SunRidge Boys Basketball Team Wins First Championship … and more news

compiled by Lauren Salinero


Winter Garden resident and Whispering Oak Elementary School student Shawn Coultoff is named the boys U.S. Kids Golf 2016 Player of the Year.

U.S. Kids Golf officials announced their 2016 player-of-the-year honorees. The awards are presented to the top-rated boy and girl for their competitive golf season. This year’s boy winner is Shawn Coultoff of Winter Garden. To be eligible, players must earn player-of-the-year honors at a U.S. Kids Golf local tour in the U.S. This is done by winning the local tour points standings and competing in four or more events within a season from the previous year’s summer season through the current year’s spring season. Players must participate in an 18-hole age group during the U.S. Kids World Championship.

Coultoff began swinging his first golf club at age 2 and was introduced to the game of golf by his father, who played collegiate golf and seven years of professional golf. The 10-year-old has finished first in more than 65 tournaments, including 21 in 2016. He finished 8 under par during the 2016 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship, placing second in the boys 9 division. He also plays in the Junior Magic Basketball League, plays tennis and soccer, studies piano, is an avid reader, and is currently a fourth-grade honor roll student at Whispering Oak Elementary School.


The seventh annual Dawn Brancheau Foundation Dream Big 5K will take place April 22 at 7:30 a.m. at SeaWorld Orlando. The Dawn Brancheau Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children and animals in need, inspiring others to follow their dreams, and promoting the importance of community service.

This year’s proceeds will be used to install a pool heater for Audrey’s Pool at Give Kids The World, purchase comfortable family room furniture for the girls and boys at Central Florida Children’s Home, supply Montessori learning materials to the Firm Foundation Preschool at Matthew’s Hope, construct Dawn’s Nature Trail and Gazebo at Harbor House of Central Florida, provide swim lessons for Head Start children serviced by Swimming for Life, and provide for Dawn’s Garden, birthday celebrations and a home-improvement shopping spree for Edgewood Children’s Ranch. For the animals, the foundation will purchase medical equipment for Osceola County Animal Services and fund a day of free spay-and-neuter services for Dolly’s Foundation, Pet Alliance of Orlando, and Snip-it.

For more information or to register for the event, email dawnsfoundation@gmail.com, or visit dreambig5k2017.kintera.org or www.dawnsfoundation.org.


Girls on the Run at Whispering Oak Elementary School completes its season with the Orlando Utilities Commission 5K.

After months of training, Whispering Oak Elementary School’s Girls on the Run ran in the Orlando Utilities Commission 5K. Each team member had a running buddy, a teacher or family member who volunteered to run along with them. Head coach Jennifer Russell, who is also a second-grade teacher, was helped by coaches/teachers Nicole Felton, Christie Jewell, Liz LeonRamirez and Michele Tanski.

Girls on the Run is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. Teams meet twice a week to learn life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. At the end of each season, the girls and their running buddies complete a 5K, which gives them a tangible sense of achievement, as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals.


The First Tee of Central Florida kicked off the youth development organization’s Spring Life Skills Experience Clinics. Participants ages 7-17 are encouraged to register for the nine-week series of clinics, which will be offered at MetroWest Golf Club and meet once a week for about an hour and a half. The series runs through June 1.

The First Tee of Central Florida provides educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy habits through the game of golf.

For more information, visit www.thefirstteecfl.org/programs.


The Holy Family Catholic School junior junior varsity boys basketball team scores two championships.

The Holy Family Catholic School junior junior varsity boys basketball team earned two championships after a regular season of 11 wins, 2 losses. First, they became the Catholic Youth Sports champions by defeating the St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School team 27-16. Then, the team took the Diocese Championship in Daytona Beach with a win over St. Brendan’s Catholic School and a game score of 42-23.

Congratulations to the Lions, who balance their faith, good sportsmanship and a competitive spirit in everything they do.


Orlando Executive Airport at 365 Rickenbacker Drive in Orlando will host the seventh annual Run for the Angels 5K on April 15. The race begins at 8 a.m. after a special warmup session hosted by Sonia from eMotions Florida dance fitness. There also will be a kids race, visit by the Easter Bunny, helicopter rides and more.

All proceeds benefit Angel Flight Southeast, which has the mission of arranging free flights for children and adults to have access to the far-from-home doctors that save their lives.

For more information and to register, visit www.angelflightse.org/events.


For the seventh consecutive year, the Dr. Phillips High School men’s water polo team won the Metro West Conference championship. Max Meisenheimer scored seven of the Panthers’ 12 goals and picked up three steals along the way. Dan Magrino scored twice and assisted on five goals with Alex Kaiser, Jake Meisenheimer and James Sweet collecting a goal each. Tyler Haugh had seven saves, two assists and a steal.


The DPHS women’s lacrosse team won its first Metro West Conference championship since 2012. Mary Sosebee scored a career-high eight goals in the 21-5 game. Elyse Decker scored two goals and assisted on four of the Panthers’ first eight scores. Piper Johnson had five goals, and Zariah Durham, Yasmeen Garib, Lindsey Goldberg and Michelle McGrath each scored one goal.


SunRidge Middle School Athletic Director Tony Williams (second from right) and Dean Russell Williams (far right) join coach Alex Miranda (far left) and the boys basketball team in celebrating its first county championship.

The SunRidge Middle School’s boys basketball team won its first county championship and finished a perfect 10-0 season. The Eagles were led to victory by coach Alex Miranda. They played against Carver Middle School, with the game ending in a score of 45-37.


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