This week in FlaSports - October 8-14
 

Welcome to This week in FlaSports.  This space on the Florida Sports Foundation web site will give a weekly smattering of information about what's going on in sports in the Sunshine State.

Whether it be professional, amateur or recreational sports, and it's happening in Florida, look for it at This week in FlaSports.

Information on this page will be updated on Monday of each week.  To have your organization's events or happenings on This week in FlaSports, send an email to ngandy@flasports.com. 

Volume 1, Issue 7
October 8, 2007

► Amway Arena hosts Action Sports Event
► Floridians listed on BusinessWeek Power 100
► Michael Doleac makes a wish come true
► What's a Dragon Boat Race?
► This Week in FlaSports Calendar of Events
► Archive of previous issues of This Week in FlaSports

Amway Arena in Downtown Orlando Hosts Action Tour

The AST Dew Tour (formerly the Dew Action Sports Tour) will heat up Orlando this Fall with the third annual PlayStation Pro, at the Amway Arena October 18-21, the season finale and championship crowning event of the 2007 series. You can grab a glimpse of sports history in the making as the Dew Tour crowns yet another set of champions in The City Beautiful.

“The AST Dew Tour is the ’Major Leagues’ of action sports,” said Robbie Floyd, NBC/USA television analyst. “To the kids of today, these athletes are looked upon with the reverence placed on the Babe, Michael, or Péle. Today’s young sports fans hope they can be the next Dave (Mirra), Ryan (Nyquist) or Bucky (Lasek).”

At last year’s event in Orlando, 59,470 fans filled the grandstands throughout the event. With athletes feeding off the crowd’s intensity, those in attendance and a nationwide audience witnessed unbelievable tricks and performances. The Orlando Tour stop, which filled both the Amway Arena and several acres of adjacent outside areas, also included an interactive festival village with where people of all ages enjoyed the PlayStation gaming pavilion, the interactive BMX dirt course, skateboard street course and much more.

Those aspects, as well as live concerts featuring today’s cutting-edge stars, will again round out October’s PlayStation Pro line-up, making Orlando the “can’t miss” stop on the 2007 Dew Tour.

What: 2007 Dew Action Sports Tour Presented by PlayStation Pro
When: October 18-21, 2007
Where: Amway Arena, 600 West Amelia Street, Orlando 32801
Website: www.dewactionsportstour.com

Floridians among The Sports “Power 100”

How do you pick the most powerful people in sports? Is it the super talented athlete who never seems to fail—especially when the game is on the line; the hard-nosed commissioner keeping owners and players in line, or the savvy entrepreneur whose visionary endorsements changed the sports-branding landscape? BusinessWeek undertook a mammoth and challenging project to rank the 100 most powerful people in sports.

Florida connections on the Power 100

2. Tiger Woods, Golfer (owns home in Jupiter)

6. Brian France, Chairman, CEO NASCAR (located in Daytona Beach)

25. George Steinbrenner, Principal Owner, New York Yankees (corporate headquarters in Tampa)

34. Tim Finchem, Commissioner, PGA Tour (headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach)

78. Shaquille O'Neal  Center, Miami Heat (resides in Miami Beach)

97. Micky Arison, Owner, Miami Heat

98. Lesa France-Kennedy, President International Speedway (located in Daytona Beach)

For the complete list: http://www.businessweek.com/table/07/0926_power100.htm 

Doleac Helps Make-A-Wish

HEAT center Michael Doleac knows how to sweeten a deal.
 

When he attended the Sports Stars Wishes Make-A-Wish Foundation live auction in March, Doleac volunteered to help the HEAT auction off a team VIP package to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation and to show his support for the foundation’s cause. The package included a certificate to join the entire HEAT team during a 2007 community event, four VIP tickets to a home game and an HEAT team autographed ball.

But he wanted to give extra incentive to purchase the package, so he took action.

In addition to the package, Doleac offered the winning bidder a personal bike tour of Key Biscayne.

Recently, Doleac fulfilled that promise.

Doleac took winner Joe Kirner and his daughter, Heidi Barber on an hour-long, 28-mile tour across the Rickenbacker Causeway to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. Doleac, an avid cyclist, even came prepared with the appropriate cycling attire.

“I do quite a bit of riding here and back home in Utah,” he said. “I promised them (the HEAT and Make-A-Wish Foundation) that I would bring my shorts. This isn’t my only outfit either. I have quite a few.”

“Today, we’re fulfilling a commitment with the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” he said before taking off on the ride. “When anyone makes a generous donation to a great organization like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, you want to show your appreciation. We were lucky with beautiful weather this morning. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”


What's a Dragon Boat Race?
Fifth Annual South Florida Dragon Boat Festival on Miami Beach

The ancient Chinese sport of dragon boat racing celebrates its fifth year with two days of excitement on the calm and beautiful Haulover Beach Park Marina on Saturday & Sunday, October 13-14, 2007.

This paddling adventure and weekend community celebration welcomes all boating enthusiasts and dragon boat paddlers - novice and professional - to compete in the two-day races.

Teams compete for Cups in the Men, Women and Mixed divisions, highlighted by the 500-meter South Florida Cup Champion competition. More than 15,000 spectators are expected to attend.

The 45-foot dragon boat is painted along the sides to resemble the scales of a dragon, with a colorful dragon head at the bow and a tail at the stern. A total of 20 paddlers propel the boat and a drummer at the bow keeps the cadence for the paddlers. A steersperson using a twelve-foot steering oar keeps the dragon boat on course.

“Dragon boat racing began more than 2000 years ago in Asia. Today, it is among the fastest growing water sport in the world, with over 6 million participants in more than 50 countries,” said Johnson Ng, Executive Director of United Chinese Association of Florida.  “Our festival is open to all - local teams compete with participants from across the country and Europe.”

Admission to the South Florida Dragon Boat Festival is free to the public with a $5 parking fee.

The United Chinese Association of Florida works with the local community to sponsor cultural programs and activities, such as Lion & Dragon Dance, Stage Cultural Performance, Martial Arts Demonstration, Kite Contest, Kid Dragon Boat Drawing Contest, Bounce Houses, Food, fitness and health information, Exhibitions, etc   

Another highlight is the 2007 Egg Roll Eating Contest, “how fast can you eat”, at noon on Sunday, 10/14, on the center stage.

For more information, please call 305-345-8489 or visit: www.MiamiDragonBoat.com.

FlaSports Calendar of Events this week, October 8-14
 

This week in FlaSports Archive
Volume 1, Issue 1, August 27
Volume 1, Issue 2, September 4
Volume 1, Issue 3, September 10
Volume 1, Issue 4, September 17
Volume 1, Issue 5, September 24
Volume 1, Issue 6, October 1

 

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