sports - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-28T11:06:36Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/sportsTots & Teens: Safety advocate donates helmets to lacrosse teamhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/tots-teens-safety-advocate-donates-helmets-to-lacrosse-team2019-09-01T15:41:56.000Z2019-09-01T15:41:56.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960890868,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960890868,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960890868?profile=original" /></a><em>Bill Dorton, co-founder of Head Injury Treatment Corp in Delray Beach, speaks to students at St. Joseph’s Episcopal School about sports-related head injuries. <b>Photo provided by Carol Cunningham</b></em></p>
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<p><strong>By Janis Fontaine</strong></p>
<p class="p1">For kids who play sports, back-to-school means back to the playing fields. When the girls’ lacrosse team at St. Joseph Episcopal School in Boynton Beach takes the field, the players will sport new protective headgear donated by Head Injury Treatment Corp, a Delray Beach-based nonprofit.</p>
<p class="p3">Bill Dorton, a personal trainer from Delray Beach, co-founded HiT Corp in 2018. Dorton sustained as many as eight concussions when he played football in middle and high school. He suffered from post-concussion syndrome, a constellation of symptoms of neurological damage usually resulting from repeated concussions.</p>
<p class="p3">For 15 years Dorton suffered, but he hid his condition from most people until about a year ago when he was treated at the Plasticity Brain Centers in Orlando. Instead of taking drugs to mask symptoms as doctors had given him for years, he had an extensive week-long course of therapy. In response he founded HiT Corp with Jarrett Solimando and Brad Chapman to raise money to pay for other PCS patients to get treatment.</p>
<p class="p3">A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain gets sloshed around inside the skull. It doesn’t take a catastrophic blow to cause brain tissue to stretch and cells to bruise. Because the brain is the body’s control center, damage to it can cause chemical and metabolic changes within brain cells, causing a plethora of symptoms.</p>
<p class="p3">Dorton’s symptoms were debilitating. For 15 years he had headaches, nausea, insomnia, memory issues, confusion and loss of focus, but he kept working: “No matter how bad you’re feeling you can’t let your client know. That’s an important hour to them so I got good at hiding my symptoms.”</p>
<p class="p3">Matthew Antonucci, a chiropractic neurologist and co-founder and president of Orlando’s BPC, says his team uses cutting-edge technology to isolate and identify the part of the brain that isn’t working properly. Then the team develops a comprehensive rehab plan specific to that person, using treatment such as oculomotor training, chiropractic and physical therapy, speech and occupational therapy, and vestibular rehab to improve balance.</p>
<p class="p3">For Dorton, 33, the work included exercises to strengthen the connection between his eyes and his brain. Dorton describes the breakdown as “My eyes were telling my brain that my head was sideways.”</p>
<p class="p3">Concussions can be difficult to diagnose because everyone’s symptoms are different. There’s no “classic presentation” or blood test or biomarker that can determine if a concussion has occurred.</p>
<p class="p3">The smartest treatment involves taking measures to avoid injury in the first place.</p>
<p class="p3">Dorton, a friend of St. Joe’s coach Kristina Bosch, was surprised to learn that helmets were optional for middle-school lacrosse teams (except goalies). “Helmets optional,” Dorton knew, was antiquated thinking. Scientific American reported that one in five student athletes will suffer a concussion this year, and females produce symptoms that are greater in number and severity, take longer to recover, and result in worse outcomes than males, but males are more likely to hide an injury.</p>
<p class="p3">On Sept. 6, HiT Corp planned to present St. Joseph’s lacrosse team with 26 shiny, logoed helmets, plus two goalie helmets, one for every player. Dorton says the money is well spent, but what he would really like to see is the rules changed so helmets are required.</p>
<p class="p3">On Sept. 21, to mark the first anniversary of the founding of HiT Corp and to support National Concussion Awareness Day, the nonprofit will hold a 5K relay race at Anchor Park in Delray Beach.</p>
<p class="p3">Teams of three compete, with each person running just over a mile, Dorton said, so it’s a great bonding experience. Funds raised will support HiT Corp’s primary promise to help people who need but can’t afford treatment.</p>
<p class="p3"><i>For more information about Dorton or HiT Corp, visit <a href="http://www.hitcorp.org">www.hitcorp.org</a>.</i></p>
<p class="p3"><i>For information on St. Joseph’s Episcopal School, visit <a href="http://www.sjsonline.org">www.sjsonline.org</a>.</i></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><span class="s1"><b>If You Go</b></span></p>
<p class="p2" style="text-align:center;"><b>The inaugural HiT Corp 5K Relay Race:</b> 7:30 a.m. Sept. 21, Anchor Park, South Ocean Boulevard at Casuarina Road, Delray Beach. $40 per team. Register team of three at www.<span class="s2">runsignup.com/hitcorp</span>.</p>
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<p class="p5"><i>Contact Janis Fontaine at janisfontaine@outlook.com.</i></p></div>Made for Shade: Sunglasses are vital when it comes to eye protectionhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/made-for-shade-sunglasses-are-vital-when-it-comes-to-eye-protecti2019-05-28T23:30:00.000Z2019-05-28T23:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p class="p1"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960872456,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960872456,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960872456?profile=original" /></a></b></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><em>Scott Koedel of Ocean Ridge models Electric Swingarm glasses with matte black frames and bronze green mirror lenses. $200.99.</em></p>
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<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>By Brian Biggane </b></span></p>
<p class="p3">Did you know that one sunglass lens is better for fishing in shallow water and another for deeper? Or that golfers should consider taking off their polarized glasses before putting?</p>
<p class="p5">As both Father’s Day and the start of the long Florida summer approach, many consumers might as well have their eyes closed when they head out looking for the right pair of sunglasses.</p>
<p class="p5">“It’s a blind purchase if you don’t know,” said Alan Ross, owner of Shades of Time in Lantana. “And so many people don’t know.”</p>
<p class="p5">We polled four shops — Shades of Time, Eye Catchers Optique in Boca Raton, Nomad Surf Shop in the County Pocket and Seaview Optical in Delray Beach — and learned that while most people see sunglasses as a fashion accessory, they also serve a more important role in South Florida: safety.</p>
<p class="p5">“One minute unprotected in the sun is like nine hours unprotected on your computer,” Seaview manager Chris Childress said. “You can get cataracts at a young age, glaucoma, macular degeneration. There’s a push toward eye health, and all you have to do is put sunglasses over your eyes and you’re going to take care of them.”</p>
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<p class="p5" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960872901,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960872901,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960872901?profile=original" /></a><em>Otis Eyewear’s Casa Bay LIT polarized, O/S sunglasses in matte black gray. $250.</em></p>
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<p class="p5">As for what brand to buy, two consistently stood above the rest in a very crowded field: Maui Jim and Costa del Mar. While prices fluctuate, their best models average in the $230-$260 range.</p>
<p class="p5">“Maui Jim probably has the best lens in the business, and Costa is right behind them,” said Nomad owner Ryan Heavyside. “Right now, they’re the best.”</p>
<p class="p5">In the market since 1947, polarized sunglasses have become the accepted norm, comprising 70 percent or more of sales and, in the case of Shades of Time, nearly 100 percent. Polarized glasses reduce glare and flatten contours, making driving safer and making it easier to see down into water.</p>
<p class="p5">“You can walk outside and see the difference,” Eye Catchers owner Lauri Saunders said of wearing those lenses. “People live around the water, so they want to see into the water.”</p>
<p class="p5">The feature of flattening contours, however, isn’t great for golfers or skiers, who need to read greens or see bumps. One option is removing the polarized glasses before putting, but Heavyside has another.</p>
<p class="p5">“Oakley has been good in that area because they’ve geared their Prizm lens toward golf,” he said.</p>
<p class="p5">Glare coming off the water makes sunglasses all but mandatory for boaters or anglers. Those who make their living out there — fishermen, boat captains and mates — typically switch between brown lenses for shallow water and gray or blue mirror for deeper.</p>
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<p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960873095,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960873095,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960873095?profile=original" /></a><em>Costa del Mar’s Rincon glasses in matte Atlantic blue with silver mirror lenses. $199. All at Nomad Surf Shop. <b>Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</b></em></p>
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<p class="p5">“Most fishing guys wear blue mirror glasses,” Ross said. “The mirror as opposed to non-mirror, they buy for the look. But it isn’t just cosmetic. It reflects more light. So, with a mirror on it, it might come across as a shade darker.”</p>
<p class="p5">There’s science behind the idea that driving with polarized sunglasses is safer than the alternative. Studies have shown such a driver has an average stopping distance of 23 to 27 feet sooner than one wearing standard lenses. That’s about the length of an intersection.</p>
<p class="p5">“It makes a difference even on a day when it’s not sunny,” Childress said. “There’s glare coming off the road, coming off the grass, the bushes, everything.”</p>
<p class="p5">There was a time when beachgoers who enjoy reading would bring along a pair of reading glasses or prescription clip-ons to wear with sunglasses. The relatively recent arrival of bifocal sunglasses has made that unnecessary. Nomad carries the Costa C-Mates line that is clear at the top with a variety of lenses (1.5, 2.0, 2.5) on the bottom.</p>
<p class="p5">As with any glasses, the big concern with sunglasses is a scratched lens. Heavyside said a popular option at Nomad is the Australian brand Otis, which uses a mineral glass “that is really hard to scratch. They have a test where they drag a key across it to show how it’s scratch-resistant,” he said. “The price difference is probably $100, but you are getting better quality.”</p>
<p class="p5">So, with sunglasses having become almost a necessity, one question remains: Should you have one pair or two?</p>
<p class="p5">“You have a spare tire for your car in case you get a flat,” Eye Catchers optician Jaime Mirsky said. “Same thing goes for sunglasses: You need a backup. You can have an inexpensive pair, especially if you’re traveling.”</p>
<p class="p5">Ross said South Floridians should recognize that having high-quality sunglasses is a necessity.</p>
<p class="p5">“You’ve only got one set of eyes,” he said. “And when you say you don’t want to spend X for sunglasses, how many pairs of shoes do you have?</p>
<p class="p5">“If you buy the wrong pair, or spend $20 at Walgreens, they might not have the protection you need. You end up doing more damage trying to save a buck than it’s worth.” </p>
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<p class="p5"></p></div>Tennis: Anderson aims for U.S. Open title after run to Wimbledon finalhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/tennis-anderson-aims-for-u-s-open-title-after-run-to-wimbledon-fi2018-08-01T15:47:21.000Z2018-08-01T15:47:21.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960806856,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960806856,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960806856?profile=original" /></a><em>Gulf Stream resident Kevin Anderson acknowledges the crowd after he outlasted John Isner 26-24 in the fifth set of a Wimbledon semifinal that was the second-longest match in tournament history. Anderson went on to his second runner-up finish in the past four Grand Slam events. <strong>Thomas Lovelock/AELTC</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>By Steve Pike</strong></p>
<p>Kevin Anderson has been on the doorstep of winning two of the past four professional tennis Grand Slam events — the 2017 U.S. Open and the 2018 Wimbledon Championships. But each time the door slammed shut.<br /> Anderson, a 32-year-old resident of Gulf Stream, finished second to Rafael Nadal in New York and to Novak Djokovic last month at Wimbledon.<br /> Back in Gulf Stream with his wife, Kelsey, following his Wimbledon run, Anderson discussed his plans to finally knock down the door.<br /> He beat top seed Roger Federer in a five-set quarterfinal and outlasted John Isner in a historic six-hour, 36-minute semifinal, which ended 26-24 in the fifth set. <br /> “I think my game is definitely there,’’ said Anderson, who planned to return to the court for the summer hard-court season at the Rogers Cup starting Aug. 3 in Toronto. “I’m on the right path and as I keep learning how to handle these big moments, I think I will become more comfortable as well. I am going to keep looking forward — winning one of the Slams is a huge goal of mine.’’</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960807063,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960807063,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960807063?profile=original" /></a><em>Kevin Anderson (right) holds the plate awarded to the Wimbledon runner-up as he stands with champion Novak Djokovic during the trophy ceremony. The result gave Anderson a career-high No. 5 world ranking as he prepares for the U.S. Open. <strong>Joe Toth/AELTC</strong></em></p>
<p>Anderson’s Wimbledon run moved him to No. 5 in the ATP world rankings — the highest of his 11-year pro career and the highest of any South African-born player since Kevin Curren rose to No. 5 in 1985. Eric Sturgess and Cliff Drysdale were ranked No. 4 during their careers, but that was before the official ATP world rankings. <br /> “Achieving a top-five ranking has been a big milestone for me,” said Anderson, who has dual U.S. and South African citizenship. “It makes me the highest ranked South African man in the open era of tennis, which means a great deal. I have a huge amount of respect and have always looked up to Wayne Ferreira, Johan Kriek and Kevin Curren, who were some of the best players in South African history. I’m honored to be in such great company in terms of my ranking and tennis achievements.’’<br /> Anderson’s defeat of Federer, in which Anderson was down two sets and faced a match point before winning 13-11 in the fifth, set up the semifinal vs. Isner. Each man was near exhaustion before Anderson became the first South African to reach a Wimbledon men’s final in 97 years.<br /> Following the match, the second-longest in Wimbledon history, Anderson, Isner and three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe were among those who called for a change in the rules to prevent such long final sets. Isner also played the longest match, a 70-68 victory over Nicolas Mahut in 2010 in 11 hours, five minutes over three days.<br /> Does Anderson believe Wimbledon will seriously consider their remarks?<br /> “I think in some aspects, yes, because it happened in the semifinals as opposed to the first round,’’ Anderson said. “On the other hand, John’s previous marathon match lasted almost twice as long as this one and they didn’t consider a rule change.<br /> “Obviously it’s been spoken about, but at the end of the day there’s a lot of history with playing the long fifth set. On the plus side, my match was something that will definitely go down in the history books.’’<br /> With the U.S. Open set to start Aug. 27, Anderson is primed for more history.<br /> “My results at Wimbledon this year were further confirmation that my game is good enough to compete at the best level,’’ Anderson said. “I’ve had that belief already, but now it has come down to believing and performing against the best players on the biggest stages in the world.’’</p></div>Tennis: Gulf Stream’s Anderson cherishes return to top 10, new doghttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/tennis-gulf-stream-s-anderson-cherishes-return-to-top-10-new-dog2018-04-04T16:23:00.000Z2018-04-04T16:23:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960785695,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960785695,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960785695?profile=original" /></a><em><strong>ABOVE:</strong> When not competing, training or traveling, Kevin Anderson likes to relax in his Gulf Stream home with his guitar and new dog, Lady Kady. <strong>Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960786285,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960786285,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960786285?profile=original" /></a><em><strong>ABOVE:</strong> He spends hours stretching and practicing in an effort to remain competitive and prevent injuries. Anderson’s run of success includes reaching the quarterfinals at the Miami Open.</em></p>
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<p><strong>By Steve Pike</strong><br /> <br /> Trophies and traveling bags fill Kevin Anderson’s Gulf Stream home, but the world’s No. 8-ranked men’s tennis player seems oblivious to all of it except for the little dog at the feet of his 6-foot-8 frame.<br /> “This is Lady Kady,’’ Anderson told a visitor in his South African accent. “My wife and I got her from Dezzy’s Second Chance Animal Rescue. She’s a ‘Chiweenie,’ part chihuahua and part dachshund. We saw her at the green market a year ago this past January. We always wanted a dog and went for her. She travels with us.’’<br /> Lady Kady’s arrival as Kevin and Kelsey Anderson’s traveling mate has coincided with a run of success in Kevin’s career. He made his first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open in September, losing to Rafael Nadal in three sets, and won the inaugural New York Open in February. It was the fourth ATP title of Anderson’s 11-year professional career and propelled him into the top 10 for the second time since 2015. <br /> Following a quarterfinal loss at the Indian Wells Masters last month, Anderson returned to Gulf Stream to prepare for the Miami Open, where he also reached the quarterfinals, dropping a tiebreaker in the decisive third set.<br /> His swift start to the 2018 season is in contrast to his 2017 start, which was marked by several early-round exits, including a second-round loss in Miami, as he attempted to come back from an injury-plagued 2016.<br /> “Last year was more about recovery,’’ said Anderson, who trains at the Delray Tennis Center, ProWorld Tennis in Delray Beach and Boca Grove Plantation in Boca Raton. “There are no more injuries.’’<br /> Anderson’s return to the top 10 and his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open — he was the first South African to reach a Grand Slam final since Kevin Curren at the 1984 Australian Open — means he has a target on his back. But that’s much easier to handle than knee and shoulder injuries.<br /> “My goals are set. I know what I want to achieve this year,’’ said Anderson, who has dual South African and U.S. citizenship and plays under the South African flag. “One was to get back into the top 10, which I’ve done. I want to finish the year in the top eight and qualify for the London Masters. <br /> “Each match is its own challenge, regardless of what has happened in the past. I can draw from previous experience — maybe from a Grand Slam setting — but now that I’m back in the top 10, I know every opponent I’m playing is looking to beat a top 10 player. I know what that was like when I was playing a top 10 player. But I’ve worked hard to be where I’m at and have confidence in my game.’’<br />Anderson points to hard work — whether on the hard courts of the Delray Tennis Center, the clay courts at Boca Grove and even the grass courts in golf legend Jack Nicklaus’ North Palm Beach backyard — and improved health as making the difference in his game. In other words, no switch suddenly flipped to take his game to the next level.<br /> “It’s a long journey, so many lessons along the way and so many hours behind the scenes,’’ said Anderson, who turns 32 in May. “It’s impossible to pick out one thing. You’re constantly building a game and so many different assets you put together from a mental standpoint, physical standpoint and tactical standpoint.<br /> “You keep trying to add to your game. Last year I made some good strides from a mental standpoint. I’ve always been a strong mental player. I’ve tweaked a few things and continue to understand what works for me. I think I’ve done a better job of sticking to that more often.’’<br /> Anderson’s mental toughness has been compared with that of American Jim Courier, a Hall of Famer who won four Grand Slam titles in the 1990s. It’s probably no coincidence that among Courier’s coaches was Brad Stine, who now coaches Anderson.<br /> Anderson has shown more emotion on the courts the past year, something he has consciously worked on.<br /> “Enjoy those moments, take confidence in those moments, sort of show it to the world and show it to yourself,’’ Anderson said. “It’s on the way to becoming more natural, but still requires me to extend myself. Every now and then I can feel myself going back into that mode where I’m looking to see, but those are becoming few and far between. It makes it more enjoyable out there, too.’’<br /> It’s also enjoyable, Anderson said, for him and Kelsey and Lady Kady to live in the Gulf Stream/Delray Beach area, which they have for five years.<br /> “We travel around so much, just coming back here we don’t face the hustle and bustle,’’ Anderson said. “We can relax. It takes me 10 minutes to get to practice. There is no traffic. Just things like that. We’ve been here for a while now, so we really feel like it’s home.’’</p></div>East Boynton Beach Little League’s Spring 2013 Season Registration Opens January 2https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/east-boynton-beach-little-league-s-spring-2013-season2012-12-20T16:47:23.000Z2012-12-20T16:47:23.000ZSamantha A Welchhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/SamanthaAWelch<div><p>Registration for the East Boynton Beach Little League’s Spring 2013 Season will be accepted from Wednesday, January 2 through January 28 at Little League Park (300 W. Woolbright Road). Please visit <a href="http://www.eastboyntonll.com/">www.eastboyntonll.com</a> for specific dates and times and to download the registration forms.</p><p> </p><p>Divisions are available for youths starting at age 4. The Challenger division is also available for athletes with special needs. The registration fee for tee-Ball is $115 and all other divisions are $140. The family discount is $15 off total registration fees.</p><p> </p><p>Player evaluations are required for Coach Pitch and above divisions to be placed on a team. Evaluations will take place on Saturday, January 26. Players should report to the concession area to sign-in and receive a number. Coach Pitch and Minors at 8:30 a.m. and 50/70 (formerly Majors) at 10:30 a.m. A make-up date is available on Monday, January 28. Practices begin the week of February 4 and Opening Day is Saturday, March 2.</p><p> </p><p>For more information, visit: <a href="http://www.eastboyntonll.com/">www.eastboyntonll.com</a> and Facebook: East Boynton Beach Little League (non-profit organization) <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EastBoyntonBeachLittleLeague">www.facebook.com/EastBoyntonBeachLittleLeague</a></p></div>Delray Beach: College track star on the run; finalist for county ‘athlete of the year’https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-college-track-star-on-the-run-finalist-for-county-at2012-02-29T18:00:00.000Z2012-02-29T18:00:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960381471,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960381471,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="411" alt="7960381471?profile=original" /></a>By Emily J. Minor</strong><br /> <br /> Stephanie Schappert, 18, started running because it was all in the family — everyone was doing it — and she got lucky.<br /> She’s good at it. And she likes it.<br /> “A lot of people have always thought that we were pressured into running, but that was never the case,” says Schappert, who graduated from Pope John Paul II High School last year and has a full track and cross country scholarship this year at Villanova University.<br /> “I guess I just saw how much fun they (her brother and sister) had with their teams.”<br /> Indeed, if researchers wanted to study the genetics of family athleticism, the Schappert family DNA would be a good place to start.<br /> Ken Schappert, her dad, was a competitive runner in college, also running for Villanova. Stephanie’s brother, Kenny, 28, ran for the University of Tennessee. Sister Nicole, 24, first competed for Wake Forest College, and then Villanova.<br /> And the mom in this coastal Delray Beach household is no slouch. Jane Schappert was a competitive college swimmer for … yes, Villanova.<br /> “I guess it was the eight years of track meets and cross countries I went to with my brother and sister,” Stephanie Schappert says. “I think I’ve watched more than I’ve participated in.”<br /> The baby in the family, Schappert is more than a bit humble. A distance runner who especially loves to compete in the mile and the 800-meter, her personal record is 4:51 for the mile and 2:10 for the 800. In high school, she won six state titles. And this month, she’s one of three area high schools students under consideration for the Palm Beach County Sport Hall of Fame as the Student Athlete of the Year.<br /> The award will be announced at the March 25 banquet and Schappert is up against two Glades football players: William Likely, who plays for Glades Central High School; and Kelvin Taylor, who plays for Glades Day School.<br /> The college freshmen won’t be able to make the dinner and ceremony at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. She’s caught up with her freshman year at Villanova, everything from classes to workouts to traveling for competition.<br /> At Pope John Paul, Schappert worked mostly with coach Kevin Brown, said head coach Nate Robinson. “The last two years, he trained her pretty much himself,” Robinson said. <br /> And now that she’s competing at the college level, Schappert says the dynamic from those days when she trained with coach Brown is completely different.<br /> “I went from training on my own, to being on a team with a bunch of girls and training with a pack,” Schappert says. “I love it. I love my coach. I love my team.”<br /> Still, old habits are hard to break — especially good ones.<br /> “I miss my high school coach and teammates,” she said, “but this is just such a different experience.” </p></div>Delray Beach: Seacrest High School Sports Reunionhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-seacrest-high-sch2011-08-03T15:30:00.000Z2011-08-03T15:30:00.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960341267,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960341267,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="7960341267?profile=original" /></a><em>More than 200 former Seacrest High School (1949-1970) athletes, coaches, faculty, cheerleaders and others attended a July 8-10 reunion.</em></p>
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<p><em>LEFT: Delray Beach Mayor Woodie McDuffie, jokes with event organizer Dr. Carey J. Snyder (center), and Mary Ann Price Jensen.</em></p>
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<p><em>LEFT: Rick Rhoden (class of ’71), professional golfer and former MLB All-Star pitcher, speaks during festivities.</em> <br /><em>Photos provided</em></p></div>Delray Beach: Coaches get ball rolling for Seacrest sports reunionhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-coaches-get-ball2011-05-04T18:20:57.000Z2011-05-04T18:20:57.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960325881,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960325881,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="7960325881?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p><em> (l-r) John Shipley, Seacrest High Class of 1964, Norman Price, Head Basketball Coach, Randy Cooper (with cap) Head Football Coach, and Tom Smith, Seacrest High Class of ‘67 pose at Seacrest stadium in front of a Don Seiler statue of Hall of Fame professional quarterback Y.A. Tittle. Seiler sent the statue to Atlantic High School when he was living in Miami in the 1960s. <strong>Photo by Tim Stepien</strong></em></p>
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<p>By Rich Pollack<br /> <br />Oh, the stories they will tell.<br />There will, of course, be the requisite dinners, activities and revelry when close to 150 former athletes, coaches, cheerleaders and Hawkettes from Seacrest High School’s “glory days” in the 1950s, 1960s and early ’70s get together for their first-ever Seacrest High School Sports Reunion in early July. <br />But what most likely will be the cornerstone of the event will be the sharing of stories from those not-easily forgotten years when Seacrest High School — the predecessor of what is now Atlantic High School — was a sports powerhouse and much more than just a building with classrooms and a gym.<br />“We had a very special thing at Seacrest,” says former coach Norman Price, who, even today, is referred to simply as “Coach” by men and women who are now lawyers, dentists, accountants and retired or current police officers and firefighters. “It was a really tight-knit group.”<br />At a time when Delray Beach was still a small community, when everyone knew everyone and some of the teachers actually grew up with their students’ parents, Seacrest was a central gathering place. <br /> “Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the school was the hub of the whole community,” says Carey Snyder, who along with Price is organizing the reunion. “It was a very special time and there are a lot of us who shared that very special athletic experience.” <br />Talk to some of the former players and you’re likely to hear stories about “character building” exercises, such as two-a-day football practices in the heat of August, or of coaches who could tug on a dislocated finger, tape it up and have you back in the game within minutes. <br />“There were a lot of us who suffered through those two-a-days,” says Jim Gardner, now living in Ocean Ridge, who played football at Seacrest before graduating in 1962. Gardner was also a standout in track and field, setting the then-school record in the discus and the shot put. <br />Like many other former Seacrest athletes, Gardner still stays in touch with a lot of his teammates, even working closely with them on the books and screenplays he’s writing.<br />Former quarterback for the team in 1963 and 1964, John Shipley, now a lawyer and coastal Delray Beach resident, also recalls those two-a-day workouts and believes they did more than just make the Seahawks the best-conditioned team on the field every time they played. <br />“What we learned back then is that hard work and dedication pay off,” Shipley says. “If you looked at everyone who played on our team, all of these guys are doing well. “There are doctors, lawyers, businessmen, police officers and firefighters and even a few who had successful military careers.”<br /><br />School gone, but athletes returning: Snyder, who had been talking with Price for a couple of years about a reunion, says athletics at Seacrest also played an important role in shaping her career as an associate director of athletics at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania and also as a former women’s college softball and volleyball coach.<br />Although structured sports for girls were limited back in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Snyder organized tournaments and other activities, so it’s not surprising that she is taking the lead in helping to make the athletes’ reunion possible. <br />Already, she says, close to 100 former Seahawks have signed up and they are coming from all parts of the country.<br />Many are coming to honor Price — who former basketball standout Tom Smith of Ocean Ridge says was always the best player on the team — and Coach Randy Cooper, who also had a long career at Seacrest. Other coaches are also expected to attend.<br />For Price, the reunion will help fill a void created when the old school building, just a few blocks from his home, was torn down a couple of years ago.<br />“I felt like a part of me was lost when we lost the school,” he said. <br />But expect the spirit of the Seacrest Seahawks to live on for a couple of nights in July and, if you go, also expect to hear lots of stories about guys with nicknames like “Bones” and “Gunner.” <br />You’ll hear the alma mater’s song, too, which was sung on the bus every time the basketball team returned home from a game. </p>
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<p><strong>Seacrest High School Sports Reunion</strong><br />• July 8 and July 9<br />• Reception, July 8, at GOL! The Taste of Brazil restaurant, $10<br />• Dinner and presentations, July 9, at Old Calypso Restaurant, $35<br />• A beach trip, golf outing and Sunday brunch are also being planned.<br />• For more information, visit: <a href="http://www.seacresths.com">www.seacresths.com</a> or contact Carey Snyder at careyjean13@aol.com or (561) 317-3834.</p></div>