HERNANDO COUNTY SPORTS BRIEFS (thru 02-22-09) ...more

February 16, 2009

DIXIE YOUTH LEAGUE BELLES SOFTBALL Severe heat causes two Spring Hill Belles players to end up in the hospital as Spring Hill forfeits its first-round Dixie League World Series game. ...more

August 2, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County Sports Complex Manager Rocky Ellingsworth was fired by Highlands County administration Wednesday for using his county position for personal profit, according to a press release from the county. Specifically, he is accused of using his relationship with a company called Strike Three Softball Inc. to recruit a tournament played at the sports complex, but instead of turning over to the county the fees paid by the teams, he apparently pocketed the majority of the funds. Payroll records indicate he was paid for 20 hours time during the two days the tournament was held. ...more

July 2, 2008

SEBRING — In a closed-door meeting last week, the owners and/or general managers of the top five hotels in this city met privately with new Highlands County administrator Michael Wright to make one request: don't get rid of Rocky Ellingsworth, the Highlands County Sports Complex manager. The hotel owners and managers all told Wright that Ellingsworth is almost single handedly responsible for filling most of their hotel rooms on many off-season weekends because he brings in first-class softball and baseball tournaments. They also said that league and tournament directors who had tournaments at the sports complex have told them they will cancel their tournament dates and hotel accommodations for the fall if Ellingsworth loses his job here. Many of the hotel owners and managers also said they've been told that some tournaments will leave and never come back if Ellingsworth isn't working here, and the teams will travel to whatever new location Ellingsworth works in to hold their weekend tournaments there. ...more

June 30, 2008