This week in FlaSports - February 11-17
 

Welcome to This week in FlaSports.  This feature on the FSF web site will once again give a weekly smattering of information about what's going on in sports in the Sunshine State, after taking a month off.

Whether it be professional, amateur or recreational sports, and it's happening in Florida, look for it at This week in FlaSports.

Information on this page will be updated on Monday of each week.  To have your organization's events or happenings on This week in FlaSports, send an email to ngandy@flasports.com. 

Volume 2, Issue 2
February 11, 2008

► Eyes of the sports world are on Daytona Beach this weekend
► Florida’s first National Archery in Schools Program tournament takes place in February

► Amateur Sports Accolades
► FlaSports Calendar of Events this week, February 4-10
► Archive of previous issues of This Week in FlaSports

 

This weekend is the 50th running of the Daytona 500
 

As if there wasn’t enough to do and see during DIRECTV Speedweeks at historic Daytona International Speedway, DIS is now proud to welcome all 24 winning Daytona 500 Champions to the “The World Center of Racing” to help celebrate the historic 50^th running of “The Great American Race” on Sunday, Feb. 17

For a complete calendar of events and event information, visit http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/
 

Throughout the DIRECTV Speedweeks, race fans between Feb. 14-17 will have the opportunity to see their favorite past Daytona 500 champions at special events taking place on Speedway property. Visit www.racetickets.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP to purchase tickets for the following events (which are subject to change):

“To have all 24 living past Daytona 500 Champions on site during our historic celebration is something we’re proud to have accomplished,” said Speedway President Robin Braig. “We're honored to host 24 Legends who have made their mark on DIS and NASCAR.”

Thursday, Feb. 14, Daytona 500 Experience, 11 am – Noon

Daytona 500 Champions Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty will cement their place in history by placing their right footprint and handprint in a 3x3 cement block to be placed in the Daytona 500 Champions Walk of Fame.

Thursday, Feb 14, Past Daytona 500 Champion Display (Location To Be Determined), Noon – 12:30 pm

Past Daytona 500 Champions Bobby Allison and Junior Johnson

Thursday, Feb 14, Sprint FANZONE Fan Forum, 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Past Daytona 500 Champions Buddy Baker, Darrell Waltrip and Junior Johnson will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Sprint FANZONE inside Daytona’s historic infield.

Friday, Feb 15, Sprint FANZONE Fan Forum, 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Past Daytona 500 Champions Bobby Allison, Kevin Harvick and Pete Hamilton will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Sprint FANZONE inside Daytona’s historic infield.

Friday, Feb 15, Daytona 500 Champions Autograph Signing, Sprint FANZONE, 1:00 pm

Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Geoff Bodine, Junior Johnson, Marvin Panch and Pete Hamilton

Saturday, Feb 16, Past Daytona 500 Champion Display (Location To Be Determined), 10 – 10:30 am

Past Daytona 500 Champions Sterling Marlin and Marvin Panch

Saturday, Feb 16, Sprint FANZONE Fan Forum, 11:30 am – 12 pm

Past Daytona 500 Champions Ernie Irvan and Marvin Panch will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Sprint FANZONE inside Daytona’s historic infield.

Saturday, Feb. 16, Party Zone hospitality tent, 11:30 am

Bobby Allison and Ernie Irvan will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Party Zone hospitality tent.

Saturday, Feb. 16, Daytona Club, 11:30 am

Past Daytona 500 Champions Junior Johnson and Buddy Baker will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Daytona Club hospitality tent.

Saturday, Feb. 16, Daytona 500 Club, 11:30 am

Past Daytona 500 Champions Cale Yarborough and David Pearson will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Daytona 500 Club.

Saturday, Feb 16, Sprint FANZONE Fan Forum, 12 – 12:30 pm

Past Daytona 500 Champions Derrike Cope and Ward Burton will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Sprint FANZONE inside Daytona’s historic infield.

Sunday, Feb. 17, Green Flag Club, 11:30 am

Buddy Baker, Ernie Irvan and Marvin Panch will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Green Flag Club.

Sunday, Feb. 17, Superstretch Terrace Club, 11:30 am

Split between two different hospitality tents, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Junior Johnson and Ward Burton will take your questions in an informal question & answer sessions.

Sunday, Feb. 17, Daytona Club, 11:30 am

A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Pete Hamilton will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Daytona Club hospitality tent.

Sunday, Feb 17, Sprint FANZONE Fan Forum, 12 – 12:30 pm

Past Daytona 500 Champions A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, Mario Andretti and Geoff Bodine will take your questions in an informal question & answer session in the Sprint FANZONE inside Daytona’s historic infield.
 

Throughout the weekend at Daytona 500 Experience:

 -- Suzanne Altamare, sand sculpture artist, will craft a commemorative sand sculpture of the 50 years of racing in at Daytona, Feb. 7 through Feb. 17.
 

 -- The Attraction will host one of several Past Champions Car Displays

 -- Addition of new Walk of Fame inside Daytona 500 Experience which will include all Daytona 500 Champions up to 1996. 

Following the historic 50^th Running of the Daytona 500, Daytona 500 Experience will be the site of an after party and the next morning, the Champions breakfast: 

RAGU presents the Daytona 500 After Party:  The Daytona 500 After Party, which will begin immediately following the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 17 and costs $40, includes attraction admission, food and complimentary beverages, cash bar, live entertainment and complimentary shuttle service to Daytona International Speedway parking areas.

Banquet Brown N Serve Champions Breakfast: The Champion's Breakfast, which is scheduled for Monday morning, Feb. 18, costs $40 and includes admission into the historic Daytona 500 car induction festivities, buffet breakfast, commemorative ticket and special gift. A combination ticket that includes both parties is available

 Tickets for all events at historic Daytona International Speedway can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or by visiting www.racetickets.com

Florida’s first NASP tournament takes place in February

Florida ’s inaugural National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) state tournament will take place during the last two weeks in February. 

At least 23 of the 104 participating NASP schools from around the state will compete in the virtual tournament, which will allow the schools to shoot in their own gymnasiums and mail in their scores. 

Winning teams will be selected in three grade levels with trophies and medals awarded to the schools and team members.  The highest scoring girl and boy in the tournament each will win a Mathews-Genesis bow and a Morrell target, said Steve Robbins, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Regional Hunter Safety coordinator. 

NASP is designed to teach international-style target archery in 4^th to 12^th grade physical education classes.  NASP is a cooperative effort between the FWC and Florida Department of Education.  Physical education teachers undergo an 8-hour NASP Basic Archery Instructor training, and the students enjoy a two-week archery component in their class, Robbins said.

In February 2004, Florida became the 24th state to offer the NASP training that was developed by the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The National Safety Council rates archery more accident-free than every popular ball sport, including tennis and golf.  Archery allows students to learn a safe, lifetime skill they can practice almost anywhere.  More than 1.4 million students have participated in NASP nationally since its inception in 2002 and there have been no accidents,” Robbins said.

For more information about getting local schools involved in the NASP, contact Adam Young at 850-413-0085 or Adam.Young@MyFWC.com. 

“Remember, it’s about kids and who knows, your child may possess the talent to become a future Olympic archery champion,” Robbins said.

Amateur Sports Accolades
 

Florida judo players have been busy during the month of February in USA Judo competitions in Europe and in California. 

One hundred and twenty-five senior elite competitors participated in the San Jose Buddhist Sensei Memorial Tournament, a USA Judo Senior E-Level point event, the weekend of February 9-10
 

Brian Olson, a former Sunshine State Games gold medal winner and three-time Olympian is now a resident of Firestone, Colorado competing out of the USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center, won his fourth competition in the 90kg division since coming out of retirement in August.

Shane Simerly (pictured at right), the 2004 Sunshine State Games Male Athlete of the Year, now living in Colorado Springs and training at the USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center, won a silver medal in the Men’s 66kg division.  Simerly also competed at Belgium Open in Vise in early February.

Angelica Delgado, a Sunshine State Games gold medalist from Miami and the  USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami tied her first match in pool play against Svetlana Breier (LUX), but threw Susann Wegner (GER) for ippon (instant win) with an o uchi gari (major inner leg throw) to advance to the main draw in the 57kg division.  A bronze medalist at the 2007 USA Judo Senior National Championships, Delgado was pinned in her first match in the draw by Gemma Howell (GBR), a 17-year-old who won her first Senior World Cup medal at the Vienna A-Level event in 2007.

FlaSports Calendar of Events this week, February 11-17
 

This week in FlaSports Archive (2007-08)
Volume 1, Issue 1, August 27
Volume 1, Issue 2, September 4
Volume 1, Issue 3, September 10
Volume 1, Issue 4, September 17
Volume 1, Issue 5, September 24
Volume 1, Issue 6, October 1
Volume 1, Issue 7, October 8
Volume 1, Issue 8, October 15
Volume 1, Issue 9, October 22
Volume 1, Issue 10, October 29
Volume 1, Issue 11, November 5
Volume 1, Issue 12, November 12
Volume 1, Issue 13, November 19
Volume 1, Issue 14, November 26

Volume 2, Issue 1, February 4
 

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