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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

University of Tampa

Dade City hires finance consultant to handle budget

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The City of Dade City has been scrambling to fill a key vacancy in its finance department — during a critical juncture where many budgetary details need to be ironed out for fiscal year 2020-2021.

To handle that chore, the municipality is turning to a financial consultant who’ll provide mostly remote services.

The finance department has been operating without a full-time finance officer. Its assistant finance officer resigned in June.

Dade City Commissioners approved the hiring of Andrew Laflin to serve as a financial consultant and interim finance officer, until the position is filled. The city’s finance department has been operating without a full-time finance officer. Its assistant finance officer resigned in late June. The municipality is now organizing its budget for fiscal year 2020-2021. (Courtesy of Andrew Laflin)

Dade City commissioners on July 14 unanimously approved an agreement with Andrew Laflin, CPA, to provide finance and budget services to the city, for an amount of $6,500 per month. The agreement is effective through Sept. 30, 2021; either party has the ability to terminate the agreement with 30 days’ notice.

Laflin is expected to work from City Hall one or two days a week, and then be accessible remotely and virtually other days of the week.

He provides similar consulting services to the City of Madeira Beach and assists the Pinellas County Clerk’s finance division.

Laflin brings 17 years of public accounting experience, mainly leading an outsourcing, consulting and advisory practice devoted to serving Florida local governments, including counties, cities, transportation authorities and other special districts.

Laflin’s resume shows that he has provided consulting services to more than two dozen governmental agencies. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the fields of financial and cost accounting at the University of Tampa and Hillsborough Community College.

“I just look forward to the opportunity to serve this city and handle all the duties and responsibilities of this position, and I’m capable and eager to do so,” Laflin told the commission, during its virtual meeting.

Commissioners acknowledged the consulting arrangement — opposed to having a finance officer in-house — is far from ideal. But, they said there’s little other option at this point to get an initial budget drafted by Aug. 1.

The city originally anticipated elevating or placing additional responsibility to assistant finance officer Venus Irvine, but she resigned from her position June 24, leaving another gap in the finance department in a time where several budget workshops need to be planned, organized and executed.

“We’re really stuck in a vulnerable position,” said Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez. “We have a lot of work to get this budget done by Aug. 1, so there’s a huge void to be filled. I don’t think this is the best scenario, but it is a void that can be filled with a very capable person at this time.”

Commissioner Scott Black concurred: “We have to move ahead. We don’t have any choice in it. We may get into this (consulting arrangement) and realize this is a great option for us even to continue, so let’s go into it, see what we think. We have to do it now, so we need to proceed and we can cross all those bridges as we go along.”

The city has been unable to find a full-time finance officer since Leslie Porter was promoted from that role to city manager in February 2019. Since then, Porter’s been juggling both roles, something commissioners “never, never, never intended to be the case,” Hernandez emphasized.

“I am not happy with where we’re at a year-and-a-half later almost and having one individual assume both positions,” Hernandez said.

“The city manager has many things that we need to get done, especially in this time of all these other activities and plans and things that are happening in our city, so having that same person assuming all of those things is really not in the city’s best interest,” she added.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Shive agreed, adding, “This situation with trying to get a finance director on board has taken a long time and I think we need to get this position filled as soon as we can.”

Aside from the ongoing search for a permanent finance officer, the mayor also expressed displeasure with the amount of job turnover throughout City Hall, particularly with some leading departmental roles.

Hernandez observed: “We’ve had some major positions that have been vacant or get filled and then they’re empty again, and that is not helping us at all, especially during a very busy time in Dade City’s history and all we’re trying to accomplish.

“I don’t know what we need to do, and I know the pool is limited, but we’ve got to figure this out,” Hernandez said.

July 22, 2020

Locals among top MLB draft prospects

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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball (MLB)’s 2020 first-year player draft has been shortened to five rounds, from the usual 40 rounds in previous years.

The draft, scheduled for June 10 and June 11, assigns amateur baseball players to MLB teams.

Even with the new consolidated format, however, several locals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have a solid chance at being among the 160 athletes drafted. And, they have the possibility of living out their boyhood dreams and landing signing bonuses of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

Steinbrenner High product CJ Van Eyk, now at Florida State University (Courtesy of Florida State University athletics department)

Four athletes with area ties are listed among MLB.com’s top 200 nationwide draft prospect rankings, including two within the top 100.

The highest-rated local is Steinbrenner High alum CJ Van Eyk, a junior right-handed pitcher at Florida State University (FSU) — listed as the No. 39 overall draft prospect, by the website.

The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Van Eyk registered an 18-5 win-loss record, 3.21 ERA, 1.274 WHIP and 225 strikeouts in 176.2 innings pitched across three college seasons.

The Lutz native has been a known commodity going back to his prep days, earning first-team All-American honors and a gold medal with the 18U USA National Team. He also led Steinbrenner to its first state championship as a junior in 2016 and was crowned Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 8A Player of the Year.

Van Eyk was drafted out of high school by the New York Mets in the 19th round of the 2017 draft, but didn’t sign, opting for college instead.

A snippet of MLB.com’s analysis on Van Eyk reads: “The Florida State ace is capable of being a complete pitcher because of his willingness to pitch in with his fastball, his ability to throw his breaking ball at any point in the count and his feel for mixing his pitches to keep hitters off-balance, though issues with his command persisted over his first four starts in 2020. His potential as a starter still should have him in consideration in the top two rounds of the Draft.”

Sunlake High product Tommy Mace, now at the University of Florida (Courtesy of University of Florida athletics department)

The next highest-ranked local is Sunlake High product Tommy Mace, a junior-right handed pitcher at the University of Florida — rated the No. 70 overall prospect for the 2020 draft.

In three seasons at Florida, the 6-foot-6, 200-pound Mace compiled a 16-5 win-loss record, 4.37 ERA, 1.299 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 179.1 innings pitched. He was off to his best college campaign this year, tallying a 1.67 ERA in a team-high 27 innings, until the remainder of the season was canceled thanks to COVID-19.

Mace was a three-year varsity player at Sunlake. His senior year he guided the program to a 17-12 mark and the Class 7A regional final. He then was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, but like Van Eyk, didn’t sign to pursue the college route.

MLB.com’s profile on Mace reports states the following: “Mace generally does a nice job of throwing strikes, keeping the ball down in the zone and getting ground ball outs. He gets high marks for his mound presence and makeup, putting him among a solid crop of top two round college pitchers in Florida.”

Though slightly outside our coverage area, an athlete in west Pasco County also cracked MLB’s top 200 prospect list.

Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High product Carson Ragsdale, now at the University of South Florida (Courtesy of University of South Florida athletics department)

Trinity native Jackson Miller, a senior catcher at Mitchell High, is rated as the 2020 draft’s No. 105 prospect. The Wake Forest University commit posted a .414/.498/.591 slash line in 88 games across four varsity seasons.

Meanwhile, Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High product Carson Ragsdale, a redshirt junior right-handed pitcher at the University of South Florida (USF), is ranked as the draft’s No. 170 prospect.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Ragsdale transitioned to a starter’s role this year at USF, after pitching out of the bullpen his freshman and sophomore seasons. (He missed the 2019 season following Tommy John surgery). He posted a 3.75 ERA, 1.391 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 50.1 innings across three college seasons. Off the field, he was selected to the 2018-2019 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.

Ragsdale was a four-year letter winner at Bishop McLaughlin. He compiled a 1.58 ERA and .352 batting average in his high school career. Those Hurricanes teams that Ragsdale played on went a combined 77-21 from 2013 to 2016.

MLB.com’s report on Ragsdale observes: “Ragsdale threw a lot of strikes this spring, but is still more control than command at this point. Given that scouts only saw four outings from Ragsdale as USF’s Sunday starter, there’s very limited track record for teams to look at, but his size and arm strength, even if it ends up in the bullpen, could be enough for teams to take a chance on him in this year’s Draft.”

Robust draft history
It’s not uncommon for at least a couple locals from area high schools and colleges to be drafted each year.

Last year, Land O’ Lakes High/St. Petersburg College second baseman Dustin Harris was selected in the 11th round by the Oakland Athletics, while Pasco-Hernando State College/University of Tampa pitcher Tyler Beck was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 30th round.

The 2018 draft yielded four local products:

  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of North Florida pitcher Frank German (fourth round, New York Yankees)
  • Saint Leo University pitcher/first baseman Jake Sims (31st round, San Diego Padres)
  • Saint Leo University second baseman Zach Scott (32nd round, Seattle Mariners)
  • Wiregrass Ranch High/University of North Florida pitcher Austin Drury (34th round, Los Angeles Dodgers)

The 2017 draft also was particularly kind to local talent. In addition to Van Eyk and Mace getting drafted out of the prep ranks, six other athletes with local ties were chosen:

  • Odessa native/Bishop McLaughlin/College of Central Florida pitcher Nate Pearson (first round, Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Steinbrenner High/USF shortstop Kevin Merrell (first round compensatory, Oakland Athletics)
  • Steinbrenner High first baseman Patrick Morris (14th round, Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Steinbrenner High/Bishop McLaughlin/University of Pittsburgh pitcher Josh Falk (17th round, Oakland Athletics)
  • Odessa native/Alonso High pitcher Jordan Butler (34th round, New York Yankees)
  • Bishop McLaughlin outfielder Paul Coumoulos (40th round, Philadelphia Phillies)

Locals on MLB.com’s top 200 prospect rankings

  • Steinbrenner High/Florida State University pitcher CJ Van Eyk (No. 39 overall draft prospect)
  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (No. 70)
  • Trinity/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller (No. 105)
  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida pitcher Carson Ragsdale (No. 170)

Published May 27, 2020

Land O’ Lakes hoops coach retires after 31 years

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Land O’ Lakes High School varsity boys basketball coach Dave Puhalski is ready for a timeout.

After 31 years roaming the Gators sidelines, barking orders, drawing up plays, and molding boys into young men, the longtime coach announced his retirement following the 2019-2020 season.

Puhalski’s swan song was a memorable one — sending off eight seniors to the tune of a 21-6 record, a 5A-7 district title and an appearance in the 5A regional semifinals.

Dozens of members of the Land O’ Lakes High School community celebrate Dave Puhalski’s retirement as head coach of the Gators varsity boys basketball team. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High Athletics)

Puhalski, 57, exits as one of the longest-tenured and among the most-decorated coaches in Pasco County sports history. He compiled a 479-349 career mark since taking over the Gators program in 1988.

In total, he spent more than 35 years coaching hoops.

Before taking over at Land O’ Lakes, Puhalski was an assistant at state champion Ocala Vanguard for three seasons and an assistant at University of Tampa for a year.

Any basketball coach knows what all that entails: Countless hours tied up into practices and games. Long nights busing around the state. Sitting on steel bleachers for junior varsity games. Too many family gatherings and vacations missed.

He said the timing’s right to take a break from the hardwood.

He put it like this: “After 35 years, I’ve never had a Christmas vacation, (or) a Thanksgiving vacation; the month of June is all summer league, kids playing, so really, it’s just time.”

‘All about the kids’
So, what made all of these years coaching worth it?

“The kids,” Puhalski said without hesitation.

“They’re the ones that keep me young and keep me in the game for so long. You know, every year you almost get a different set. You get to see kids grow and develop,” he said.

Having an understanding wife, too, helped him to stay in the game for the better part of three decades.

“You’ve gotta have a coach’s wife, and that’s what I have,” Puhalski said of longtime wife Erika. “So, I give her a lot of credit, because she did a lot of the raising of the kids.”

Puhalski’s longevity allowed him to coach “kids of kids” and attend many a former players’ weddings. Seeing Gators hoops alums grow up, start families and lead successful lives is “one of my favorite things,” he said.

The care for hundreds of teenage hoopers has been seen firsthand by Land O’ Lakes boys basketball assistant/booster club president Steve Thomopalos.

His son, Justin, was coached by Puhalski from 2008 to 2012, and the coach helped the player develop into a two-time team MVP.

Thomopalos observed: “If a kid needs a pat on the back, he’ll give it, but also if he needs to be disciplined, he’ll give that, too.”

The assistant added the head coach’s go-to expression goes like this: “All about the kids.”

Puhalski’s tough love is something Gators players grew to revere and appreciate.

“You can tell he cares,” senior guard and team captain Mekhi Perry said. “Getting yelled at is frustrating — but him doing that, you know his heart’s in the right place.”

The 2019-2020 Gators went 21-6 and won a 5A-7 district championship in Puhalski’s final season as head coach. (File)

Senior guard and fellow captain Chase Farmer added Puhalski “was like a father figure to me.”

“As a player, he was there for me,” said Farmer, the school’s all-time dunks leader. “He did a lot of things that some coaches don’t do. He gave me a shoulder to lean on, I could cry in his arms — anything I needed, he was there.”

Revered for defense, old-school nature
Of course, Puhalski knows a thing or two about hoops.

The coach frequently emphasized “rebounding the ball, taking care of the ball and defending the ball.”

He’s particularly regarded for his defense-first mentality — a philosophy that centered heavily on the man-to-man variety, with little regard for zone defenses.

“We play man to man,” Puhalski said pointedly. “In 31 years, we’ve probably played a minute worth of zone.”

And, if players weren’t giving at least equal effort defensively as on offense, Puhalski wasn’t afraid to make an example. “You know, we’ve had really good players that have been pulled at night because they never play defense,” Puhalski said bluntly.

Farmer amicably described Puhalski’s coaching style as “old school, but sometimes he might flare it up.”

Farmer added: “He loves defense, (but) he loves steals, highlights and dunks, all that.”

Perry, the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,616 points, added Puhalski “made a huge impact” on the more nuanced aspects of his game.

“I already came into school like knowing what I was doing, but just the tidbits and details expanded my game even more, and every year I learned more,” the Gators standout said.

It wasn’t just players who’ve learned from Puhalski.

Assistant coaches, too, picked up what it takes to run a quality, winning program.

“Everybody learns from coach,” Thomopalos said. “I’ve never seen, up close and personal, a game managed better…especially at the end, when it’s coming down to the wire and it’s close.”

The assistant added: “He is a real basketball man, through and through.”

Fellow assistant Connor Jordan has worked with Puhalski around a dozen seasons.

From Puhalski, Jordan learned Xs and Os are just a small part of leading a successful high school program.

“It’s really about discipline and making sure everything’s organized, expectations and keeping kids held accountable and things like that,” Jordan said. “All that stuff that coaches talk about, (Puhalski) actually follows through on.”

Whoever takes over the Gators program indeed has a tall task in replacing Puhalski.

That very well could be Jordan, who many in the program — including Puhalski —  hope lands the head post. “Gigantic shoes to fill,” Jordan of the possibility.

Meantime, Puhalski is considering teaching physical education for another year at Land O’ Lakes. He also said he wants to continue helping with the program and acclimate whoever next becomes head coach.

“I want to try to keep this going at the level we have it at now,” Puhalski said. “I’m not going to have a whole hand in it, but I’ll be there in whatever (the new coach) needs me to do.”

Published April 1, 2020

Chiselers Market: Find deals, support preservation

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Elena Cifuentes sits at a table in a warehouse near downtown Tampa, painstakingly restoring a broken Hummel figurine.

Cifuentes, who teaches at the University of Tampa, leads a restoration team whose work offers a mere glimpse into the massive volunteer undertaking behind the annual Chiselers Market.

The market features thousands of items that are sold to support the restoration and preservation of Plant Hall at the University of Tampa.

These women are part of The Chiselers Inc., an organization that’s been putting on an annual market for decades, to benefit preservation of the University of Tampa’s Plant Hall. From left, front row: Cookie Ginex, Gail Dee Russ, Susanne Sanders and Beth Garcia. From left, back row: Esther Hammer, Elena Cifuentes and Teri Willis. (B.C. Manion)

This year’s market offers items ranging from the funky to the sublime.

Bargain-hunters can find linens, intricate lace, crystal chandeliers, kitchenware, collectibles and thousands of other items.

The Chiselers Inc. — celebrating its 60th anniversary — puts on the annual sale. The group is made up of women volunteers, primarily  from South Tampa, but also from Lutz, Wesley Chapel, West Chase, St. Petersburg, Sun City and other communities.

These women appear to have at least two things in common: A collective love for Plant Hall, and a true appreciation for the bond they have with each other.

The National Historic Landmark that their work benefits was completed in 1891.

In the beginning, it was an opulent hotel constructed by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant.

With European artworks and furnishings, it attracted wealthy and famous patrons to Tampa.

Its distinctive minarets, its chrysanthemum windows, its spacious veranda and its gingerbread woodwork make the building a true city of Tampa treasure.

The former Tampa Bay Hotel served as a command post in the Spanish-American War, and Teddy Roosevelt, Clara Barton, Stephen Crane and Frederic Remington stayed there.

This is one of the collectibles in the room where Terri Naylor volunteers. She helps price various items before the annual Chiselers Market.

Other famous guests have included Babe Ruth and Thomas Edison. John Phillip Sousa performed there, and Booker T. Washington spoke there, too.

The structure became home of the University of Tampa in 1933.

The Chiselers have the annual market down to a science.

Preparations begin months in advance.

Donations are brought to a warehouse near downtown Tampa, where they are sorted, repaired (if needed), priced and boxed — for delivery to the University of Tampa for a preview party and market day.

When donations initially arrive at the warehouse, they are divided into different sections. Furniture goes into one area. Collectibles into another. There are areas for books, for art, for  fine linens and bargains. There’s a silent auction area, too.

Teri Willis, third vice president of the Chiselers, is this year’s market chair.

A trip around the warehouse reveals a huge assortment of items awaiting this year’s shoppers.

If you need a picture frame, you’ll be able to choose from hundreds.

There’s interesting art, too.

“Much of it is collectible art, recognized artists,” Willis said.

On the day of the sale, the art is arranged out on Plant Hall’s veranda.

This cut glass bowl is among the thousands of items being sold at Chiselers Market.

“It’s a beautiful morning thing to do — to go out and buy art,” Willis said.

If you’re shopping for office supplies, Christmas décor or a dog bed — they’ll be at this year’s sale. There are lamps, sofas, chairs, planters and all sorts of other stuff, too.

The laces and linens are exquisite, Willis said. “Some of these laces have been passed down in families for generations.”

There’s a silver service section, too.

“It’s one of our highlights. When they light it up, it just sparkles,” Willis said. The gleam comes from the volunteers’ all-day silver polishing parties.

“That’s where I learned to really polish silver,” said Esther Hammer, this year’s president of The Chiselers.

Elena Cifuentes works painstakingly to repair this Hummel figurine.

Hammer has handled various chores through the years. Being president, she said, is easy because so many members step forward to help.

“I don’t really have to do anything because these people volunteer to do it, and they do such a great job,” Hammer said.

Moira Burke, who was at the warehouse sorting books said she enjoys having a hand in the preservation of Plant Hall — a building she considers to be an architectural gem.

Terri Naylor, who helps research and price collectibles, said being involved in Chiselers is right up her alley because she’s interested in art, architecture, history and preservation.

On market day, besides the sale items, there will be food trucks, Port-o-Potties, and a ‘Will Call’ area for shoppers who have found so many good deals that they need a temporary holding place while they go and shop for more.

They’ll have plenty of choices, Willis said.

“We take over the whole bottom floor (of Plant Hall). We fill it up.

“Outside, we have books, furniture, plants and art,” she said.

The bargain area is especially popular, Hammer said.

Plant Hall, on the University of Tampa campus, was originally the Tampa Bay Hotel. Built by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant, it was an opulent hotel with European furnishings, which drew wealthy and famous guests to Tampa.

Items are priced to sell quickly and market regulars know the drill.

“This is where people stampede,” Hammer said. “When the doors open at 9, you can hear the thunder of the feet, going down to the bargain section.”

Willis noted: “They get excited, and we get excited.”

The volunteer group is grateful for the generous donations it receives.

“We couldn’t do this without the community,” Willis said.

The market’s success also relies on a good turnout for the sale, Hammer said.

“We have so much to sell, we need people (to come to the market).”

Beyond helping to preserve a Tampa icon for future generations, Hammer derives great satisfaction from being involved with the Chiselers.

“I just love this, this whole operation, this whole organization,” Hammer said.

“The mission is the first thing that got me in here, and then working with the ladies is what kept me,” she said.

56th annual Chiselers Market
Where: Plant Hall at the University of Tampa, 401 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa
When: March 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free admission; parking nearby
Details: Bargain-hunters can finds loads of good deals at this sale, which features plants, jewelry, kitchenware, books, art, electrical items, tools, china, crystal, silver, collectibles, lamps, lace, linens, furniture and other items.
Info: TheChiselersInc.com

The Chiselers
A group of friends with a strong interest in the preservation of the former Tampa Bay Hotel (now Plant Hall at the University of Tampa) met to chisel old mortar from important tiles salvaged from the original fireplaces in the hotel.

As a result, the “Chiselers” organization was founded with a mission to preserve and restore the former hotel, now a National Historic Landmark.

The Chiselers formed in 1959, and the group is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

Since its founding, the organization has:

  • Raised $8.3 million for the restoration of Plant Hall
  • Supported the University of Tampa with an endowed scholarship that provides financial assistance each year to a deserving student
  • Contributes about 15,000 volunteer hours each year
  • Co-founded the Tampa Bay Hotel Advisory Council in 1996, charged with approving a master plan for restoration of the building and assuring that all work is done in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings.

For more information about the Chiselers, visit TheChiselersInc.com.

The Chiselers Inc.’s officers:
Esther Hammer, president
Karen Dalton, first vice president
Barbara Pennington, second vice president
Teri Willis, third vice president
Kathy Beeson, fourth vice president
Jane Hernandez, treasurer
Debbie Giglio, assistant treasurer
Dolly Fox, recording secretary
Barbara Stubbs, corresponding secretary
Audrie Ranon, parliamentarian

Published March 13, 2019

Lutz teen and her service dog are off to college

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Leigh Dittman knew she’d need some help when she got to college.

After all, the Lutz resident lives life from her wheelchair.

She was born with a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease.

The disease prevents her body from absorbing needed calcium levels due to a collagen deficiency.

Lutz resident and University of Tampa freshman student Leigh Dittman with her service dog, Nerf. Dittman suffers from a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, which makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures. Nerf responds to more than 40 commands, including retrieving dropped items for Leigh, pulling her wheelchair, carrying her backpack, and other tasks that enable her to lead a more independent life. (Courtesy of Canine Companions)

Simply put, the condition makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures.

“It’s like a sponge,” Leigh said. “It doesn’t matter how much milk I drink; my body can only handle so much.”

The number of people affected with osteogenesis imperfecta in the United States is unknown.

Estimates range from as few as 20,000 and as many as 50,000, according to the Osteogenesis Foundation.

Throughout her school years leading to college, Leigh had a one-on-one aide who would help get her to and from class.

As she geared up for her freshman year at the University of Tampa, though, she wanted more independence.

Leigh put it this way: “With college, I’m training to be an adult, and I can’t be a successful adult if I’m relying on another adult.”

That’s where Nerf enters the picture.

The 3-year-old, black Labrador/golden retriever mix is a highly-trained service dog that responds to more than 40 commands.

He retrieves dropped items like pencils and water bottles for Leigh. He pulls her wheelchair around campus. He carries her backpack. He can even close doors, and turn light switches on and off.

In certain cases, Nerf doesn’t even need to be told what to do.

“He reads what I need,” said the freshman nursing student.

“At home, I’m notorious for dropping my socks when I put my clothes away, so at this point, I don’t even tell him to pick it up. He just sees it and he’s like, ‘I know what you need.’”

The bond between owner and dog goes beyond helping with everyday tasks.

Nerf is always there, at her side
Besides providing practical support, Nerf adds emotional support and companionship, too, when times are stressful, and when Leigh is feeling overwhelmed from her class load and final exams.

“He’ll curl up right next to me, and he’ll just stay there while I get work done; it’s just nice to reach over and have him sitting there,” she said.

Nerf came to Leigh by way of Canine Companions, a nonprofit organization that breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

The organization provides dogs and related services free of charge.

It presently has more than 2,300 active graduate teams nationwide.

Fourteen of those teams — including Nerf and Leigh— are based in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Leigh came across Canine Companions a few years ago and decided to apply to the organization’s wait list.

Her family had never had a dog, let alone a pet of any kind.

Naturally, it took a bit of persuading to get the go-ahead from her parents for her to apply for the program. But, they eventually relented.

“I was like, ‘It’s a pet, but it’s a helpful pet,’” Leigh joked.

Since they were matched last summer, the two have been inseparable.

Leigh had to wait about three years after applying to be selected for a service dog.

Nerf and Leigh paired following a rigorous two-week training session at Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center in Orlando.

During training, Leigh learned all of Nerf’s commands and how to properly care for him.

She worked with several other dogs during the training stay, but Nerf proved to be the best to meet her unique needs.

Leigh recalls Nerf being goofy and energetic when they first met. At the same time, he was gentle and sweet, she said.

“I loved him from the beginning; he just fit,” Leigh said.

From the outset, even before training began, Canine Companions trainers had an inkling Nerf would be Leigh’s choice, said Jen Hanes, participant program manager at the Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center.

Hanes said Nerf had the ideal temperament and skills for someone with Leigh’s disability.

Nerf is calm, responsive and loves to work, yet isn’t so high energy that he requires more management on Leigh’s part, Hanes explained.

“There’s more than one dog that could work with Leigh, but we felt like Nerf was just the perfect match for her,” Hanes said.

The match has been life changing, Leigh said, noting it’s now impossible to imagine not having Nerf at her side.

Sometimes, the college student will leave Nerf at home to go to a concert or friend’s house. When she’s without him, she feels “very untethered” and “like part of me is missing.”

“It’s weird if don’t have him,” Leigh said. “I mean, it’s like as if I didn’t have my wheelchair; I don’t leave if I don’t have it.”

The bond they share goes both ways
Leigh depends on Nerf and Nerf depends on Leigh.

“He’s so well-trained and he can do so many things, but at the same time he is a pet. He does need to be cared for and loved, and made sure that he is healthy and things like that,” Leigh explained.

Nerf is a magnet for attention when the two are out and about.

People come up “all the time” to try to pet Nerf, as the two of them the University of Tampa campus, she said.

“I definitely had quite a few people in my classes last semester asking me questions,” Leigh said. “It can be a good conversation because it can be a good education for people that don’t have service animals.”

Meanwhile, Leigh doesn’t ask for special treatment from others.

“I never expect people to make accommodations or to treat me differently,” Leigh said. “I just may need to take the ramp instead of the stairs.”

She prides herself on being an achiever; poised to accomplish many of the same goals of able-bodied people.

At Gaither High School, Leigh graduated at the top of her senior class.

She played in the school’s Chamber Orchestra.

She was president of the American Sign Language Club.

She went to football games and enjoyed hanging out with friends.

“I was very active,”  Leigh said. “I had that drive and the attitude of, ‘I’m going to do well, therefore I will do well.’”

She’s taken that same approach with her to college, with a goal of becoming a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.

With Nerf at her side, of course.

Published February 06, 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

Saint Leo lacrosse celebrates its program-best season

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Saint Leo University made history in 2006 as the first NCAA lacrosse program in the state of Florida.

The university has added another significant notch to its belt — becoming the state’s first lacrosse program to make a national championship appearance.

Saint Leo’s men’s lacrosse team squared up on May 27 against Merrimack College in the NCAA Division II Lacrosse National Championship at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The Saint Leo men’s lacrosse team recently became the state’s first program to make a national championship appearance. They lost to Merrimack College 23-6 in the NCAA Division II Lacrosse National Championship at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo Athletics)

The Lions were overmatched by the Massachusetts-based foe, surrendering 23-6. However, the season still goes down as the best run in team’s 13-year history.

Saint Leo finished the 2018 campaign with a 16-3 overall record, including a 7-0 mark in the Sunshine State Conference.

The team ranked among the nation’s leaders in scoring (11th, 13.63 goals per game), shot percentage (first, .393) and clearing percentage (third, .907).

Leading up to the season finale, the Lions defeated conference rival University of Tampa 11-10 in the national quarterfinals and then downed Lenoir-Rhyne (North Carolina) University 12-11 in the national semifinals.

As the team regroups from a biting title game loss, players are proud to finish national runner-up and be part of the remarkable campaign.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Tom Tatarian described the season as “an incredible run.”

Senior attacker Anthony Visintin evoked similar feelings: “It sounds cool and awesome to say that we had the best record in Saint Leo history and we get to go down as one of the best teams to go through here. Obviously, we would’ve rather it gone the other way and we would’ve rather won and have the whole big grand ending, but I guess you could say it’s the second-best ending that could happen.”

As one of 15 seniors on the 2018 roster, Visintin and others took the onus upon themselves to make their final season count — by improving upon a relatively disappointing 2017 where the Lions finished 9-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

Many of those upperclassman, including Visintin, were also part of squads that finished 9-5 and 7-7 in 2016 and 2015, respectively.

“I think for me, playing for four years, we kind of found ourselves underachieving almost every year,” he said.

“But I think this year we were able to finally put it together. Having a big senior class definitely helped,” added Visintin, who finished with 20 goals and 11 assists.

Saint Leo men’s lacrosse coach Brad Jorgensen said the team, starting in the offseason, “worked hard to go from a pretty good team to a great team.”

Saint Leo men’s lacrosse coach Brad Jorgensen launched the program more than a decade ago.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo Athletics)

Jorgensen, who helped launch the program more than a dozen years ago, explained there was a “re-energized” commitment and attitude toward game preparation, strength and conditioning, among other team aspects.

The heightened focus and mindset, Jorgensen pointed out, allowed the Lions to win several close games this year; eight of their wins came by three or fewer goals.

The prior year, the Lions lost two conference games by two goals. They lost two others by four goals and five goals, respectively.

Jorgensen explained: “I think we had a tendency, when the pressure got on, to do what felt comfortable instead of what needed to be done on some occasions and it was really that tougher battle of, ‘Am I willing for the next 10 months to do the hard stuff to get us to where we want to go?’”

He added: “Guys needed to realize the devil’s in the details and, when you lose as many close games as we did in 2017, it just points to a little bit of a lack of attention to detail and commitment to getting the little things right.”

Thinking ahead to next year
Like many of the Lions’ players, Jorgensen acknowledged he’s still reeling from the national championship loss.

But the longtime coach hasn’t lost sight of what just getting there means for the program’s future.

“We got unbelievable exposure over the course of the (championship) weekend,” Jorgensen said. “Being able to have the Saint Leo logo plastered all over Gillette during the final four where you’re talking 35,000 to 40,000 people were able to see us and see our school and be exposed to it, that’s obviously huge.”

It’s especially important for recruiting because the national title appearance enhances Saint Leo’s reputation as a bona fide lacrosse power.

“I think every coach tells recruits that they want to play for a championship and that they’re a championship program and all that other stuff, but it becomes a heck of a lot easier sell now that you’ve been that close,” the coach said.

Meanwhile, the lacrosse program looks to move on without a senior class that made up about 40 percent of the 2018 roster.

Among the key departures is attacker Jake Gilmour, the program’s first-ever United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division II First-Team All-American.

Another is defender Jake Bye, who was named USILA honorable mention.

Said Jorgensen, “It’s not like this class graduating snuck up on us, but it is kind of impossible to discount what we’re losing to graduation. …Some guys who have been starting here for four years won’t be here in the fall when we get started. That’s going to be an adjustment.”

Even so, the Lions do have solid core in place for next season.

That includes Tatarian, a second-team All-American goalkeeper who ranked sixth nationally with 13.84 saves per game; attacker Charlie Kurtenbach, who was second on the team in goals (40) and assists (29); and midfielder Julian Taylor, a Tampa product and Plant High School alum who tallied 23 points.

Tatarian, for one, is embracing what’s in store for 2019, where he’ll be a graduate student exhausting his final year of eligibility. (He received a medical redshirt for an injury suffered as a freshman in 2015.)

He will be the longest-tenured player on next year’s roster, likely forcing him to become more of a leader in both actions and words.

Said Tatarian, “There’s really going to be a movement forward to a younger team and I have to take that responsibility upon myself as well as the other seniors to really shoulder the dynamic for this program, for what we’re about, and what we’re going to do moving forward. I think it’s going to be a very exciting process seeing all the young guys coming in and see what they’re going to bring to the table.”

Published June 6, 2018

Local soccer player scores prestigious statewide honor

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Whenever the Land O’ Lakes Gators needed a score, Sydny Nasello was there to answer the call.

And, she delivered often, racking up 120 goals during her four-year varsity soccer career.

In this past season alone, the senior tallied 45 goals and 13 assists — guiding the Gators to the regional finals, a 23-3 record and undefeated (7-0) district mark.

Land O’ Lakes High School senior forward Sydny Nasello was named Class 3A Player of the Year. She tallied 45 goals and 13 assists this season, leading the Gators to a 23-3 mark. (File)

Her skills on the field — combined with remarkable statistics — have since garnered attention statewide.

Earlier this month, Nasello was named Florida Dairy Farmers Class 3A Player of the Year. She was a finalist for the 2018 Miss Soccer award, too, finishing third in voting by coaches and the media in Florida.

Locally, Nasello was a shoo-in for the Sunshine Athletic Conference Girls Soccer Player of the Year, also announced this month.

The recent accolades recognize Nasello’s commitment.

“When I first heard about it, it was just like everything I’ve been working for in life and just in soccer — like everyone else can see it and it’s paying off,” the forward/midfielder said.

Nasello added she’s proud to “leave a mark” at Land O’ Lakes, and to be an influence to the program’s younger generation.

She was one of a trio of Gators seniors, also including Brooke Hannigan and Morghan Craven, who played all four years on varsity.

During that time, the Gators went a remarkable 90-10-3 with three Final Four appearances, and captured three district and regional crowns apiece.

“I don’t think anyone has ever done that at Land O’ Lakes,” Nasello said, matter-of-factly.

Her role transformed, too.

“I went from freshman year, being like the little kid — super nervous, having all these older role models — to being the role model for the freshmen and the sophomores,” she said.

A University of South Florida signee, Nasello has sights set on a professional career in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Someday she hopes to represent the United States in the Olympic Games, too.

She looks to be on the right track for each.

She was one of just 24 players to take part in a training camp for the under-18 national teams late last fall in California. The U-18 team provides a transition for a number of players that could possibly make up the core of the team that would attempt to qualify for the following U-20 women’s World Cup, or even contribute to the current cycle of U-20s, according to the United States Soccer Federation.

“It was very beneficial,” Nasello said of last year’s tryout. “Basically you can compare yourself to the best of the best around the world, see where you stand, see what you need to improve upon, see what these girls are doing better than you, so you know where to start.”

Lauded for her speed, versatility and flashy attacking on-ball style, Nasello has worked on improving her runs off the ball “because that’s what my college coach wants me to do.”

She credits Gators head coach Vicky King as a key influence in her development as a player.

“She’s never let up,” Nasello said of her high school coach. “Like, she’s probably harder on me than she was any other player, and sometimes I would think, ‘She’s just being mean or whatever,’ but really she’s just pushing me to do my best in all areas of life, whether it’s on or off the field.”

King — who’s coached multiple Division I soccer players over the past three decades — describes Nasello as an “excellent player” who’s “really matured and grown over the last few years.

“She can be a difference-maker in the game. She has a nose for the ball and can play anywhere on the field,” King said.

“She’s really driven to succeed,” the coach added.

Part of it stems from her family’s ties to the game.

Those familiar with the local high school soccer scene are well aware of the Nasello name. Her two older sisters, Lacy and Holly, both were standouts at Land O’ Lakes and eventually played college ball, at University of Tampa and Point University (Georgia), respectively. Younger sister, Lexy, also plays soccer and her father, Tim, played college soccer.

Nasello strived to follow in the footsteps of Lacy — now a sophomore at University of Tampa — who she was teammates with at Land O’ Lakes for two seasons, in 2015 and 2016. Lacy was regarded as a stellar defenseman, with goal-scoring prowess.

“(Lacy) was basically the best of the best,” Nasello said. “She was the big, aggressive one, and I always looked up to her and always wanted to be who she was, what she was on the field, played at what her level was, so we used to work out all the time together in the summer.”

Being around other skilled, experienced players on the team also helped, her high school coach noted.

“We’ve had some other very talented players, and I think her observing them also helped her grow into a better player, as everyone always has someone to grow and improve like that,” King said.

Nasello is currently playing for the Tampa Bay United club soccer team and gearing up for the Elite Club National League championships in May.

Nasello is eager for the next phase of her soccer and academic career.

“I’m so excited to start college,” she said.

Her future USF coaches are also eager for her to arrive.

“Sydny is an amazing talent,” USF head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said in a released statement. “She is arguably the most creative attacking player to come out of the state in quite some time…We are tremendously excited to get her here on campus and continue her development at the next level.”

Published March 21, 2018

Saint Leo University gets set for beach volleyball

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Brooke Turner had her fair share of options to play indoor volleyball coming out of Gaither High School.

But, none could match what Saint Leo University offered: an intercollegiate beach volleyball program.

“I wanted to come here to play both,” Turner said.

“And, it’s also close to home, too.”

The Saint Leo beach volleyball team began practices in January. The first game is March 17. (Kevin Weiss)

Turner, a freshman, is one of 16 players on Saint Leo’s inaugural beach volleyball team.

Like others, she is a crossover athlete who also plays for Saint Leo’s indoor team, as an outside hitter.

Also like her peers, she’s trying to learn the many nuances of the beach sport — from hitting and passing, to its tempo and rapid-fire decision-making.

“It’s just a lot different,” Turner said of beach volleyball, acknowledging she played some recreational matches throughout high school.

“I feel like there just needs to be a little bit more hustle on the beach. It’s harder to run on the sand than on the court with shoes,” she said.

Beach volleyball is also a new competitive realm for Jamee Townsend, who spent four years as a libero on Saint Leo’s indoor squad from 2013 to 2016.

Now a graduate student at Saint Leo, Townsend was able to join the beach team, as NCAA bylaws allow student-athletes to play a fifth year in a different sport.

“I’ve always had an interest in training for beach,” said Townsend, noting she casually played in some offseason beach tournaments, but never seriously trained for them.

“It’s something I feel like I can play forever, versus indoors, which is really hard to play when you’re older. There’s not as much availability in (indoor) pickup games and stuff, so I was interested, and it just worked out that I was able to join.”

For Townsend, “coming out of retirement” to play a new sport has been a challenge physically — but also an invigorating venture.

“It was really hard — still is hard to keep my endurance up — but being a libero in college I wasn’t allowed to hit, so now I’m getting to attack and do a lot more components of the game than I did in indoor, so that’s exciting for me. I’m learning how to block again and doing things that I didn’t get to do in indoor,” Townsend said.

Last May, the university announced the addition of beach volleyball as its 20th sport and 11th in women’s athletics, initially as a nonscholarship offering.

Erik Peterson is tasked with guiding Saint Leo’s beach volleyball program. The inaugural 16 players are crossing over from the university’s indoor team. (Courtesy of Saint Leo Athletics)

Following that was the completion of a five-court beach volleyball complex — believed to be the largest in Division II — on a portion of the intramural field, adjacent to the Saint Leo Tennis Center.

Beach practices began in January, led by assistant beach volleyball coach Erik Peterson.

The Lions’ first game is March 17 — a tri-match against Florida Southern College and Stevenson (Maryland) University, in Lakeland.

Slowly but surely the upstart program is coming along, the beach volleyball coach said.

“Sometimes we have some great practices, and then sometimes we forget how to do everything which is exactly part of it,” Peterson said.

“There’s some very different concepts and things that we’re trying to get them to comprehend and understand. It’s just a lot of the actual application takes some time and some reps.”

“Out here (on the beach), we don’t have the ability to hide all the deficiencies of indoor where you’re very specialized. For them, they have to pass, they have to set, they have to attack, they have to serve, they have to block, they have to defend, so they’re literally being asked to perform all of those skillsets fairly proficiently — and a lot of it’s new,” Peterson said.

Beach volleyball only calls for two players from one team to be on the court during matches. Both players must work together and become jack-of-all-trades and dominate on many fronts, including passing, setting and hitting. Indoor volleyball, however, calls for players to be much more specialized.

Even with a steep learning curve, Peterson said the team has maintained a positive attitude throughout lessons and practices.

“It’s very easy for indoor players to come out to the beach and get very frustrated because there are those significant speed bumps. They kind of just work through it, and they don’t let things weigh them down when they’re getting frustrated. They kind of bounce back pretty quick and always stay mentally dialed in,” Peterson said.

Players also are encouraged by strides made in the last several weeks.

“We’re just now getting to the point where we can be comfortable and be competitive when we play doubles. It was a lot of training and getting back to basics,” Townsend said.

“I think we’ve gotten a lot better, and everyone is ready everyday,” Turner said.

“Everyone enjoys coming to practice, and they’re just excited so it kind of shows, and we’ve gotten better already in a month just practicing.”

Saint Leo is one of four Sunshine State Conference institutions to now offer beach volleyball, joining the University of Tampa and Florida Southern University as the three newcomers. Eckerd College has a program, too.

Within Florida, a total of 10 institutions competed in beach volleyball during the 2017 season: Eckerd College, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Jacksonville, Stetson, North Florida, Webber International and Warner.

At the start of the 2016-17 academic year, a total of 66 NCAA member institutions had either added the sport or announced their intention to do so. The NCAA added a national collegiate championship for beach volleyball as its 90th championship in January 2015, after a target of 40 institutions had added the sport.

Peterson is no stranger to the sand-based sport. He’s been deeply involved with USA Sand Volleyball since 2007 and previously served as head coach for beach volleyball at Division I programs, such as Texas Christian University and the University of Central Florida. Other stops include the University of Oklahoma and the University of South Florida, as an indoor volleyball assistant coach.

With a schedule that includes fellow Sunshine State Conference foes and Division I programs, such as Florida International and Jacksonville University, Peterson said compiling a record of at least .500 in Year 1 “would be a nice measuring stick.”

“I think our biggest thing is trying to just get them to really buy into the process,” Peterson said.

“For this being such a new program and these being such new athletes, I think it’s really kind of hard to put a significant, quantifiable goal. It’s going to be more of just really looking at the growth, and each more individual and personal goals versus a team goal,” the coach added.

Cultivating an upbeat, energetic environment for home matches is another objective in Year 1, Peterson said.

It shouldn’t be too tough, as the Lions brand-new facilities — and imported bleachers — are squarely situated among other athletic complexes and provide for easy walking distance from one Saint Leo sport to the next.

“It’s such a unique type of atmosphere for beach volleyball versus a lot of these other sports that are very rigid in structure,” Peterson said.

“There’s communication, there’s heckling, the crowd can get involved. There are all these different exterior things that are happening — there’s music playing the whole time — so it’s just going to be a really cool atmosphere when we have the opportunity to host home matches, and get the fans and the students excited,” Peterson said.

2018 Saint Leo Beach Volleyball roster
Player                                              Hometown/School
Annabella Arcari, freshman        (Shelby Township, Michigan/Eisenhower High School)

Avery Bradshaw, sophomore      (Tampa/Steinbrenner High School)

Paloma Da Silva, senior              (Pocos De Caldas, Brazil/Park University Missouri)

Allie Daul, freshman                    (Grayslake, Illinois/Grayslake Central High School)

Anna Garrett, freshman              (Merritt Island, Florida/Merritt Island High School

Dallas Jasper, sophomore          (Annapolis, Maryland/Broadneck High School)

Jenya Kruglova, senior                (Moscow, Russia/St. Petersburg College)

Victoria Omoregie, freshman      (Tampa/Newsome High School)

Maddy Powell, senior                   (Tampa/ Steinbrenner High School)

Ashley Quero, freshman              (Hialeah, Florida/Palmer Trinity School)

Fabiola Rosado, freshman           (Lakeland/McKeel Academy of Technology)

Britt Sederholm, senior                (Ogden, Utah/Saint Joseph Catholic School)

Jamee Townsend, grad student (Plant City/Strawberry Crest High School)

Brooke Turner, freshman           (Tampa/Gaither High School)

Reggie Van Devender, sophomore       (Phoenix, Arizona/Seton Catholic Preparatory)

Nina Vattovaz, freshman            (Trieste, Italy/Liceo Artistico-Alessandro Vittoria)

Published February 28, 2018

Local athlete aspires to play major league soccer

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Adam Hassan is a step closer to his goal of playing professional soccer.

Hassan is bypassing his junior year at Steinbrenner High School to enter the D.C. United U-17 Academy, a youth and development program for the Major League Soccer (MLS) club D.C. United.

Hassan, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound defender, is regarded for using both feet equally, along with his athleticism and tactical strength.
(Courtesy of Kelly and Melissa Hassan)

He will be among a rare group of about 20 players chosen to join the Academy, which scouts regionally and internationally for young talent exhibiting pro potential.

Hassan, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound defender, will have access to top-caliber coaching and advanced training methods, and play in arguably the most competitive league in North America, the United States Soccer Developmental Academy.

Via the Academy’s residency program, Hassan will board at The Calverton School in Huntingtown, Maryland, located about 25 miles outside Washington D.C.

For him and others, the developmental academy helps provide a more systematic route to play in college, and perhaps, reach the pro ranks.

In 2016, D.C. United sent 16 players to Division I soccer programs. Additionally, eight Academy players have gone on to professional homegrown contracts since its inception in 2005.

Months ago, Hassan sent out his resume and game film to multiple MLS academies.

The footage caught the eye of D.C. United staff, which invited him for a trial period. He performed well enough to earn a formal offer to join the topflight program.

Hassan will receive structured soccer training, at a higher frequency than high schoolers typically receive.

It means practice sessions twice a day, plus more instruction, more drills, more workouts and more competitive matches.

Simply, he’ll be placed in a pro-like soccer environment.

Adam Hassan was just 9 when he began playing for the Lutz-based Tampa Ranger soccer club. (Kevin Weiss)

He doesn’t plan to shy away from the added workload. He intends to elevate his game.

“I want to improve every aspect of my game,” Hassan said. “I want to try to be the best that I can be. Of course, I have to get faster, stronger and jump higher, and I have to be able to control the ball better.”

Hassan leaves for Washington D.C. on Aug. 5, temporarily saying farewell to family and friends in Lutz.

It’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make, to follow his dream through.

“This is something that I’ve always wanted to do,” said Hassan, who started playing soccer at 3 years old.

“As a soccer player, there’s always room to learn and take in new things. You always can be building your game. “His parents, understandably, are still adjusting to the realization their teenage son is leaving home, for the Mid-Atlantic.

His mother, Melissa, said they didn’t expect to be empty-nesters so soon. “But, we’re very proud of him,” she said.

“We’re supporting him pursuing his dream,” added his father, Kelly. “He made a tough decision to leave. Those opportunities are few and far between, so you’ve got to capitalize. It will better prepare him for a chance for the pros, or if not, he’ll be college-ready.”

Hassan played varsity soccer at Steinbrenner the past two seasons.

He was the only sophomore in the team’s starting lineup last season, where he played a total of 1,350 minutes — more than any 10th-grader in school history.

He also was named the team’s Most Improved Player, morphing into a standout on a regional-qualifying team that went 18-5-2.

Simultaneously, Hassan played for the Lutz-based Tampa Rangers soccer club.

It’s where he says he developed most, since joining at age 9.

“I became a better player,” Hassan said of his Rangers experience. “The curriculum that you’re learning ends up paying off, and that’s what I’ve always liked about the club.”

Sean Coniglio, one of Hassan’s first Rangers coaches, saw the defender’s potential early on.

Coniglio, who played at the University of Tampa (1989-1990), says Hassan stood out for his tenacity and ability to attack the ball.

Adam Hassan is bypassing his junior year at Steinbrenner High to enter the D.C. United U-17 Developmental Academy, a youth and development program for the Major League Soccer (MLS) club D.C. United. He’ll join a rare group of about 20 players chosen to the D.C United Academy, which scouts regionally and internationally for young talent that exhibits pro potential. (Courtesy of D.C. United)

Hassan’s work ethic impressed, too.

“He spent a lot of time on his own, outside of training, to develop his abilities and skills,” Coniglio said. “He was one of those that I knew, at home, he was working out and doing things to get better, and it made a difference as he get older.”

“Adam’s always been an ambitious player for us, and showed the effort that he always wanted to be a better player at his position a central defender,” added Rangers club director Mike Connell. “He’s been a good student of the game, and I think those are the key demands on players that want to get to the next levels, knowing that they still have to keep learning.”

Hassan, a natural lefty, today describes himself as instinctual and mentally tough, on the field.

“I can keep my head in the game,” he said. “I can stay focused, I don’t really get shaken up a lot, and I can read passes well.”

And, those qualities are critical for reaching the highest levels, explained Connell, a 10-year veteran of the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

“Soccer, like any other sport, is about how much sport intelligence you have,” Connell said. “You can’t be one-dimensional on the field, and just run and kick and fight. I think that’s really the difference when it comes to our country versus the rest of the world — they’re spending more time with the game, therefore their (soccer) intelligence is greater.”

Connell added the prospect of Hassan playing professionally is “all available to him.”

However, Connell acknowledged it’s also about capitalizing at every opportunity.

“He needs the breaks, but he has the ambition, and he has the ability,” Connell explained. “It’s just being there at the right time to do the right thing and play at the highest possible standard, because at that level you can’t not show up.”

For Hassan, heading overseas may be one way to break into the pros.

He was born in Egypt, before his immediate family settled in Lutz when he was about a year old.

Those Egyptian roots, Connell noted, “opens up another avenue” for reaching the pros.

“USA is an opportunity, but Egypt becomes a big difference-maker,” Connell said. “A lot of Americans don’t have that opportunity, because they don’t have that family connection to the homeland. This opens up a greater opportunity for the game.”

Meantime, Hassan isn’t the only Tampa Ranger headed to a soccer academy this fall.

Julio Plata, 13, was awarded a two-year scholarship to Brooke House soccer academy in Market Harborough, England.

Founded in 2008, the program boasts more than 70 players ages 13 to 19 filling four club teams that play in the Junior Premier League and other leagues, while also competing in various cups across Europe.

Plata, a midfielder, is a Lutz resident who most recently attended Liberty Middle School.

Q&A with Adam Hassan
What drew you to the game of soccer?“When I was younger, I used to watch my dad play. He would play with his adults, and I’d always go watch him play. So, at a young age I was already watching the game.”

Why do you enjoy soccer?
“In soccer, everything’s going, and it’s just exciting. You’re working together as a team, united with other people to accomplish one goal. And then when you end up accomplishing that goal, it’s a thrilling experience.”

Which professional soccer player do you model your game after?
“I’d have to say (Paris Saint-Germain Football Club defender) Thiago Silva. He’s not the biggest guy on the field, but he commands, he’s strong, and he holds downs his defense. I’ve always liked him.”

Published August 2, 2017