Area parks hosting tourneys
Global Sports Alliance Baseball’s Florida Gulf Coast League action is coming to Plant City for back-to-back weekends of tournament play.
The GSA event will use multiple fields at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex and Mike Sansone Park this Saturday and Sunday as well as Aug. 24 and 25. The tourney action has start times from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.
City flag football registration starts up
The 53rd season of the Plant City Recreation and Parks Department/Optimist Youth Flag Football Program is nearly here and all area boys and girls age 4-15 (as of Nov. 1, 2019) can sign up now.
Kids in five age groups play Saturday mornings at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2602 E. Cherry St., from Sept. 14 through Nov. 2. There are no practices, no pads and no coaches — teams have weekly meetings and “instructing officials” make sure everyone on every team has the chance to make a play with the ball. The department advertises the league as a means to “provide basic training in football skills and rules along with positive leadership to build the character and overall citizenship of the players.”
The cost is $35 per player for the eight-game season and that includes accident insurance and a jersey. Register by Aug. 28 at the PCRPD’s main office, 1904 S. Park Road. Call 813-659-4255 for more information.
Sign up for TOPSoccer
The Outreach Program for Soccer (TOPSoccer) is hosting sign-ups soon and Plant City-area players are welcome to join.
The Brandon-based league, which caters to special needs players age 5 and up, will begin registering players Aug. 9 at the West Florida Flames Soccer League fields, 3104 S. Kings Ave., Brandon. Athletes can sign up from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
All players are required to have a copy of their IEP at registration. High schoolers and adults interested in volunteering are asked to attend one of the registrations.
TOPSoccer uses a “relaxed format” with no practices, scorekeeping or team standings and rankings. The program is free for families thanks to sponsors’ support. The season begins Sept. 7 and ends Nov. 16.
For more information, call Ken Muzyk at (813) 657-5271 or email Fred Englehardt at brandontops@aol.com. TOPSoccer also has a Facebook page, facebook.com/BrandonTOPSoccer, that is updated regularly.