Fort Lauderdale’s Joseph C. Carter Park will enjoy its third groundbreaking.
Opened originally as Sunland Park, the 19-acre community park on Sunrise Boulevard near I-95 became a center of athletic and social activity for citizens in the west-central part of the city.
In 1994, the park was rededicated to honor Joseph Carter, who spent 24 years as the park’s superintendent
On Aug.29 at 10 a.m., ground will be broken once more for a new wave of improvements for the park.
Under the city’s master plan, renovations will be made to upgrade all park features, at a cost of $7 million. The improvements will include refurbishing the ballfields with new turf and irrigation systems, more seating, a new concession stand and press box, and better lighting for night games. The park’s entry and parking lots also will be improved and covered walkways will be added to provide ease of passage between buildings.
The pool building will be renovated, a water playground will be added and other improvements will be made to enhance the deck area. Upgrades will be made to the gymnasium and to provide two handicapped-accessible restrooms, and an enhanced weight-training area. Finally, a fitness trail with exercise stations will be constructed around the perimeter of the park.
“The renovations to Joseph C. Carter Park will add a tremendous amount of innovations to this community, which directly relates to our mission,” said Vince Gizzi, superintendent of special facilities and parks bond administrator for Fort Lauderdale. “The spectacular water playground will be the highlight of the improvements acclimating young children to water and providing plenty of fun.
The park closed Aug. 22 and will re-open in the summer of 2003.
Getting belted
Many northeast Broward youngsters, and even a few adults, are brandishing their new karate belts these days.
The students of the American Kenpo Institute were tested in July and received their new, upgraded belts.
They include: Dragons — Yellow belt: Taylor Baughman; Orange belt: Bobby Aseere, Darryl Hord, Christopher Hopper, Gregory O’Brien. Purple belt: Harrison Erd, Esther francois, Baylee kennedy, Cody Coldren.
Youth — Yellow belt: Arthur Lange; Orange belt: Jared Anderson, Taylor Aseere, Lily Francois, Christopher Hollingsworth, Alan Morgan, Robert Orr, Rachel Pedroso. Green belt: Adrian Garcia, Julia Garcia, Ricky Kapraum; Brown belt: Eric Contreras, Kass Contreras, Christine Nicastro.
Junior black belt — Orange belt: Chris Keimel, Jonathan Keimel, Tim Lear, Ryan Martin, Alex Mooney, Casey Riley, Daniel Sindoni. Green belt: Anthony Russo.
Adults — Orange belt: Brenda Legel.
Turf rodeo
Bobcat basketball, the mower relay and blower slalom certainly aren’t Olympic events, but they’re among the competitive highlights of the Tri-County Turf Rodeo on Tuesday at Markham Park, 16001 W. State Road 84, Sunrise.
This, the 11th rodeo, will bring together more than the usual contingent of parks and recreation and public works employees from Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
“We’re doing this as part of the Florida Parks and Recreation Association’s annual conference this year,” says rodeo director Ronnie Lakatos. “We’re opening it to all professionals in the field statewide. Normally, we get about 500 to 525 entries. This year we’re expecting 600 to 650 easy.”
The competitive events begin at 11:30 a.m., with slightly offbeat, but keen competition among determined competitors. An awards ceremony will follow the rodeo events. Call 954-828-3647.
POMPANO BEACH
Men’s Softball League
The Pompano league is in the final stretch.
Men’s Wednesday Night Rec IV
Standings: Southeast Auto Brokers, 9-1; Championship Motor Sports, 7-3; Maroone, 5-6; Wanna Be Bachelors, 6-5; Jeremiah’s 6-4; St. Coleman’s Bru’s Room, 4-7; Bada Bing, 3-8; CDU’s, 2-8.
Scores from Aug. 5: St. Coleman’s Bru’s Room 15, CDU’s 11; SE Auto Brokers 12, Wanna Be Bachelors 7; Championship Motor Sports 13, Bada Bing 1; Jeremiah’s 12, Maroone 7.
Scores from Aug. 7:
WANNA BE BACHELORS 21, BADA BING 20: Bada Bing rallied for 10 runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 19. The Wanna Be’s fought back and held on for the win.
JEREMIAH’S 19, CDU’S 3: Jim O’Halloran went 4 for 4 and hit for the cycle as Jeremiah’s continued its win streak to move into third place.
ST. COLEMAN’S BRU’S ROOM 20, MAROONE 11: St. Coleman’s Bru’s is getting healthy and has won two in a row. The pitching of player/coach Tony Dipiero and the hitting of Bob Saley, John Louvari and Max Clarke has helped St. Coleman’s climb out of last place and into the mix.
SOUTHEAST AUTO BROKERS 10, CHAMPIONSHIP MOTOR SPORTS 9.
Men’s Tuesday/Thursday Night Rec IV
Standings: Producers, 10-5; Florida Coast Elevator, 9-4; Sports Plus, 9-4; Bru’s Room, 9-6; Quarterdeck, 9-6; Helen S, 4-11; Sportsline, 4-10; Pat’s Place 3-11. Scores from August 6 in the Men’s Tuesday/Thursday Night Rec IV League: Sports Plus 15, Sportsline 0; Pat’s Place 20, Bru’s Room 16; Producers 16, Helen S 12; Quarterdeck 18, FLA Coast Elevator 8.
Scores from Aug. 1: Sports Plus 17, Bru’s Room 5; FLA Coast Elevator 26, Helen S 13; Pat’s Place 11, Producers 9; Quarterdeck 26, Sportsline 4.
Friday Night Coed Competitive League
Standings: Comp Glass, 9-2; Bikini Bob’s, 6-5; Spanky’s, 6-5; OK Tires 2-11.
Playoff scores: Spanky’s 30, Comp Glass 9; OK Tires 11, Bikini Bobs 5; Comp Glass 21, Spanky’s 12.
Sunshine Senior Softball Summer League
Standings: Bombers, 13-11; Yankees, 12-12; Wings, 11-12; Storm, 11-12.
JUNIOR GOLF
The Junior Golf Association of Broward held its three-day championship tournament and awards ceremony Aug. 1, 2, 5 at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach Golf Club and Coral Ridge Country Club/American Golfer’s Club respectively.
Trophies were awarded for first, second and third place, with the first- and second-place winners moving up a flight next summer.
Scholarships were also awarded to 12 graduating seniors, along with a number of other awards.
The winners by flight in the championship were: Boys Senior; Eddie O’Connor (first – Archbishop McCarthy), Kyle Hitchcock (second – Douglas High School), Ryan Sanford (third – Pembroke Pines Charter); Boys Junior; Brandon Roseth (first – Flanagan HS), Ryan Shpak (second – Sagemont), Ryan Butchey (third – St. Thomas); Boys A; Michael Cohen (first – Chaminade-Madonna), Neil Horsley (second – Pioneer Middle), Zachary Kopp (third – Deerfield Beach HS); Boys B; Brian O’Keefe (first – Piper HS), Kurt Kohle (second – Pompano Beach HS), Michael Anderson (third – St. Bonaventure); Boys C; Kerm Kemp Jr. (first – Falcon Cove Middle), Gregory Weber (second – Sawgrass Middle), Eric Leitner (third – Indian Ridge Middle); Boys D; Ryan Rogerson (first – Virginia Young Elementary), Thomas Drill (second – St. Anthony), Zachary Oliver (third – Westminster Academy); Boys E; Jess Worbington (first – Western HS), Tony Vento (second – St. Andrew’s), Jimmy Bishop (third – Richards Middle); Boys F; Chandler Morford (first – Hawks Bluff Elementary), Christopher Giles (second – St. Gregory), Ronald Patella (third – Nova Blanche Forman); Girls Senior; Nicole DeJesus (first – St. Thomas), Hagen Weintraub (second – Western HS), Gina Larsen (third – Westminster Academy); Girls A; Stephanie Kenoyer (first – Lighthouse Point), Kerri Lancaster (second – Taravella), Tiffany Womack (third – Logger’s Run Middle); Girls B; Victoria Bujalski (first – St. Coleman’s), Alexandra Truesdell (second – Chaminade-Madonna), Alexandra Moss (third – St. Coleman’s); Girls C; Megan Doherty (first – Ramblewood Elementary), McKenzie Duncan (second – Sawgrass Elementary), Kimberly Price (third – Lakeside Elementary).
Other awards: the Purdo Scholarship Award to the senior boys with the highest grade point average; Wes Hitchcock and Scott Squires with 5.4 GPAs; the Lucy Forman Award for the senior girl with the highest GPA, Colleen Hambrook with a 4.0 GPA. Twelve graduating seniors were awarded scholarships by the JGA, they were: Michael Koprowski, Wes Hitchcock, Ryan Burr, Kelly Zacharias, Scott Squires, Kellen Ledbetter, Colleen Hambrook, Blair Langstroth, Catherine Briggs, John Roxborough, Eddie O’Connor and Laura Melnicoff. Other awards that the JGA presented were: the Founders Award for most improved female golfer, Tiffany Womack; the Ron Kesterson Award for the most improved male golfer, Michael Magee and Curtis Thompson; the Carol Mann Award for the female with the lowest stroke average, Hagen Weintraub, the Julius Boros Award for the male with the lowest stroke average, Ryan Sanford; the President’s Award for exhibiting the spirit of JGA, Bradley Freed; the Fran Pou Award for assisting the Board of Directors, Len Steinberg, the Citizenship Award for outstanding attitude and leadership, Catherine Briggs and the Watson Award for the outstanding parent volunteer, Jeff Reuss.
Boys’ volleyball tryouts
Athletes Committed to Excellence Inc. is a non-profit volleyball training program that will be resurfacing after winning a National Championship in the 16-and-under Club Division in 2000. The organization emphasizes athletic and academic success as well as community service involvement.
“We will be looking to field teams in all divisions from 12-and-under through 18-and-under, and in all levels within each age group,” said Frank Bowman, the club director. “There will be travel and non-travel teams as well.”
Bowman said since boys’ volleyball has become a recognized sport with the Florida High School Activities Association, he expects an increase in participation and community involvement.
“Volleyball has increased in popularity nationally and we hope to help the trend here in South Florida,” Bowman said.
The tryouts will be Sept. 7 at University School in Davie. The times are: 12-and-under, 9-11 a.m.; 13-14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; 15-16, 1-3 p.m.; 17-18, 3-5 p.m. Contact Frank Bowman at or 954-647-7803. The Sun-Sentinel strives to provide the most comprehensive community sports coverage for its readers in Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Lazy Lake. Cynthia Thuma is the correspondent assigned to your community.
Story ideas, registration information and any other news should be directed to Thuma at 561-394-8379 (evenings), e-mail at cindythuma @yahoo.com or fax at 356-4566.
You can also call community sports editor Steve Svekis at 954-356-4654 or e-mail him at .
Team pictures and action photos can be mailed to Bonnie DiPacio, Sun-Sentinel Sports, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 33301 or e-mailed to .
