By Gary Curreri

In a little more than six months, Pompano Beach’s Samantha Finazzo has found a sport she loves.

Finazzo, 15, who will enter her sophomore year at Pompano Beach High School next month, joined the newly-formed Pompano Beach Piranhas water polo program and it has been an enjoyable experience.

“This was a lot of fun,” said Finazzo, who plays goalie for the Girls 18-Under team. “It was a good experience to meet new people and get a variety of players and teams we were playing against.

“I expected it to be a lot harder, but I improved my skills over the past couple of months and it came a lot easier than I thought it would be,” she said. “I just wanted to become a better overall athlete. It wasn’t anything that I expected. It was really fun and I loved it.”

The Pompano Beach Piranhas made their club water polo debut in the Sunshine State Games recently at the Coral Springs Aquatic Complex.

Both teams played in the 18-Under Division. The boys went 1-3, while the girls were winless in four games.

Teammate Christine Bergamini, 17, of Lighthouse Point, is normally a swimmer, but has found water polo to be more enjoyable.

“I like water polo because it is a team sport,” said Bergamini, who will be a senior at Cardinal Gibbons. “The difference is you have to think more about how you are going to swim or who you are going to pass to. It’s been a lot of fun. Even though we lost, I learned a lot. I think we definitely improved each game.”

Pompano Beach coach Scott Moore used to coach in the 1990s and early 2000s, but took some time off. He returned to the pool deck when his son started playing water polo in high school and was looking for a team to play on.

“They have been playing a month together and we had a great time,” Moore said. “We have a set of twins, Victoria and Alicja Zielinski, and triplets — Megan, Brooke and Kelly Gest — on the girls team, so that makes it interesting. The Zielinski’s attend Northeast High School, while the Guess girls attend Cardinal Gibbons.

“This is new to me,” said Victoria Zielinski, 16, of Oakland Park. “I have never played club before. I have only played high school, so it is good to experience other high school people on a team together. Hopefully, we can do great things together. I knew some of the other water polo players, so I knew that if we all worked together that we would click. It was good getting new water polo players too.”

Zielinski, who will be a junior at Northeast next month, said water polo is a lot different than swimming. She’s played the sport for two years.

“It is totally different than an individual sport like swimming,” she said. “There is a lot of adrenaline getting into you. It is a lot of fun. There are girls trying to attack you and you are trying to get away and shoot.”

Zielinski said playing in the Sunshine State Games was a lot of pressure.

“I have never played two games in one day or four games in a weekend,” Zielinski said. “We only play once or twice a week in high school. I have only played with this team for two weeks, so there was a lot of pressure going in from not playing water polo in a month or so (since high school season ended).”

Her sister, Alicja, agreed: “The girls here are more intense than high school. I pretty much know most of the girls from high school. They are pretty friendly and it is a good team environment.”

Alicja is more of the swimmer and Victoria is the water polo player. Alicja competed in the 100-yard breaststroke at the state meet and finished 24th.

“It is fun to play with her,” Alicja said. “We just have to find each other and yell, ‘twin.’ I would like to play water polo in high school and then maybe college.”

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach’s Jackson McKenna got a head start on this summer’s Olympics.

McKenna, 15, who will be a sophomore at Pompano Beach High School in the fall, cleaned up at the recent Transplant Games in Cleveland, Ohio by winning 10 medals for Team Florida.

He also earned the Youth Athlete of the Year award for the entire country for participants ages 3 to 17. Australia and Puerto Rico also had representation at the competition in addition to athletes from around the country.

“I didn’t expect it whatsoever,” said McKenna, who as an infant needed a life-saving liver transplant. “It was very surprising to say the least. I was shocked at first. I thought it was a joke. It was really a lot of work and I was grateful they selected me.”

McKenna captured gold medals in four events – 100-meter dash, long jump, high jump and darts (cricket) and five silver medals in softball throw, discus, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash and darts (501). He picked up a bronze medal in the shot put – all in the 14 to 17 age group.

The efforts in shot and discus were surprising given the fact that he had never competed in either event and watched YouTube videos to learn the technique. He had also never competed in darts.

At 5 months old, he was diagnosed with biliary (tract) ectasia and needed a life-saving liver transplant. McKenna received his liver on Feb. 17, 2001, has been healthy ever since, and, every two years, he competes in the Transplant Games of America.

The Transplant Games of America include track and field events, swimming, table tennis, cycling, long jump, table tennis and the softball throw.

The 10 medals this year easily surpassed his previous record high of six that he earned in Michigan four years ago and the five he won in Texas two years ago. Yet, McKenna said winning is not the driving force.

“I just tried my best to see what I could do,” said Jackson, who has turned from sports to a new interest – playing the guitar. “I just wanted to win one medal. I had no idea I would do this well. The last few years have been pretty great. It is really fun. It is great to see the old friends you met from all around the world and then to meet new people.”

He took up the guitar two years ago and is in a music program in Boca Raton. He hopes to be a marine biologist or a guitar player when he gets older.

“When you are competing, you are trying to prove whatever it is,” McKenna said. “Through guitar you can let out your emotions. How you feel is how you are going to play.”

The Transplant Games showcase the success of transplantation and calls attention to the life saving importance of organ donation, and honors organ donors and their families.

“Health-wise he’s been doing great the past couple of years,” said his mother Jina McKenna. “We weren’t sure how he would do this year because he didn’t really put in as much time training for this as he had done in the past, but he really brought it when it came time for the Games. Winning the Youth Athlete of the Year was really special. It was really cool. We were shocked and surprised. We were happy and really honored.”

“He won it because of the medals, but also his participation with Team Florida and his fundraising,” she added. “It also went to his helping create awareness and his longevity in the Games since he has been competing since before he was 2.”

McKenna was the youngest participant in his first Transplant Games in Orlando in 2002 at 18 months as he competed in the softball throw.

“This experience has just shown me that you also go as hard as you can and you always try,” McKenna said. “Even if you think you can’t do something, you always try.”

By Gary Curreri

The Broward County Men’s Amateur Golf Tournament is around the corner. The tournament, which will feature the top players from throughout Broward County, is slated for the Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation and will be played the weekend of July 9-10.

“After receiving valuable feedback in efforts to increase numbers, we have consolidated the tournament into a two-day, 36-hole championship,” said Andrew Michael, director of golf at the Jacaranda Golf Club.

The event was originally slated to be played last December; however, poor weather forced the cancellation of the tournament for the first time in its 48-year history. Michael added some tweaks to the tournament format that he hopes will attract a large field.

“Obviously, with the cancellation of December’s tournament, we found an opportunity to see if the two-day series would be better than the three (days) from a participation standpoint,” Michael said. “We are going to test it out and go from there. We are about 80 percent sure that this will be the time frame of the tournament moving forward.”

Michael will also introduce two additional flights. They will have a Super Senior Flight for players 70-Over and a Junior Flight for golfers 13-17. Should they want to play in the open divisions, they would have to declare ahead of time.

“We are trying to create more interest and attract more players to participate,” said Michael, who took over as Director of Golf in December 2014. “We are limiting registration to the first 80 players and we would like to get to that number. As long as we keep increasing the mark from the previous year, we will be happy. Our goal is achieve a full course field.”

Michael said the tournament was reduced from three days to two, allowing for players with busy work schedules the opportunity to participate and will give all participants the opportunity to compete regardless of age with the addition of the Super Senior and Junior flights. Golfers also don’t have to be Broward County residents to play.

The tournament was forced to cancel in December because the club received five inches of rain over a 36-hour period. There was four inches of rain on the first day leaving standing water, which washed out the majority of the bunkers. Michael said at the time that the course was unplayable.

The field will offer opportunity to compete for net and gross positions for the Open, Senior (50 and up) and Super Senior (70 and up). The Championship and Junior flights will award gross only positions.

The Broward County Amateur Championship has a storied past and past winners include Chris Couch, Rick Woulfe, Pete and John Wegmann, Ty Strafaci and defending champion T.J. Shuart.

To register for the 2016 event, visit www.Jacarandagolfclub.com or contact the golf shop at 954-472-5836. The final day to register is July 1.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach’s Jevon Williams was in familiar territory recently as he successfully defended his 100-meter boys hurdles championship at the Broward County Middle School track and field championships at Coral Springs High School.

“I didn’t expect it,” said Williams, who recently graduated from Pompano Beach Middle School. “It is kind of like winning a super bowl, but it is better because it was for my school.”

The 14-year-old Williams would know about winning Super Bowls as he won a youth football championship with the Pompano Eagles 13-Under team.

In addition to defending his hurdles title in 14.24, he also won the high jump with a personal best leap of 5-10. His previous best was 5-8. He barely clipped the bar as he attempted to top 6-0.

Williams put in a dominating performance in the boys hurdles as he won by nearly a second over Seminole Middle School’s Cody Brown (15.22). The Bengals finished second in the meet with 62 points, just nine points behind four-time defending county champion Lauderdale Lakes Middle School.

“I did good,” said Williams, who has been running track for three years. “It was pretty hard to repeat in the hurdles, but I had the experience.”

Other top local finishes with Pompano Beach Middle School athletes in the championships included Robert Floyd, who finished eighth in high jump (5-4); Darnell Deas, who placed third in the boys 100-meter dash (11.84), and Jeremiah Mathieu, who placed third in the boys 800 (2:12.18).

Pompano Beach kept the meet interesting as it went 2-3 in the 200-meter dash as Shamari Lawrence was second (23.25), while Williams was third (23.74). Pompano Beach also had two standout relay performances as their 4×100 relay took first (44.44), while the 4×400 relay was fourth.

Not to be outdone, the girls also turned in some solid efforts as they tied for ninth in the county with Sawgrass Middle School with 18 points. Lauderdale Lakes’ girls won the championship with 94 points.

Jaleah Williams was one of three girls to break the 1-minute barrier as she was third in the girls 400-meter dash (59.73). K’Nyah Isaac of Pembroke Pines Charter won the girls 400 (56.43). Williams also took third in the 200-meter dash (26.41).

The Bengals girls relays teams also earned points as the 4×400 relay team was fourth in 4:42.17, while the 4×100 relay clocked 55.37 to place eighth.

Simply Soccer Camp offered

Area residents are headed to the Simply Soccer camp that is in its 28th year in nearby Coral Springs. The soccer camp is for boys and girls, ages 5-15, of all skill levels, who will be taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

There are three sessions each day ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., extended hours camp from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a Tiny Tot program for kids ages 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Full day campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. You do not have to be a city resident to attend.

The remaining dates are June 27-July 1, July 11-15, July 18-22, July 25-29, Aug. 1-5, Aug. 8-12 and Aug. 15-19.

You can register daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Coral Springs Gymnasium, 2501 Coral Springs Dr., in Coral Springs. For information on the Coral Springs camp, call 954-345-2200.

By Gary Curreri

With more than 350 figure skaters from around Florida participating in the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating competition at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs, one local girl stood tall.

Pompano Beach’s Katya Drayton, 12, won the Pre Juvenile Free Skating Division recently and punched her ticket to the national games later this year.

“When you see that your hard work has paid off, it is just so rewarding,” said Drayton, 12, who just completed her 7^th-grade year at Somerset Pines Academy. “It’s just the best. I want to at least get to sectionals this year and then maybe nationals.”

Drayton got her start in the sport when she went to her sister’s friend’s birthday party. She took third at last year’s Sunshine State Games and trains at Glacier Ice and Snow Arena in Pompano Beach.

“I just really liked it and I asked my mom if I could have lessons and that’s just how it began,” Drayton said. “The feeling on the ice compares to happiness. The memories … you will never forget that moment that you are out there on the ice.”

“I wouldn’t say you are flying unless you are doing a flying camel or a jump,” she added. “I think it is more like you are gliding. Everything is loose. You can do whatever you want.”

Drayton said there is pressure when you take the ice for your program.

“It depends on what competition it is,” she said. “If it is a smaller one, there are nerves, but if it is a big one where you are competing against so many people from the state, you will have some nerves because you don’t know how good some people are.”

Drayton, who practices six days a week – usually skating 2-1/2 hours every day, will train before and after school to prepare. She likes what the sport brings.

“There is actually a lot of freedom,” she said. “You get to choose your music, unless you have a really strict coach. You get to do your program and, if you feel like some things are not right, you could change it to something that you are better at.”

Drayton is more confident in her jumps and always is looking to make a good impression with the judges.

“I tried to smile as much as I can because I do love it, but you are focused in that moment, so if you are hooked in the moment, you don’t really smile,” Drayton said. “I love it, so I tried to smile and show how much I loved it. I am really happy with what I did.”

The Sunshine State Games is Florida’s Olympic-style Sports Festival that has provided amateur sports opportunities for residents of the state for 37 years. The Figure Skating competition was in its 30th year and was held on two rinks over three days at the IceDen. A total of 127 gold medals were awarded during the competition.

Betty Stark, who has served as the Figure Skating Director for all 30 years in the Games, was recognized for her service to the Sunshine State Games and amateur sports in the State of Florida. The competition drew more than 350 skaters from around the state

“This is our largest number,” Stark said. “This is a big event especially because this is the start of the seasonal year for the skaters and they get to put their programs out, get it tested and get feedback back from the technical panel at the different levels. It is very encouraging because the little ones look up to the big ones who skate.”

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach’s Roz Lagges spent Mother’s Day playing golf with her daughter, Cheryl DeNoia and it was a memorable occasion.

The 76-year-old great grandmother of nine celebrated the day by getting a hole-in-one at the Crystal Lake Golf Club in Deerfield Beach. She used her 5 Hybrid to ace the Par-3, 103-yard 12th hole.

“Cheryl doesn’t golf with us that often because she works so much,” Lagges said. “My husband (Nick) had eye surgery and he hasn’t been able to play.”

Lagges said she thought it might have gone over the green since she lost track of the ball after it flew by the trap at the front of the green.

“I thought, ‘Oh boy, here we go again,’” she said. “I thought it went over the green. [Cheryl] said, ‘No mom, you got it in the hole.’”

“This was so exciting,” Lagges said. “I was with my daughter and she saw it go in the hole. I insisted it must have rolled off the green and that is why she didn’t see the ball on the green. She got in the golf cart and flew to the green and said, ‘yep, it’s in the hole!’ It was great! It was the best Mother’s Day I ever had.”

Her husband has four hole-in-ones and she is closing in on him. She got her first at the Deerfield Country Club on Nov. 23, 2011 when she aced the 120-yard, 17th hole with a 7-iron. They play together about 4 to 5 times a week.

“It was a great thrill,” she said. “It compares to getting a 300 game in bowling. No I have to catch up (to Nick).”

Simply Soccer Camp offered

The Simply Soccer camp returns for its 28th year in Coral Springs. The soccer camp is for boys and girls, ages 5-15, and of all skill levels, who will be taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

There are three sessions each day ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with extended hours camp from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a Tiny Tot program for kids ages 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Full day campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. You do not have to be a city resident to attend.

The dates are: June 13-17; June 20-24; June 27-July 1; July 11-15; July 18-22; July 25-29; August 1-5; August 8-12; August 15-19.

You can register daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Coral Springs Gymnasium, 2501 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs. For information on the Coral Springs camp call 954-345-2200.

By Gary Curreri

In two seasons under coach Joe Giummule’s watch, the Pompano Beach High School baseball team has flourished.

The Tornadoes (20-9) were coming off three straight losing seasons following a 13-6 season in 2010-11 under George Petik before Giummule recorded a 14-10 campaign last year and a 20-win season this year. It won the District 14-5A title, in the process snapping a 45-year drought.

“I’d be lying if I said that was exactly how I wrote it up,” said Giummule, whose team reached the Class 5A regional final this season where it fell 9-3 to Monsignor Pace. “I knew we had talent, and a strong senior group returning. Our pitching was extremely young with little varsity experience from the previous year, so we weren’t sure how that was going to go.”

Entering the year, the Tornadoes had only reached the postseason three times in school history. The team last won the Class 2A district title in 1971 when it fell 4-0 to Miami Beach in the regional playoff.

The team won its only postseason contest in 2012 when it defeated Jensen Beach, 6-2, in the Class 5A regional quarterfinal only to lose to eventual state champ American Heritage, 6-3, in the semifinals. Pompano Beach advanced to the regional quarterfinal in 2013, but lost to Jensen Beach in the first round of the playoffs. Ironically, the team has posted back-to-back two victory seasons those two years.

“I would argue that our district is the toughest in the state of Florida,” said Giummule, who compiled a record of 70-38 at Coral Glades and 59-51 at South Broward before moving over to Pompano Beach. “It is definitely the toughest region in the state of Florida. There would be no days off and we had some great and very talented arms, but inexperienced at the varsity level.”

Giummule said the turning point in the season came on March 17 when it trailed host Pine Crest 9-0 in the fifth inning and the Panthers had a runner on third that would have ended the game with the 10-run mercy rule if he had scored. The Tornadoes had lost to Pine Crest 8-0 just 10 days earlier.

“We came back 11-10 and that secured our season,” he said. “We were able to lock up the three seed with that win. Parents were leaving the game and it was on the road. We beat one team with a winning record year and I thought we were headed in the right direction.”

Giummule, 40, of Coral Springs, was pleased that his team was also able to get by Cardinal Gibbons, who beaten the Tornadoes every year since 2003. Pompano beat the Chiefs three times this season. He was able to beat District favorite Somerset twice this season.

The Tornadoes, who graduate six seniors, including three every day starters, will have to replace Bobby Aseere, Nick Marcantonio, and Vinny Costello. Right handed hurler Peyton Trautman, who went 7-0, also graduates.

“Our district was so tough, that we could have lost every game,” Giummule said. “The kid that pitched against us in the regional final is going to be drafted by MLB in one of top three rounds. He was throwing 95 miles-an-hour. Our goal every year moving forward is to win a district championship. It is baseball and anybody can beat anybody in that sport.”

By Gary Curreri

Blanche Ely and Highlands Christian Academy raced to their respective regional track championships last week.

For Highlands Christian, it was the first regional track championship in school history, and, defeated defending state champion Westminster Academy. The Knights boys and girls teams will send 15 state qualifiers in 20 events.

Highlands Christian’s Ryan Szklany was a double winner as he captured the 1,600 (4:31.23) and 3,200-meter runs (10:04.18) in the Region 4-1A meet. Highlands Boys placed first with 113 points over defending state champs Westminster Academy, who finished at 88.

Highlands Christian runners that placed second included Hunter Walton (800), Delimar Martina (high jump), Scott Bush (pole vault), Chris Julien (100). Placing third for Highlands was Kenny Armstrong (shot put and discus) and Jake Petersen (110 and 300 hurdles).

On the girls’ side, Sara Carroll won four events (high jump, triple jump, 100 and 300 hurdles). Abby Simpson placed third in the 300 hurdles, while Sydney Blackburn placed third in both the shot and the discus. Highlands girls placed third (72 points) behind South Florida Heat (133 points) and Westminster Christian School (Miami) (98.5 points).

“I am very proud of both the boys and the girls,” said Highlands Christian coach Jarod Ebenhack. “We knew at the end of last year that our boys would be as strong if not stronger than Westminster coming into the season, but we also knew that the athletes at Westminster are seasoned competitors and champions who would not be easy to beat.

“We conditioned hard all year long to make this a reality and we faced some adversity,” added Ebenhack, who lost their top 400-meter runner, Steven Ludwig, to a collapsed lung, and then Elijah Kerr to a broken foot the weekend before regionals. “Those two represented a large amount of points to our team. The team took on the challenge of filling the holes left by the loss of these two senior leaders. Our field events, in particular, rose to the challenge, and scored more points than I was expecting.”

Host Blanche Ely ran away with the boys’ crown in the Region 4-3A meet as it finished with 118-1/2 points. The Tigers’ boys’ 4×800-meter relay set the tone early, as Sueil Foucha, James Walker, Syvenson Noel and Roderic Wilson ran an 8:02.11.

“I’ve got a lot of 12th-graders that really worked hard to get to this point,” said Blanche Ely coach Anthony Jordan. “Last year a few that got to state, they got to state and didn’t do anything. This year they are focused on winning it.”

Blanche Ely senior Jacee Simon won the high jump with a leap of 6 ft., 6 in., while University of Cincinnati football signee, senior Thomas Geddis, won the 200 in 21.54. Ely senior Arthur Forrest placed second in the 100 with a time of 10.88, while Wilson also took second in the 800 (1:56.57).

The top four competitors in each event qualified for the state meet, set for May 6-7 at IMG Academy in Bradenton.

By Gary Curreri

Highlands Christian Academy head track coach Jarod Ebenhack laughs at the notion that the school should invest in a track.

With the success the boys and girls varsity teams have had the past several years, at the very least, it makes for some lighthearted discussion.

“It’s a matter of funding,” said Ebenhack, who has been at the school the past four years and guided the team to three boys district championships in the past four years (2014 they were second) and district titles for the girls in 2013 and 2015. The team was runner-up in 2014 and this year. The girls’ squad this year is composed mostly of middle schoolers, while the boys are made up of mostly upper classmen. “To build a basic track would cost around $300,000.

“If we wanted a really good track, it would run about $700,000,” Ebenhack added. “We have everything else – shot put, pole vault and high jump pits, along with long jump and triple jump pits. We practice on various fields around campus and I actually paint a 400-meter track with all of the marks for hurdles and exchange zones around the football field. I think it makes it easier for us because we train in the grass and on the sand, that we go even faster on a track because we are running on a faster surface.”

The boys’ team suffered a tough blow this weekend as soccer standout Elijah Kerr, who runs the leadoff leg for the region’s second ranked 4×100 relay and is the anchor leg for the top-ranked 4×800 relay, broke his foot playing soccer and is out.

“We have good replacements, but it definitely affects the certainty of our performance when you are putting two guys in there who haven’t practiced it regularly,” Ebenhack said. Until 2013, the boys had never won a district championship in track before.

Sophomore Ryan Szklany is the school’s top distance runner with school records in both the 1,600-meter run (4:28) and the 3,200-meter run (9:44). Senior Hunter Walton just eclipsed the school record in the 800-meter dash (2:03).

Senior Chris Julien, the school record holder in the 100-meter dash (11.07) who finished seventh at state last year after winning the regional title in the 100, could win both the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the regional meet.

Junior Justin Ebenhack is on three relays that have school records and is the district champion in the 400-meter dash; Senior Kenny Armstrong won the district titles in both shot put and discus.

Junior Sara Carroll qualified in four events for states the past two years and is hoping to do the same this year. She is also the school record holder in those events – 100-meter hurdles (15.9), 300-meter hurdles (47.99), triple jump (35-10) and high jump (5-4).

“I think the future is really bright for the girls and they can really be dominant for years to come if they stick together,” said Ebenhack, who had started an elementary school track program a couple of years ago. “The majority of our girls team is middle schoolers.

We have a lot of really good young athletes. We are just going to get better.”

The boys were the top-ranked team headed in the regional. The other teams expected to contend for a regional title are Westminster Academy and the South Florida Heat. The girls were expected to finish in the top 5.

“It’s awesome to see them perform,” said Ebenhack, whose boys cross country team has won four consecutive district titles. “They have caught the vision of what kind of work ethic it takes to do it.

“Originally, I really had to push them,” Ebenhack said. “In the past I really had to push them. I am at the point now where I just give them a workout for the day and they will push each other. They will be cheering on each other. It is exciting to see.”

The team has about 70 athletes in the overall program, including middle school and high schools. They are taking 26 to the regionals. Last year the team took 14 to state, which represented about 10 percent of the student body. There are about 160 students at the school this year.

“I’d like to take most everybody to state this year,” Ebenhack said. “Everything will have to fall into place.”

By Gary Curreri

When Gus Cohn tells his friends that he competes in triathlons, he gets strange looks.

“First,” said the freshman at Pompano Beach High School, “they ask me what it is. Then, I guess they dismiss the idea. “I prefer to be on my bike. I guess they find it strange, a little bit.”

Cohn recently placed first in the Boys 15-17 Division of the inaugural Boca Raton Youth Triathlon with a time of 19:29. The event featured 123 athletes ranging in age from 5 to15 and took place at the Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton. Cohn used to play basketball and football and eventually turned to triathlons.

“I think it’s fun,” he said. “It’s three sports in one and you don’t get bored too much. Seeing yourself get faster is probably the most fun out of everything.”

There are simple goals when he competes, and considering he has only been racing for 2-1/2 years, he has been pleased with his progress. Cohn said he is not surprised at his success because he trains a lot and gets faster each time he goes out.

“First, I am trying to beat everyone on the team,” said Cohn, who is a member of the South Florida Lightning Youth and Junior Triathlon Team, which trains locally. “I just give it all that I’ve got and see what my time is.

“I think I am going to do this as a side hobby and an amateur sport,” Cohn said. “I am not looking to do this as a living. If I really, really enjoy it, maybe I will go to Ironman. I think the best part of the sport is that it builds character, and I like the biking.”

“Youth and Juniors Triathlon is a rapid growing sport,” said South Florida Lightning Youth and Junior Triathlon Team coach Racheal Wood, of Deerfield Beach, who started the program in 2011. “It is perfect for young athletes, providing them with the chance to be well-rounded and develop a high level of physical fitness.”

Athletes on both teams are expected to attend practices on a regular basis. If you are interested in being a part of the team, contact Wood at rachealwood@gmail.com or 954-263-4588. You can also visit the website at www.sflightning.com.

Pompano hosts day at Marlins game

The City of Pompano Beach Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department has planned an event to see the Miami Marlins Baseball Team take on the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, June 21.

The all-inclusive event includes a pre-game BBQ party beginning at 4 p.m., tickets, and transportation to and from the game. The bus will depart from the Herb Skolnick Community Center at 5 p.m. All ages are welcome and an adult must accompany children.

Tickets are only $50 per person and include the food party, round trip transportation and a home plate box seat (handicapped accessible).

Tickets can be purchased at the Herb Skolnick Community Center located at 800 SW 36 Ave., Pompano Beach, FL 33069. Tickets must be purchased by May 13. For more information, call 954-786-4590.