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A month after being awarded the cross-country championships, the city continues its push to host state finals with the addition of soccer.
By SCOTT PURKS
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 14, 2001
TAMPA -- Hillsborough county continued to shine its image as a destination for high school state championships Monday as the Florida High School Activities Association announced all the soccer finals were coming to Tampa in 2002 and 2003.
The soccer championships have been played in separate cities for years. In 1999, the Class A and 2A boys and girls championships were held in Lake City, while 3A and 4A were in Tallahassee. In 2000, the A/2A championships were in Tampa with 3A/4A in Tallahassee. And last year, Tampa hosted all the boys classifications and Tallahassee hosted the girls.
"Each year we have schools that are fortunate enough to qualify both their girls and boys teams to the Florida Finals," FHSAA commissioner Bob Hughes said. "Last year, we had schools whose girls teams were playing in the finals in Tallahassee while their boys teams were playing the finals in Tampa.
"In at least one case, a brother and sister were playing on those teams and the parents had to make a choice as to which child they would follow and see play. That won't be the case this year."
The Class 3A and 4A finals for girls and boys will be played at Pepin-Rood Stadium.
The Class A/2A girls and boys championships will be held at the newly constructed Ed Radice Sports Complex in north Tampa. The specific dates for the finals are Feb. 21-23 in 2002 and Feb. 27-March 1 in 2003.
"Soccer is huge in this area, from the youth leagues all the way up to the high schools and beyond that," Hillsborough County assistant director of athletics Jennifer Burchill said. "We definitely have the overall interest in hosting this event. ...
"Plus, we always seem to have at least one of our teams make the finals. So the closer (the championships are), the better it is for all of us."
The soccer announcement comes a month after Tampa was awarded the state cross-country championships, which will also be held at the Ed Radice Sports Complex this fall.
The state baseball championships have been held at Tampa's Legends Field since 1997 and will continue there until 2004.
"We've had great success with the state baseball tournament, and we've taken a lot of pride in that event," Burchill said. "We want to hold up that standard for the other state tournaments as well."
Burchill wouldn't be specific, but she said the county's athletic department was working on hosting as many state sports championships as possible.
"It's a lot of work (to host a state championship)," Burchill said. "But it's something we get a lot of satisfaction out of. We just think that the closer to home it is, the better it is for our teams that might be participating."
Lakewood girls coach Darlene Lebo agreed.
"I think it's going to be a big advantage to have the state tournament in your own backyard," she said. "I remember four years ago when we went to Tallahassee, our first game was canceled and the girls were so fired up they couldn't sleep that night.
"It's nice to sleep in your own bed. Of course, it's nice to travel too, but it's better to have it here."
-- Staff writer Rodney Page contributed to this report.
PEPIN-ROOD STADIUM
DIRECTIONS: To get there from Interstate 275, take the Ashley Street exit to West Kennedy and turn right. Turn right on North Boulevard. Stadium is on the right.
THE FACILITY: Seats about 7,000. Host of the Tampa Bay Bucs training camp, University of Tampa men's and women's soccer and part of the state soccer finals the past two seasons. Parking is plentiful around the complex and across the street next to the University of Tampa's Bob Martinez Sports Complex.
ED RADICE SPORTS COMPLEX
DIRECTIONS: From Veterans Expressway, take the Ehrlich Road exit to Gunn Highway (next to Sickles High). Go north on Gunn Highway to South Mobley. Turn left at the first traffic light (next to the McDonald's) and head west. The facility is located about 2 miles on the left.
THE FACILITY: The 130-acre complex had its groundbreaking this summer and is expected to officially open in January. The Tampa Bay Mutiny started training there shortly after the groundbreaking. The first phase of construction will include the Mutiny's new 1,400-square-foot building, which will have showers, locker rooms, restrooms, training rooms, an office and laundry room, and will cost $180,000. The field will house Hillsborough County United, a merger of three area youth soccer clubs. When complete, the complex will have nine soccer fields, six baseball fields and five softball fields. There will also be parking space for 800 vehicles. Bleachers will be used for the state soccer finals. The complex will also host the state high school cross country meet in the fall.