Checking in with Danell Leyva, U.S. Olympic Hopeful

Leyva is hoping to compete for gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games this summer.

This article is sponsored by Citi. Competitive gymnastics is a family business for Danell Leyva of North Lauderdale. His mother was a competitive gymnast growing up in Cuba and his stepfather, Yin Alvarez, is his coach.  At only 20 years old, Danell is on the U.S. Olympic Committee List of 2012 “Athletes to Watch” as he potentially heads to the London 2012 Olympic Games. He is one of the most promising stars in U.S. gymnastics, having become the 2012 American Cup champion, 2011 U.S. national all-around gold medalist and the 2011 world champion on the parallel bars. He also was the U.S. all-around, parallel bars and horizontal bar champion and a member of the 2009 and 2010 World Championships Teams. Adding to his list of accomplishments, …

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Should Hillsborough Trade Cruise Ships for the Rays?

A county commissioner has floated an idea that could benefit both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, according to the Tampa Bay Times: Send the Rays across the bay in return for Tampa's cruise ship business.

Here's an interesting plot twist in the ongoing conversation about where the Tampa Bay Rays' next home should be. Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist threw out this idea, according to the Tampa Bay Times: Send the Rays to Hillsborough County in exchange for Tampa's cruise ship business. According to the Times, the newest cruise megaships are too large to squeeze under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Hillsborough County is trying to figure out how to accommodate them, possibly with a new terminal outside Tampa. Meanwhile, the Rays have proposed to move out of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where they are currently contractually obligated to play through 2027. As reported in the Times, a coalition on the issue explored moving the …

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Holly Schwarzmann

9:12 am on Monday, May 7, 2012

I would be a season ticket holder in a heartbeat if I didn't have to drive all the way to St. Petersburg. I'm a huge Rays fan, but I can't make it to as many games as I would like because of the distance.   more ›

Freedom High Runner Wins 'Triple Crown' at Regionals

The Freedom Patriots have a star on the rise in Sandra Akachukwa.

  Leaping out from behind the shadow of Alonso's Quatasia Fantroy, Freedom High School junior Sandra Akachukwa took the coveted triple crown at regionals Wednesday night at Leto High School. The teen won first place in the long jump (17-7), the 100m (12.18), and the 200m (25.23). Oh, and she also came in second in the high jump at 5 feet 4 inches. She scored 38 points for her team on her own. "I'm so excited, I feel like all the hard work is showing in my performance," she said. There was never any doubt that she was going to win the 100m. She ran the fastest qualifying time at 12.43 seconds. Then she smashed her own personal record with a 12.18 second race in the final, three-tenths of a second ahead of second place. "My goal today was …

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Baseball Hall of Famer at Home in New Tampa

The lifelong resident has been a longtime coach at Wharton High School.

Hall of Famer Wade Boggs describes Tampa as a big city without a big-city feel. "It's a great place for kids to grow up,” he said. "I've always maintained a residence here in Tampa." Boggs' storied career started right here in Tampa. As a Plant Panther, "going to the state finals" was the highlight of a high school career that made him a seventh-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox. Boggs then spent six years in the minors before coming up to the majors for the Red Sox in 1982 and spent 18 years with the Sox, Yankees and Rays. He was admitted to the Hall of Fame in 2005 — the very same year his son Bret graduated from Wharton. This year marks Boggs' 11th year on Wharton's coaching staff, and seventh since his son left the New Tampa …

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Please Welcome the 'Commissioner of Patch Baseball'

All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira will offer regular features, provide baseball tips and answer your baseball questions throughout the 2012 season.

  Patch has appointed New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira as the Commissioner of Patch Baseball. The two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner will interact with Patch users on the company's network of more than 850 sites this baseball season by regularly responding to your questions, sharing baseball tips, and posting exclusive videos. Teixeira will also offer young athletes advice on how to stay in shape and why healthful eating is so important for optimal performance. “I live in a Patch town now and I keep tabs on my original hometown via the Patch site there, so I’ve seen the ways that Patch supports its communities,” Teixeira said. “I’m excited to be a part of that by connecting with Patch users who have the …

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Raequel Gadsden

5:36 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012

This is super cool, and I can't wait for his insight!   more ›

Bus Takes Rays Fans to the Trop

The No Excuses Tour bus picks up and drops off fans at two Lee Roy Selmon's locations, including the one in New Tampa.

  Here’s how it often goes with baseball fans in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel: They want to go to a Tampa Bay Rays game but soaring gas prices and distance become the excuses. Well, there is a solution.    Dubbed the No Excuses Tour, Lee Roy Selmon’s, JoeRaysFan.com and Paradise Worldwide Transportation have teamed up to offer a chauffeured luxury bus for fans going to the game. The price is $9.95 roundtrip and riders are picked up and dropped off at the Lee Roy Selmon’s on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in New Tampa. Given the price of gas and parking, the ticket is quite a bargain. “We like to call it the best deal in Tampa Bay sports,” said Steven Isbitts, who runs JoeRaysFan.com. “It’s not a money-maker.” The Rays open their season today …

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John Majeski

11:01 am on Monday, April 9, 2012

I agree that this is a fantastic idea! Can't beat the price and you get the benefit of camaraderie.   more ›

LSU Wants Wharton QB Chase Litton

Litton is part of the Class of 2014.

New Tampa Basketball Spat Caught on Tape

Hillsborough County Athletic Director and spectator exchange words during Freedom and Wharton game.

Wharton Teacher is Voice of the Wildcats

New Tampa Patch gets to know some the local heroes who help bind the community together.

  There's a term that's used around Wharton High School: "lifers." Lifers are teachers who have been there since the school opened in 1997. Among their ranks are football, track and wrestling coach David Mitchell, basketball coach Tom Tonelli, Culinary Department head Ed Bujarksi and theatre teacher Jas Warren. Included too in that group is English and TV Productions teacher Raoul Zayas. Zayas is not only a "lifer" teacher, he is the voice of the Wildcats. He is the basketball team's play-by-play announcer — the only one the school has ever had. He has called every game in the history of the school. Why is he so dedicated? "It's a lot of fun," said Zayas. "It started out by being good friends with Tonelli and just trying to help out. "But …

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Freedom Track is a Family Affair for Tedesco Sisters

The triplets and their older sister contribute four distance runners to Freedom High School.

Freedom High School was only built in 2001. Its track and field program is even younger. However, current coach Dwight Smith and his predecessor, Chris McCombs, have built a foundation that brings in some of the county's top runners. "Chris really put us on the map his first two years as head coach," said Smith. "Freedom attracted runners because of him." Smith was not only blessed with a great coach before him, he landed the Tedesco family. And when you consider that family contributes four solid freshman and sophomore distance runners, it's a pretty big deal. "It feels great to have such an influx of young talent to this already talented team," said Smith. Smith already commands a very strong girls track team as well as a cross country …

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