TDC brings in summer sports events, again
April 20th, 2023
By PHIL ATTINGER Staff Writer for Highlands News-Sun
This coming month will see another run of summer sports events, again with emphasis on unusual water and game competitions.
The Tourist Development Council, branded as “Visit Sebring,” will once again assist in bringing in these sports events, said Lead Marketer Casey Hartt.
It’s hoped that by building a strong market for sports outside of softball and golf, the county will pull in additional non-traditional competitors and spectators each year during the usually slower summer months, thus increasing off-season exposure and revenue for the area.
Watercross Prepare on May 5-7 to see the Prowatercross event with JetSki/Waverunner racers at Veterans Beach, covered via television by CBS Sports Network.
Simply defined as motocross on personal watercraft, “watercross” has racers compete on an unpredictable liquid track, Hartt said: The calm or choppy waters near the west shore and northwest cove of Lake Jackson.
Competitors will race as fast as 85 mph or more against a full field of competitors, Hartt states, and also compete in who can do the best freestyle landing after a double backflip. For details, visit www.prowatercross.org.
Wrestling That same weekend, May 5-7, The Florida Amateur Wrestling Association (FAWA) will bring the Sunshine State Clubs Championship to Avon Park’s South Florida State College (SFSC). FAWA is the Florida state affiliate of USA Wrestling, the sport’s member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Find details at www.floridaamateurwrestling.org.
Lacrosse The following weekend, May 12-14, will see the High School Lacrosse Showcase Tournament return one of the fastest-growing youth sports in the United States to Highlands County. Tournament director Tom West, with 24 years of coaching at high school and college levels in various states will help players perform their best in front of college scouts at the Highlands County Sports Complex. Spectators are welcome.
Then, on May 19-21, the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame/All-American Festival will come to the Highlands County Sports Complex. The North and South Florida Chapters of USA Lacrosse, the governing body of the sport in the United States, will showcase players’ and teams’ talents in Sebring at an inaugural event that starts that Friday evening with a Hall of Fame Awards Induction Dinner, followed by Boys and Girls North/South All-American games on Saturday and a “Sixes” tournament offered on Sunday.
Cornhole A big draw last year at the Bernie Little Distribution Center, this year’s American Cornhole League Florida Championship will return June 16-18 to the Alan Jay Arena at the Highlands County Fairgrounds. Anyone can play and win. If you want to join in, visit www.iplaycornhole.com.
Motosurf Motorized surfboard and skateboard races — the Sebring Motosurf Games — will return Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 for a Labor Day weekend event with national coverage, again by CBS Sports Network. The event will run out of Sebring’s Pier Beach on Lake Jackson with conventional-fuel motorized surfboards and motorized skateboards.
Competition categories include Pro, Hobby, Women and Youth, as well as an open invitation for the public to try out the motosurf and motoskate boards for free on that Thursday, Aug. 31, at the Jack Stroup Sebring Civic Center. For details, visit www.motosurfamerica.com.
Story Sourced from Highlands News-Sun
