By Tamas Mondovics
Community Gears Up for Strength to Endure Charity Softball Tourney, Seeks Sponsors
By means of its Strength to Endure softball tournament, the FishHawk co-ed softball league has been supporting those in need for years.
Thanks to the commitment of its members and teams the league is now calling on all teams as it is gearing up to host this year’s games scheduled for October 10 and 11, to support Joe Boyle and his battle against cancer, with partial proceeds to be donated to the Ocular Melanoma Foundation.
Ocular Melanoma is a cancer of the eye reportedly diagnosed on 2,000 adults annually in the United States with a survival rate of approximately 50 percent.
Since 2008, when he was first diagnosed, Boyle has been battling the disease and is thankful for his friends and family for their ongoing support, while undergoing many treatments and trials, to no avail.
The tourney itself is appropriate as Boyle has been in the softball league since 2003 as a member of Shearwater and has participated in and contributed to many tournaments to raise funds for others in need.
“We must all rally together as a league to make this be successful,” said FishHawk Softball Commissioner, Tim Coffee. “It is our turn to show our thanks and support for Joe and his family as they continue to show us their Strength to Endure.”
Coffee added that Saturday’s games will be followed by a party at Park Square from 7 p.m.-11 p.m., while games will resume on Sunday until a champion is crowned.
“I have some surprises already planned for what will be a huge party,” he said, but emphasized that such tournaments are, “Nothing unless we all unite together and do our part. We need everyone in this league to think about how they can contribute, either as a sponsor or donating raffle items.”
For more information or if interested in becoming a sponsor contact Tim Coffee at fishhawksoftball@yahoo.com, or call 267-8464.
Golden City Gymnastics Boasts of Season Success
After working tirelessly all year, National TOPs Testing Qualifiers, members of Golden City Gymnastics (GCG), Nhi Nguyen, 10, Emerson Fisk, 8, Rayna Light, 10 and Diamond Team Qualifier, Asia Reid, 7, enjoyed the spotlight earlier this month.
To complete this year’s journey, Nguyen, Light and Fisk are now preparing to compete in front of the National Staff in Texas next month, while Reid currently enjoys the fruits of her hard work and accomplishment of placing in the top 50 in her age group, nationwide.
Golden City Gymnastics is located at 930 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Brandon, and is a training facility dedicated to training the whole athlete, mind, body, and spirit as it is offering a variety of classes for boys and girls from 18 months old to 18 years old.
Additionally the facility is currently looking for team and recreational coaches who love gymnastics and working with kids. GCG also needs office staff who have experience with data entry.
For more information, visit www.goldencitygymnastics.com.
TBAY Brandon Swimmers Post Season Success
Hard work and commitment paid off this summer for members of Tampa Bay Aquatics’ Brandon Team, which includes three young swimmers, Celi Guzman, Christin Rockway and Wes McGovern.
Coached by Dave Gesacion, the talented aquatic trio had trained year round at the River Hills Country Club in Valrico, and now enjoy the spotlight after earning a couple of sizable and prestigious accomplishments.
In July, Rockway was named the 2014-2015 National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) All-American Team (200 IM and 500 free). Rockway also qualified for the Olympic trials, but was not alone in earning the chance to compete as teammate McGovern, (now a Purdue University student) also qualified in the 100 meter Backstroke.
Adding to TBAY’s recent success, Guzman also shined this summer, including a great showing at the 2015 FINA World Junior Championships in Singapore, where she competed as a member of the Puerto Rican Junior National Team.
Guzman finished her meet with three new best times in 50 and 100 meter butterfly, and a new Puerto Rico National Record in 50 meter Backstroke.
Guzman’s strong showing came on the heels of another great performance earlier this summer as she helped lead the Puerto Rico National Age Group Team to the High Point Award at the 2015 CCCAN Championships by winning both the 13-14 Girls 100 back, with a new meet record of 1:05.11, and 200 back.
The entire program counts on Gesacion’s expertise as a 15 time NAIA All-American, 8-time NCAA Division II All-American, NAIA National Champion in the 200 Butterfly, 4-time team MVP, and a CoSIDA Academic All-American.
Gesacion was a 2006 Speedo Long Course Junior National Champions associate head coach, the recipient of the ASCA Award of Excellence in 2007 and a 2008 inductee into the Westminster College Hall of Fame.
TBAY Brandon is a parent founded organization managed and operated as a 501(c)(3).
For more information, visit www.tbaybrandon.org.
