Seminole coach's prose gets him to pro event

By BOB PUTNAM
Published July 17, 2007

Seminole's Sam Roper is among 51 high school coaches selected to attend the NFL's Youth Football Summit, held July 25-26 at Canton, Ohio. The event is a week before the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Coaches applied by writing an essay and were selected by a blue-ribbon panel in each state.

Those attending will participate in clinics, seminars and a round-table discussion on issues dealing with football at the youth level, including heat and hydration and steroids. Former NFL player Boomer Esiason is among the guest speakers.

Roper is the third county coach to attend the event. The others were Largo's Rick Rodriguez in 2002 and Clearwater's Tom Bostic in 2003.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: The PC Ballers won an AAU national title in the 14-and-under division. The Ballers were led by Tamara Taylor Boca Ciega, Jerica Coley (St. Petersburg Catholic) and Jenae Wilson (Lakewood). The team is coached by Tamika Coley, a former star at Pinellas Park. Her assistants are Veronica Roberts and Dora Williams.

The Clearwater Green Wave also won a national title in the 14-under division in USSSA. The Green Wave boasted several county underclassmen, including Boca Ciega's Latavia Dempsey, Clearwater's Veronica Adams and Victoria Cecil, Countryside's Ayanna Andrews, St. Petersburg's Eve Sembler and Kamyia Smith and Seminole's Cali Dickman.

SWIMMING: Northeast junior Megan Romano won the 200 free with an Olympic trial time of two minutes, .02 seconds at the SPEEDO Champions Series last week in Fort Lauderdale.

Romano was not the only local to do well. Countryside's Katie Kastes took second in her signature event, the 100 fly. Better still, the recent graduate made the Olympic trial cut with her time of 1:02.16.

GOLF: Palm Harbor University junior Zach Sobel, the Times' 2006 boys golfer of the year, tied for third at the Florida State Golf Association's Junior Championship in Ocala last week.

Sobel's final round of 74 put him at 1-under par for the tournament. His strong showing at the FSGA tournament comes a month after he advanced to a sectional qualifier for the U.S. Open.

SIGNINGS: Seminole had six football players who signed with colleges. They were T.J. Grzesikowski (Ferrum College), Bryant Lumpkin (Methodist College), Tyler Bradley (Hiram College), Craig Foster (Manchester College), Marcus Santini (Bethany College) and Derek Eling (West Point).

Palm Harbor University wrestler Ryan Santangelo signed with Thiel College.

TRACK: The Blazin Ravenz had eight athletes who qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics in Knoxville, Tenn. They are Asia Olds, Destiny Jenkins, Manisha Jones, Samon Whiting, Jalanika Whiting, Kiana Kendrick, Tre'Aynce Gibbs and Mario Goshay.

Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4169.

[Last modified July 16, 2007, 22:34:10]