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Highlands Today

40 Tournaments Booked At Sports Complex For 2009

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

From Left: Daren Sapp and Kenny Bazzel members of the Bassett Custom AudioVideo commercial men's softball team stretch before a game at the Highlands County Sports Complex recently in Sebring.

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By JIM KONKOLY

Highlands Today

Published: December 26, 2008

SEBRING - Forty softball tournaments have been booked for 2009 at the Highlands County Sports Complex, which would more than triple the number hosted this year.

Vicki Pontius, county parks and recreation director, reported that marketing efforts at three softball association conventions in November and December resulted in bookings for 23 two-day tournaments and 17 one-day tournaments.

And, Pontius said, county staff and the Highlands County Tourist Development Council are hopeful that more reservations for tournaments will come in.

"We had two tournament directors here last Monday, we showed them the complex, and they were very impressed with it," she said.

In addition to adult tournaments, she added, county officials hope to attract girls softball and youth baseball tournaments next year, too.

Over the past year, the sports complex hosted 12 adult tournaments, which boosted the local economy by bringing nearly 3,500 people into the county. More tournaments were scheduled, but there were a number of cancellations due to the down economy.

"I think they've done a great job of working to bring people in here, especially in these tough times," county Administrator Michael Wright said about the joint marketing effort by the staffs of the TDC and the parks and recreation department.

Pontius and parks and recreation staff; June Fisher, county community services division director; John Scherlacher, county tourism director; and Dana Knight of the TDC split covering three major conventions.

Highlands County was represented at the National Softball Association convention in Panama City, the United States Specialty Sports Association convention in Kissimmee and the Independent Softball Association convention in Fort Myers.

"We have learned through this process that this is something you have to do, to attend these conventions with a calendar in hand," Pontius said.

Pontius said two projects are planned to make the five-diamond softball complex at the 52-acre facility more attractive to youth teams.

Portable pitching mounds and portable fences will be acquired to make the diamonds, which had been limited to softball, fit in with youth baseball games, she said.

Also, Pontius said, the Highlands County Library system recently acquired an outdoor movie projector and screen which could be used at the Sports Complex.

"We've talked about using the portable screen at the sports complex, possibly at the concession stand, and there is a lot of potential there," Pontius said. Movies may be a great way to provide entertainment for youth players between or after their games, she said.

In addition to out-of-town softball tournaments, the 52-acre sports complex, off Sheriff's Tower Road, next to Sebring High School, also hosted Sebring Youth Football, four seasons of adult and youth soccer leagues, a flag football league, and local softball leagues.

Registration is open through Dec. 29 for the winter softball season for local teams, with a senior daytime softball league, a commercial league, the A&B league for more advanced players, a recreation league and a church league.

The sports complex, which opened in August 2007, has also been used for special community events, ranging from Heartland Christian School's End of Year games to an Easter egg hunt sponsored by Grace Bible Church.

"We have different requests coming in all the time, and we're happy to get them, because that's what it is there for," Pontius said.

In a report on the first full year of operation, Pontius said revenues collected totaled $72,998, which covered 37 percent of the cost of operating the sports complex.

"The goal for 2009 is to recover a minimum of 50-60 percent of the costs of operation," Pontius wrote in her report to the county commissioners.

Pontius said that goal is reachable if the number of out-of-town tournaments is doubled over the 12 held this year.

"It's a little bit scary in this economy," she said, "but these (40) tournaments are what we've booked so far, we have other dates available, and if all of them come through for us I'll be delighted."

Highlands Today reporter Jim Konkoly can be reached at 863-386-5855 or e-mail jkonkoly@highlandstoday.com

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