Area youth baseball cashes in

This past weekend the Pace SportsPlex was alive with youth baseball as the Gulf Coast 11-14 Elite World Series was underway.

The Elite World Series was one of 19 events to receive a regional grant from the Florida Sports Foundation, which totaled $136,000.

All 19 grants were awarded at the June Quarterly Board Meeting of the FSF, who obtains its funds through the sales of professional sports team’s license plates across the state of Florida to help fund statewide sports commission hosting the events.

The Elite Baseball World Series, which brought in 55 registered team with more than half from outside the state of Florida was assisted by the Pensacola Sports Association.

“We like to support these type of events as we know the teams and parents will enjoy their time in the Pensacola area including Pensacola Beach,” commented PSA Executive Director Ray Palmer.  “We are thrilled they choose to spend the summer and vacation in our community, while also competing in a top level tournament.”

 The five day tournament, which concluded with championship games on Sunday, was expected to bring over 2,100 visitors to the area and have a $1.2-million impact.

On Sunday the Gulf Coast Storm from Pensacola defeated the Panhandle Piranahs out of Navarre 4-3 to take the 14U Title, while the Florida Mustangs out of Niceville defeated the Pearland Lightning from Pearland, Texas 11-2 in six innings.

“We are very appreciative to receive this grant to help enhance our more than 55 team’s experience in the Pensacola area,” said tournament director Joe Tyler.  “We’ve worked with the PSA staff for several years now and are very fortunate to work such a great organization that helps promote youth sports and sports tourism.”

The Pensacola Sports Association (PSA) facilitated the grant request and supports the awarding to the Gulf Coast 11-14 Elite Baseball World Series the money based on their past performance for operating a quality tournament and bringing in a great number of sports tourism dollars. 

So far this year the FSF has awarded 46 regional grants for a total of $366,000.

Statewide these grants are projected to help the economy of the host cities and state with over $108-million and almost 200,000 visitors to Florida.

Sporting events bring additional tourism to Florida causing a significant out-of-state economic impact on an annual basis. Since 1996, the FSF has been assisting communities around the state in their efforts to attract sport events and opportunities.

Also during the month of June, the FSF also hosted four Sunshine State Games events with competition in 18 sports.  Over 4,000 of Florida’s finest amateur athletes competed over two weekends.  The Alachua County Festival was held June 9-11 with nine sports contested in the Gainesville area.  The Polk County Festival was held June 18-19 in the Lakeland area with seven sports in action.  That same weekend, the Sunshine State Games Water Polo Championships was held at the Orlando YMCA Aquatic Center and the Sunshine State Games Inline Hockey Championships was played at The Skatium in Fort Myers.

Florida’s Sunshine State Games is an Olympic-style Sports Festival for Florida amateur athletes of all ages.  Now in its fourth decade, the Sunshine State Games offers affordable competition for amateur athletes looking to showcase their talents.

Other groups receiving these grant dollars in June include:

-- USSSA Boys Basketball Division I & Division II Middle School National Championship, Cocoa Beach, July 1-5, 2011

-- 2011 International Judo Federation World Cup - US Open & Training Camp, Doral, July 1-6, 2011

-- Perfect Game Baseball Championship Series, Fort Myers, July 2-22, 2011

-- 2011 Junior Sports Association All Star National Basketball Event, Miami-Dade County, July 5-9, 2011

-- US Open Junior Judo Championships, Fort Lauderdale, July 14-18, 2011

-- Nations Baseball World Series, Bradenton, July 16-22, 2011

-- AAU Division I Boys 11U Basketball National Championships, Cocoa Beach, July 17-23, 2011

-- USTA Boys 14 National Clay Court Tennis Championships, Fort Lauderdale, July 17-24, 2011

-- Junior Pan American Track & Field Championships, Miramar, July 21-24, 2011

-- Baseball The Magazine's Ticket to Cooperstown Dreams Park, Brevard County, July 22-24, 2011

-- AAU 14U Baseball National Championship, Brevard County, July 24-30, 2011

-- AAU Baseball Underclass National Championships, Fort Myers, July 25-31, 2011

-- 2011 Metropolitan Junior Baseball League Inner City Classic, Orlando, July 26-31, 2011

-- Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association National Tournament, Fort Myers, October 7-10, 2011

-- 2011 Paintball Sports Promotions (PSP) World Cup, Polk City, October 20-23, 2011

-- Paradise Cup Lacrosse Tournament, Naples, November 4-6, 2011

-- Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association, Naples, November 19-20, 2011

-- 2011 American Youth Football & Cheer National Championships, Kissimmee, December 3-11, 2011