During Richard “Rick” Odekirk’s playing days as a professional baseball pitcher, he heard constant criticisms from fans in the crowd. “When I was having a bad outing, I would hear people tell me how lousy I was,” Odekirk said. “They would say how they could do a better job if they had the opportunity.” After […]
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SHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Pro soccer short-lived in Plant City
Longtime Plant City residents will never forget the decade when the Cincinnati Reds called Plant City home during the spring. Few, however, will remember the time when the facility hosted a professional soccer franchise. It seems VisionPro Sports Institute’s time in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World will be short-lived. After two request for […]
Continue ReadingJourney to Williamsport ends early for Majors
The Plant City Little League Majors entered this season with high expectations, unknowing of the bitter taste of defeat. That’s because they rarely experienced the feeling. The team entered this season having only lost one game in the previous two seasons. Seasons that saw them go as far as possible and win the district, sectional, […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Dean Collins
Plant City resident Dean Collins has been playing baseball for most his life. The 13-year-old Shiloh Middle School student recently wrapped up an All-Star season with the South Lakeland All-Stars in the Babe Ruth league, where the catcher had the opportunity to try out his arm from behind the plate. How long have you been […]
Continue ReadingIN PHOTOS: PCHS Cheer Camp
Plant City High School and PCHS head cheerleading coach Karen Snapp held the 2013 Girls Cheer Clinic July 30 and 31 in the Plant City High School gym. The camp was for girls in three age groups: 4 to 6, 7 to 10 and 11 to 13. The camp taught cheerleading basics, as well as […]
Continue ReadingIN PHOTOS: Plant City Flag Football Tournament
The fourth annual Plant City Flag Football Tournament kicked off Saturday at Otis M. Andrews Park. Nine teams took part in the tournament with pool play. A single elimination tournament will begin Sunday. Plant City High, going by the nickname Vandals, got off to a great start in pool play, winning its first two games, […]
Continue ReadingIN PHOTOS: Next Level Evaluation Camp
Next Level Recruiting held its first senior evaluation camp Friday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center in Plant City. Athletes from area schools took part in the camp, which ran the football players through various drills in preparation for regional and national combines, where college coaches often discover athletes. The athletes were also […]
Continue ReadingPlant City girls to hit gridiron for summer tourney
Since flag football became an official sport under the FHSAA in 2006, Plant City High has been one of the winningest programs in the state. For the past three years, head coach Larry Langston has held a summer tournament for high school teams to tune up and stay in shape before the school year begins. […]
Continue ReadingDylan Varn to compete in National Motocross Championship
Dylan Varn isn’t your typical 10-year-old. At just 4 years old, the Plant City resident learned how to ride a bicycle, a typical feat for a young boy. But two years earlier, he began riding a more powerful bike — and he hasn’t stopped since. “He learned how to ride his motorcycle before his regular […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Big League Dreams has potential
Fifteen years after the Cincinnati Reds left the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, a major league ballpark may soon call Plant City home. OK, so technically, it’s not an actual major league park, but it will look like one — albeit a smaller version. After it received two request for proposals for a sale […]
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