Jay Welsh Repeats as Head Coach and more sports news …

compiled by Lauren Salinero


Jay Welsh kicks off another season as head coach of the Winter Garden Squeeze.

Florida League officials announced head coaches for the 2017 baseball season. The mission of Florida League is to help college athletes hone their skills on the diamond and gain valuable exposure to professional scouts before heading back to school in the fall. A key component to player growth is the leadership and ability of the head coach. The Winter Garden Squeeze will welcome back head coach Jay Welsh to his third year coaching the team, second year as head coach.

“I love being a part of each player’s baseball dreams,” coach Welsh said. “It may be a small part, but whether it is to go from a Juco to a D1, be a starter on their college team, or get drafted — I love playing a role in it. Last year, I had three players without scholarships play their way into money. That’s a great feeling. Our players are role models to the young ball players in the community. I believe this is where we make our biggest impression. It is fun to see the youngsters’ faces light up during camps or when they take the field with the team. I love the competition, being a part of the camaraderie among the players, and building relationships.”


The inaugural 2017 Give Kids The World Hope in One Celebrity Golf Classic presented by Holiday Inn Club Vacations will take place May 1 at The Golden Bear Club at Keenes Pointe in Windermere. Net proceeds will directly support the mission of Give Kids The World. GKTW Village fulfills the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families by providing weeklong, cost-free vacations to enjoy Central Florida’s theme parks and attractions. At the Village, they play, laugh and enjoy time with their families. For one amazing week, wish kids can set aside doctor appointments and hospital visits to just have fun.

“Our ultimate goal is to make magical memories for our wonderful guests,” said Southwest resident Pamela Landwirth, president and CEO of GKTW Village. “We are looking forward to this inaugural golf event, and we greatly appreciate the love and support we get from our community partners. Their contribution enables us to continue to provide the perfect vacation experience for these precious children and their families.”

Sponsorships and foursomes are available. For more information, visit www.hopeinonegolf.org on the web.


The Osceola Council on Aging Meals on Wheels program will participate in and host the national 2017 March for Meals campaign. The 5K event takes place March 18 and includes a 5K run/walk for individuals and/or corporate and family teams, largest and most-spirited team competitions, a free children’s run, silent auction and more. Plus, anyone who brings nonperishable food items for donation, will be entered into a special prize drawing.

The event takes place in downtown Kissimmee at Lakeview Park, located at 201 Lakeview Drive. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the run/walk starts at 8 a.m. The cost is $25 before March 1, $30 from March 2-16, or $35 the day of the event

For more information or to register, visit www.osceolagenerations.org on the web.


Dr. Phillips High School varsity cheerleaders win the 2016 Metro West title for the sixth time out of the past seven competitions.

Dr. Phillips High School’s varsity cheerleading team won the Metro West title for 2016. The squad has won the title in six of the last seven competitions. Ocoee High School placed third in the competition.

The Panthers will now advance to the Florida High School Athletic Association regional and state competitions.


Representatives of the Florida Fire Frogs, Central Florida’s minor league baseball team, announced times for all 70 of the team’s home games in 2017. The season begins with start times of 6:35 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 7:05 p.m. on Fridays, 4:05 p.m. on Saturdays and 1:05 p.m. on Sundays for April and May. In June, start times will switch to 7:05 p.m. for all Monday-Saturday games and 5:05 p.m. for Sunday games.

The Florida Fire Frogs are slated to make its Florida State League debut April 6 against the Daytona Tortugas. The team will open its inaugural season with a seven-game home stand, playing four games vs. Daytona and three against the Dunedin Blue Jays. Single game tickets go on sale Feb. 25.

For more information, visit www.floridafirefrogs.com on the web.


The Warrior Dash, a 5K obstacle course race that more than 3 million people have participated in since 2009, will kick off its ninth season at Revolution Off Road in Clermont on Feb. 11. The race includes 12 obstacles, including many signature obstacles, as well as new additions to challenge racers.

For the sixth consecutive year, Warrior Dash continues its philanthropic commitment with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Participants can sign up to raise funds as a St. Jude Warrior and gain access to the St. Jude VIP tent, with private showers and additional benefits.

All donations go to St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center. To register for the race, visit warriordash.com on the web.


The Dr. Phillips High School baseball team held its 12th annual golf tournament at Orange Tree Country Club. The event helps the program secure the necessary funding for the spring season through a silent auction.


The Florida High School Athletic Association released its Fall Sports Academic Team Championship standings. It measures the cumulative GPA of every team in each sport with a qualifying GPA of more than 3.0, and schools earn points for each team finishing in the top 10 of their sport.


For the fall season, Dr. Phillips High School’s women’s cross country program won its first Academic Team Championship with a cumulative GPA of 3.804, the best in the Metro West Conference, Orange County Public Schools, and the state of Florida. Congratulations to Sonoma Arnaldy, Sabrina Bahr, Isabela Bartczak, Roxanne Deisseroth, Valeria Reyes, Hannah Waddell and Sarah Zamot.


The women’s golf team placed second in the state with a cumulative GPA of 3.854, the highest team GPA at DPHS, in the Metro West Conference, and among OCPS schools.


The Panthers’ men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams placed in the top five in the state. The women’s team was fourth with a GPA of 3.626, and the men’s team was fifth with a 3.581 GPA. The women’s volleyball team won the Metro West Conference with a 3.372 GPA, and the men’s cross country was 12th in the state with a GPA of 3.398.


The Kiwanis Club of Dr. Phillips hosts its first golf tournament April 21 at MetroWest Golf Club. The shotgun start will be at 8:30 a.m.

A golf package includes a golf cart, breakfast and lunch, and the individual cost is $125 or $400 for a foursome. Hole sponsorships are also available. The registration deadline is April 14.

The club hopes to raise at least $5,000 in support of the start of a scholarship program and its service leadership programs and projects. Raffle prizes and items for goody bags are needed.

For more information, call Merissa or Dave at 407-207-9088 or email merissamartin@dseorl.com or daveschmitt@dseorl.com.


Although we try to ensure that all information presented above is the most current, correct and dependable available, we do rely on others for the source of our news. Therefore, the Southwest Orlando Bulletin and Kearney Publishing Corp. cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information presented here, nor does mentioning it constitute an endorsement. Sports information is welcome and may be mailed to P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL  34786; or emailed to Lauren@kearneypublishing.com. 💓