What To Watch For This Week In Florida Sports (March 24-30)

WATCH FOR two Florida college basketball teams to continue their seasons this week with an eye on a National Championship.

The Florida Gators (34-2 and winners of 27 straight games) continue their run through March Madness, when they meet the UCLA Bruins (28-8) on Thursday night in Memphis, Tennessee with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight to meet the winner of the Dayton/Stanford game.

The Florida State Seminoles (21-13) have won two games in the National Invitational Tournament and meet the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (29-7) in Tallahassee Wednesday night. The winner advances to the Final Four to be played in New York City at Madison Square Garden.

WATCH FOR the final week of the Florida Grapefruit League as the 15 teams holding their Spring Training in Florida break camps and head to their home markets for the 162-game season. With only 20 games remaining from Wednesday through Saturday, over 1.3 million fans have attended 192 games so far this season.

Five teams have topped 100,000 total attendance already this season with the Atlanta Braves (ESPN Wide World of Sports-Walt Disney World), Boston Red Sox (Jet Blue Park-Fort Myers), Detroit Tigers (Joker Marchant Stadium-Lakeland), New York Yankees (Steinbrenner Field-Tampa) and Philadelphia Phillies (Bright House Field-Clearwater) hitting six figures.

The largest crowd of the 2014 season was recorded at Bright House Field when the Phillies hosted the Boston Red Sox before 11,210 fans on March 21. The New York Yankees game against the Red Sox on March 18 drew 11,032 fans.

The 2014 Florida Grapefruit League season has seen more games cancelled due to rain this year than the last three years combined. A total of 12 games have been lost to rain this season, compared to eight over the last three years combined.

WATCH FOR the 10th Anniversary of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg when the Indy cars fire up their engines on March 28 in downtown St. Petersburg.

The INDYCAR-sanctioned event is a 1.8 mile, 14-turn temporary street course that is one of the most respected motorsports races in North America, due to its combination of spectacular road courses, short ovals and exciting super-speedways.

Here’s a few storylines for Indy Car fans to follow as the cars racing through the streets of downtown St. Petersburg.

WATCH FOR more Sunshine State Games events to open up for online registration. Currently, the following three championship events, Lacrosse events and Sarasota County and Polk County Olympic-style Sports Festivals are available for amateur athletes to register online.

Sunshine State Games Basketball Championships, Alachua County, May 9-11
Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships, Ellenton Ice Complex, May 16-18
Sunshine State Games Lacrosse Series, Broward County, May 16-18
Sunshine State Games Lacrosse Series, Sarasota County, June 7-8
Sunshine State Games Sarasota County Festival, June 6-8
Sunshine State Games Polk County Festival, June 21-22
Sunshine State Games Water Polo Championships, Coral Springs, June 27-29

This year is the 35th Anniversary of the Sunshine State Games and is now in its fourth decade of providing amateur sports opportunities for Floridians. The 2014 Sunshine State Games is expected to attract over 10,000 athletes to its nearly 30 sport offered.

The Weekly “What to Watch For in Florida Sports,” is compiled by the Florida Sports Foundation, the state’s lead sports promotion and development organization. Follow the Florida Sports Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter #fla_sports. Visit http://www.flasports.com for more information about the Florida Sports Foundation and the vibrant sports industry in the Sunshine State. Florida is Where The World Comes to Play.

What To Watch For This Week In Florida Sports (February 17-23)

WATCH FOR Major League Baseball players to take the field for the first time in the 2014 season as full squads will be in action over the next few days.  If they’re not already.  Below is a listing of all 15 Florida Grapefruit League teams and their pre-season workout policies.  There is also contact information to confirm daily workouts.  Only one more week until teams hit the field against one another in preparation for another season.

Atlanta Braves – Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex
Daily workouts are held from approximately 9 AM to 2PM from February 19-25. Park admission is charged $16.50 for adults and $11.50 for children.  Once season opens practices are closed and gates open three hours before first pitch on gameday.  Call (407) 939-4263 for more information.

Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
Daily practices are open to the public from 9AM to 1PM with no parking charge. Practices are closed after February 27.  Gates open two hours before first pitch on gameday. Call (941) 893-6300 for more information.

Boston Red Sox – Jet Blue Park, Fort Myers
Daily practices are open to the public from 9AM to 1PM, with no parking charge, on practice fields adjacent to Jet Blue Park. Once regular season starts minor league games will be held on back fields with no admission charge. Call (239) 334-4700 for more information.

Detroit Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
Daily practices are open to the public in the mornings and into the afternoon with no parking charge on the practice field adjacent to Marchant Stadium until February 25. Call (863) 686-8075 for more information.

Houston Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 9AM to 1PM, until February 28.  Once season starts there is no access to practice field on gameday. Practice fields are open to the public on non-gamedays. Call (321) 697-3200 for more information.

Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals  – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 9AM to 1PM, until games begin.  Gates open at 11:30 a.m. on gameday.

Minnesota Twins – Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 9AM to 12 Noon until games begin. Minor league practice is open to the public on gameday with a parking change.  On non-gamedays, there will be no parking charge to attend minor league workouts. 

New York Mets – Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 9AM to 12 Noon until February 26. Call (772) 871-2115 for more information.

New York Yankees – Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge, beginning at 10AM.  There will be no access to the practice fields after February 25.  Gates open 2 hours prior to first pitch on gamedays. Call (813) 879-2244 for more information.

Philadelphia Phillies – Bright House Field, Clearwater
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 8AM to 12 Noon at the Carpenter Complex (651 North Coachman Road).  Gates open at Bright House Field at 10:30 a.m. on gamedays. Call (727) 467-4457 for more information.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Pirate City, Bradenton
Daily practices at Pirate City (1701 27th St E) are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 9AM to 12 Noon. Gates open at McKechnie Field 2 hours before first pitch on gamedays.  Call (941) 747-3031 for more information.

Tampa Bay Rays – Charlotte County Sports Complex, Port Charlotte
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge from 9:30 a.m. to 1PM. There will be a parking charge on gamedays.

Toronto Blue Jays – Dunedin
Daily practices at the Bobby Mattick Training Facility (1700 Solon Avenue, Dunedin, 34698) are open to the public, with no parking charge, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon.  Gates open at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium at 10:30 a.m. on gamedays.  Call (727) 734-8007 for more information.

Washington Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera
Daily practices are open to the public, with no parking charge from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon until the season starts.  Call (321) 633-4487 for more information.

Follow the 2014 Florida Grapefruit League season at www.floridagrapefruitleague.com and on Twitter @FlaSpringTrain.  The Florida ports Foundation is also offering a new Mobile App for Apple and Android Smartphones.  LInks to download the app can be found at www.floridagrapefruitleague.com.  It features schedules, stadium information and fans will receive notifications during the season about daily gameday promotions and weather updates if necessary during the 33 days of Florida Spring Training.

WATCH FOR Budweiser Speedweeks to continue at the “World Center of Racing,” the Daytona International Speedway.  A full schedule of racing takes place this week leading up to the 56th running of the Daytona 500.  Some of the biggest storylines of the weekend center around “The Great American Race.”

• Tony Stewart’s return to racing: The Sprint Unlimited marks Stewart’s long-awaited return to racing after suffering injuries in a sprint car accident in August 2013. Stewart, who is second on the all-time wins list at Daytona, is searching for his first DAYTONA 500 win in his 15th start in “The Great American Race.”
• Defending DAYTONA 500 champion: Coming off a sweep of both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Daytona in 2013, Jimmie Johnson is returning to the “World Center of Racing” attempting to become the first driver to capture back-to-back DAYTONA 500s since Sterling Marlin in 1994-95. A DAYTONA 500 win would put Johnson, who is the defending six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, alongside Jeff Gordon, Bobby Allison and Dale Jarrett as three-time DAYTONA 500 winners.
• Return of No. 3: Austin Dillon, grandson of team owner Richard Childress, will drive the legendary No. 3 car for the 2014 season. The historic No. 3 hasn’t been used in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition since 2001.

Find more storylines at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com as well as ticket information for the races of the week.

WATCH FOR Florida’s NBA teams to get back on the floor after the All Star Break last weekend.  The Miami Heat currently lead the Southeast Division with a 37-18 record and are second among Eastern Conference teams, behind the Indiana Pacers.  The Heat have road games to start the second half, at Dallas and Oklahoma City, before returning home to the American Airlines Arena for a four-game homestand.  Beginning February 23, the Heat play the Chicago Bulls, followed by the New York Knicks (February 27), Orlando Magic (March 1) and the Charlotte Bobcats (March 3).

The Orlando Magic, play six of their next seven games after the break, on the road but return to Amway Arena for a  home game against the New York Knicks on February 21. 

The March 1 game between the Heat and Magic will be the 99th regular season meeting between the two Florida teams.  The Heat hold a 54-44 regular season series edge over the Magic dating back to the 1989-90 season.  The Heat also hold a post-season edge over the Magic, 3-2, winning an Eastern Conference first round playoff series in 1997.

On the college hardwood, the Florida Gators are currently ranked second, behind the Syracuse Orangemen, in both the AP and USA Today College Basketball Polls.  With a 23-2 overall record and a 12-0 Southeastern Conference record, the Gators have won a school-record 17 consecutive games, dating back to a December 2 loss to Connecticut.  The Gators, with six regular season contests remaining,  are the only ranked Florida team among Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball teams.

We hope you have enjoyed the Weekly “What to Watch For in Florida Sports.” It is compiled by the Florida Sports Foundation, the state’s lead sports promotion and development organization. Follow the Florida Sports Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter #fla_sports. Visit http://www.flasports.com for more information about the Florida Sports Foundation and the vibrant sports industry in the Sunshine State. Florida is Where The World Comes to Play.
 

What To Watch For This Week In Florida Sports (November 18-24)

WATCH FOR the Florida International Senior Games & State Championships online registration website to be busy as the deadline the 2013 State Championships is Friday, November 22.

More than 1,100 senior athletes, age 50 and over, are currently registered and nearly 2,000 are expected to compete in 24 sports over the nine days of competition in Lee County, December 7-15.

To accommodate all of the senior athletes, volunteers are needed for all sports events throughout the week in Lee County.  Visit the Florida Senior Games volunteer page to find out the duties that will need to be performed.  All volunteers receive a free t-shirt for their time and talents.

Athletes registering will have the opportunity to be a part of a few new things to the 2013 Florida International Senior Games & State Championships.

The Coconut Point Florida Blue Center will host the return of the Celebration of Athletes, Saturday evening, December 14, beginning at 5:00 p.m. This event provides athletes the only opportunity to gather together as one over the nine days of competition.

All athletes and guests, who RSVP by December 7, are invited to join the festivities for vendors, food, music, guest speakers, entertainment and the presentation of the 2012 Athlete of the Year Awards to Linda Frisch, of The Villages, and James Richling, of Port St. Lucie.

It’s the only time Senior Games athletes will be able to swap tales of athletic accomplishments with new friends and best of all – IT’S FREE!

Earlier that day, the Coconut Point Florida Blue Center will host one of the two new sports to the 2013 Games as Bag Toss joins the Senior Games roster.  The competition will be held using United Bag Toss League Rules.

The other new sport to the 2013 Games is Golf Croquet, to be played Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 at the Estero Recreation Center.  

Finally, Masters Tennis will be introduced as a demo event of the Games, at Three Oaks Community Park in Fort Myers, Wednesday, December 10 and Thursday, December 11.  This event is taking place through a partnership with the Florida Sports Foundation and the United States Tennis Association-Florida Section (USTA Florida). The demo (Wednesday) and free play day (Thursday) is free to the public.

WATCH FOR more 2014 Florida Grapefruit League schedules to be released over the next few weeks.  Six teams have already posted full schedules at the Florida Grapefruit League Web Site and two teams have partial schedules posted.

Fans of the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves (partial schedule) and Toronto Blue Jays (partial schedule) can start making their plans now for the 2014 Florida Spring Training season.  

The season will begin the week of February 24, 2014 and run through the last week of March.  Keep checking www.floridagrapefruitleague.com for more schedules, ticket information and all the latest on the 2014 Florida Spring Training season. Follow the 100-day countdown to Florida Spring Training with a Fun Fact a Day on Twitter @FlaSpringTrain.

WATCH FOR more than 1,000 out-of-state visitors to come to Florida for a Florida Sports Foundation granted event.  The NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer National Championship is being held in Brevard County with 12 teams in competition through Saturday.

The 2013 National Championship, hosted by Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne and Space Coast Sports, welcomes teams from 11 other states.  Vying for the National Championship are Iowa Western; Paradise Valley (Arizona); Navarro (Texas); Darton State (Georgia); Butler (Kansas); Southern Maryland; Laramie County (Wyoming); Monroe College (New York); Owens (Ohio);  St. Louis (Missouri) and Lake County (Illinois).

Four pools of three teams with pool play through Wednesday, followed by two semifinal games on Friday.  The National Championship game will be played Saturday night at 7PM at Titan Stadium on the campus of Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne.

The Weekly “What to Watch For in Florida Sports,” is compiled by Florida Sports Foundation Director of Communications, Nick Gandy. Follow the Florida Sports Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter #fla_sports. Visit www.flasports.com for more information about the Florida Sports Foundation and the vibrant sports industry in the Sunshine State. Florida is Where The World Comes to Play.

What To Watch For This Week In Florida Sports (February 11 – 17)

Play Ball! in the Sunshine State – Florida Spring Training is now Open for Business

Today marks the unofficial opening of the 2013 Florida Spring Training season as the phrase “Pitchers and Catchers Report,” is fresh on the tongues of baseball fans everywhere.  It also marks the 125th Anniversary since the Washington Nationals ventured south to Jacksonville, Florida, becoming the first team to hold a pre-season warmup in the State of Florida.

Besides the normal storylines to follow of taking a look at off-season acquistions through trades and the free agent market and the minor league prospects who will be in opening days lineups in future years, here’s a few more storylines around the Florida Grapefruit League:

• The American League Champion Detroit Tigers return to Lakeland for their 77th year of pre-season preparation.  It is the longest-standing spring training relationship between a team and host community in Major League Baseball.
• The Washington Nationals hit the field in Viera after making their first post-season appearance since Baseball returned to the nation’s Capital in 2005 and marked the return of post-season baseball in Washington D.C. since 1933.
• McKechnie Field in Bradenton will unveil new amenities for the 2013 season at its season opening intrasquad game on February 22. Upgrades at the facility include adding 2,000 seats, a 19,000-square-foot wooden boardwalk with tiki bar, covered bleacher seats, a building in centerfield that includes a concession stand, and a luxury, two-level party deck in left field that accommodates up to 80 people. The downtown Bradenton location has served as the Pirates spring training home since 1969.
• On March 5 and 6, Florida Spring Training takes on an International flair as eight teams will host World Baseball Classic teams from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Spain.  The five teams will be playing at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico in Pool C of First Round Play of the World Baseball Classic, March 7-10.
• On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, Florida’s Spring Training history will be on display when the three longest-tenured communities host games.  The Washington Nationals visit the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland’s Joker Marchant Stadium, the Philadelphia Phillies host the Baltimore Orioles at Bright House Field in Clearwater and the Pittsburgh Pirates host the New York Yankees at McKechnie Field in Bradenton.  The three communities have combined for 189 years of hosting spring training teams (Lakeland 77 years, Clearwater 67 years, Bradenton 45 years).
• On the final full day of games, Thursday, March 28, the four largest capacity stadiums in Florida will host games when the New York Yankees play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Steinbrenner Field (capacity 11,076) in Tampa.  The Atlanta Braves host the Houston Astros at Champion Stadium (capacity 9,500, plus berm seating) in Lake Buena Vista, the Philadelphia Phillies meet the Toronto Blue Jays at Bright House Field (capacity 7,700, plus berm seating) in Clearwater and the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins hit the field at Jet Blue Stadium (capacity 11,000) in Fort Myers.

 As the season begins anew, sportswriters and broadcasters can now turn their eye to the baseball diamond.  Here’s a sample of the pre-season coverage for Florida Grapefruit League teams.

Spring Training is An Economic Home Run (Naples News, February 10).  Southwest Florida sportswriter Glenn Miller goes in depth at the benefits felt by Lee and Collier County when the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins come to town each spring.

Spring Training: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Washington Times, February 8).  Bob Taylor waxes poetically about how Baseball is an annual rite of spring and how for six weeks, from mid-February until early April, Florida comes alive with the sounds of horsehide balls being smacked into the sky by bats made of northern white ash.

Locals Working to Bring Second Team to Tradition Field (TC Palm, February 10).  A team of local officials are working with the Mets to come up with a solution — bring a second team to Mets Stadium, the latest moniker for the team’s stadium off St. Lucie West Boulevard.

Florida’s Sunshine State Games Opens Registration for First Sport of 2013 Calendar

Sunshine State Games Sport Shooting kicks off the 2013 Calendar of Events in April and registration is now open at Sunshine State Game Sport Shooting page of the Florida Sports Foundation website. 

The 11 Sport Shooting events begin on Saturday, April 13 and run through Sunday, May 19.  Nine different locations statewide will host Sunshine State Games Sport Shooting events.

Look for the full calendar of Sunshine State Games events as the State’s only Olympic-style Sports Festival begins its 34th year of competition in April. Nearly 30 sports will be offered between in May and June throughout the state.

Florida Sports Foundation Staff Make Themselves Known at National Senior Games Assoication Conference

The Florida Sports Foundation won the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) professional award for Promotion Materials at the recent NSGA Conference, held in Celebration. Staff members in attendance are pictured from left to right, Michael Washington, Stephen Rodriguez and Sarah Kirchberg.

The Games Promotion Packet includes a combination of items such as posters, flyers, brochures, newsletters, results booklets, registration materials, games programs, postcards, press releases and promotional spots utilized in the management or promotion of Local and/or State Senior Games that includes the NSGA logo.

Also honored at the conference was FSF Senior Vice President Stephen Rodriguez, who received the Warren Blaney Lifetime Achievement Award.  This award is presented biennially at the Annual Meeting to individuals meeting the appropriate criteria.

Those receiving the Warren Blaney Lifetime Achievement Award must have demonstrated a minimum of ten years involvement in Local and/or State Games. Shown significant contributions and dedicated commitment to the Senior Olympic Movement. Shown evidence of service in a leadership position(s) as a member of a Local /State Games Board and/or National Senior Games Board or Committee and remains actively involved in the local/state and or national movement.

Rodriguez was also elected as Chairman of the Board for the National Senior Games Association and will serve in the position for two years. He is shown above receiving the Chairman’s gavel from outgoing chair Dana Brown.

The Weekly “What to Watch For in Florida Sports,” is compiled by Florida Sports Foundation Director of Communications, Nick Gandy. Follow the Florida Sports Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter #fla_sports. Visit http://www.flasports.com for more information about the Florida Sports Foundation and the vibrant sports industry in the Sunshine State. Florida is Where The World Comes to Play.
 

 

 

What to Watch For This Week in Florida Sports (October 22-28, 2012)

NHL on hold – No action for Lightning and Panthers until at least November 2

The current absence of a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL Player’s Association and the NHL has cancelled a pre-season and three regular season games at the BB&T Center for the Florida Panthers.  The Tampa Bay Lightning has lost one pre-season and four regular season games at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

The National Hockey League announced Friday the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through November 1. A total of 135 regular-season games were scheduled for Oct. 11 through Nov. 1.

In his Lightning Strikes blog in the Tampa Bay Times, Damien Cristadero writes.  “It still leaves open the possibility of an 82-game schedule if the owners and Players’ Association can come to a quick resolution on a collective bargaining agreement and get training camps opened by Oct. 26.”

Detroit Tigers advance to 9^th World Series since calling Lakeland home for Spring Training

The Detroit Tigers began their 2012 season on March 3 with a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista.  The following day, the Braves visited Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland and were on the wrong end of an 18-3 loss to the Tigers.

The Tigers make their 12^th overall World Series appearance on Wednesday night against a still to be determined opponent.  It marks their ninth trip to the World Series since their inaugural spring training in Lakeland of 1934.

Game One of the 2012 World Series against the Cardinals/Giants will be the Tigers 200^th game of the season. The 2012 Florida Grapefruit League season was the Tigers 77^th in Lakeland.  It is the longest spring training partnership between a team and host community in Major League Baseball.

All boats lead to Fort Lauderdale

The 53^rd Annual Fort Lauderdale Boat Show will fill the waterways of South Florida from October 25-29 with more than 100,000 visitors/participants in Broward County.

The show has a $500 million economic impact in South Florida and attracts about 100,000 attendees annually, and this year runs from Thursday through Oct. 29 at six city sites.

A South Florida Sun-Sentinel article reported, the increased business locals as Fort Lauderdale’s Doris the Florist is seeing an uptick in requests this year for floral arrangements for boat show pre-parties, yacht interior décor and exhibitor booths, owner Doris McGee said. “This year is better than it was last year.” The show generates about 25 percent of yearly business, McGee said.

A 30 percent spike in demand for show accommodations in 2012 could bode well for area hotels, restaurants and transportation companies.

“The boat show brings a tremendous amount of business for us,” said Freddy Bousquet, general manager of Oasis Café on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The State of Florida has over 900,000 registered boats in its waterways and ranks first among nationwide boat registrations.

Florida’s Heat and Magic ready to tip off for 2012-13

The Orlando Magic and NBA Champion Miami Heat play their final pre-season games of the 2012-13 season Friday when the Magic host the Houston Rockets at Amway Arena and the Heat host the New Orleans Hornets at the American Airlines Arena.  The Heat open the regular season on Tuesday, October 30 against the Boston Celtics and the Magic’s regular season home opener is Friday, November 2 against the Denver Nuggets.

Both the Magic and Heat advanced to the 2012 Playoffs as the Magic finished with a 37-29 record.  Tthe Heat recorded a 46-20 regular season record before defeating the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics in the playoffs and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals in five games.

On Monday, October 29, the Magic will host an Open House Practice that is free and open to the public.  Doors open at the Amway Arena at 6:30 p.m. and the program for the evening begins at 6:45.  The event features an opportunity for fans to see players and coaches prepare for opening night, performances by the Magic Dancers and Stuff, ticket offers available for one night only and concession and team store specials.

In the 2011 Florida Specialty License Plate Rankings, the Heat, with their current success, were ranked 12^th in the State of Florida, of 120 total specialty plates, with over 25,000 sold.

Counting down to 2012 Florida International Senior Games & State Championship

Only three more local qualifiers remain for senior athletes to qualify for the 2012 Florida International Senior Games and State Championships.

 

Ormond Beach Senior Games
October 20–28, 2012

Martin County Senior Games
November 2–11, 2012

Golden Age Games
November 10–17, 2012

Over 400 athletes, age 50 and over, have currently registered for the 2012 Games to be held in Polk County, December 1-9, with action in 22 sports and events.  Three Sunshine State Games events will be held in conjunction with the Florida Senior Games competitions as Badminton, Powerlifting and a 5K Road Race will be held in Lakeland on Sunday, December 2 (Badminton) and Saturday, December 8 (Powerlifting and Road Race).

Total participation for the annual Florida International Senior Games & State Championships, now in its 21^st year, should reach 40,000 this year.

The 2012 Games are a qualifier for the 2013 National Senior Games, to be held in Cleveland Ohio, July 21-August 4, 2013.

What to Watch For This Week In Florida Sports, will be published each Monday by Florida Sports Foundation Director of Communications, Nick Gandy.  Follow the Florida Sports Foundation on Facebook and on Twitter #fla_sports.