This Week in FLASports

Welcome to This week in FlaSports. This feature on the FSF web site will once again give a weekly smattering of information about what's going on in sports in the Sunshine State, after taking a month off.

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 2, Issue 1
February 4, 2008

► 16th Annual Polk Senior Games Registration deadline approaching
► incredible ICE to Undergo State-of-the-Art Expansion

Entries must be postmarked by Wednesday, February 6 or hand-delivered to the Polk Senior Games office at 515 East Boulevard St. in Bartow by 5 PM on Friday, February 9.

Thirty-five sports and games are offered for men and women who are 50 and older. There's something for everyone, including: badminton, basketball, billiards, bocce, bowling, bridge, checkers, cribbage, dancing, darts, euchre, field events, fishing, golf, horseshoes, lawn bowling, pepper, pickleball, racquetball, 5K road race, Scrabble, senior smarts, shooting, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis and walking. Events take place throughout the county, but county residency is not required.

Entry fees are $8 for the first event and $3 for each additional event up to a maximum of $29. Some events have additional fees. Everyone receives a specially designed T-shirt and is invited to bring family and friends to the closing celebration at The Lakeland Center. Parking and admission at the closing celebration will be free.

The Games, and low entry fees, are made possible Gold and Founding Sponsor – Publix Super Markets Charities; Bronze Sponsors – James W. Sikes Family, CPS Investment Advisors, Winter Haven Hospital; Event Sponsors - Badminton –

Rudy & Camilla Gittens, Basketball 3 on 3 – Pengeo, Inc. dba KFC, Bowling - Central Florida Eye Associates, Bridge – Spring Haven Retirement, Checkers – The Mosaic Company, Euchre – Bethany Christian Church, Field Events – Clear Springs, Golf 18-Hole – Hill Nissan, Golf, Putt & Chip – Andy Bean, Lawn Bowling – Community Southern Bank, Racquetball - Southern Homes, Senior Smarts – The Palas Group, LLC, Shuffleboard – Herndon& Associates Insurance, Swimming – The Lakeland Rotary Club, Tennis – Colonial Bank, and Walking – Bartow Kiwanis.

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment (SSE) and incredible ICE announced today that the city of Coral Springs has unanimously (5-0) approved the 50,000 sq.-foot expansion of incredible ICE. The centerpiece of the new project is the addition of a third sheet of ice, along with the construction of a state-of-the-art training facility that will house the Florida Panthers hockey club.

The expansion of incredible ICE to three sheets of ice will make it one of the only triple-ice facilities south of Washington, D.C., thereby continuing the building’s commitment to being one of the top ice facilities in the country. incredible ICE will now be in a position to greatly expand its youth and adult hockey and figure skating programs, plus develop other new and exciting programs. The addition of a third sheet of ice instantly stamps incredible ICE as one of the nation’s premier venues for hosting larger scale hockey tournaments, skating competitions and other events. Additional upgrades to the facility will include four new general purpose locker rooms, more party rooms, and further improvements to its already renowned set of patron amenities.

incredible ICE will host the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships, May 16-18.

The third sheet of ice will be used as the Panthers official practice facility and will also be utilized for incredible ICE’s figure skating and recreational hockey programs, as well as the highly regarded Florida JR. Panthers travel hockey club.

“This is a monumental day for incredible ICE, the city of Coral Springs and the Florida Panthers,” Jeff Campol, VP & GM of incredible ICE said. “We are already at full capacity, 20 hours a day, 7 days a week – fall, winter, spring and summer. In the 11 years since we first opened, incredible ICE has been at the forefront of the growth of recreational hockey and figure skating in the southeastern United States. We’ve had to contain our programs, despite increasing demand. The addition of a third sheet of ice gives us tremendous flexibility to expand the depth and breadth of our programming while further strengthening the Florida Panthers’ brand. We will now be one of the premier ice facilities in the country, with the added ability to comfortably host every aspect of Panthers hockey in our new building.”

The new Florida Panthers training facility will feature numerous state-of-the art enhancements that include a full-sized exercise gym, staff offices, players lounge, locker room, meeting room, media work room, video room and off-ice training component.

Construction will begin in early 2008 and is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.

Incredible ICE is open seven days a week and currently is a 75,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, twin ice skating and entertainment facility. It has been named one of the ‘Coolest” rinks in America by the American Hockey Magazine as well as one of the “10 great places to cut a fine figure eight.” by USAToday. Over 500,000 people visit incredible ICE each year. For information on hockey leagues or skating programs please call 954-341-9956 or visit www.incredibleice.com.

ACC Football Championship Game Coming to Tampa Bay in 2008 and 2009! Priority Presale Ticket Program Now Available

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Commissioner John Swofford announced today that the ACC has awarded its 2008 and 2009 Football Championship Games to Tampa Bay.

"We are excited about the opportunity to not only host, but to also grow this game to a level that's befitting of the Atlantic Coast Conference," said Jeff Adams, chairman of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. "Based on the overwhelming support we have received from the Tampa Bay community, we are confident that we will meet and exceed the ACC's expectations."

The ACC's Football Championship Games on December 6, 2008 and December 5, 2009 will be held at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the annual Outback Bowl, as well as Super Bowls XXXV (2001) and XLIII (2009).

"As a former ACC student-athlete and as someone blessed to take the field in Tampa Bay on several Sundays each year, I can tell you that no community can provide the ACC's student-athletes with a better and more first class experience than ours, period," said Ronde Barber, special advisor to the ACC-Tampa Bay Football Partnership. "While the ACC Football Championship did not exist during my collegiate days, if I had gotten a chance to run through the tunnel of a sold out Raymond James Stadium to play for the ACC Championship, that would be a memory that would last a lifetime."

ACC football fans can now log on to www.ACCTampaBay.com to get the latest information on the 2008 and 2009 ACC Football Championship Games, and order tickets for the upcoming Championship Games while taking advantage of the priority presale ticket program.

"We're pleased to be able to announce the launch of ACCTampaBay.com which features our priority presale ticket program," said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. "The priority presale affords our outstanding community an exclusive opportunity to secure great seats to an unparallel football championship experience. We can't think of a better holiday gift for your favorite sports fan."

Florida State Golf Association announces 2008 Championship Schedule

The Florida State Golf Association has announced their 2008 Championship schedule which includes 25 State Championships and nine Winter Series events.

The 91^st Florida State Amateur Championship, the oldest continuous sporting event in the state of Florida, highlights the schedule at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta on June 19-22. Thirteen qualifiers across the state will be held between May 27 and June 10 for competitors to advance to the Championship. Players will compete on the Village and Hills course on the first two days with the final two days played on the Hills course.

The 59^th Florida State Four-Ball Championship will be held July 12-13 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. Eight regional qualifiers will be held between June 16 and July 2 to determine the field. TPC Sawgrass will also host the 2009 Amateur Championship.

Coral Creek Club in Placida will host the 27^th Florida State Mid-Amateur Championship on October 2-5. The Mid-Amateur will have nine regional qualifiers from September 3-17.

Now in its fifth season, the FSGA also conducts the Florida Junior Tour (FJT). The FJT is a junior golf tour offering highly competitive and affordable competitions for juniors in Florida. Please visit www.floridajuniortour.org to learn more.

The “Winter Series” events began in early December and will continue through April with a total of nine events. These competitions are great for those players who may not live in Florida year round while offering a highly competitive field.

The FSGA is now accepting entries for all 2008 State Championships. Please see www.fsga.org to register and for more information on the 2008 Championships.

2008 Schedule

Men’s Interclub Team, April 5-6, Victoria Hills Golf Club, DeLand

Senior (Qualifiers), April 15-17, Old Corkscrew Golf Club, Estero

Senior/Mid-Am Four-Ball, April 26-27 The Golf Club at Fiddlers Creek, Naples

Club Team, May 3-4, Golden Hills, Ocala/Juliette Falls, Dunnellon

Two-Man Shoot-Out, May 17-18, LPGA International, Daytona Beach

Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (North), May 31 - June 1, Windsor Parke Golf Club, Jacksonville

Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (South), May 31 - June 1, Hobe Sound Golf Club, Hobe Sound

Amateur (Qualifiers), June 19-22, Jupiter Hills Club, Tequesta

Senior Amateur Match Play, July 6-10, Golden Ocala Golf & Equest. Club, Ocala

Boys Junior (Qualifiers), July 7-9, Interlachen CC/CC of Orlando

Four-Ball (Qualifiers), July 12-13, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach

Public Links, July 18-20, Hunters Creek Golf Club, Orlando

Parent-Child, July 26-27, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista

Junior Match Play (16-18), July 28-31, Bear Lakes Country Club, West Palm Beach

Junior Match Play (13-15), July 28-31, Bear Lakes Country Club, West Palm Beach

Amateur Match Play (Qualifiers), August 7-10, Quail Valley Golf Club, Vero Beach

Junior Team, August 9-10, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista

Junior Florida Cup Invitational, August 13-14 , Palma Ceia G & CC, Tampa

Mid-Senior, August 15-17, Grand Harbor Golf & Bch Club, Vero Beach

Mid-Senior Four-Ball (North), September 13-14, Amelia River Golf Club, Amelia Island

Mid-Senior Four-Ball (South), September 13-14, Kensington G & CC, Naples

Mid-Amateur (Qualifiers), October 2-5, Coral Creek Club, Placida (Ft. Myers area)

Senior Four-Ball, October 7-8, Lost Tree Club, North Palm Beach

Mixed Team (FWSGA), October 11-12 , River Wilderness G & CC, Parrish (Tampa area)

Northwest Club Challenge, October 18-19, Santa Rosa G & Bch Club, Santa Rosa Beach

Southeastern Challenge Matches, October 18-19, Kiva Dunes, Gulf Shores, Alabama

Entries for all Championships are now open at www.fsga.org.

Dolphin cheerleader auditions to be held April 5^TH

Prep Classes Offered To Get Participants Ready

Ophthalmologists, teachers, marketing managers and attorneys are among the women who try out every year to become a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader, one of the most popular and prestigious cheerleaders in the NFL. Auditions for the 2008 squad will take place on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at Dolphin Stadium.

To get aspiring cheerleaders ready for the auditions, the Miami Dolphins are offering Prep Classes beginning February 6^th at their studio at the Dolphins Training Facility in Davie. Classes will include teaching the attendees stretching and warm-up techniques, dance combinations and other important requirements for the auditions.

Prep Class Sessions will be held Wednesday and Friday evenings, beginning Wednesday, February 6^th through Friday, April 4^th. Individual Prep Class Sessions are $25 each. Class is limited. Priority will be given to pre-registered attendees. A discounted rate is available for those who sign-up for the entire nine-week program.

To audition, attendees must be at least 18 years of age and attend school or work full-time. For more information and registration, visit MiamiDolphins.com and click on “Cheerleaders.”

Amateur Sports Accolades

FlaSports Calendar of Events this week, February 4-10