SPORTS

Don't look now but the start of high school football season is rapidly approaching. Football practices across the state begin Monday with the preseason classics set for about two weeks later. With that in mind, The Herald-Tribune compiled a list of what we think will be the best showdowns in Southwest Florida for the 2024 season. There's at least one game highlighted for every week of the regular season (and threw in some secondary options). ...

The area high school football coaching carousel has seven coaches in new spots. Two of the new coaches were at Braden River High, one, Curt Bradley, for a dozen years and the other, Eric Sanders, for a handful of months.  The other five come from outside the area with four receiving their first high...

BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) - Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a professional baseball player? Well 50 lucky Suncoast kids got to find out. The Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County teamed up with the Bradenton Marauders for a special day. Second through fifth graders took...

A decade ago, Conner Whittaker and Owen Ayers played travel baseball together. They had previously played youth baseball in the Sarasota Cal Ripken League at the same time, so they were already acquaintances, but through their team's travel ball experiences, the two became good friends, despite Ayers being 10 and Whittaker being 8. Years later, the two would again be on the same team, this time at Sarasota High.

Nelly Korda’s Whoop band tells the story of Tokyo three years ago. It was on the Olympic podium, as Korda received the gold medal, that her heart rate registered the highest that day. The rush of emotion she felt as she listened to the national anthem and watched the American flag rise was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. ...

TALLAHASSEE FL- Devyn Flaherty’s softball journey began in Sarasota, Florida, where she made waves at Riverview Sarasota High School. Despite tearing her ACL during her freshman year, she posted a remarkable .488 batting average, totaling 84 hits, 55 RBIs, and 54 runs over her high school career. She was a 2019 HT Preps All-Area Softball Player of the Year Finalist and earned a spot on the East team in the 2019 PGF High School All-American Game. Initially a promising soccer player, her injury shifted her focus solely to softball. Growing up a Florida State fan, Devyn eventually found her perfect fit with the Seminoles after one last campus visit.

This content was writter in partnership with DataSkrive. DataSkrive leverages a combination of human expertise, machine learning, and pre-built content libraries to assemble and personalize sports content. The Toronto Blue Jays (46-55) and Tampa Bay Rays (51-51) meet Thursday at Rogers Centre, starting at 3:07 PM ET on BSSUN. The...

BRADENTON, Fla. (SNN) — As we gear up for the Olympics we recognize it is a meeting place for athletes, fans, and broadcasters from across the globe. Retired tennis pro Jimmy Arias, now the director of player development for tennis at IMG Academy, will partake in the games from the broadcasting booth.

The 2024 Olympics opening ceremony is tonight in Paris. We can think of no better way to celebrate than with a box of macarons from Sarasota's own Le Macaron, which distributes its delicate cookies to more than 60 locations around the U.S. Le Macaron owners Audrey Guillem-Saba and her husband,...

The Movers & Shakers section in DI #188, dedicated to the World Series of Pro Mod issue, is truly exceptional. It captures the faces and stars that filled Bradenton, Florida, in early March this year, showcasing the bright future of the WSOPM. [Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI...

The Tampa Bay Rays have reached the bottom of the ninth inning in its quest to secure a new ballpark.

Lakewood High (St. Petersburg, Florida) offensive lineman Chancellor Cambell is one of the rising juniors Florida’s recruiting team has focused on heavily this summer, and those efforts are paying, according to Swamp247. Campbell visited The Swamp twice in March and then secured an offer in May to open the summer. Since then, the Gators have only further cemented themselves as the top team on his list. He was in Gainesville most recently in June and will be back this weekend for the Grill in the ‘Ville event to close out the summer recruiting period. A return trip at the beginning of fall...

High school athletes can start preparing next week for a new season of competition, and they will be practicing in record heat. In May, temperatures in St. Petersburg were 4.5 degrees above average. Tampa’s temperatures were higher too, 3.5 degrees above average. But there are strict guidelines protecting athletes...

The 2024 Olympic Games may be in Paris, but Sarasota and Manatee county sports fans will see a lot of hometown flavor over the next two weeks. The Games officially start with today's Opening Ceremony in Paris, taking place from 1:30 to 5:15 p.m. and end on Aug. 11. During that time seven area athletes,...

Jul. 25—As Loyola Marymount's Alejandro Alonso stood over his tee shot on the 18th hole, a boom of thunder loudly announced the worst-kept secret at the 49th Palmetto Amateur. Mother Nature wields an awful lot of influence over how this golf tournament will finish — maybe not who wins, but when it's won. So it's not really a secret, given that it is this part of the country and it is this time ...

Visit Sarasota County (VSC) is proud to announce the signing of its first-ever Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with 2024 USA Olympic Swim Team member, Olympic medalist and native of Sarasota, Emma Weyant. This groundbreaking partnership highlights Sarasota County’s commitment to promoting local talent and fostering community pride through sports and tourism. Fresh off her impressive performance at the US Olympic Swim Trials, Weyant was named to the 2024 USA Olympic Swim Team to compete in the Paris Olympics in the 400m Individual Medley. It will be a return to the same event in which she captured the hearts of millions with her impressive performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she won a silver medal. A former member of the Sarasota Sharks swim team, Weyant also led the Virginia Cavaliers to an NCAA Team Championship, before transferring to the University of Florida in 2022. She sees herself as role model who embodies the spirit of excellence and dedication, and proudly shares her hometown pride throughout all her competitions. Through this NIL deal, Weyant will be featured in Visit Sarasota marketing materials, and on its website and social media, highlighting the area as a premier destination for visitors, sports enthusiasts and sporting events thanks to its unique attractions, beautiful weather, cultural offerings and world-class sports facilities.The NIL deal with Weyant marks a significant milestone for Visit Sarasota County, setting a precedent for future partnerships with local athletes and personalities. By leveraging the power of sports and personal stories, Visit Sarasota aims to strengthen its brand and attract more tourists and sports teams to experience the charm and hospitality of the region.

There is no better time to plan a well-deserved golf getaway than during National Golf Month, celebrated annually in August. For those looking for the finest golfing experience in the nation, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Sarasota is the place to be. Imagine a golf course where velvet greens gently...

Caleb and Jacob Smith were among 23 students nationwide to participate in the MLB Players STEM League game during MLB All Star weekend.