By Tamas Mondovics
FishHawk Baseball to Send Six Teams to State Campionship
Right from the start, the Cal Ripken, Babe Ruth affiliate FishHawk Youth Sports Association (FYSA) baseball league had little doubt about another successful and strong season, which was confirmed during its district games held last month at the FishHawk Sports Complex in Lithia.
“This is a big year for FishHawk Youth Baseball,” said League President Melissa Franklin. “We are sending six teams to state tournaments, including 8U Navy, 8U Carolina, 10U, 12U Carolina, 14U, and 18U.”
Located at 16120 Fishhawk Blvd., the FishHawk Sports Complex sports eight baseball and softball fields used this year by the more than 400 players.
This year the league was divided into six divisions: T-ball, rookie, minor, major, junior and senior, totaling 54 teams.
FishHawk Youth Baseball district line up includes: Lakeland Highlands, East Bay, Bloomingdale, North Brandon, Dundee and Greater Winter Haven.
Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center Welcomes New Blue Wave Coach
The Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center was pleased to announce last month a new addition of its line of leadership.
The center’s Blue Wav
e Swim program welcomed new Head Coach Todd Foley, who will continue a long list of very talented coaches and is promising to lead the team toward further success.
“We are very excited to have someone of Todd’s experience and passion for working with athletes of all ages and abilities,” said Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center Executive Director Chuck Burgess.
Burgess emphasized that Foley comes to BSAC with nearly two decades of high level experience having coached for teams in Texas (Austin Aquatics and Sport Academy, Nitro Swimming), North Carolina (SwimMAC), Hawaii (University of Hawaii) and Ohio (Miami University).
“Having vast experience working with Olympians and National Team Members as well as up and coming age groupers, Todd’s leadership skills are unsurpassed,” he said. “Working in large complexes and growing teams will serve Todd well in the Greater Brandon and Tampa Bay areas with BSAC’s pool project and program goals moving forward.”
The Blue Wave athletes, along with the BSAC leadership team, welcomed Foley giving the coach an opportunity to share his vision and philosophy with the swimmers and parents as they head into the summer’s long course season.
“We are all excited to have Todd join BSAC’s illustrious Blue Wave program with a history of Olympic and international success,” Burgess added. “We want to wish him the best of success as he begins to leave his mark at BSAC.”
Local Archers Among Sunshine State Games Winners
Champions were crowned as eight sports and over 1,500 athletes made the second of three Sunshine State Games (SSG) Olympic-style Sports Festivals a popular and one of the busiest athletic events of the summer.
Among the more than 160 archers registered, on the youthful side were 7 and 13-year-old Alexis and brother Austin Hall, joined by their father, Matt, of River Hills who also participated in the event.
“I am very proud of them both and their hard work as we all take the sport very seriously,” Matt said of Austin who won gold in his devision and Alexis, who won bronze during the competition.
On the more experienced side, 80-year-old Sarasota archer, Roy Bowen, registered along with 82-year-old, Jack Cason from St. Petersburg.
“A lot of sports like to call themselves ‘a sport for a lifetime,’ but no other like Sunshine State Games Archery can back it up,” said Florida Sports Foundation Director of Communications, Nick Gandy.
For more information, visit www.flasports.com.
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