“I am so pleased that Tripp was recognized by the FCSAA to be the recipient of this award. He put in the time and effort to grow as an individual, as a golfer, and as a leader on our team,” said head coach Meredith Yaun.

After a successful freshman season, Watkins returned as a strong leader to a team of sophomores. He achieved his first individual win in a one round match against Eastern Florida State College in October.

He carded a two-under score on the front nine following with a +1 on the back nine to post a career-best 71 (-1). His leadership on the course also helped the Lakehawks to the program’s first win.

Watkins’ individual win came with regional recognition. He was named the FCSAA October Golfer of the Month, another first for the program.

Watkins’ next standout performance came at the 2026 Lakehawk Invitational where he tied for first in individual standing with a +3 two-round score. He narrowly missed the individual champion title after a sudden death playoff which stretched three extra holes.

The FCSAA named Watkins the March Golfer of the Month after his performance at the Lakehawk Invite and a third place finish at the Pioneer Invitational in Gaffney, S.C.

Executive Director of Athletics Jay Miller says, “Tripp played a pivotal role in establishing our men’s golf program the last two years. He helped set the standard for future Lakehawk golfers.”

“He is a fierce competitor whose commitment to excellence has elevated everyone around him. Earning FCSAA Golfer of the Year is a well-deserved honor and further solidifies the legacy he leaves both on and off the course.”

Watkins’ Lakehawk career came to an end in Oxford, Ala. at the 2026 NJCAA South District Championship. He took fifth overall in the tournament with a +12 after three rounds of competition.

In addition to regional recognition and induvial success, Watkins was voted the 2025-26 Lakehawk Athletics Male Player of the Year, an award dedicated to honoring the most talented student-athlete in the department.

“We are incredibly proud of Tripp Watkins and all he has accomplished on the course and in the classroom,” said John Temple, President of Lake-Sumter State College. “As one of the first student-athletes to take a chance on joining our College’s new men’s golf program, Tripp has helped lay a strong foundation for future Lakehawk success. We look forward to the bright future ahead for Tripp.” 

Watkins has etched his name into the Lakehawk Golf history books as a player, but he also brought value to the program as a person and a student.

This year, Watkins volunteered at the Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) Athletics Golf Classic and the LSSC Foundation Gala, as well as at home baseball and softball games assisting in the concession stand.

Watkins finished the 2026 championship season ranked no. 25 nationally. He will continue his education and collegiate golf career at New College of Florida in Sarasota, Fla.

As the men’s golf honoree, Watkins moves forward as a candidate for the FCSAA Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. The finalists will be announced on Tuesday, June 30 followed by the winner on Thursday, July 2.

The post LSSC’s Tripp Watkins Named FCSAA Men’s Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

Mitchell spent the 2021-22 season at MVA, helping lead the Eagles to a GEICO High School National Championship and a No. 1 national ranking. The Eagles captured their third consecutive national title that season, finishing atop the national polls after winning GEICO Nationals. Mitchell played a key role throughout the championship run, averaging 13.0 points and 11.3 rebounds during the national tournament.

Mitchell, a Tampa native, arrived at MVA as one of the nation’s premier prospects and quickly established himself as one of the top two-way players in high school basketball. During his lone season with the Eagles, he earned McDonald’s All-American honors, was named a MaxPreps Third Team All-American, earned Naismith Trophy Second Team All-America recognition, and was selected to the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) All-Defensive Team.

Following his graduation from MVA in 2022, Mitchell signed with the University of Texas, where he spent two seasons. He later transferred to the University of Cincinnati before finishing his collegiate career at St. John’s University under Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino.

At St. John’s, Mitchell helped lead the Red Storm to Big East regular-season and tournament championships while showcasing the athleticism and defensive versatility that made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2026 draft class. He averaged 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game during his final collegiate season and earned All-Big East Defensive Team honors.

Known for his elite athleticism, rebounding ability, and defensive impact, Mitchell developed into one of the nation’s top defensive forwards during his college career. Those traits ultimately caught the attention of the Celtics, who made him the 40th overall selection.

The entire Montverde Academy community congratulates Dillon on this tremendous accomplishment and wishes him continued success as he begins his professional career with the Boston Celtics.

(Provided by Montverde Academy)

The post MVA Alum Dillon Mitchell Selected By Boston Celtics in 2026 NBA Draft appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Ministry Camp Programs are now in progress involving students and coaches from all local South Lake County colleges, universities, high schools and middle schools.

Each camp event will share comprehensive athletic, spiritual and leadership training as a very positive life-changing experience. These inspirational summer camp programs have been designed to celebrate local athletic youth through a commitment to integrity, community service, teamwork, and excellence. They proudly shared their ministry with the FCA Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Registration is still open for their late June to July 2026 summer camps, including the FCA Champions Camp, Charge Camp, Coaches Family Camp and the Florida Leadership Camp. For needy families, FCA students can earn camp scholarships.

FCA Area Director, Tim Hancock noted, ” Our FCA Champions Camps are designed to help our coaches and our student athletes to be Champions for Christ on and off their field of competition. This year’s FCA camps theme is ‘Proven’. We are working to help our students learn what it looks like to go from proving their own worth to be proven in Jesus.”

The first one-day camp was held at the Family Christian Center in Clermont, FL. This camp was designed for young students. This diverse program had 116 student athletes attend with numerous inspiring prayers, motivating breakout discussion groups, tiger ball team competition, indoor Olympic games, ‘slamma jamma’ cheering, coaches’ sessions and motivating presentations led by Tim Hancock, Khalil ‘Tuck’ Tucket, Katrina Cox, Amanda Palomares, Pastor Hector Ilarraza, Pastor Bobby Crespo and the Family Christian Worship Band. The speakers shared interactive themes about how to lead a better life, how to stay connected to Jesus, how to build your own identity with cultivated connections, obedience and joy. Palomares shared, “What we choose in our lives matters. You need to learn how to plant the seeds for your future growth. It’s always a great time to read your bibles to learn from the scriptures, so you can get a head start on your life by learning the best lessons and ways.”

The June 4 to 7 FCA Camp was a 3-day experience was held at the Lake Yale Conference Center, Leesburg, for all FCA coaches and their families. They shared how coaches spend their valuable time and energy focused on all of their young FCA students. This camp was aimed at providing their FCA coaches, their spouses, and children with a weekend getaway spend quality time together through fellowship, competition, worship, and huddles, with some free time to grow their relationships with the Lord, their families, local FCA staff, and peers. 

June 22-26, 2026 FCA Charge Camp & Donor Night: This 3-day camp will be hosted at Southeastern University, in Lakeland. This camp is now full.

July 3-6, 2026 FCA Florida Leadership Camp: This 4-day program will be held at Camp Lake Swan in Melrose, FL for incoming 6^th graders to graduating 12^th graders. There will be a huddle specifically designed to equip and ready each student for their college experience. This camp is only $375 per student and $150 per adult. Registration cutoff is June 14.

July 2026 — FCA Football Camp: With 20 participating teams from across Central Florida, FCA will help each team in their pre-season preparations on how to best launch their most successful new football seasons.

FCA has developed an inspired community that works with their students and coaches to see the world transformed in a very positive manner through shared Christianity. Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ programs strive to help their participating students to be inspired to become better individuals and teammates. They work to consistently engage, equip and empower everyone to achieve success through their ministry. FCA Coaches travel to each of the South Lake schools while coaching, teaching, and instructing student athletes. FCA Leadership Huddles are held regularly year-round to encourage athletes, coaches, and campuses to live and compete using biblical principles through the platform of athletic competition.

For more information about South Lake County of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, visit: www.SouthLakeCountyFCA.org. For more information and to register online for the FCA Camps, visit: https://www.southlakecountyfca.org/summer-camp. Volunteers, donors and sponsors are always appreciated. Follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/southlakecountyfca.

The post FCA Summer Camps Proving Successful For All Champion Students & Families appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

For the high school baseball world within Lake County, it is hard to say “play ball” without thinking about Coach Kerry Whetro and his lifetime of dedication to America’s favorite pastime and hundreds of high school athletes that he has had the opportunity to not only coach, but also mentor in a way that only a hometown-style coach can do.

Coach Whetro officially wrapped up a 42-year career at the closure of this school year. A career that would include a move to Florida from Ohio and 600+ total baseball game wins. Coach Whetro speaks with fondness regarding his childhood memories that would eventually lead to his lifetime of commitment to youth baseball coaching. “My dad, Hal, was a big influence on my life and my interest in baseball. My dad was a referee, umpire, and Little League coach for 50 years in our small and very rural hometown of Edgerton, Ohio,” says Coach Whetro.

The Coach recalls family vacations every year that included traveling to the Little League World Series. “I was playing little league myself then, so the trips were very exciting. We had the opportunity to meet baseball greats such as Tommy John (also known as the Bionic Man), Pete Rose, and Cal Ripken (also known as the Iron Man), while at the World Series,” says Coach Whetro.

Credit was also given to Coach Whetro’s school math teacher and baseball coach when he was growing up. Coach Peverly was not only a coach but a man who took the extra step in helping his players and his students. “He taught me a lot, about a lot of things. Mr. Peverly’s math skills taught me how to use protractors and calculate dimensions such as square footage and yards,” says Coach Whetro. Those skills would eventually help Coach Whetro to lay out the brand new and first baseball field at East Ridge High School in 2003.

From the early days of volunteering at the local recreation department in Edgerton during his early teen years, Coach Whetro would go on to play high school baseball before graduating high school and then earn his first degree in physical education at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio. He would later earn his master’s degree in education leadership at Indiana Wesleyan University, where he also helped coach a local Little League team. “Edgerton was a small farm town with little to offer long term – the only way out for kids graduating high school was sports or college,” says Coach Whetro.

When asked about memorable moments, Coach Whetro credited his hometown environment for his determination and unwillingness to give up on things that seemed impossible. “I was raised in a small community with a single small school, kindergarten through 12^th grade, and the small towns in Ohio were very judgmental about their local sports,” says Whetro. The coach recalls one such time when a rumor reached him outlining the opinion of a few parents that the team he was coaching at the time would never win a game due to the team’s size and small selection of talent to choose from within the town. Coach Whetro recalls, with a spirited smile, that the team not only won a majority of its games that year, but also advanced to the state finals that season. “We were only one pitch away from advancing to the final 4 that season – a little disappointed but the team, and parents were very pleased with the season,” says Coach Whetro.

For the next 14 years, Coach Whetro would teach elementary physical education and middle school math, as well as coach high school baseball at his hometown school in Edgerton. During that time, Coach Whetro was named coach of the All-Ohio Baseball Team in 1997. “I really enjoyed teaching just as much as I did coaching, especially when I got to see a kid go to college and make their dreams come true – a sentiment that continued through my entire career,” says Coach Whetro.

Life would lead to a brand-new opportunity for Coach Whetro and his wife, Paula, when the couple made the move to Florida in 1999. The family was truly travelling to Florida on spiritual faith, as the future was not certain, but the feeling of “a calling” was. Coach Whetro’s wife was working on a plan to create what would later become Building Blocks Ministries, an assistance program for adults with disabilities in south Lake County. This dream became a success and is still in operation today. Coach Whetro, at the same time, had been interviewed by phone with success and acceptance for a teaching position at the brand-new Windy Hill Middle School in Clermont. He began his Florida baseball coaching career at South Lake High School.

In 2003, Coach Whetro was asked to take on the Varsity Coaching position and set up the new baseball field at East Ridge High School. Coach Whetro led the school’s first baseball team to an 18-14 season. The team, which had no senior class that year, played in the regional final, making it to the final 8 in the state. The team was also the district runner-up that year.

The next year, Coach Whetro transferred to South Lake High School, where he enjoyed 9 continuous years of coaching with an impressive record of 175 wins against 92 losses, including one regional appearance in the final 16 and 1 district championship.

In 2019, Coach Whetro would make his final move to Lake Minneola High School, where records would be set, and young lives would receive opportunities that could make dreams come true. With a compilation of 169 wins vs 60 losses and one district runner-up, Coach Whetro also led the hard-working team to 7 district championships and 7 regional appearances. The team also finished in the Sweet-16 three times – a school record. One regional finals appearance also set a school record for the team advancing to the state playoffs.

Coach Whetro maintains an impressive career history, but he is quick to acknowledge the successes of students off the field as well as on. Sixty team players from Lake Minneola High School went on to attend college after graduating high school during Coach Whetro’s watch of 22 seasons. “It is harder for students/team players in Florida because there are so many kids here that are really good at playing baseball. Their work ethic is strong, and they are determined. I saw many half-day students attend workouts hours before ball practice began. Kids here care about their future and their present,” says Coach Whetro.

To many who know Coach Whetro, that determination and desire reflect not only his coaching abilities but his personality as well. Former Lake Minneola High School Principal Linda Shephard Miller – Mama Hawk, is quoted as saying in a 2021 Daily Commercialinterview honoring Coach Kerry Whetro’s 500^th win, “that she considered hiring Coach Kerry Whetro as one of the best decisions that she’s ever made for the school’s athletic program.”

One of Coach Whetro’s traits was his ability to communicate the word of God to students and players when they approached him with spiritual questions. “I couldn’t approach them, but if they approached me, I could share the word of God without preaching scripture. There are ways to do that without causing problems – referring to the public-school policies of church and state,” says Coach Whetro. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes would often hold pregame devotions and post-game prayer for those who wanted to participate.

Coach Whetro attributes his success to family, especially his wife Paula, who has remained at his side from the beginning of their marriage. His other coaching assistants include daughter Lora, son Bryan, daughter-in-law Veronica, and three grandchildren, Sophia, Wyatt, and Savannah.

What’s next for Coach Whetro, one might ask. It likely is not a couch and remote control as Coach Whetro and his wife continue their ministry of preaching the gospel in the Clermont area. The coach enjoys helping and watching his grandson Wyatt’s baseball team in Eustis. The couple enjoys vegetable gardening and is researching fun ways to grow food. The couple is also active members of the Kiwanis Club of Clermont, and Paula remains an active founding board member of the Building Blocks, the organization that she founded.

The staff at South Lake Tablet sincerely thanks you, Coach, for your many years of service to youth and community. We wish you and your family the best in your next chapter of life.

(Photos obtained from Coach Whetro)

The post Coach Kerry Whetro Retires After A Fulfilling 42-Year Career appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

The final Saturday of May brought a little bit of everything to Clermont Waterfront parkrun—sunshine, clouds, and even a touch of drizzle as the morning progressed. Despite the changing conditions, the fast times kept coming.

Leading the charge was prep standout Jonahel Vazquez-Escribano, who wasted no time asserting himself at the front of the field. Through the opening mile, he had already established a commanding 30-second lead and never looked back, cruising to a parkrun personal best of 16:54.

Behind him, top local masters runner Jeremy Arguelles put together another strong performance, holding second place from start to finish in 17:54.

On the women’s side, a former East Ridge high school graduate & current Flagler College runner stole the show. Hanna Warren ran a superb 19:35, dominating the female field and finishing comfortably under the 20-minute barrier. This year at Flagler Warren broke the 18 minute mark in the 5k run!

One of the biggest breakthroughs of the morning belonged to local running legend Jason Fuqua. Despite logging fewer than 14 miles of running during the week, Fuqua delivered a personal best of 19:37, slicing 15 seconds off his previous mark.

As the school year winds down, many educators and coaches are preparing for new chapters. One familiar face at Clermont parkrun entering a transition is longtime East Ridge High School coach and parkrun advocate Grant Mollett. Before he begins his next adventure, we caught up with Coach Mollett to reflect on the impact parkrun has had on both him and his athletes.

parkrun: What has parkrun meant to you and your East Ridge runners? How has it helped develop your program?

Coach Mollett:
“Personally, parkrun has been a source of motivation, opportunity, discipline, and camaraderie since its inception in Clermont. I’ve met some fantastic people who have been encouraging and friendly over the years.

For my team, it has helped our athletes build consistency and endurance, especially during the summer months as they prepare for the fall cross-country season. I’ve long said that what is achieved in November during championship season is earned in June and July, and parkrun has played a major role in that development.

Like all parkrunners, our athletes can find others running at a similar pace and simply compete. Because parkrun tracks lifetime results, we can compare performances from one summer to the next and measure progress. Most importantly, the parkrun community has always been supportive and encouraging to East Ridge athletes, and for that I am truly grateful.”

parkrun: Is there a memory that stands out from bringing East Ridge runners to parkrun?

Coach Mollett:
“There are so many memories that come to mind, but one perfectly captures what parkrun is all about.

One summer, one of my runners, Madi, was working hard to improve her endurance. Fellow parkrunner Tim Strickler ran just ahead of her for most of the event. With about a quarter mile remaining, I yelled, ‘Great job, Madi, you’re going under 24 minutes!’

Tim immediately turned around and responded, ‘Get ahead of me and we’ll both go well under 24!’

Madi surged forward and finished in 23:01. Tim’s encouragement helped her find another gear when she needed it most. That moment exemplifies parkrun—everyone encouraging everyone.

Beyond that, runners such as Hector, Daniel, Jessica, Anne, Toni, Jim, Jeremy, Jimmy, Jeff, Tracy, Chris, and many others have consistently supported our athletes. Whether through encouragement, compliments, photos, or simply making them feel welcome, they’ve helped create a genuine sense of belonging for our runners.”

parkrun: What advice would you give a new high school parkrunner?

Coach Mollett:
“Use parkrun as a way to break the ice for your high school cross-country career. Let it ease your nerves and build your confidence. Make it part of your routine and the 5K distance will start to feel much less intimidating.

Any teenager willing to be up and running a 7:30 a.m. parkrun on a Saturday has my respect and admiration. Chances are their competition is sleeping in while they’re building endurance, confidence, and discipline.”

parkrun: What’s next for Coach Mollett?

Coach Mollett:
“I’ll be moving closer to my family in Ocala after accepting a teaching and coaching position at a new high school. I’ll serve as the head cross-country coach there.

Even with the distance between Ocala and Clermont, I plan to remain involved with Clermont parkrun whenever opportunities arise. When the weather cools down, I’ll be back to run. If there’s a need and I’m available, I’ll be back to volunteer.

And who knows? Maybe someday I’ll bring some South Marion athletes down too.

The post Clermont Waterfront parkrun – May 30 appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

The summer heat arrived early for this week’s Clermont Waterfront parkrun at Lake Hiawatha Preserve as 140 runners and walkers gathered for the 7:30am start on a warm and muggy and what felt like 79-degree Saturday morning. Despite the sticky conditions, the energy around the lake remained high as another strong community turnout filled the trail with familiar Clermont Triathlon Club faces, some first-timers, volunteers, and post-run conversations under the warm Lake County sun.

Leading the field this morning was Mascotte resident Jeremy Arguelles, who cruised to an impressive 18:04 victory in his 174th parkrun appearance. Arguelles, a former professional duathlete who now works for Advent Health in Orlando, handled the difficult conditions with experience and composure, separating himself & one other unknown runner early on the scenic waterfront course.

The women were once again paced by Lexi Whitehead, who stopped the clock in 22:22. The East Ridge Knight standout continues to show excellent form following a tremendous prep track season, using today’s effort as a controlled off-season tempo run while still comfortably topping the women’s field.

Today’s featured parkrunner was longtime Clermont parkrun staple Rissi Thieler. Rissi has completed more than 276 parkruns while also volunteering well over 200 times, making her one of the foundational members of the local parkrun community.

When asked about her history with parkrun, Rissi reflected on how deeply connected she has been to the event since the beginning.

“My first parkrun was in April of 2013. This was the very first Clermont parkrun started by Karen and Tim Bowler,” she shared.

Her most memorable day came during her milestone 250th parkrun, though she admitted the exact date escapes her now (January 2025). More than personal achievements, Rissi emphasized the community aspect that keeps her returning each Saturday morning.

“I enjoy socializing with the other runners. I enjoy volunteering,” she said, noting she has accumulated roughly 213 volunteer credits along the way.

For newcomers to parkrun, her advice was simple and encouraging: “Enjoy the event and see what you can accomplish.”

Rissi also spoke about the importance of staying active both physically and mentally, explaining how running, walking, and swimming have helped her through both good times and difficult periods in life. Athletics clearly run in the family as well.

“All my kids run and also my grandkids. It’s a family affair that we’ve enjoyed together.”

After more than a decade involved with Clermont parkrun, her closing thoughts summed up what the weekly event has become for many in the local community.

“Clermont parkrun means a lot to me personally as I’ve been active in it since the very beginning here in Clermont.”

With summer conditions beginning to settle into Central Florida, this morning’s event once again proved that Clermont’s parkrun community continues to thrive thanks to dedicated volunteers, welcoming regulars, and runners of all abilities showing up week after week along the lakefront trail.

The post Heat, Humidity, and Community Spirit Shine at Clermont Waterfront Parkrun appeared first on South Lake Tablet.

Summer 2026 FCA Camps: These inspirational camp programs are designed to celebrate local athletic youth through a commitment to integrity, community service, teamwork, and excellence. They proudly shared their ministry with the FCA Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Registration is now open for their June and July 2026 summer camps, including the FCA Champions Camp, Charge Camp, Coaches Family Camp and the Florida Leadership Camp. Each camp event will share comprehensive athletic, spiritual and leadership training as a very positive life-changing experience. For needy families, FCA students can earn camp scholarships.

FCA Area Director, Tim Hancock noted, “This year’s FCA camp theme is ‘Proven’. Learn what it looks like to go from proving my worth to proven in Him. You don’t need to prove anything; Jesus has proven it all.”

June 4, 2026 FCA Champions Camp: This one-day camp will be held at the Family Christian Center in Clermont, FL from 2 to 9 pm. This camp is designed for young boys and girls who are rising 6^th graders through 2026 high school graduates. Fees are only $30 per student with registration open through June 4.

June 4-7, 2026 FCA Coaches Family Camp: This 3-day camp will be held at the Lake Yale Conference Center, Leesburg, for all FCA Coaches and their families. FCA understands how busy coaches are! They share that a lot of times, coaches are spending more time and energy focused on other people’s kids than their own. This camp is aimed at providing their FCA coaches, their spouses, and children with a long weekend to unplug from the busyness of life and spend quality time together through fellowship, competition, worship, huddles, and plenty of free time while growing in their relationship with the Lord, their families, local FCA staff, and peers. See: FLCoachesMinistry@fca.org

June 22-26, 2026 FCA Charge Camp & Donor Night:This 3-day camp will be hosted at Southeastern University, in Lakeland. This camp will be for rising 7^th graders to recent 2026 graduates. Only $399 per camper.

July 3-6, 2026 FCA Florida Leadership Camp: This 4-day program will be held at Camp Lake Swan in Melrose, FL for incoming 6^th graders to graduating 12^th graders. There will be a huddle specifically designed to equip and ready each student for their college experience. This camp is only $375 per student and $150 per adult.

July 2026 — FCA Football Camp: With 20 participating teams from across Central Florida, FCA will help each team in their pre-season preparations on how to best launch their most successful new football seasons.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ programs strive to help their participating students to become better individuals. FCA is an inspired community that works to see the world transformed in a very positive manner through shared Christianity by their coaches and athletes. They work to consistently engage, equip and empower everyone to achieve success through their ministry. FCA Coaches travel to each of the South Lake schools while coaching, teaching, and instructing student athletes. FCA Leadership Huddles are held regularly year-round to encourage athletes, coaches, and campuses to live and compete using biblical principles through the platform of athletic competition.

Jazmyn McDuffie, a Tavares High School graduating senior noted, “I’ve been going to FCA Camp for the past 6 years. One year, I reached a pivotal point where God formed in my heart a desire to minister to others – while nothing I have ever done fulfills me more than this “work” which I’ve been able to watch and experience with FCA.” 

Lake Sumter Metro Director Kahlil Tucker noted, “FCA Camps are really so effective, because each camp places student-athletes in an environment that is different from their usual. Some campus environments may cause students to feel like they’re in a minority group, due to their faith and beliefs. They may feel ashamed or embarrassed on campus. At FCA Camp, our students are surrounded by other faith-filled athletes, and that environment encourages them to explore their faith as well as to go deeper in their personal relationship with Christ.” 

For more information on South Lake County of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, visit: www.SouthLakeCountyFCA.org. For more information and to register online for the FCA Camps, visit: https://www.southlakecountyfca.org/summer-camp. Volunteers, donors and sponsors are always appreciated. Follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/southlakecountyfca.

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On Friday May 8, at East Ridge High School, ten student-athletes signed their letters of intent to participate in college athletics for the following school year.  One of those student-athletes was senior Rhyen Foley, who signed her letter of intent with Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida.  Rhyen will join Florida Gulf Coast’s women’s cross country and outdoor track and field teams in fall of 2026.

Rhyen has been a four-year letterman in both cross country and track and field at East Ridge High School.   Rhyen’s individual efforts have helped lead her cross country team to great team accomplishments over the years – including two county championships, four district championships, and the school’s first regional championship.  Rhyen leaves East Ridge as its fastest runner in school history with a career personal best time of 18:00, which she set her junior year at the New World Fall Spectacular.  Rhyen amassed thirty place medals throughout her high school career, to include three district medals, three regional medals, one state medal, and four regular season individual championships. Rhyen’s junior season produced impressive individual results and garnered the attention of several college coaches. However it was in November of her senior year when Rhyen took an opportunity to visit Florida Gulf Coast and meet with Coach Cruz. Now, in May, Rhyen is all set to become an Eagle!

When asked who she would like to thank at her signing ceremony, Rhyen had these things to say, “My parents for always providing what I needed to succeed in my athletics. Their encouragement and love kept me grounded at my highest and lowest.” She also thanked her coaches for helping her to see what she was capable of and stated, “I wouldn’t be the runner that I am without their dedication to the sport.” 

Academically, Rhyen will major in legal studies, as she plans to pursue a career in criminology or political science. 

Rhyen did have some words of wisdom to her underclass teammates that she will be leaving behind when she attends Florida Gulf Coast, and that was for them to “Run with confidence and determination…You aren’t going to have a good race every time or even a good practice, it’s not controllable. The only thing that you can control is how you handle it.”

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