Area parks hosting events
This weekend, Florida USSSA Baseball will host its Turkey Shootout Tournament on the fields at Mike Sansone Park, Ellis-Methvin Park and the MLK Rec Complex. Games start from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Next weekend, the inaugural Plant City Dolphins Strawberry Jam Turkey Bowl comes to the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex. The action starts at 9 a.m. Nov. 29 and the tourney will continue through Dec. 1.
Local athletes in Special Olympics
Plant City-area athletes represented the Raiders at the 2019 Special Olympics Florida State Fall Classic over the weekend.
Though the softball team lost its Nov. 15 opener, the team played well the following day to get on the winning end of the scoreboard and finished with enough points to take home s silver medal in a three-way tie.
Meanwhile, R.J. Gardner had a great day in the weight room, winning gold and setting a record for his weight class with a 160-pound dead lift. He also bench pressed 74 pounds.
Football frenzy coming to Otis M. Andrews complex
The home of the Plant City Dolphins will soon be the home of the Strawberry Jam Turkey Bowl football tournament, coming to Buddy Bennett Field from Nov. 29-Dec. 1.
The inaugural event is hosted by the Plant City Dolphins and will give the teams some practice before the 2019 United Youth Football League National Championships, which will be back in town at Ellis-Methvin Park from Dec. 8-13.
Sign up for youth basketball, fishing
Registration for both the Plant City Recreation and Parks Department/Optimist Youth Basketball Program and the annual Fall Youth Fishing Derby are now open.
The PCRPD/Optimist basketball league is set to enter its 51st season of play starting in early January. The season will run through late February with games played at Marshall and Tomlin middle schools. The league is for all area youths age 8-16 (as of March 1) and is divided into six age groups. Games are played on weeknights and Saturdays depending on the age group. Last year, the program fielded 22 teams with roughly 220 players.
Registration costs $35 per player and covers uniform and insurance expenses. The league is also looking for coaches. Sign up by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the PCRPD office, 1904 S. Park Road, or mail in a registration form and payment. The form can be obtained by emailing recinfo@plantcitygov.com or by calling 813-659-4255.
The Fall Youth Fishing Derby comes back to the pond behind Plant City Stadium and the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex bright and early Dec. 7. The annual free event is for anglers age 5-15 and runs from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Participants are asked to bring their own fishing equipment, bait and buckets for the catch-and-release event, though past winners have often walked away with brand new gear to go with their trophies.
You can pre-register online at plantcitygov.com or at the PCRPD office by Dec. 5, or sign up on-site from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. on derby day. For more information, contact program manager Deborah Haldane at dhaldane@plantcitygov.com or at 813-659-4255.