compiled by Lauren Salinero
The 17th annual Windermere 5K/10K Run Among the Lakes will be held April 14. The course runs along the Butler Chain of Lakes under a canopy of old oaks. All finishers receive a wine opener/stopper medal and custom T-shirt, featuring art by Florida Highwayman. Proceeds from the event benefit Windermere Parks and Recreation.
For more information or to register, visit sommersports.com/events/event-calendar/runs/windermere-5k-run-among-the-lakes.
Dr. Phillips High School’s women’s wrestling team won its second straight state championship. DPHS scored 305 points in the championship, nearly doubling the total of second-place Osceola High School, to complete an exceptional season, including a 9-0 dual meet record, championships in eight invitational tournaments, 15 state place-winners, and five individual state champions. Girls who took the individual state championships were sophomore Jessica Corredor, juniors Shania Gowan and Amani Guzman, freshman Aaliyah Hyacinthe, junior Shedeline Ulysse and senior Remy Vargas.
At the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championship in Gainesville, DPHS competitive cheerleading delivered a stunning performance in both the semifinal and championship rounds of the small varsity division to capture the state runner-up trophy for the third time in school history. The Panthers finished third in the Regional Championship, which qualified them for the state competition, but they had to perform twice. Their first performance was flawless, sending them into the final round, where they placed second overall, just 2 points shy of the winning team. The squad has placed in the top two at the State Championship in eight of the past 10 years. Congratulations to head coach Samantha Hoffman for leading the team to another excellent showing.
Holy Family Catholic School’s athletic director, Rese McNatt, was inducted to the Missouri State University Hall of Fame. McNatt was a three-year volleyball standout and two-year starter for the Bears. She was named to the Missouri Valley Conference all-league first team during both her junior and senior campaigns. She led MSU with 390 kills as a senior to rank among the school’s 20 best all-time seasons in that category. Coach Melissa Stokes’ Bears were 74-26 in McNatt’s three seasons and finished second once and third twice in Missouri Valley Conference tournament play. McNatt played professional volleyball for 13 seasons in seven different countries after graduating from MSU. She retired from professional volleyball in 2016 before joining Holy Family Catholic School.
The YMCA of Central Florida Water Polo Club hosts the second annual Polar Bear Water Polo Tournament.
Fifteen athletes ages 5-10 took their first “strokes” toward water polo stardom at the second annual Polar Bear Water Polo Tournament held at the YMCA Aquatic Center. First, the swimmers attended a clinic where they learned basic skills and rules, followed by a fun exhibition game. The YMCA of Central Florida Water Polo Club hosted the event to launch its Splashball League this spring, which will enable kids to play water polo by an adapted set of rules at their local
YMCA.
“Water polo builds on a child’s natural interest in water play,” said YCF head coach Andrew Gordon. “More kids in this age group are playing water polo now than ever before, and they are getting in a big head start since most athletes don’t begin until high school.”
Getting to this point has taken a lot of effort and cooperation among local coaches, YMCA pool directors and USA Water Polo representatives. YCF was awarded more than $3,000 through a USA WP grant program to purchase youth-sized equipment for new programs. Another key to the program’s success was adopting the Splashball format, which permits athletes to use floats as needed and prohibits contact. Splashball will be offered in the spring or summer at the Aquatic Center and Lake Nona, J. Douglas Williams, Osceola and Roper YMCAs.
The Spring Move60 Challenge, sponsored by Florida Blue, has just begun. Starting March 1, Central Floridians are encouraged to add more movement into their daily lives. With the Move60 Challenge, residents have more options to take healthy steps, while also having accountability, fun and the opportunity to win great prizes.
“Move60 is a simple and fun way to incorporate physical activity into your day,” said Yamile Luna, assistant vice president of Florida Hospital Community Impact and Volunteerism. “Whether it’s high-impact cardio or a relaxing walk, you get to decide what activities to participate in. The most important thing is to get up and get moving. The best part is you can enlist your friends, family or co-workers for fellowship, healthier living and accountability touch points along the way.”
The Move60 Challenge is free, and weekly prizes such as fitness gear and movie and restaurant gift certificates will be awarded for added incentive. Participants can sign up individually or recruit a team. Each registered participant receives a Move60 T-shirt and pedometer, while supplies last.
To join the challenge,visit hcf.walkertracker.com or healthycentralflorida.org.
The competitive cheerleading team at West Orange High School wins first place at the state championship regional meet.
West Orange High School’s competitive cheerleading team won first place in the large co-ed division at Florida High School Athletic Association’s 2018 Florida High School Competitive Cheerleading State Championships Regional Meet in Hudson. The team also traveled to Gainesville to
compete at finals.
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