Sports Archive

If the turf at Bennett C. Russell Stadium in Navarre could talk, it would have be screaming, “Uncle” during the early morning hours of Aug. 9. Football players, from the tiniest Navarre Youth Sports Association (NYSA) athletes to high school seniors, ran, jumped and even mashed each other into the turf for more than seven hours as Raider Day became Midnight Madness. The event began with a 6 p.m. game between 5 and 6-year-olds and concluded at midnight with a scrimmage featuring the varsity, JV and freshmen teams.

Many parents and young athletes struggle to fill the sports training gap left in Santa Rosa County from a lack of middle school athletic programs. One local club is striving to do just that with their Gulf Coast Diamond Aces traveling softball team.

Do you learn soccer better when the coach yells with a British accent? While that fact may be up for debate, whether the children at the Challenger British Soccer Camp were having fun during their weeklong camp was not.

Gulf Breeze tennis enthusiasts take heart. If all goes as planned, repairs to the tennis courts in Shoreline Park should be completed within 60 days.

The goal of the Navarre football program every year is to go deep into the playoffs. For the past two seasons the Raiders won the district championship with the passing game being the difference maker. Last year’s graduation put a dent in the receiving corps. However, a new crop of receivers are confident in their abilities and are anxious to make an impact for the Raider team. The eight receivers feel it is their turn to continue the excellent tradition of their passing game and, in the process, bring home another district championship.

K-Lani Rae Vickery traveled from Navarre to the Memphis area recently to compete in the 2014 Palomino World Championship Show and brought home a “Top 5” finish.

Bright sunshine and warm temperatures greeted the Navarre High School Raiders football team as they returned to the practice field Aug. 4. The team had completed spring practice May 22 with the Maroon -White Scrimmage Game.

The YMCA end of summer swim team meet was held July 26 at the Betty J. Pullum Family YMCA in Navarre. The meet pitted Navarre`s Wahoos against teams from Washington, Pensacola Navy Youth, Five Flags and Sea Stars. The Wahoos won the meet by a close score. However, the team’s real focus is the area championship being held at the Cecil T. Hunter Pool in Pensacola.

Navarre Youth Sports Association football players spent a few days last week in Bennett C. Russell Stadium at Navarre High School learning skills and techniques from high school coaches.

Navarre High School football players and cheerleaders worked for six hours July 26 to clean up the town. Well, not really the town, but dozens and dozens of vehicles that rolled through the business center parking lot just west of Prado Street on Highway 98.