Pensacola State’s women’s soccer team will play its first regular-season game in program history Aug. 18 at home against Hinds Community College. The Pirates will play their 2023 home games at the Ashton Brosnaham Complex in Pensacola.

Vinny Villanova said he got in maybe one play on varsity last season. So, the bright lights of Friday night will be a new experience for him as he heads into his junior season with the Navarre Raiders. He feels good about where he’s at with kickoff fast approaching and is happy with the work he’s put in this summer.

A cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean was off to her right. And the opportunity of a lifetime was right in front of her. Sarah Edwards stepped into the tee box on the 10th hole of the famed Pebble Beach Golf Course feeling every nerve and emotion imaginable as she readied herself to tee off at the LPGA’s U.S. Women’s Open Championship for the first time in her life in early July.

Master Gunnery Sergeant Tiffany Guillory remembers being an NJROTC cadet and listening to recruiters give their pitches one day. The marine recruiter was off on his own in the classroom and Guillory and took a walk over to him with a few of her friends.

Chelsi Kania was a familiar face in the dugout and at first base during games last season. Now, the former assistant is moving into the head coaching role for Navarre’s softball team. Kania talked by phone Monday about the opportunity in front of her after learning she had gotten the job earlier in the day.

So much is made of being the best athlete. Of being the best scorer, the best quarterback, the best hitter, the best golfer. And look, sports stars are great. They are entertaining to watch because of what they can do in their particular sport.

Jack Patching heads into his third season of soccer at the University of West Florida this fall. Patching came through with a solid sophomore season for the Argos in 2022, finishing third on the team in scoring.

Elijah Thompson charges hard at a rolling tackle dummy and drills it. Seeing the scene unfold makes one feel sorry for the pain he’s poised to unleash on a real opponent this fall.

Navarre’s boys soccer team is all in with an intense game of futsal inside the Gulf Pointe Latin gymnasium on a Tuesday in late July. Back and forth. Hard shots on goal. Big saves. This is the kind of thing head coach James Baccarini wanted to see from his team during its month of summer workouts.

Working as a group to move across a football practice field while standing on planks. Knot tying. Sit-ups in unison. Those were among the activities first-year Navarre NJROTC cadets took part in a camp designed to introduce newcomers to the program.