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 (November 25-December 1)

WATCH FOR the Florida State Seminoles, Central Florida Knights and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats continue their successful runs through the regular season and into the post-season. FSU closes out its regular season this weekend against the Florida Gators and await an opponent in the ACC Championship Game, December 7 in Charlotte, NC. UCF has two regular season games remaining against the South Florida Bulls and SMU Mustangs. With two wins, the Knights will be the American Conference Champions and be in line for a BCS Bowl Game.  Bethune-Cookman finished its regular season with a 10-2 record and is currently ranked 12th in the FCS Polls.  The Wildcats will meet the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the first round of the FCS Playoffs, Saturday in Conway, SC. Other Florida teams with post-season aspirations include the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Atlantic Owls. Follow the 2013 seasons of all 19 football teams in Florida at Florida Football Central.
 
WATCH FOR registration numbers to continue to climb past 1,700 as Online Registration deadlines have been extended for all sports except Tennis. Check the Florida International Senior Games & State Championships Sports and Registration page to see the updated registration deadlines. Most extended deadlines fall between November 29 and December 3. Once those deadlines pass schedules should start appearing on www.flasports.com.  As of Monday, November 25, a total of 1,618 Florida senior athletes, age 50 and over, have registered to compete at the 2013 Games, to be held in Lee County, December 7-15.
 
WATCH FOR one of the largest sporting events in the world to come to Palm Beach County when USA Field Hockey (USAFH) partners with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission to host the National Hockey Festival at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, over 260 teams, 4,400 athletes and 8,500 total visitors from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean will will contend for titles in women’s and men’s divisions, including women’s age group (Under 16 and Under 19), boy’s age group (Under 16), and women’s open and mixed (adult).

The International Polo Club maintains over 200 acres of land, consisting of nine (9) polo fields. The venue was a key ingredient in Palm Beach County’s successful bid. USA Field Hockey will layout 33 field hockey pitches over 6 polo fields.

Last year, the Festival generated $8.25 million of direct visitor spending and 11,569 hotel room nights to the local economy.  Due to the increase in teams for 2013, this year’s Festival is expected to increase. Palm Beach County has hosted a version of the National Hockey Festival eight (8) previous times.

WATCH FOR the final Florida Spring Training schedules to be announced as the 100-Day Countdown continues.  Currently 12 of the 15 Florida Grapefruit League teams have schedules posted.  The World Champion Boston Red Sox announced their schedule last week, which begins with the annual doubleheader game against hometown college teams, Northeastern and Boston University on February 27 at Jet Blue Park.
 
WATCH FOR thousands of Floridians to take to the streets on Thanksgiving morning for annual Turkey Trot Road Races throughout Florida before spending the day with family and friends. Miami’s Baptist Health South Florida Turkey Trot expects approximately 6,000 local residents to be at the start line at Tropical Park Thursday morning and more than 5,000 runners are expected to participate in the 38th Annual Tallahassee Turkey Trot. The Florida Sports Foundation wishes all Floridians a Happy Thanksgiving.

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 (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)

WATCH FOR a big week of buildup in the college football world as the third-ranked Florida State Seminoles host the sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes in Tallahassee on Saturday.

ESPN’s College Football Gameday will be live at Langford Green outside of Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday morning, the game will be televised nationally on ESPN Saturday night.

It will mark the first time the two teams have met while being ranked in the Top 10 since 2004 and both teams are undefeated with 7-0 records.

Give this week’s Florida Football Central a look to see the progress of Florida’s other ranked teams. The University of Central Florida Knights are currently ranked 19th in the Associated Press Poll, the highest ranking in school history. The 7-1 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats are ranked 13th in the FCS Poll.

WATCH FOR a big night at the American Airlines Arena Tuesday. Not only is it opening night of the 2013-14 season for the Miami Heat against the Chicago Bulls, the players will be presented with their 2013 NBA Championship Rings.

It’s their third banner-raising party in seven years, and the second one they’ll hold in a span of 12 months.

A pair of 3D videos that will turn the court into a theater screen and even the infamous yellow rope — which got attention for all the wrong reasons in Game 6 of last season’s NBA Finals against San Antonio — will be part of the show Tuesday when the Heat distribute their newest championship rings before the team’s season-opener against the Chicago Bulls.

WATCH FOR a second week of Ironman 70.3 Triathlons in the State of Florida. Panama City Beach hosts this weekend following up last weekend’s event in Miami.

Miami offered more than just a pretty backdrop as the first test of endurance began with a 1.2-mile swim through the harsh currents of Biscayne Bay. The cycling portion took racers toward the Everglades for a 56-mile roundtrip ride back to downtown. Racers finished the last 13.1 miles in a foot race to the finish at Bayfront Park.

In Panama City Beach, the swim takes place in the Gulf of Mexico and gives spectators a bird’s eye view of the entire course. Athletes are challenged by a fast, flat, one-loop bicycle course. Winds are typically light in the morning, but become more challenging later in the day.

The two-loop run course, while flat, has many turns throughout the local neighborhoods. The course also winds through St. Andrew’s State Park, a favorite among participants for its shaded areas and wildlife.

There are 50 qualifying slots for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, HI up for grabs in Panama City Beach. Both events were recipients of a Florida Sports Foundation Grant and are expected to bring over 21,000 out-of-state visitors and $14 million in economic impact.

WATCH FOR the final three qualifiers for the 2013 Florida International Senior Games & State Championships in Ormond Beach, Sanford and Martin County.

While the Ormond Beach Senior Games will be wrapping up this weekend, The Golden Age Games and Martin County Senior Games will be starting.

Sanford’s Golden Age Games are the “Nation’s Oldest Senior Games and begin on Saturday, November 2 and run for a week through Saturday, November 9.

Now in its 24th year, the Martin County Senior Games opens Friday, November 1 as well with approximately 600 athletes competing. The golf competition kicks things off at the Martin County Golf Course.

The 2013 Florida International Senior Games & State Championships Registration Book has been distributed statewide. Online Registration is available for athletes and the registration deadline is November 22. Approximately 2,000 athletes are expected to compete in the 22nd Annual Games in Lee County, December 7-15.

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 (September 30-October 6)

WATCH FOR two of Florida’s pro teams in the spotlight tonight as the undefeated Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints meet on Monday Night Football in the Louisiana Superdome.  The Tampa Bay Rays play Game 163 against the Texas Rangers in the Ballpark at Arlington with the winner advancing to the American League Wildcard Game.

The Dolphins are off to their best start since the 2002 season and five of the 9 current playoff teams began their seasons in Florida during the month of March in the Florida Grapefruit League.

WATCH FOR the number of Likes to grow on the newly-debuted Florida Senior Games Facebook page as senior athletes, age 50 and over register to compete in the 2013 Florida International Senior Games & State Championships in Lee County, December 7-15.

The page made its debut today and will be completely devoted to Senior Games updates, information and accomplishments.

There are still opportunities available for athletes to qualify at a Local Senior Games event between now and the registration deadline for the State Championships in mid-November

WATCH FOR the 2013 Ram Rodeo Series to ride into Kissimmee for the Wrangler Champions Challenge, hosted by the Silver Spurs Rodeo, Saturday, October 5.

Saddle up with the cowboys and gals at Silver Spurs Arena and enjoy the legendary sport of rodeo. 

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) offers up a special made-for-TV series of Champions Challenge rodeos this year on Great American Country (GAC), featuring 10 top competitors in each event and the sport’s best livestock.  

There’s even more rodeo on the Florida horizon as the Southeastern Circuit Rodeo Finals will be held in Davie November 7-10, 2013

WATCH FOR an old-school Florida soccer rivalry to be revived this weekend when the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies meet in Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium.

The matchup, also known as the Florida Derby, of the teams currently playing in the North American Soccer League, has spanned nearly one hundred matches across seven soccer leagues.  It has involved eight different franchises from the two regions of Florida.

A well-researched history of the rivalry dating back to 1975 can be found on Wikipedia. The two teams meet again on Saturday, October 12 at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg.

WATCH FOR Florida’s three entries in the AP Top 25 Poll to play conference games within the friendly confines of their home stadiums on Saturday.  Eighth-ranked Florida State hosts Maryland in Tallahassee’s Doak Campbell Stadium, #14 Miami meets Georgia Tech in Sun Life Stadium and Arkansas ventures into Gainesville’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to play #18 Florida.  Chart the progress of all 19 teams playing football in the Sunshine State at Florida Football Central.

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 (April 29-May 5)

WATCH FOR the Florida Thoroughbred Industry to make a mark on this weekend’s 139th running of the Roses at the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky

Florida Derby winner, Orb, was pegged by Bleacher Report as one of the biggest threats to win the first leg of the 2013 Triple Crown, having won its last four races.

Also running this weekend, that were a part of the March 30th Florida Derby at Hallandale’s Gulfstream Park, are Frac Daddy and Itsmyluckyday.  Verrazano, who won the Tampa Bay Derby and the Wood Memorial Stakes, has yet to finish second or worse in a single race.

WATCH FOR the Miami Heat to remind everyone why they’re heavy favorites to win a second straight NBA title, in an upcoming series against the winner of the Brooklyn Nets-Chicago Bulls series.

Despite Dwayne Wade being reduced to a spectator in Game Four, the Heat completed their sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Heat never trailed in an 88-77 victory, finishing the first-round series with a four straight double-digit wins.

The Heat resume play on Saturday, May 3, at the earliest.

WATCH FOR, in the coming months, the 28 Florida college players drafted in the 2013 NFL Draft, to make their mark on the fields of 17 NFL teams.  The Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins each selected three products of Florida colleges.

The Florida State Seminoles led the way with 11 players drafted while the Florida Gators had eight selections.  FSU’s 11 draft picks were the most of any team in the nation.

Also seeing players drafted was Florida International, South Florida, Miami, Central Florida and Florida A&M.

Round 1
E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State, Buffalo Bills
Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida, Minnesota Vikings
Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State, Indianapolis Colts
Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State Minnesota Vikings
Matt Elam, FS, Florida, Baltimore Ravens

Round 2
John Cyprien, FS, Florida International, Jacksonville Jaguars
Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State, San Francisco 49ers
Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State, Oakland Raiders
Jon Bostic, LB, Florida, Chicago Bears

Round 3
Jordan Reed, TE, Florida, Washington Redskins
Kayvon Webster, CB, South Florida, Denver Broncos

Round 4
Jelani Jenkins, LB, Florida, Miami Dolphins

Round 5
Brandon McGee, CB, Miami, St. Louis Rams
Chris Thompson, RB, Florida State, Washington Redskin
Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State, Washington Redskins
Mike Gillislee, RB, Florida, Miami Dolphins
Caleb Sturgis, K, Florida, Miami Dolphins

Round 6
Josh Evans, FS, Florida, Jacksonville Jaguars
Dustin Hopkins, K, Florida State, Buffalo Bills
Tourek Williams, DE, Florida International, San Diego Chargers
Nick Moody, OLB, Florida State, San Francisco 49ers
Latavius Murray, RB, Central Florida, Oakland Raiders
Mike James, RB, Miami, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vince Williams, LB, Florida State, Pittsburgh Steelers

Round 7
Everett Dawkins, DT, Florida State, Minnesota Vikings
B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida, San Francisco 49ers
Kemal Ishmael, South Florida, DB, Atlanta Falcons
Brandon Hepburn, Florida A&M, Detroit Lions

WATCH FOR Florida Amateur Athletes to showcase their talents in upcoming Sunshine State Games events and the 2013 National Senior Games.

During the months of May and June, thousands of Sunshine State Games athletes will be in competition in 25 different sports in more than 10 Florida locations. Online registration is open for the Alachua County Festival, June 7-9, the Polk County Festival, June 21-23 and all Sunshine State Games Championships.

With a May 1 registration deadline approaching, more than 500 Florida Senior athletes have registered to compete in the 2013 National Senior Games, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, July 19-August 1.

Best of luck to all of these athletes as they train for their upcoming competitions.

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 (March 18-24)

WATCH FOR the Miami Heat Win Streak to Reach Further Record Proportions

LeBron James hit a go-ahead jumper with 10.5 seconds remaining to cap a 37-point performance and the Miami Heat escaped with a 105-103 win over the Boston Celtics on Monday night for their 23rd straight win, breaking a tie for second with the 2007-08 Houston Rockets.

Miami’s next four opponents – Cleveland, Detroit, Charlotte and Orlando – have the four worst records in the East. The Heat need 11 more wins to surpass the mark the Lakers set in 1971-72 (33 games), and eight of their next 11 games are against teams with losing records. The biggest threat is San Antonio, which could be the 30th straight victim.

The Heat have already clinched a playoff berth by winning the Southeast Division with a 52-14 record. 

WATCH FOR Florida men’s and womens college teams in NCAA Tournament

Men
Florida Gators – 26-7, SEC Regular Season Champions, #3 seed, South Region First Round Opponent, in Austin, TX, Friday – Northwestern State (23-8)

Miami Hurricanes – 27-6, ACC Regular Season and Tournament Champions, #2 seed, East Region First Round Opponent, in Austin, TX, Friday – Pacific (22-12)

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles – 24-10, Atlantic Sun Champion, #15 seed, South Region First Round Opponent, in Philadelphia, PA, Friday – Georgetown (25-6)

Women
Florida State Seminoles – 22-9, ACC At-Large Selection, #8 Seed First Round Opponent, in Waco, TX, Sunday – Princeton University (22-6)

Miami Hurricanes – 21-10, ACC At-Large Selection, #8 Seed First Round Opponent, in Iowa City, IA, Sunday – Iowa (20-12)

South Florida Bulls – 21-10, Big East At-Large Selection, #10 Seed First Round Opponent, in Lubbock, TX, Saturday – Texas Tech (21-10)

Stetson Hatters – 24-8, Atlantic Sun Champion, #14 Seed First Round Opponent, in Columbus, OH, Saturday – UCLA (25-7)

WATCH FOR Florida Spring Training Baseball to continue it popularity with fans

With the Florida Grapefruit League season in full swing, total attendance at Florida’s 14 Major League Baseball Spring Training sites topped One Million on Sunday, March 17.  With an average daily attendance of more than 6,300 per game, the total has been climbing steadily since March 3.

Interesting storylines from the 2013 Florida Spring Training season include the Houston Astros first baseman Chris Carter who has been hitting monster home runs at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee and New York Mets lefthander Jonathan Niese, who is making a run at the number one starter spot in Port St. Lucie with a 0.71 ERA in three starts, while Johan Santana is sidelined with injury. The new-look Toronto Blue Jays are playing in front of capacity crowds at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin with crowds over 5,000 in the last seven games.

WATCH FOR the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to continue their World Baseball Classic success

The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico play in the World Baseball Classic Championship Game tonight after advancing out of the second round at Marlins Park in Miami. The six-game second round featured the Dominican Republic, Italy, Puerto Rico, and the United States and drew a total of 154,624 fans.

The games turned out to be just as much festivals as baseball games, according to Greg Stoda, of the Palm Beach Post. 

The games were contested as they were against a backdrop of an almost-constant buzz of celebratory noise from the Dominican and Puerto Rican fans.

“Surprised? No,” said Giancarlo Stanton, of the Miami Marlins. “it’s an international event. People bring flags and noisemakers for a reason. It’s a fun crowd to play in front of.”

To be sure, the WBC is center stage for passionate fans cheering players representing a homeland. Its appeal is unique.

“It’s a different feeling,” said Marlins President David Samson. “You can have the biggest game – a pennant-clinching game here – and it will not have this sort of national spirit that exists during the World Baseball Classic. The World Baseball Classic was (made for) this building.”

Tampa Bay Rays closer Fernando Rodney is a member of the Dominican Republic team and Rays catcher Jose Molina plays for Team Puerto Rico.

WATCH FOR the Florida Derby – Gulfstream Park’s biggest event set for March 30

Itsmyluckyday continues final preparations for his role as one of the favorites in the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, March 30.

By winning the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby by 6 ¾ lengths on New Year’s Day and the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at by two lengths Jan. 26, Itsmyluckyday will be running for a berth in the Kentucky Derby at Hallandale’s Florida Derby.

The Florida Derby turns 61 years old this year, and few races, if any, have had the impact on the sport’s fabled Triple Crown as Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino’s signature Grade I event.

Look through the old, faded charts and witness many of the greatest 3-year olds of the past six decades – Hall of Fame horses like Spectacular Bid, Alydar, Holy Bull, Northern Dancer, Nashua and Tim Tam. Look closer and recall the impact of recent Florida Derby winners like Barbaro and Big Brown.

In the first 61 runnings of the Florida Derby, 41 starters have gone on to win a remarkable 56 Triple Crown events. There have been 21 Kentucky Derby winners, 19 Preakness winners and 16 Belmont winners.

WATCH FOR former Florida’s Sunshine State Games swimmer Ryan Lochte’s Reality Show

Olympic gold medal swimmer and native of of Daytona Beach, Ryan Lochte, will star in his own Reality TV show on the “E” network beginning April 21.

E! Entertainment president Suzanne Kolb said, “He is an incredibly endearing personality who is sexy, entertaining and fun.”

Lochte began his road to Olympic stardom winning medals in the 2001 Sunshine State Games before earning All-American status at the Univeristy of Florida and gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

WATCH FOR Florida Sports Stars to be honored at upcoming Hall of Fame Inductions

Over the next three months, three different Florida locales will host Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies to highlight the accomplishments of a varity of athletes.

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission announces its 2013 Sports Hall of Fame inductees. The ten inductees will join a legendary list, dating back to 1977, of those that have achieved excellence in the world of sports. The induction ceremony will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on the evening of March 24.

2013 Inductees include Dave Barnhart – Palm Beach High School 1964 football team; Kimmy Carter Bloemers – Softball player, Cardinal Newman High School in 1995. Kimmy and Gary Carter are the first father and daughter head coaches in NCAA history at Palm Beach Atlantic; Gene Callaway – Palm Beach High School Multi-sport athlete graduating in 1951; Robert Harris – football player at Suncoast High School in 1986 and 1987; Sam Howell – football and baseball standout for Cardinal Newman High School; Gregory Lowery – outstanding basketball player in Palm Beach County; Louis Oliver – star football player at Glades Central High School from 1981 to 1984; Dana Quigley –  “Ironman” of the PGA Champions Tour; Andy Roddick – Boca Prep International School product who became the world’s #1 ranked junior tennis player; Tim Rosaforte – preeminent golf journalist and television commentator

City of Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown announced the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena will host the 2013 Florida Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 27.

The 10-member class has a distinct Jacksonville flair, headlined by Atlanta Braves baseball star Chipper Jones, PGA Tour winner Mark McCumber, tennis star Brian Gottfried, football coaching legend Corky Rogers, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor and NASCAR star LeeRoy Yarbrough. Joining the Jacksonville-connected honorees are Brooke Bennett (swimming), Pete Clemons (rodeo), Tim Hardaway (basketball) and Gabrielle Reece (volleyball).

“For more than 50 years, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame has been recognizing Florida’s greatest sports figures, and this year is no exception,” said Rick Dantzler, president of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. ”

Tickets are on sale now through the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) announced the Class of 2013.

The ten individuals selected for induction are: Swimmers Gary Hall, Jr. (USA), Pieter Van Den Hoogenband (NED), Yana Klochkova (UKR) and Dagmar Hase (GER); Diver Hu Jia (CHN); Synchronized Swimmer Nathalie Schneyder (USA); Water Polo Player Milivoj Bebic (YUG, CRO); Open Water Swimmer Cliff Lumsdon CAN); Coach Alberto Castagnetti (ITA) and in the Contributor category, Peter Montgomery (AUS).

The class of 2013 will be formally inducted at the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s 49th Annual Induction Ceremonies on Saturday, May 11th in Fort Lauderdale.

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.