Rachael Howard, a goalie for the Oldsmar girls under-18 soccer club, will be traveling to Europe in the spring for a two-week tour to train with some of the world's premier teams. Howard, her parents, and Kai Velmer, her goaltending trainer, will visit Germany, Holland, France and Switzerland. In what will be the highlight of the trip according to Chris Whitaker, vice-president of marketing and public relations for the Oldsmar club, Howard will work out with German national team goalkeeper Silke Rottenberg.
Rottenberg led the Germans to the 2003 World Cup, including a 3-0 shutout against the United States in a semifinal. In addition to her club duties, Howard was the starting goalie for St. Petersburg High School. She plans to send back frequent e-mails and photos, which will be posted on the Oldsmar team's website, www.oldsmarsoccer.org GYMNASTICS: The Apollo School of Gymnastics boys program competed in the Florida West Coast Invite in Tampa on Feb. 14.
The organization's USAG Class 4 team finished second, and the Class 6 squad took fourth.
In Class 4 competition, Jordan Loscalzo captured second all-around, including a victory on the pommel horse and a second-place performance on the parallel bars.
Sterling Jackson was third all-around after taking first on the rings and high bar, second on the vault and fourth in the floor exercise. Grant Brittain was third on the bars and pommel horse.
Travis Lombardi finished third all-around in Class 6. He was second on the rings, third on the pommel horse and bars and fourth on the floor and vault.
Apollo's Class 7 AAU team competed in the second AAU Qualifier in Tampa on Feb. 14.
Joey Cortese was an all-around runnerup, including first on the pommel horse and third on bars, rings and high bar. Trey Lago took third all-around after ending up second on the bars, rings and high bar and third on pommel horse.
Matthew Endo finished fourth all-around with a third on the floor and fourth on pommel horse and bars.
The optional girls program from Gemini School of Gymnastics in Oldsmar participated in the Gasparilla Classic at Tropicana Field on Feb. 27-29.
The Level 7 team captured first and was led by Sarah Zoldos and Lauryn Kannard.
Zoldos won all-around (38.025), including a first on the vault (9.425), bars (9.750) and balance beam (9.425) and third on floor (9.425). Kannard was second all-around (37.350) after taking second on the vault (9.675) and floor (9.200) and third on bars (9.225) and balance beam (9.250).
Other top finishers were Rachel Coderre (second on bars, 9.700), Christina Gunther (fifth on vault, 9.100) and Ariana Segal (seventh on bars, 8.050).
Gemini's Level 9 squad was 10th in the competition.
Elizabeth Dupell took third all-around (35.100), including first on the floor (9.075), second on vault (9.200), fifth on bars (8.575) and seventh on balance beam (8.250).
Amy Ferguson finished fifth all-around (34.725). She was third on the bars (8.675), fourth on floor (8.900), fifth on balance beam (8.350) and sixth on vault (8.800).
LaFleurs of Largo competed in the Daytona Beach Open Gymnastics Meet on Feb. 21-22. The Level 8 team finished first and was sparked by strong performances from Brynn Fullmer, Lisa Leone and Danielle Kazakos.
Fullmer captured first all-around and on the floor and vault. She was third on the balance beam and fourth on bars.
Leone came in second all-around and was the runnerup on the floor and third on bars. Kazakos claimed second in the all-around, including a first on the vault, second on floor and fourth on balance beam.
Other top finishers were Sarena Bumbarger and Jordyn Wright.
The organization's Level 9 squad placed second. Jenifer Voynovich was first all-around, first on the balance beam and floor, third on bars and fourth on vault.
Jacqueline Higeuros finished second all-around, first on the balance beam and fifth on vault, bars and floor. Jenna Paul was fourth all-around, and Ashley Strong took fifth. Level 10 had Alyssa Wright finishing fifth all-around and Lesley Valenty sixth with a third on the vault and fourth on floor.
TAEKWONDO: Brandy Hoover, 17, won a gold medal in the senior forms black belt division during the U.S. Open in Tampa on Feb. 18.
She has been the USTU junior Florida state champion three years, senior state champ two seasons and AAU junior state champion once.
Hoover, who trains in Largo under Master Dennis White, placed third in the 2003 AAU Junior Olympics and the Junior Black Belt Festival in New Orleans.
SWIMMING: The Last Chance Junior Olympic Qualifier was at the Long Center in Clearwater on Feb. 20-22.
St. Pete Aquatics had high pointers in Tracy Rorer (13-14 girls) and Daniela Brands (senior). Clearwater Aquatics was led by Matthew Davis (10-and-under boys), Caroiline Myers (11-12 girls), Emman Crescimbeni (13-14 boys) and Grant Johnson (senior).
