The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Why not usher in 2024 by trying a few new activities?

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If you’re new to the area, or a lifelong resident, you’ll find plenty of choices for staying fit and having fun within our local communities.

And, with 2024 just beginning, it might be the right time to try something new.

Here’s a sampling of sports and recreation offerings that you might find appealing.

TreeHoppers is an aerial adventure park, at 27839 St. Joe Road, in Dade City, which offers rope courses and obstacles — up in the trees. (File)

Treehoppers
If you like to swing through the trees, check out TreeHoppers
TreeHoppers, at 27839 Saint Joe Road, in Dade City, offers rope nets to climb, rope bridges to scale and zip lines to glide at what has been described as Central Florida’s largest aerial adventure park. 

Bill Morissey, 84, stands in the landing field at Skydive City in Zephyrhills, watching as divers come in from a jump. Morissey, a resident of Zephyrhills, helped develop the tandem skydiving technique in 1983. The venue attracts skydivers from all over the world.

Think it would be fun to jump out of an airplane?
If you’ve often wondered what it feels like to jump out of an airplane, you can satisfy that curiosity by taking the plunge at Skydive City, at 4241 Sky Dive Lane, at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

This legendary place has attracted skydiving enthusiasts from around the globe.

The center trains skydivers at all levels, from beginners to seasoned veterans, and offers all types of skydiving activity, including tandem jumps, group jumps and water landings.

How about trying your hand at curling?
The Tampa Bay Curling Club has competitive leagues at AdventHealth Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel. The club also offers lessons for people interested in the sport. To find out more, call Tampa Bay Curling at 813-758-2279.

Do you like to golf?
Of course, there are dozens of golf courses within the region, including Saddlebrook in Wesley Chapel, Silverado Golf Club in Zephyrhills and Heritage Harbor in Lutz, but there are some local putt-putt courses, too.

One of those putt-putt ventures is called PopStroke Tampa, at 25297 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz.

It offers two 18-hole putting courses designed by Tiger Woods. The synthetic grass, bunkers, rolling hills and undulated greens aim to challenge golfers of all ages.

The putt-putt golfing destination also offers a dining area, with a full menu and craft beer, wine and signature cocktails. It has an ice cream parlor, outdoor game area and a playground, too.

Max Ludey, 13, right, tries to sprint past Alexa Zummo, 13, during a Friday night game in the Pirate Bay Flag Football League, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. The league has games on Fridays and Sundays, with a new season for the spring beginning in February. The league is part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Flag Football Network. It also has partnered with the Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Department.

Hey, how about a little flag football?
Those looking to try a new sport may want to check out the Pirate Bay Flag Football League that operates out of the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes. Hundreds of girls, from kindergarteners through high schoolers, are competing in the league, which began with 16 girls.

Now, five years after it was founded, Pirate Bay League has had to branch out to add a boys’ division because it has become so popular.

The league will begin its two spring seasons March 3, with a mandatory Player Combine on Feb. 18. Registration deadline is Feb. 9.

For more information or to register, visit PirateBayFlag.com.

Ever thought about fencing?
The Land O’ Lakes Fencing Academy, which meets at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, began last summer. But it’s an expansion of the Tampa Bay Fencing club that has been operating out of Northdale for about 30 years. Both clubs have dual members. The idea of expanding to the Land O’ Lakes complex was to provide space and opportunities for fencing enthusiasts to hone their skills and prepare for competitions.

For more information, visit LandOLakesFencingAcademy.com, or contact Alex Kossmann at 813-841-0984 or .

Dalton Gerbase is shown here leading Evan Hall. They are riding on the Tampa BMX Track at Lake Park in Lutz.

Check out this BMX race track
Lake Park, at 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, has several activities available all year long, including the Tampa BMX track where bikers of all ages can ride.

Tennis or pickleball, anyone?
The Sarah Vande Berg (SVP) Tennis Center, at 6585 Simons Road, in Zephyrhills, features courts for tennis and pickleball, and fitness center, too. Several youth programs also are available through the center.

To find out more, visit SVBTennisCenter.com.

There is also a pair of pickleball enthusiasts, Kathay McCausey and Val Thomopalos, who call themselves PickelballFanatics. They are working to expand opportunities for people to play the sport. They offer lessons, run tournaments and coordinate impromptu meetups. To find out more, visit PickleballFanatics.biz, or email

Need some more ideas? Check with the Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Department, the Dade City Armory, area recreation centers, local hospitals and local YMCAs to find out what low-cost or free activities are available to help you to have fun, and stay fit.

Russ Thor, of New Tampa, slides a stone across the ice on a rink at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel during a practice session of the Tampa Bay Curling Club.
Ten-year-old fencing student Arianna Bobe works on her en garde, attack and parry moves during a session of the Land O’ Lakes Fencing Academy, which meets twice a week at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. The fencing academy, which began in the summer of 2023, provides instruction for experienced and novice fencers, teaching them techniques and helping them hone their skills for competitions.
Isabella Little, of Spring Hill, watches her return shot sail over the net and into ‘The Kitchen’ during her match on the second day of a pickleball tournament at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PopStroke Tampa is a state-of-the-art putt-putt experience with courses designed by Tiger Woods. It also offers dining, cocktails, an ice cream parlor and game area.
Preparing to return a serve by his coach, former tennis pro Thomas Grinberg, Bautista Durrells (foreground), of Wesley Chapel, tries out one of the new tennis courts at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center.