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Eleven Area Athletes Bring Home Summer Games Medals

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 5, 2008

ORLANDO - ORLANDO - Eleven athletes from the Brandon Tennis for Fun program at the Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center qualified for and participated in the 36th Annual Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games on May 16 and 17 at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando.

Nine competed in the tennis individual skills division and two in singles matches. All 11 won gold, silver or bronze medals.

Twin brothers Bryan and Ryan Fisher of Riverview were in an eight-man draw, said Judy Moore, coordinator of the Tennis for Fun program. The organizers purposely started the boys in separate groups so they would not have to compete against each other to climb the ladder. However, each reached the finals, so the ultimate contest was brother against brother.

Ryan won the gold medal, and Bryan won the silver.

"How exciting to have our Riverview athletes win the gold and silver medals!" Moore said.

The other winners were gold medalists Justin Carson and Alexis Councill; silver medalists Jessica Wetherington, Mary Slattery and Ashley Forcke; and bronze medalists Guillermo Rivera, Gage Whisenand, John Quinones and Ryan Rupp.

Quinones also received a special commendation at the closing ceremonies, Hillsborough County's Inspirational Athlete medal.

Tennis for Fun is free for special-needs athletes. It promotes exercise and socialization and teaches basic tennis skills. Court time is donated by the Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center, 405 Beverly Blvd., Brandon.

Teenage and adult volunteers are needed to help at the clinics, which are offered from 4 to 5 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Fridays November through April.

For information, or to volunteer, call Moore at (813) 685-3923 or (813) 417-3751 or go to www.tennisforfun.org.

Softball Pitcher Makes History

VALRICO - Every year, boys ages 7 to 14 participate in Major League Baseball's free Pitch, Hit and Run competition. This year, for the first time, in 10 trial markets, including West Central Florida, girls were invited to a softball version of Pitch, Hit and Run.

Pitcher Raelynn Nichols of Valrico won the Super Regionals in the 13- and 14-year-old category June 15 in Winter Haven and will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the Major League Baseball All-Star game July 15 at Yankee Stadium in New York.

In the qualifying competitions held at the Bloomingdale Little League ball park in Valrico, the athletes pitched, aiming to hit the MLB strike zone; batted, trying to send the ball as far and accurately as possible; and ran home from second base as fast as they could.

The best performer in each of the three competitions in each age group at the local level moved on to Super Regionals. Scores of the top 10 performers in each category at the Super Regionals were compared, and the winners will go to the All-Star game.

Raelynne thanked her father, Eric Nichols, and her pitching coach, Lou DiPietro.

"I got, like, everything from my dad," Raelynn said. "My dad taught me everything I know. And my pitching coach, Louie. He helped me a lot, too."

She said she wears No. 9 because that was the number her cousin Brittany Wilson wore while playing volleyball in high school, and Raelynn has always looked up to her.

"Sometimes I help my little cousin pitch. She's learning to be a pitcher. She's becoming a little me," she said.

"I've been through a lot of stuff," she said. "I dove for a ground ball and fractured my shoulder this year in a Plant City tournament."

She was out of commission for a few weeks, said her mom, Patricia Nichols, who will accompany her to New York.

"My mom, dad and sisters are very supportive and come to all Raelynn's games," Nichols said, adding Raelynn's 18-year-old brother, Travis, also is an avid supporter.

Mia Giovenco of Valrico won in the 7- and 8-year-old category in the Super Regionals but will not advance to New York.

Mike Bell, vice president and 14U manager of Florida Fire Fastpitch Softball, organized the local Pitch, Hit and Run contest in May at the Bloomingdale field.

The girls assembled from "wherever," Bell said, but "many are part of Florida Fire and come primarily from Lithia, FishHawk, Valrico and Bloomingdale."

The all-around softball champion of the 7- and 8-year-old level at the local level was Jesse Locke, who also was champion in the pitch and run contests. Giovenco was champion in the batting competition.

Annie Tarte was all-around champion of the 9- and 10-year-old players at the local level. She won the running event and tied with Cassidy Davis in the pitching competition. Kasey Locke won the hitting event.

Of the 11- and 12-year olds, Bell's daughter Shannon was all-around and running champion. Jordan Shook and Rachel Farinas tied for pitching champion, and Madison Taylor was batting champion.

Raelynn was all-around champion in the 13- to 14-year-old category in the local contest. She won the running competition and tied Jordan Alexander in the pitching contest. Olivia Cuellar won the batting event.

For information, go to http://floridafire.net.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampabay.rr.com or call (813) 657-4531.

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