,  the first-ever female head coach of a USA Hockey team in the Olympics and current head coach at Harvard University; Katie Guay, the first to officiate an NCAA Division I men’s hockey game; Sara DeCosta Hayes, a two-time USA Hockey Women’s Player of the Year; Amanda Pelkey, a 2018 gold medalist and all-time scoring leader at the University of Vermont; and, of course, Murphy, who became the winningest coach in Division I women’s hockey at Brown University.

The room is also decorated with various sports memorabilia and equipment, including a signed jersey and signed pictures of all 23 members of the U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey team.

At some point, the museum will highlight a “local hero” for women’s sports in the Tampa Bay area.

Women’s Sports Herstory Museum co-curator Digit Murphy speaks at a March 6 VIP event at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel.

“Girls and women need to hear the stories of the women that played before them,” Murphy said, during a March 6 VIP event for the museum. “When girls and women walk through this museum, I want them to see themselves sitting in the seats of the women that came before them. We need our little girls looking in this room going, ‘Oh, I could be a gold medalist…’”

She continued, “It’s really important that people see their heroes and leaders and role models in pictures and stories, because, especially in sports, you see men all the time and you don’t see it for girls.”

The museum — which opened to the public on March 9 — will be housed at Center Ice for the next three years, through a room sponsorship from Murphy’s Play it Forward Sport and United Women’s Sports organizations, which also will award $1,000 scholarships to local female high school seniors.

The concept was born last year after Murphy took a visit to Canton, Ohio, where she discovered — and became irked — that a $100 million expansion was being made in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Murphy recalled the moment: “I’m like, ‘$100 million for football? Unbelievable.’”

Digit Murphy is the winningest coach in Division I women’s hockey at Brown University.

From that, the hockey legend got in touch with Novotny, an engineer, who figured they could develop a platform where museums about women’s sports could be brought to already existing venues.

“I recognize the importance of how it’s important that we celebrate the women in our lives that do special things, so this was an opportunity to kind of do something unique,” said Novotny, who met Murphy years ago at a hockey clinic for one of his daughters.

Novotny then reached out to AdventHealth Center Ice general manager Gordie Zimmermann, who signed off on a virtual museum in his facility.

Zimmermann is pleased with how it turned out.

“This is an inspiring room, for sure,” Zimmermann said, during the VIP event. “We walk by this room constantly and there’s little kids in here hanging on the walls and now they’re going to be looking at the walls instead.

“We’ve always talked about girls hockey and what can we do with girls hockey. There is a place, for sure, in this sport for girls and the future’s so bright for them.”

Meanwhile, the Wesley Chapel location could be just the tip of the iceberg for Murphy and Novotny’s virtual women’s sports museum initiative.

The co-curators hope to expand the project to highlighting women in various other sports in other cities.

Novotny said they’ve even been approached by some universities to create a virtual museum for their alumni female athletes. “It’s scalable to any sport,” he said.

And, Murphy wants to see the virtual museums “everywhere.”

“We want this to be something that goes viral,” she said. “We want more of women’s stories out there, so that Herstory can happen.”

For more information about the museum, visit GetHerStory.com.

Published March 13, 2019

Cypress Creek celebrates inaugural signing day

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Unlike just about every other high school in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, Cypress Creek Middle/High School last year didn’t have a National Signing Day event for student-athletes moving on to the college ranks.

That’s because, the then first-year school on Old Pasco Road had no seniors, as it pulled strictly underclassman from Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools.

Cypress Creek’s athletics department made up for lost time this year, however.

Cypress Creek Middle/High had its inaugural National Signing Day ceremony on Feb. 6. Seven athletes from four sports signed their National Letters of Intent to play college athletics at various institutions. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek athletics)

Dozens of students and friends, coaches, teachers and staff, and parents and family members gathered inside the school’s media center on Feb. 6 to celebrate the school’s inaugural signing day, as seven senior student-athletes representing four sports signed their National Letters of Intent (LOIs) to various institutions.

National Signing Day is held annually on the first Wednesday in February, a day where thousands of athletes nationwide can sign a binding letter of intent with a member school of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The school’s softball program yielded the most signees, with four — Payton Hudson (Pasco-Hernando State College), Jasmine Jackson (Savannah State University), Ashley Nickisher (Newberry College) and Neely Peterson (Colorado State University).

Baseball (Ray Camacho, Saint Leo University), football (Devin Santana, Lindenwood University-Belleville) and girls’ lacrosse (Jordan Alvis, Huntingdon College) had a signee apiece, respectively.

Among the group of seven, Peterson arguably represented the most notable signing.

The All-State catcher is one of the nation’s top softball players — ranked No. 63 on the Extra Innings Softball Extra Elite 100 national rankings for 2019.

Her stats underscore the national standing.

As a junior last season, Peterson posted a .544 batting average, seven home runs, 14 doubles, 27 runs and 43 RBIs. Defensively, she registered a .984 fielding percentage, with 57 putouts and five assists.

Peterson will set foot upon Colorado State’s campus in August as the Division I softball program’s first signee from the state of Florida.

She verbally committed back as a freshman — after being the first high school freshman offered a scholarship by a Colorado State athletic program.

Peterson boasted offers from several other blue-blood softball programs.

But, she fell in love with the Fort Collins, Colorado-based campus and the coaching staff’s family-like atmosphere at a softball camp there. Additionally, she has a chance to make her mark quickly, in line to be the team’s starting catcher next season.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long,” Peterson said, of finally signing the dotted line. “It feels great.

“I love making history, so it’s great to be able to do this for our school,” she added.

Peterson also expressed joy for her fellow softball teammates who signed alongside her; each was redistricted from Wesley Chapel following their sophomore seasons.

Said Peterson, “It’s really awesome, because just to see that everything they’ve worked for is  kind of paying off, just as much as it is for me, because I get to see them hustling and all the hard work they put on the field, so just to see them find their future home makes me feel good.”

The inaugural signees were each met with balloons and celebratory cake, along with countless cheers and photo requests during the hourlong event, as memorabilia from each choice institution was visible in the room brimming with onlookers.

“It’s great, like being around all these great athletes, just knowing I’m a part of that, of creating a culture of great athletes for this school,” Devin Santana, who will play wide receiver at Lindenwood, said of the ceremony.

Becoming Cypress Creek’s first college football signee has added significance for Santana, who transferred from Wesley Chapel after his sophomore season.

“It’s crazy, like it’s a great feeling,” he said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking, because there’s a lot of pressure on me, but like I feel like I have the tools around me to be successful.”

Cypress Creek athletic director Justin Peliccia coined the event “a good look for our program.”

“It’s amazing to be able to put on this ceremony for the athletes, their parents and their coaches,” the athletic director said. “Having seven athletes move on to the next level, it’s just an awesome experience for myself as the athletic director, and the program.”

Peliccia was particularly complimentary of the varsity softball program — and its four signees — which collectively posted a 15-9 record and 10-4 district mark last spring.

“It was great to see a program roll out the end of the year and kind of bring us into, ‘Look, we have opportunities, we have chances, we do have athletes here, and we can make some noise.’”

Peliccia acknowledged that although many of the school’s varsity sports programs struggled in the school’s first year, strides have been made this year. He mentioned boys’ and girls’ soccer, and football, as a few who’ve upped their win totals.

“All of our programs this year have taken a step up,” he said. “Everything has taken a step ahead, which is what we want. Everything needs to develop and grow.”

Cypress Creek National Signing Day

Baseball
Ray Camacho—Saint Leo University

Football
Devin Santana—Lindenwood University-Belleville (Belleville, Illinois)

Lacrosse
Jordan Alvis—Huntingdon College (Montgomery, Alabama)

Softball
Payton Hudson—Pasco-Hernando State College
Jasmine Jackson—Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia)
Ashley Nickisher—Newberry College (Newberry, South Carolina)
Neely Peterson—Colorado State University

Published February 13, 2019

Cypress Creek girls soccer finds success in year two

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They went from one of Pasco’s worst, to one of the firsts.

That’s one way to describe the turnaround the Cypress Creek varsity girls’ soccer team experienced this season.

After winning just three games in its inaugural campaign during the 2017-18 season, the Coyotes this year emerged as one of the county’s top programs.

They finished the season with an 11-4 mark — quite the contrast to last year’s 3-13 finish.

It included wins against such rival schools as Land O’ Lakes, Pasco, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch, each of whom have fielded top-flight squads over the years.

The Cypress Creek varsity girls soccer team recently won the first conference championship among all sports in school history. (Courtesy of Jennifer Richardson)

In fact, the Coyotes went undefeated against all of its Pasco opponents.

The team’s only defeats came against private schools: Berkeley Prep, Clearwater Central Catholic, Academy of the Holy Names, and a season-ending 1-0 loss in the District 9-2A quarterfinals to Tampa Catholic.

The Coyotes biggest accomplishment, however, was winning the Sunshine Athletic Conference East championship.

It marked the first conference championship for any boys’ or girls’ sport for the second-year Wesley Chapel-based school.

They claimed the title after securing late-season conference wins against Pasco (5-0) and Wiregrass Ranch (2-1), respectively.

“It’s super exciting,” Coyotes second-year head coach Jennifer Richardson said of the conference crown. “It’s a great accomplishment for the team, for the school. The girls were very excited and they knew what was on the line in the last game, and they came and they played hard.”

Said senior sweeper Katelyn Leavines: “It makes me proud that I know I can end my senior year like this, and, like helping the school bring its first conference championship in history…makes me really happy.

She added, “Going from winning three games last year to now being conference champs, it just shows like the dedication that we all have and the hard work that we put in to make it happen.”

So, how exactly did Cypress Creek secure a winning season so quickly?

An influx of talented newcomers — including a group of eight freshman — bolstered a roster that previously lacked much soccer experience.

“Last year we didn’t have as many players that were soccer players. We had people that came out to the team that had never played soccer before, so this year, more people came out to play that had played soccer previously,” Richardson explained.

The most significant addition perhaps was junior goalkeeper Alina Vizza. She joined the team after not playing last year.

Vizza’s contributions can be summed up in the team’s goals allowed per game.

This year the team surrendered less than two goals per game, with three shutouts.

Compare that to last season, when the Coyotes gave up an average of 5.5 goals per game.

“She made a huge difference in our game,” Richardson said. “She’s tall. She knows how to move in the right spot and cut the angles. She wants to win.”

Freshman striker Emily Dominguez was another key addition. She finished the season as one of the team’s top scorers with nine goals.

Meanwhile, the Coyotes returned some experienced playmakers in juniors Raegan Bourne (who led the team in with 12 goals and five assists) and Sophia Mitchell (nine goals).

The new-look squad brought a hard-nosed approach to each game.

“We’re physical players,” Richardson said. “We’re tough, physical players. Our midfield is strong, physical.”

An upbeat mindset and newfound confidence also helped throughout the season’s course, players said.

Leavines put it this way: “Every week we always kept it positive no matter who we were playing, and, we never had an attitude of, ‘Oh, this team’s going to beat us’ or like, ‘Oh. they’re better than us.’ We just kept it positive and knew that we had a chance every single time, and, to just play our hardest.”

Added Dominguez: “It was like after our fifth game, and we kept winning, and all we could think about was winning. so we practiced hard…and it like improved us.”

Losing just three seniors and all but one starter expected to return next season, Cypress Creek figures to be more than just a one-year wonder.

“The majority of our starting team will be back next year, which is good,” Richardson said, “and I know that there’s middle school girls that know how to play that are coming up, so it’s exciting to know for the future that we’re still going to have players for next year, and we’re going to be a contender again.

“I think we shocked a lot of people, because last year we had three wins.”

2018-2019 Cypress Creek girls varsity soccer roster

  • Head coach: Jennifer Richardson
  • Abby Murphy, junior, midfielder
  • Alina Vizza, junior, goalkeeper
  • Anna Margetis, junior, defender
  • Briana Rivera, freshman, midfielder
  • Brianna Sharpe, freshman, midfielder
  • Emily Dominguez, freshman, striker
  • Hailey Canady, freshman, goalkeeper/striker
  • Katelyn Leavines, senior, sweeper
  • Raegan Bourne, junior, forward
  • Riley Copeland, junior, defender
  • Rylee Crawford, freshman, defender
  • Rylie Showalter, freshman, defender
  • Sierra Rivera, senior, midfielder
  • Sofia Ibata, freshman, midfielder
  • Sophia Mitchell, junior, midfielder
  • Tiffany Pike, senior, goalkeeper/defender
  • Ximena Garcia, freshman, midfielder

Game-by-game results for 2018-2019 season
Nov. 12: Gulf (8-1 win)

Nov. 14: Wesley Chapel (3-2 win)

Nov. 15: at Brooke DeBartolo Collegiate (5-0 win)

Nov. 26: Sunlake (3-1 win)

Nov. 27: Berkeley Prep (3-0 loss)

Nov. 29: Tampa Prep (2-1 win)

Dec. 4: Clearwater Central Catholic (4-1 loss)

Dec. 7: at Land O’ Lakes (3-2 win)

Dec. 11: at Fivay (4-2 win)

Dec. 13: at Academy of the Holy Names (8-0 loss)

Jan. 9: at Tampa Prep (1-0 win)

Jan. 11: Tampa Catholic (4-1 win)

Jan: 18: Pasco (5-0 win)

Jan. 22: Wiregrass Ranch (2-1 win)

Jan. 25: District 9-2A quarterfinals Tampa Catholic (1 – 0 loss)

Published January 30, 2019

John Gant settles into major leagues

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At least one Major League Baseball player calls Wesley Chapel home during the offseason.

With pleasant weather and local ties, it’s a no-brainer for St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John Gant.

After all, the 26-year-old Gant spent half his childhood being raised in the area — moving there with his family from Savannah, Georgia, when he was 11 years old.

The major leaguer has been back in town since December, following the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Before he became a standout pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, John Gant starred on the Wiregrass Ranch High School baseball team from 2008 to 2011. He was 11 years old when his family moved to Wesley Chapel, from Savannah, Georgia. (File)

He’s used the downtime to catch up with family and some old friends from Wiregrass Ranch High School, where he starred on the varsity baseball team all four years (2008-2011) before being selected by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

He’s also made a point to stay in general shape in advance of the 2019 season. He works out with local trainer BB Roberts about once a week, splitting time between old high school stomping grounds and the Seven Oaks clubhouse fitness center.

Gant, surprisingly, is able to mosey about town in relative anonymity, both in Wesley Chapel and St. Louis.

“Nobody really recognizes me at all,” Gant said in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

And, he likes it that way. “I’m kind of an undercover, under-the-radar type guy,” Gant said.

In baseball circles, however, Gant is anything but under the radar.

The 6-foot-4 righthander, who sports a five-pitch arsenal (sinker, changeup, four-seam fastball, curveball, slider), will embark on his fourth MLB season when pitchers and catchers report for spring training in February.

There, he’ll look to build off last year’s breakout campaign in which he posted a 3.47 earned run average and 95 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched, with a record of 7-6 in 26 appearances (including 19 starts).

While Gant’s efforts weren’t enough to help the Cardinals reach the playoffs, he was front-and-center at times throughout the season.

He pitched a seven-inning, one-hit shutout gem on June 26 against the Cleveland Indians that happened to be the historic franchise’s 10,000th victory as a member of the National League.

He made national headlines at the plate, too.

Gant’s first two hits in his MLB career — and only two hits thus far — are home runs.

Wiregrass Ranch High School product John Gant is entering his fourth MLB season. Presently with the St. Louis Cardinals, the right-handed pitcher also has spent time in the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves baseball organizations. (Courtesy of MLB.com)

According to MLB.com, Gant is believed to the only player in Major League history to hit at least two home runs while never having reached base safely by any other means.

The first dinger came on Aug. 14 in a home game against the Washington Nationals.

Gant entered the game 0 for 30 in hitting for his career before he drove a 1-1 pitch from Gio Gonzalez (who had never allowed a home run to an opposing pitcher) over the left field wall in the second inning — a two-run shot that measured 398 feet.

“Hitting that first home run was pretty cool,” Gant said. “That was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Gant also drew notoriety for his unconventional, yet impactful Vulcan changeup — gripping the ball between the middle and ring fingers, garnering its name from the Vulcan salute used by Spock in the Star Trek series.

“Some people think it’s weird; some people think it’s normal,” Gant said of the pitch.

“You’ve got to be able to change speeds as a pitcher or else you probably aren’t going to have too much success at all, really,” he said.

Gant has had a circuitous route to baseball’s highest level.

Since being a mid-round draft pick out of high school, Gant toiled in the minors for five years before making his debut in 2016 with the Atlanta Braves. He’s also battled injuries and has been traded twice — from the Mets to the Braves, then to the Cardinals.

After finally coming into his own this past season, Gant is self-assured he has staying power in the big leagues, for many years to come.

Said Gant, “I’m calm and confident to play at that level, and I feel like that’s where I belong. It definitely took some settling in, but I feel settled and comfortable.”

And, he certainly wouldn’t mind staying long-term with his current ball club.

“I think I’m in the right place now, with the Cardinals. I’m happy where I’m at. I really want to stay with this group of guys and this organization,” Gant said.

Aside from maybe hitting a few more dingers, Gant’s chief focus is on the mound — working to improve his control to pare down the 57 walks he allowed in 2018, one of the few blemishes on his resume last season.

“I’m going to try to hone in on that strike zone a little better,” Gant said. “Throw some more strikes. Fill up the zone. And, just work hard. Try to win some baseball games for this ball club.”

Meanwhile, those in tune with the sports scene in Pasco County may know of another John Gant  — head coach of the Wiregrass Ranch varsity girls basketball team, who’s won at least 20 games every year but one since being hired in 2011.

Well, it’s the pro ballplayer’s father.

The younger Gant described his father as “very” influential toward his success in professional baseball — mentoring him to excel in academics and athletics.

“He’s always pushing me in doing everything I’ve done,” Gant said. “He’s always told me, ‘If you do something, do it right.’”

Likewise, his father’s coaching achievements over the past decade don’t come as a surprise to the major leaguer.

“He works hard at his craft, and he’s good at it,” Gant said. “Just behind the scenes, he spent so much time on it, just watching video and just making sure he has everything that he wants and all the tools are there, and he’s using them all. He just goes out there and wins games.”

Like father, like son.

Q-and-A with St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John Gant

On playing baseball at Wiregrass Ranch High School: “It was a blast. I had a lot of fun, and it kind of led me to where I am now.”

On his emergence as an upperclassman at Wiregrass Ranch that drew attention from pro baseball scouts: “Just (got) bigger and stronger. Grew into my body a little more and started to throw a little harder. That’s really it.”

On when he realized he might have a chance to play baseball professionally: “I was by no means a Little League prodigy or a child prospect or anything like that. I think things kind of started to click for me when I was probably a junior or senior in high school, and I started getting some college attention. I wasn’t really thinking, ‘Hey I’m going to be a big league pitcher,’ obviously, but we knew that I was going to go play baseball in college, and then if I had success there, then maybe a role at the professional level. But, there was never a real moment where I said, ‘Oh, I’m going to do this’ before I was drafted or anything like that.’”

On playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the MLB’s most revered and historic organizations: “It definitely means a lot to be able to put on that jersey and all the history that comes with it, and, everything that the St. Louis Cardinals have accomplished throughout the years and are still accomplishing. It’s pretty unreal the success they’ve had and the pride that they have in all their successes, and, just how they care about people’s attitudes and people’s character is very important. …I think they’re really going about their business the right way.”

On his favorite player growing up: “I wouldn’t say I modeled my game after this person in any way, but as a kid I was a pretty big (Atlanta) Braves fan and my favorite player was the catcher, Javy Lopez.”

On the best hitter he’s gone up against: “I guess, maybe my rookie year in 2016, facing Big Papi (Boston Red Sox great David Ortiz) at Fenway Park was a pretty cool moment.”

On his career options if he wasn’t playing professional baseball: “Hard to say. I’ve never really seen myself coaching. I was going to school to be an athletic trainer. Now seeing all the behind-the-scenes things that they’re responsible for, I don’t think that I’d really like to do that. Honestly, I’d probably be working some type of manual labor job somewhere — outside, hard work with my hands, getting dirty every day.”

Published January 9, 2019

Hoops coach surpasses 500 career wins

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Achieving another coaching milestone was all but inevitable this season for Wesley Chapel High School varsity boys basketball coach Doug Greseth.

After all, Greseth ended last year sitting on 499 career wins as a high school hoops coach in Florida.

He didn’t have wait very long into the 2018-2019 campaign to celebrate win No. 500.

It came in the Wildcats very first game of this season — a dominant 59-27 road win against the Pasco High Pirates on Nov. 27.

Wesley Chapel High varsity boys basketball coach Doug Greseth recently notched his 500th career win as a high school coach. (Kevin Weiss)

“I’ve been very fortunate,” Greseth, 61, said about achieving his 500th career victory. “I’ve had a lot of good players. I’ve had a lot of good assistant coaches, athletic directors and principals, that have helped me along the way. I’ve just had some good people and good coaches, and just a lot of really, really great memories.”

Greseth is now in his 33rd season coaching high school basketball in Florida.

Much of his success has come by way of Wesley Chapel — going 271-145 (as of Dec. 17) through 16 seasons. (His 267th win at Wesley Chapel was his 500th career win as a high school basketball coach.)

Additionally, Greseth registered 70 wins in four seasons at Tampa Jefferson (1999-2002) and 163 wins in 13 seasons at Okeechobee (1983-1996) high schools. He also had a two-year stint as an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Tampa.

Greseth entered the coaching ranks after wrapping up a playing career at Rochester (Minnesota) Community College and Division III Augsburg (Minnesota) University.

Initially, he saw it as a “year-to-year thing.”

He kept returning to the sidelines, however, realizing he had a passion and enthusiasm for the profession — and a desire to help athletes reach their full potential.

Greseth put his thoughts about his role this way: “Most people don’t like the grind of practice and getting your players ready to go. I kind of enjoy that part. I kind of enjoy teaching them and coaching them how to play. I enjoy it when we start seeing improvement, and just being around the game.”

He acknowledges, however, it can be frustrating at times, and the workload can be taxing.

Much like other high school hoops coaches, Greseth describes himself as part teacher, part janitor and part house mom.

The gig requires more than coaching games, organizing practices and drawing up plays.

Besides overseeing the development of 26 boys on the school’s varsity and junior varsity squads, Greseth also pumps up balls, launders jerseys, sweeps the gymnasium floor and handles countless logistical issues.

“You do more than people think you do,” said Greseth, who also teaches health and physical education at the school. “When you’re a head high school basketball coach, you pretty much do A to Z,” Greseth said, adding, “I have a lot more responsibilities than just the 2 to 2 ½ hours on the practice floor.”

He’s passionate about the work.

“I really put my heart and soul into this. I really try to do the best I can for my players and in turn, I think they try and do the best they can for me,”  Greseth said.

With his teams, priority is placed on effort, unselfishness, and sound defensive play. It’s a philosophy he’s stuck to through the years.

The results speak for themselves.

He has guided Wesley Chapel to eight playoff appearances, three district championships, and to six seasons with more than 20 wins.

He also made three playoff appearances at Jefferson. And, his 27-3 record during the 1990-1991 season at Okeechobee remains the best single season mark in that program’s history.

He’s a teacher, on and off the court.

“I kind of look at the gym as a big classroom — I’m trying to teach them how to play basketball. I think if you approach it that way, you can stay consistent that way and have good results,” Greseth said.

Beyond the wins and accolades, Greseth also has coached his fair share of standout hoopers.

Among the most notable are Tarence Kinsey at Jefferson and Erik Thomas at Wesley Chapel — both of whom earned state player of the year honors, in 2002 and 2013, respectively.

Kinsey went on to star at the University of South Carolina and played three seasons in the NBA (Memphis Grizzlies in 2006-2008, Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008-2009), before embarking on a basketball career overseas.

Thomas, meanwhile, starred at the University of New Orleans, where in 2017 he was named Southland Conference Player of the Year and led the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in over 20 years. Thomas — Wesley Chapel’s all-time leading scorer (2,138 points) and rebounder (1,203 rebounds) — now plays professionally overseas in Argentina.

“Those were two of the best players I ever had,” Greseth said. “I had a lot of other good ones, too.”

After three-plus decades of coaching, Greseth shows no signs of slowing down.

His current Wildcats squad — a mix of veterans and inexperienced players —  is off to a blistering 5-0 start (as of Dec. 17). Their average margin of victory is 22 points.

Greseth describes the team as “a great bunch of kids to coach for,” and believes the team can compete at the top of District 8-6A come February, with some marked improvements.

“The district, I think, is pretty balanced this year,” the coach said. “There’s a lot of teams that could get a No.1 through No. 4 seed or get to the playoffs. I think we can be right there at the end of the season; we’ve just gotta get better as the year goes on.”

As for how long Greseth will remain in coaching?

“When I don’t have the passion, the drive and the enthusiasm to do it anymore, then I need to step away and somebody else needs to do it,” he said.  “I’ll know when it’s time.”

One thing’s for sure: Greseth plans to end his coaching career at Wesley Chapel.

“I like the school. I like the kids here. I like the people here. I like the people I work with here,” Greseth said.

Road to 500-plus career victories

  • 163 wins in 13 seasons at Okeechobee High School (1983-1996)
  • 70 wins in four seasons at Jefferson (Tampa) High School (1999-2002)
  • 271 wins (as of Dec. 17) in 16 seasons at Wesley Chapel High School (2003-present)

Wesley Chapel High School boys basketball under Coach Doug Greseth
2003-2004: 22-6 (state playoffs; region semifinals)

2004-2005: 17-10 (district champions; state playoffs)

2005-2006: 23-6 (conference champions; district champions; state playoffs)

2006-2007: 15-12 (district runner-up; state playoffs)

2007-2008: 19-7

2008-2009: 12-14

2009-2010: 13-12 (conference runner-up)

2010-2011: 13-16 (district runner-up; state playoffs)

2011-2012: 24-5 (conference champions; state playoffs)

2012-2013: 24-5 (conference champions; district champions; state playoffs)

2013-2014: 21-6 (conference runner-up)

2014-2015: 17-10 (conference runner-up)

2015-2016: 21-8 (conference runner-up; district runner-up; state playoffs)

2016-2017: 9-17

2017-2018: 16-11

2018-2019: 5-0 (as of Dec. 17)

Published December 19, 2018

Local golfer headed to regional championships

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He’s only been golfing competitively for about two years, but Fab Laude has picked up the sport with relative ease.

He made the Wiregrass Ranch boys varsity golf team as a freshman last year, developing into one of the Bulls’ top players — and is now one of the better players in the county.

Wiregrass Ranch High School sophomore Fab Laude will compete in the Drive, Chip & Putt regional championships on Sept. 29 at TPC (Tournament Players Club) Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra Beach. He qualified for the event after finishing runner-up in the boys 14-15 division at the Drive, Chip & Putt sub-regional qualifier last month at Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs. (Courtesy of Cliff Laude)

But, before the 15-year-old gets too deep into his sophomore campaign, there’s another golf competition he’s got on his mind.

On Sept. 29, Laude will compete in the Drive, Chip & Putt regional championships at TPC (Tournament Players Club) Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra Beach.

He qualified for the event after finishing runner-up in the boys 14-15 division at the Drive, Chip & Putt sub-regional qualifier last month at Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs.

There, he and Tampa’s Suraj Kollegal (who placed first in the boys 14-15 division) outperformed numerous competitors from Miami, Naples, Sarasota and other areas.

Outdueling other top golfers in his age group from the southern half of the state was “very humbling,” Laude said.

At the same time, he noted, “it gave me a lot of confidence, like, ‘Yeah, I can hang with these guys,’” he said.

Unlike traditional golf, a higher score is better in the Drive, Chip & Putt event, where points are accumulated from the three fundamental skills of golf.

Driving points are calculated on yardage distance and accuracy — where a shot must finish within a 40-yard-wide fairway.

For chipping and putting, points are awarded based on how close a ball is to the hole from a series of different distances (chips from 10 to 15 yards; putts from 6 feet, 15 feet and 30 feet, respectively).

The short game is where Laude particularly excelled — something he also takes pride in his regular golf game.

“My game inside 100 yards is just on point for me,” said Laude, who grew up in Wesley Chapel. “What I believe is, you get your scoring from your short game, so I try and work on that a lot, because you can hit the ball long, but if you’re not good at your short game, you’re not going to really get anywhere.

“Even if I hit a bad shot and I know I’m 160, 170 yards out, I know that I’ll make par or at least bogey,” he said.

In between high school practices and early season matches this year, Laude has taken extra time to prepare for the upcoming Drive, Chip & Putt competition. He’s also spending his weekends honing skills and working on the different shots at his home course at Pebble Creek Golf Club, in Tampa.

Drive, Chip & Putt is a free nationwide junior golf development competition for ages 7 to 15 aimed at growing the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills employed in golf. The competition is a joint initiative founded in 2013 by the Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association and The PGA of America. (Courtesy of United States Golf Association)

Laude’s personal motto: “Train like no one else, so you can play like no one else.”

“I’m out there working every day,” Laude said. “Even if I’m doing good or bad, it just gives me momentum for me to play even better. My main goal is to play college golf, so when I see these college players and stuff I’m like, ‘I want to get to their level,’ so I try to work as hard as them.”

The regional skills tournament is the last step before the 2019 Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, the Sunday before the Masters Tournament.

Result notwithstanding, Laude plans to soak in stepping foot on TPC Sawgrass, which is home to the PGA Tour headquarters and hosts The Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s signature event. It is also widely viewed as one of the top golf courses in the United States and the world, ranking No. 10 in Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.”

Said Laude: “I’d have to say that this is probably like my best career moment, going to a professional course that a lot of pros play at every single year. …It’s going to be a very nice first time, putting on really fast greens, with pretty good rolling fairways, too.”

Growing up, Laude’s first love was basketball, with golf always on the backburner.

It wasn’t until a couple years ago that he realized his potential for golf, getting lessons from his godfather and other instructors in the Tampa Bay area.

Laude was always told he had “a natural swing,” as he’s since worked to fine-tune his alignment and more advanced mechanics.

It’s something longtime Wiregrass Ranch boys golf coach Mike Horrigan has noticed, when he observes Laude, who averages in the low 40s per nine holes.

“His swing is gorgeous, and he’s very polished on the course,” Horrigan said. “He just goes through the process of a pre-shot routine, and he’s very deliberate in everything that he does, and I suspect he’ll be shooting in the upper 30s before the end of this season.”

The coach added: “What impresses me about Fab is he has a very well-rounded game. When you watch him play, he’s improved in all facets of his game.”

Horrigan undoubtedly will be rooting for Laude at the Drive, Chip & Putt regional, describing him “as one of the most respectful, nicest kids I’ve ever coached.”

“I think the competition he’s gone through is just tremendous, to qualify to go (to TPC Sawgrass), so I’m really happy for him,” Horrigan said. “He loves golf, and he’s worked awful hard to become a very, very good player.”

Published September 12, 2018

Ian Flores receives state, national honors

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His high school soccer career is over, but Ian Flores is still picking up accolades for his contributions at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Last month, Flores was named the 2018 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Florida State High School Player of the Year.

That followed another prestigious designation he earned recently: 2017-2018 United Soccer Coaches Winter-Spring Boys High School All-America.

Wiregrass Ranch product Ian Flores, right, was recently named 2018 NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Florida State High School Player of the Year. He’s pictured here with Wiregrass Ranch head coach Dave Wilson. (Courtesy of Carlos Flores)

Flores, who graduated in May, was one of just two players from Florida (and 20 total nationwide) to be selected to the All-America team.

In the last six years, just 11 players from Florida have received the award.

As a senior, Flores tallied 20 assists in more than 1,900 minutes of play— an integral part of a Bulls team that went 24-6-1 and reached the Class 5A regional semifinals.

Flores, however, wasn’t anticipating such individual honors as he played out his senior season.

His main goal instead was to try and help his teammates win a state title.

“Really, getting All-America or high school player of the year wasn’t in my head at all. It just kind of happened just from playing naturally with my teammates,” said Flores, also a First Team All-Sunshine Athletic Conference selection.

Even so, the state and national recognition is “very exciting” to Flores, who was a team captain and three-year varsity player at Wiregrass Ranch.

“I know that not a lot of people have gotten such honors like that before,” Flores said. “I didn’t know that would reach Pasco County.”

Flores and other 2017-18 United Soccer Coaches All-Americans will be formally recognized at the 2019 United Soccer Coaches Convention in Chicago, Jan. 9 to Jan. 13.

Longtime Wiregrass Ranch head coach Dave Wilson said the postseason awards bestowed on Flores are well-deserved.

“Skill-wise and talent-wise, he was fantastic. The little things that make one a great player is really where Ian shined, too,” Wilson said.

“There were games that he would score goals, and there were other games we’d score goals because of him,” Wilson said. “He was pretty much picture perfect on the field.”

Size, or lack of it, is a trait Flores often had to overcome to become a top player.

At 5-foot-6 and 125 pounds, Flores has relied on his soccer IQ as much as his quickness, footwork and passing skills.

“It’s always about being smarter than your opponents,” Flores said. “If someone’s bigger than you, you have to adjust. If you’re going up against a 6-foot-4 striker, you have to play smarter to beat him to the ball.”

The impact on the field speaks for itself.

But, Flores’ leadership qualities stood out, too, his high school coach said.

“He was such a good leader and such a good, positive role model,” Wilson said. “Even when he was younger, just his work ethic and everything he did, he was just so positive that it’d be really hard to measure how important he was to our team.”

Wilson has had many elite players come through the Bulls over the years. As many as 14 of his players have gone on to play collegiate soccer scholarships.

Flores, however, was the most sought after in program history, receiving dozens of scholarship offers and inquiries from over 60 colleges of all levels — Division I, Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools.

Said Wilson: “He had more offers and more interest from colleges than any player we’ve ever had. To have someone get as many offers as Ian did and then all the accolades that came along with it — it’s pretty impressive.”

Out of the many postsecondary suitors, Flores signed with Oglethorpe University, a Division III program in suburban Atlanta.

Flores feels it’s the right fit over other Division I and Division II schools and the handful of professional invites he received.

“I was looking for a place where I was just going to be happy playing. I knew that if I came here, I would’ve had a great opportunity to play,” Flores said.

Now in preseason practices at Oglethorpe, Flores is adjusting to a higher level of play and training. That includes 5 a.m., daily workouts.

“The level is much more intense once you get into college,” Flores said. “The level of play is much more different, much more faster. More people play one, two touch instead of dribbling.”

But, Flores seems to be handling the transition well, looking to make an immediate impact.

He recently recorded the top mark of all Oglethorpe freshmen in the program’s Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test, used to measure a player’s cardiovascular fitness level.

The feat obviously caught the eye of Oglethorpe head coach Jon Akin, who played soccer at Saint Leo University and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1999.

“Everything that we recruited him for he’s delivering on,” Akin said of Flores. “He fits in well with the team, and I think he’s going to be a player who — on a very, very talented team— will be able to contribute this season.

“We’re very glad he’s with us. We think he’s going to be extremely successful,” Akin said.

Published August 29, 2018

Wesley Chapel boxer has big goals in sight

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From the likes of Jeff Lacey and Keith Thurman, to Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver, the list of world boxing champions with ties to Tampa Bay runs deep.

Wesley Chapel’s Evander Lamourt wants to be next.

Since turning pro in 2016, the 26-year-old super featherweight has compiled a 4-1 record and actively ranks among the top 100 boxers in the United States for his weight class.

Lamourt, who moved to Wesley Chapel from New Jersey at age 14, was an accomplished amateur fighter before that.

Lamourt, who graduated from Wesley Chapel High School and attended Saint Leo University, was one of the nation’s top amateurs before turning pro in 2016. (Courtesy of Joe Mestas)

From 2013 to 2015, USA Boxing ranked him among the top ten fighters in the light welterweight elite division. Across 65 amateur bouts, Lamourt was a seven-time state champion, two-time Florida State PAL (Police Athletic/Activities League) boxing champion, and 2013 Florida Golden Gloves state champion.

Beefing up his professional boxing resume is the next focus for Lamourt, who graduated from Wesley Chapel High School and studied at Saint Leo University.

He plans to schedule five to seven more fights through the end of next year. The next likely will be in September at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, through Fight Night Promotions.

The busy slate is all in hopes of hitting the radar of any one of boxing’s four sanctioning bodies: World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization.

In order to be considered for a title fight, pro boxers typically must have at least seven to nine fights under their belt, said Roi Maya, who represents Lamourt through Urban Athlete Management.

“I would like to next year win some junior belts. They’re not world titles, but they’re belts that help you climb the ladder against some better opposition and, if not by the end of next year, by 2020 I would like to be fighting for a world title,” said Lamourt, who trains at the St. Pete Boxing Club and Punch Boxing Wesley Chapel.

Known as a boxer-puncher, Lamourt and his trainers of late have focused heavily on honing his strength and power.

Lamourt explained: “Last couple fights I’ve been very patient, trying to get the rounds in. But this next fight, we’re really emphasizing power, and we’re expecting these next couple fights to end with knockouts.”

The quest for a world title goes beyond a personal ambition. It’s also to support his wife and future family.

“I love boxing,” he said, “but my ultimate goal is to be able to put my kids through college before they’re even born.”

Wesley Chapel’s Evander Lamourt hopes to be the next in line of Tampa-area boxers to win a world championship. Since turning pro over two years ago, the 26-year-old super featherweight has compiled a 4-1 record and actively ranks among the top 100 boxers in the United States for his weight class.

Though he didn’t start boxing competitively until he was 15, the sport’s been entrenched in Lamourt’s family, of which several members were boxers at one point, including his father.

In fact, Lamourt was named after four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.

He also grew up watching boxing greats like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins, Shane Mosley and, of course, Holyfield.

“It was always something I wanted to do, a passion of mine,” said Lamourt

His boxing career hasn’t been without some punches.

Lamourt admits to losing a lot of fights early in his amateur career, as he often faced more experienced and skilled boxers.

Going toe to toe against better competition early on served him well later on, however.

“I was fighting some very accomplished amateur fighters. I wasn’t winning, but I was learning every time,” Lamourt said.

“I definitely had some talent, but I didn’t know from the beginning that I would become as good as I have now. I always worked hard, but I was a slow learner. I struggled at the beginning a lot — a lot of ups and downs to get to where I am now.”

Along the way Lamourt picked up the nickname “Lionheart,” from his brother.

Said Lamourt, “Everybody that’s always seen me fight since I was a kid, any fight, people knew they were in for a tough fight because I had a lot of heart, even if the other guy was more skilled.”

Whatever comes of a world title shot, Lamourt said he expects to continue boxing through his early 30s. From there, he’s considered opening a slew of boxing gyms to inspire and mold the next generation of young fighters.

“It’s all about desire,” Lamourt said of being a successful fighter. “Coming up, I could’ve stopped boxing several times if I would’ve listened to other people saying, ‘It’s a rough sport, it’s this, it’s that, you’re not talented enough for it…’ People pigeonhole boxers into like a specific type of person. If you love something and have the work ethic, you can achieve anything.”

Published August 8, 2018

Distance runner receives Academic All-State honors

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As he was busy shattering school records in cross country and track, Freedom High School’s Alejandro Michel was also leading the pack in the classroom — posting a weighted 8.8285 grade-point average and earning salutatorian honors for the Class of 2018.

As a four-year member of Freedom High’s track and cross country teams, Alejandro Michel set school records in the cross country 5K (16:18), and, in the 1,600 meter (4:35.26) and 3,200 meter (9:50.66) runs for track. He plans to try out for the Florida State University track team at some point, and hopes to run professionally or semi-professionally.
(Courtesy of Alejandro Michel)

Those accomplishments resulted in a rare statewide designation for student-athletes: Alejandro Michel was one of 24 athletes named to the Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team.

The recognition program honors graduating seniors who excel in both athletics and academics. He was just one of 12 male athletes receiving the honor.

Each Academic All-State Team member was recognized at a banquet on June 11 in Gainesville. Each also received a $1,700 scholarship and a commemorative medallion.

“Really, a big honor,” Michel said of the prestigious student-athlete designation, in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “Throughout high school my two main focuses were really just running and academics, so, this was something I genuinely enjoyed.”

The 2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team selection committee received applications from 146 qualified student-athletes and evaluated them based on athletic participation, academic record, extracurricular activities, community service, and essay.

Michel, who graduated in May, checked all those boxes — and then some.

Besides being Freedom High’s second-highest ranked graduate, Michel earned his associate’s degree from Hillsborough Community College. He also was a member of the mathematics honor society, Mu Alpha Theta, where he placed third in the Calculus division of the Math Bowl.

Athletically, as a four-year member of the track and cross country teams, Michel set school records in the cross country 5K (16:18), and, in the 1,600 meter (4:35.26) and 3,200 meter (9:50.66) runs for track, respectively.

When not busy with studies or running, Michel tutored students in math and spent hours volunteered at the Florida Hospital in Tampa.

Balancing the many demands came naturally to Michel.

That’s because, according to him, distance running and education are perfect complements to one another in establishing a positive, well-balanced lifestyle.

The discipline, dedication and focus required to excel in distance running also helped him focus in his studies.

“I think they both aid each other really well,” Michel said. “I can’t see myself being just a runner, and, I can’t see myself being just a student. Really, if I get tired of running, I like learning, and, when I get tired of learning, I can take a break outside and go for a run.”

He added: “Distance runners share a certain mentality they can’t find in other sports, maybe in a few other endurance sports. Running is special, not just for skill and being physically fit, but mentally, as well.”

When he was a freshman, he woke each weekday at 3 a.m. to go for a run before school. Then, he would run with the cross country and track teams after school. It was lights out at 6 p.m.

“It was definitely tough,” Michel said of the two-a-days, “but it set me up well to break records in the next couple years.”

Up next: College and more running
Michel plans to attend Florida State University this fall.

Michel was one of 24 student-athletes (and one of 12 boys) named to the Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team, a recognition program that honors graduating seniors who excel in both athletics and academics. In addition to breaking a combined three school records in cross country and track & field, Michel posted a weighted 8.8285 grade-point average and earned salutatorian honors for the Class of 2018.
(Courtesy of Alejandro Michel)

He intends to major in statistics and minor in computer science through an accelerated program which will allow him to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in three years.

Career-wise, he’s determined to become an actuary and pursue a professional or semi-professional running career, on the side.

Michel said he’ll formally try out for the FSU track team at some point, but may take this year to train on his own. He recently began training with a new running coach who’s geared workouts for longer races, such as 8Ks and 10Ks, and eventually marathons.

Frankly, Michel can’t picture himself not being a competitive runner.

“I tell myself, ‘If I’m willing to run, I might as well give it my all,’” Michel said.

He added: “When you’re really becoming successful, you can either look at the idea of becoming successful as a motivator, or, you can really like the process — and with running, I really enjoy running.”

The runner lists his mother, Zandra Michel, and younger brother, Max Michel, as key influences in his academic and athletic prowess.

He recalls being in fifth grade, regularly jogging 5 miles with his mother as the start of his running career. “Eventually, I got to the point where I was able to not only maintain with her, but eventually pass her,” he said.

Max, meanwhile, also pushed him to succeed. They are two of seven siblings, close enough in age that Max also graduated high school this year, from Middleton High School.

Like his brother, Max has also made a name for himself, last year being elected national president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). It is the world’s largest student career organization, boasting 230,000 students.

The younger sibling also was a member of his school’s swim team, appearing in multiple district and regional meets.

The brothers will room with each other at FSU this fall.

2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) announced the 24 student-athletes for the 24th annual Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team, a recognition program that honors graduating seniors who excel in both athletics and academics.

One of the more important special recognition programs the FHSAA sponsors, a total of 12 girls and 12 boys from across the state received a total of $50,000 in scholarships.

The 2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team selection committee received applications from 146 qualified student-athletes and evaluated them based off of athletic participation, academic record, extracurricular activities, community service, and essay.

Published July 11, 2018