February 2019 by Windermere Scene

February 2019

SEPTEMBER 2018

A-League

“The newest concept of professional indoor football”

Lagree Fit

Angela Lopez the workout Queen

FELIPE LOPEZ

Pro Athlete turned kid whisperer

407.603.2560

The Windermere Way I’ve been a Windermere resident long enough not to be too surprised anymore by most things I see or hear around town.

Publisher Andrew Haines andrew@lanahpublishing.com President Leah Haines leah@lanahpublishing.com Editor Brian Ackley brian@lanahpublishing.com Creative Director Jules Franzese jules@lanahpublishing.com Photography Philip Podskalan

Yet, I have to admit, I was taken back a bit from something I read in our September issue of Windermere Scene. In our profile of Mayor Gary Bruhn, he noted that something like 18,000 cars a day come through our little corner of heaven. Obviously, we have a lot of traffic. But I had no idea it was actually that much. While solutions are in various stages of discussion and discovery, it’s going to be a while before that number improves much. But what if we could get some of those people to come back? Come back to enjoy our beauty, shop at our stores, eat at our restaurants, to discover what we are truly all about? In the last couple of years, we are making a concerted effort to do just that. Windermere is becoming an “event” destination, getting those people who use us mainly as a pathway from one point to another to come back and actually spend some quality time with us. There are several longstanding events – hope you have your tickets already for the fabulous annual Windermere Wine and Dine and our annual fine art show is one of the best anywhere – but we’ve seen a big surge in new ideas to help celebrate our town. With food trucks, entertainment and a lakeside setting, it’s a chance for outsiders to come back, relax, and enjoy something truly “Windermere”. We’re new too, and proud to help sponsor this family-friendly event. Warmly,

Andrew G. Haines Publisher

Contact Us 625 Main Street Windermere, FL 34786 www.lanahpublishing.com www.windermerescene.com For advertising opportunities, please contact: andrew@lanahpublishing.com Windermere Scene is published 12x per year by Lanah Publishing. The opinions expressed by writers and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publishers. We will make mistakes, so don't be too harsh when we do. We're human just like you. Sharing articles on social media from our digital publication is encouraged.

ut of the Past The day town hall became Windermere Elementary Brian Ackley

A 1957 exhibit at a Florida fair showed just how much educating an elementary student cost.

Windermere’s historic town hall has been used for many things through the decades, but in the fall of 1959, its use was quite unique for a few days. The building actually briefly served as an extension of Windermere Elementary, which in a couple years time had exploded with student growth. The enrollment problem heading into the 1959-60 school year was already severe, officials noted. In just a year’s time, the student population had grown by nearly 50 percent, and now word had come that dozens more would be bused in from the Tangelo Park area of unincorporated Orange County, southeast of Windermere, at least on a temporary basis.

School was scheduled to go in session that fall on Aug. 27, but principal Mrs. Jesse Seidner, a longtime Windermere Elementary School fixture, already had seen the school’s population swell in the prior year – two new classrooms were opened midway through the 1958-59 school year which could accommodate 30 students each – but more students were on the way. 4 | WINDERMERE SCENE

Two years prior, the school’s total enrollment was around 90 students, according to an Aug. 23, 1959 story in the Orlando Sentinel. “Indications that enrollment in the Windermere Elementary School may double the peak of last year’s heavy enrollment sent school officials here looking for temporary accommodations for the unexpected high number of students,” the story read four days before the first bell was to ring. Early registration has pushed the school’s enrollment figure to 245 youngsters. Past experience indicated that number would be higher once the classroom doors finally opened. “The Town of Windermere was in a dither Thursday morning when two bus-loads of children from the Tangelo Park area swelled the already increasing community enrollment far beyond its capacity,” read a story in the Aug. 27, 1959 Sentinel. Orange County, anticipating the problem, had administrators on hand to look for solutions. The first grade alone had 71 enrollees, about four dozen of which came from Tangelo park. That’s when Windermere’s town hall came to the rescue. The short term solution was to send the school’s third and

fourth graders there. Community dinner tables stored at town hall were used as temporary desks. Seeing that the new arrangement would hardly pass muster, the Tangelo park students were quickly transferred to Pineloch School on Woods Avenue in Orlando, thus leaving the Windermere’s student tally at a manageable 127 students, and putting the town hall out of the education experience almost as quickly as it had started.

Photography Credit: Florida Memory Project

GET FIT, FLORIDA!

A 1957 exhibit at a Florida fair showed just how much educating an elementary student cost.

GET FIT, FLORIDA! Welcome to Lagree Fit Windermere! With over 300 studios worldwide we are proud to present the first premier LAGREE FITNESS™ TRAINING METHOD studio in Central Florida. Come and experience the future of fitness on the revolutionary MS3 Megaformer (exclusive technology developed by fitness visionary Sebastien Lagree). We welcome and accommodate our clients at any level of fitness from beginner to advanced. Our trainers are dedicated to providing you with first class, hands-on training and mental motivation in a serene, private setting. Our studio’s state of the art sound system will keep you musically pumped as we push through the burn with you. Sign up for a trial class for just $10 on our app “Lagree Fit Windermere” or on our website

www.lagreefitwindermere.com | 6516 Old Brick Road, Suite 120, Windermere, FL 34786 | M-F 7:00am – 11:45am, 5:00pm – 8:00pm WINDERMERE SCENE | 5

c.407.307.7922 | o.407.876.5575 www.LivingInCentralFlorida.com 430 Main St., Windermere, FL 34786

Before putting your home on the market, we want

Understanding where buyers come from allows me

to ensure it is most attractive to potential buyers. I

to market your property competitively. Creating

will provide you with a detailed Home Preparation

excitement in the marketplace through consistent and

Consultation and a Selling Tips Sheet. As we walk

aggressive marketing efforts and integrating online

through your property, we will discuss minor repairs,

and offline efforts is key to a successful sale.

curb appeal tips, staging, and making your property feel welcoming to potential buyers.

Christopher Siegfried Knowing how to showcase and accentuate the best features of your home, without incurring unnecessary expense, is at the core of what I do. *2014 Lakeside Realty Windermere, Inc - Rookie of the Year *2015 ORRA (Orlando Regional Realtors Assoc) Top Producers Club *2017 Top 500 Realtors in Orlando *2017 ORRA Top Producers Club *2017 ORRA Top 4% Producing Agent 6 | WINDERMERE SCENE

February ‘19

Contents The Kid Whisperer

Felipe Lopez

5 of Florida’s Most Unique Day Trips

8 14

All Geared Up!

Lagree Fitness

A-league Football Season 2019

Angela Lopez

3 Reasons Football Players Should Run Track

WINDERMERE SCENE | 7

THE KID WHISPERER Life can often follow a strange path. For Felipe Lopez, the journey has taken him from a first-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays to Windermere, where he is teaching youngsters the best path of all. If baseball is a game of statistics – and it most certainly is – Felipe Lopez was sitting pretty after the 2009 season. Although traded in mid-season, the Puerto Rico native amasses an impressive 680 at bats that year, with a gaudy on-base percentage of .382. Uber agent Scott Boras was his representative, and surely many Major League Baseball Clubs would be ringing his phone with regularity. But, Felipe Lopez was ahead of his time by just a few years. Today, on-base percentage is one of the cornerstone stats in the sport. And Lopez could play multiple positions, a skill valued in today’s game more so it seems than homers or runs batted in. In 2009, playing multiple positions meant you were a journeyman. On-base percentage was just a number, not nearly as revered as it is just a decade later. And worst of all, no one came calling. Two years after a season that would be worth millions and millions of dollars in 2019, Lopez was out of the game all together. 8 | WINDERMERE SCENE

As a pro athlete, it’s easy to think you’ve found your calling, using God given talents to entertain and enthrall. Today, Lopez would give you a very different answer. His calling, as he knows now, is to help the kids of today, and he’s doing it right here in Windermere.

along the way that helped me, from family to friends to pastors,” he recalled. “There was always somebody that helped me, and I believe they were sent by God to be there at that point. I want to be that for the kids, for the community, get them in position to succeed.”

He already was serving as the youth sports minister at New Destiny Christian Church when he was named a few months ago to the position of baseball coach at Windermere High. His goal of giving back is rooted in his personal upbringing. He moved to the U.S. From Puerto Rico when he was 12.

He says a big part of his work isn’t teaching baseball skills, but life skills that a teenager can understand and use.

“I faced difficulty growing up. There were a lot of challenges in my life, abuse I had to overcome, physically and sexually. It’s my drive now that I’ve left baseball,” he said, adding that the drive he felt to be the best baseball player he could be is the same drive he feels in working with local youngsters. “When I commit to something, I really give my all. I’m not just training them to spend some time, go home and I did my job. It really care that these kids get better because it goes back to what I went through as a child. I had somebody

“I talk to them about what really is the responsibility of being a professional, having that type of label. They want to associate being a celebrity athlete with what instagram or social media shows you,” he explained. ”Now I’m dedicated with my wife to empower the youth, to show them that there’s another lifestyle that’s just as great if not better. You don’t have to be something that you’re not. You can still be a celebrity and have impact and do the right things.” While baseball is the obvious and natural conduit to send his message. Lopez knows that few if any will actually become a pro player. But they will become a professional in the (Continue to pg 11)

WINDERMERE SCENE | 9

10 | WINDERMERE SCENE

workplace in other ways. “I want to show the youth that yes, it’s good that you’re training yourself to be an elite athlete, an elite professional, but you cannot forget about the principles of God but also the principles of the responsibility you have with these talents that you have,” he added. “They may end up being doctors or other professionals, but those principles they’ll never forget, discipline, being on time, working hard an not quitting, the excellence factor.” A few remember him as a ballplayer, many of the kids do not. I always helped kids. I might not have been in the right place yet, but I was still helping. With the (Washington) Nationals, I would work with a different inner city kid almost daily,” he recalled. “You know, they just see me as their friend. They call me coach. But I get along with kids very well.”

“They love spending time with him. He gets on their level. The gift that he has I think, his inner child that was wounded, he knows how to love a kid. The gravitate to him like a magnet. They absolutely love him,” she recalled. You can go through the most horrible times in life, and still accomplish something. There are tons of kids out there behind doors being abused, or don’t think there’s hope for the future. He wants to show people, yes you can.” Slamming the game winning hit, making the key defensive play, they were all highlights in a career that spanned more than 4,000 at bats in the majors. It may seem a long way from Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field, but that’s OK with Lopez. He’s at peace with his career, and more importantly, his present and future. “I couldn’t be more happy than where I am right now,” he said.

His wife Angela watches from the outside, and can see the connection he makes. “He is literally the kid whisperer. He has such an amazing ability, obviously, with his baseball career, but the way that he is with the kids, it’s a gift given from God honestly,” she said. “Parents are like, ‘he’s so soft spoken yet so commanding at the same time, my kids love him,’ Before when it was time for practice, they’d be dragging their feet.” She too knows that his rough experiences as a youngster has molded him into a standard bearer for the message he delivers almost daily. WINDERMERE SCENE | 11

Custom Designed Cabinetry Without the Custom Price!

Present this coupon to your local American Kitchens, Inc. location

• ••• • • •• • • • • • • • • •

• •• • • • ••••• • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

FULL REMODELING SERVICES

•• • •• • • •• • • •• • • • • •• • • • •• • • •••••••••••••••••• •• • ••• • • • •• •• • •• •• • • • • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • ••••••••••••• * minimum 12+ cabinets required to qualify for discount. Does not apply to Construction or Countertop Services **purchase of countertop required to qualify for discount. Selection available from 4 different options for Kitchen or Bath packages. Does not apply to Cabinetry or Construction Services. - OFFER EXPIRES 12/31/18 -

KITCHENS HOME OFFICES BATHS CLOSET SYSTEMS ROOM ADDITIONS STUNNING CABINETRY FREE

MEASURE

N. Se

moran

Blvd -

Hanging Moss Rd.

Mercator Dr.

N. Forsyth Rd.

436

Since 1998

BUY AMERICAN! An American Family-Owned Business Carrying American Made Products Keeping Americans Working! 50

nia

lo Co

#CBC1259665

.Dr

www.americankitchensfl.com www.americanconstructiongroupfl.com 4000 Sq. Ft. SHOWROOM HOURS: M-F 8-5 / Saturdays 9-2

12 | WINDERMERE SCENE

2203 Mercator Drive, Orlando, FL 32807 Off Hanging Moss Rd., between 436 & Forsyth

407-645-3235

featured noriega family crest cigar made with a honduras cigar blend

CIGARS www.lowballlouies.com | Central Florida & Surrounding Area Locations Corporate Office 407.654.3172 WINDERMERE SCENE | 13

of Florida's most unique day trips

Cruising? Five new ways the industry is serving you If you like cruising – whether it be a quick spin to the Bahamas and back or a weeks-long luxury boat trip to Europe and back – Florida is the place to be. With no less than five different sailing points (Port Canaveral which is about an hour drive, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville), there are endless itineraries and trips from which to choose. And, there isn’t a more competitive hospitality industry subset than cruise lines. Keeping up with the Joneses isn’t just a good idea, it’s a constant battle. So with the a visit last month from the world’s largest cruise ship to Port Canaveral, here are five of the most interesting and impressive developments when you plan your next shore to ship excursion. 14 | WINDERMERE SCENE

SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS – The aforementioned behemoth arrived at Port Canaveral in early November, with the ability to take care of a staggering 6,800 passengers. That’s half of the entire Windermere area floating on water all at once. It’s home port is actually Miami. Fun fact: There are more works of art on board than there are paintings at the Louvre museum, and 1.8 million gallons of fresh water is used every day, some of it to make the coffee. Six million beans are used on an average seven-day trip. ALIVE WITH FIVE – Along with Symphony of the Seas, four other ships made their Florida debut’s this fall, making it one of the busiest times in recent memory for new cruisers in the Sunshine state. Fun fact: Norwegian Bliss is one of them, and will also be based in Miami. It has on its top deck a go-cart track, right near the laser tag.

FEEL THE BREEZE – New to our closest port (but not new to sailing, its maiden voyage was in 2012) is the Carnival Breeze. Now based in Port Canaveral, earlier this year it was named Best Ship for Families and earned Best Shore Excursion Honors in Cruise Critic’s annual Cruisers Choice awards. Fun fact: The spectacular WaterWorks aqua park, a SportSquare open-air recreation area and the multi-dimension Thrill Theater are three good reasons why.

A “MARVEL”OUS CRUISE – Leave it to Disney to come up with a “Marvel Day At Sea”, an idea which they are going to offer significantly more of on some of their five-day Caribbean cruises in 2019. Special shows and superhero meet and greets are all part of the Comic-Con meets water extravaganza. Fun fact: Disney Magic is the ship that offers Marvel Day at Sea. If that’s not exactly your cup of tea, Disney Fantasy offers Star Wars Day at Sea.

SHIP SHAPE – Port Canaveral is embarking on a massive terminal project, investing over $150 million in a new facility that should debut in 2020. A deal was struck with Carnival to put its largest ship ever there, a ship powered by propane, by the way. Carnival is picking up about a third of the tab. Fun fact: The as yet unnamed ship is expected to have a crew – just the crew – of about 2,000. And Port Canaveral is the world’s second busiest cruise port, behind only the Port of Miami.

AND ONE FOR THE ROAD, ER, WATER – Part of the State of Florida Retirement system? Then cruising can be a bonus for you. It owns 253,379 shares of the Norwegian Cruise Line, worth about $14 million.

WINDERMERE SCENE | 15

Challenges Create Changes. Team UP!

Kenard Fit Move • • • • • • • •

Convenient In-home & On-site Personal Training Flexible scheduling 1-on-1, couples/partner training, small group training 30, 45, and 60 minute sessions Enhance your lifestyle with proper fitness and nutrition coaching/training. Accountability, Motivation Reduce body fat, gain energy and endurance, increase strength, flexibility and lean/mass muscle Programs designed for YOU.

NEED YOUR AIR DUCTS CLEANED? A DIRTY AIR FILTER

SLOWS AIR FLOW WASTES ENERGY ALLOWS DEBRIS BUILD UP GoPro Water Restoration will now clean your air ducts with BRUSHBEAST air duct cleaning machine

www.goprowaterrestoration.com | t.800.659.1807 WINDERMERE SCENE | 17

ALL GEARED UP! Brian Ackley

18 | WINDERMERE SCENE

WINDERMERE SCENE | 19

Are You Ready for Some Football?

sional indoor football, coming to a Central Florida arena near you soon. Imagine a football game where there are no kickers. That means every fourth down becomes a do-or-die drama. Or imagine a game where two players per team – by rule – must play all 60 minutes on both sides of the ball. Meet, “The Deuce”. And how about a fan-favorite in baseball – the doubleheader – as part of a league’s regular season schedule? Welcome to the “A League”, the newest concept in profes-

20 | WINDERMERE SCENE

The league already has a keen eye on the Greater Orlando area – and an affiliation with the Florida Champion Football League . The outdoor amateur league features the Orlando Phantom (based in Altamonte Springs) and Polk County Rise (based in Poinciana), with the A-League giving their stars a place to shine indoors. For now, the inaugural season will feature four teams: The Lakeland Tarpons, Gulf Coast Fire, Sarasota BigCats and Manatee Neptunes. The A-League season will run from May to the end of July. And all teams are owned and operated by

A-League Sports with teams located in a tight footprint of local Florida markets. Plans are in place for the addition of two to four new teams for the 2020 season. Each team will play an eight-game regular season with four home games in each team’s home venue. Commissioner Gary Tufford – whose impressive sports resume includes positions with more than eight pro leagues including the NFL, Canadian Football League and Arena Football League – is, first and foremost, a fan of the game, and one of the driving forces behind the innovations the A League will feature. “Look, I love arena football; I have a long history with the game and have seen the best and worst of times,” he said.

“When it is all said and done, you have to adjust with the times and we believe it is time for some new rules and innovations that better reflect the arena game, the size of our venues, the needs of our fans and the time they spend at our events.” With no kickoffs, punts, or field goals, the action on the field is truly non-stop, he noted, and not just a gimmick designed to bring attention to the brand. “The elimination of the kicking game dramatically improves the pace of the game and eliminates many dead ball fouls and timeouts,” he explained. “Teams will scrimmage from their own five-yard line, or if turned over on downs, will scrimmage from that spot.” (Continue to pg 22) WINDERMERE SCENE | 21

(Continue from pg 21) Teams success might just hinge on “The Deuce”, he believes, a throwback to the origins of the sport. “This is reminiscent of the early days of arena ball where we had ironman players, Tufford said. “ As a coach you will have to find the best athletes you can to fill those spots and as a fan you get to see some great players leaving it all on the field”. Of all the in innovations, he is most excited by each team hosting one double header per season, literally two games for the price of one for A-League fans. “This is something we have wanted to do for a very long time while operating other leagues. Thinking outside the traditional guidelines is what makes this sport fun, he added. “Fans can enjoy seeing all the teams in the league in one evening, yet it costs them no more at the box office. Tickets for these games will be all inclusive, highlighting a complete night of football for one affordable price.” Local tryouts have been held in cities throughout the league, with teams already signing local talent like University of South Florida’s Richard Shaw, who averaged almost five yards a carry in his four year career with the Bulls. He will suit up for the Lakeland Tarpons come May 11, the league’s season opener when they host the Big Cats. All league games are on either Saturday or Sunday. And its association with the FCFL, is a win-win for both leagues, when it comes to promoting football and those who wish to play both indoor and out. 22 | WINDERMERE SCENE

“Furthering the careers of football players is always something that we want to support, whether it is a pro athlete or an amateur there is always a desire by players to extend their football life.,” he added. “We want to facilitate that experience by providing the opportunity to continue to play in our league as well as others”. For more information, visit www.aleaguefootball.com

Spring 2019 www.Lakelandtarpons.com

WINDERMERE SCENE | 23

Featured | Angela Lopez 24 | WINDERMERE SCENE

Lagree Fitness Featuring Angela Lopez Brian Ackley Angela Lopez wants to make sure there’s a couple of things that are crystal clear before a client visits Lagree Fit Windermere.

namesake, Sebastien Lagree.

At first glance, her business looks like the perfect place for all of us who have made a New Year’s resolution. But the fact is, no wimps need apply.

She became one of the Lagree Fitness certified trainer personally selected by Sebastien to carry on the work her started at his West Hollywood studio, which made Lagree converts out of such stars as Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Sofia Vergara, Bob Saget and Kim Kardashian.

And second, you’ll never get a better or more rewarding workout than a 45-minute Lagree session.

Lopez remembers well what it was like after she finished her first class.

“I let them know. You come here, you come to work. If you’re not ready to work, honestly, I’ll tell them to go hit the door,” she said. “I literally had somebody wake up and say I feel like I went through a meat grinder last night.”

“My entire body was shaking, so I was like, oh wow, there’s something different about this and then I learned about what the method was. The method is the way the exercises are designed is to target your twitch muscle fibers,” she said.

Lopez, wife of former Major League Baseball player Felipe Lopez, notes the key is Lagree works four key areas, but that each exercise is actually helping the entire body.

Her husband, who has over 4,000 career at bats in the big leagues, said he wished he had found this unique regimen when he was still playing.

“Anytime you’re doing any position, you’ll be working your entire body, even if we’re focusing on just one muscle group,” she said. “A lot of people compare it all the time but this is like Pilates on steroids. They will consider Pilates class like driving a Toyota. This is like driving a Rolls. Pilates is like stretching.

“If I did this when I was 20 when I was coming up, I’d still be playing today. I say that all the time. I trained the traditional way, which was good, but we didn’t concentrate on the core and ligaments and muscles. We wanted the big results,” Felipe recalled. “What Lagree does which is very unique it’s good if you’re recovering from any injury because what it does is stabilizes your core, stabilizes your body, your balance. It goes to the root of what your body needs, stability, what’s holding you’re body up.”

She was always a workout queen, but never knew much about her current passion until about a dozen years ago when she had the good fortune of meeting the program’s

(Continue to pg 26) WINDERMERE SCENE | 25

(Continue from pg 25) Each class focuses on cardio, strength, endurance, body composition and flexibility. And even though it can be grueling at times, Angela makes sure she’s there every step of the way. “My personality is kind of funny and welcoming. So I think my personality not only helps with the intimidation, and I always like to make a person feel loved and not embarrassed,” she said. “I always use my husband as a big example, who was a professional athlete. He struggles with this so don’t think you’re below somebody else. Every person who tries this is going to struggle some.” But the struggle, as they say, is worth it. Typically, there are 15 minute session for the core, legs, arms and cardio. “Once I start teaching them, it’s a different story. I’ll kick their butts into next year, but, I’ll show them how honored I am to be there with them and how great they should feel about themselves in taking on this challenge, she added. “It’s an experience from top to bottom. So yes, they do get their butts kicks but at the end I cuddle them so they walk out of here feeling really good instead of defeated an intimidated.” But remember, no wimps need apply. The program, though, is for all ages, with Lopez having clients into their 50s and 60s. “You’re going to feel some of the most excruciating pain, like you cannot go on. But we have great trainers, and it’s so small and private, we’ll get right under their machine and coach them through it,” she said. “When they’re feeling like they’re about to die, I remind them that nobody’s going to die, and we give them that push, that motivation, like getting your hand held, to get you through the moment.”

26 | WINDERMERE SCENE

Typically, clients will visit three to four times a week. A first trial class costs just $10. Right now, there are four morning classes starting at 7:45, and three evening classes that start at 5:30. Saturday morning classes are also available, as are private sessions. This spring, right across the street from their 6516 Old Brick Road location, she is also planning on debuting Heavens Touch hot yoga studio. Think of it as the antidote to her workout. Heavens Touch Hot Yoga is going to be yoga like you have never experienced before. As with all of Angela’s fitness studios, she is focused not just on giving you the best work out but an unforgettable experience! Heavens touch Hot yoga will be a home of hope and healing. “It’s more of a spiritual experience, not just a workout. It’s an experience of self love,” she explained. For more, visit www.lagreefitwindermere.com

WINDERMERE SCENE | 27

1 TOP G r e at e r Orlando

Sat Feb. 2

Event: First Saturday Jam Location: Pioneer Settlement, Barberville The skinny: Music with banjos, fiddles, harmonicas and dulcimers galore, workshops and how about a chili cook off to take of the seasonal chill?

Feb. 8-9

Event: Old Florida Outdoor Festival, Apopka Location: Apopka City Athletic Complex, 2500 Apply Lane The Skinny: Some 100 barbecue teams in competition is enough to get our taste buds revved up. The fireworks and monster trucks are barbecue sauce on the sundae.

Feb. 8-17

Event: Osceola County Fair Location: Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee The skinny: James A. Strates provides one of the best fair midways in the country. This is the being dubbed the Boots and Bling 75th anniversary fling. And do somersaults over the iFlop trampoline extravaganza.

Sat Feb. 9

Event: Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra Location: Community Presbyterian Church, Celebration The skinny: Celebrate with some of the most amazing and talented kids our area has to offer.

28 | WINDERMERE SCENE

10 Feb. 14-16

Event: Nude Nite Orlando Location: Central Florida Fairgrounds The skinny: Nude Nite is America’s largest art exhibition dedicated to nude art. Can you think of a better way to kick off the Valentine’s Day celebrations? Visit www.nudenite.com for all the barren details.

Sat Feb. 16

Event: Orlando Chili Cook Off Location: Milk District Festival Park The skinny: Celebrating ten years of ground beef, kidney beans and heartburn. Over 100 cooks to sample from.

Sat Feb. 16

Event: Leesburg Mardi Gras Location: Historic Downtown Leesburg The skinny: A little cajun, a little country, a slice of N’Awlins just to our west. Parades, bands, stilt walkers, and even a pet parade. Details at www.leesburgpartnership.com

Feb. 16-17

Event: Foam Glow 5k Location: Reel Representation The skinny: Enzian Theater, 1300 South Orlando Avenue The skinny: Four indie film series featuring diversity on our community, including “The Third Wife” and “Life and Nothing More” among the titles. www.enzian.org for more info.

Sat Feb. 23

Event: 5th annual Purple Pride 5K Location: Orlando City Stadium The Skinny: Celebrate our MLS Lions roaring back to life March 2nd with the home opener against NYCFC. Course includes a lap through the stadium concourse!

Mon Feb. 25

Event: Orlando Scrabble Club Location: Wirz Park Recreation Building in Cassleberry The Skinny: The club actually meets every Monday at 7 p.m. and welcomes everyone from beginners to tournament level players. Sanctioned by the North American Scrabble Players Association (yes, there is such a thing!).

WINDERMERE SCENE | 29

30 | WINDERMERE SCENE

Reasons Football Players Should Run Track Micah Kurtz

If you’re the parent of an aspiring football player and your child is planning on strapping on a helmet in the fall, you should think about encouraging them to lace up track spikes in the spring.

This should seem obvious. After all, the quickest way to impress a football scout or coach is to be the quickest guy in a 40-Yard Dash. “The 40” is probably the most closely-watched drill at any combine, and posting a head-turning time can mean the difference between having multiple scholarship offers and fighting for preferred walk-on status. But running track won’t just help your child during recruiting. It will make them an all-around better athlete, improving their on-field performance in three ways. (Continue to pg 32) WINDERMERE SCENE | 31

(Continue from pg 31)

Your Child Will Find Their Sprinting Form Nobody knows the ins and outs of speed like a track coach. After all, there aren’t many variables in track—you are running in a straight line. So one small blip in your form can make or break a race. So track coaches place a huge emphasis on technique to maximize speed. Refining your technique on the track is a great way to make perfect running form second nature, so when game day comes on the gridiron, you’re child will be able to run faster without having to think about it.

32 | WINDERMERE SCENE

Your Child Will Become More Explosive Athletes who run track continually work on their starting stance, and with good reason: a runner’s speed “out of the blocks” has a lot of influence on their finishing time. An athlete can trim a tenth or even two-tenths of a second off their 40 time just by getting their start down cold. An added bonus for footballers is: the action of coming out of the starting blocks is very similar to getting off the line of scrimmage. Both require you to generate speed and power from a dead stop. So improving your “burst” at the starting line will improve your burst off the ball.

In addition, an often overlooked but very important skill in football is the ability to accelerate from half- to full-speed, as when defensive backs make a break on the ball. Track teaches you to get to your top speed as quickly as possible. Common track drills, like Flying Starts increase stride frequency and improve body control when transitioning to max speed.

necessary to attain top speed. Not only will they run faster, but they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be as exhausted after a play.

Your Child Will Get More Speed With Less Effort Most football players are all about force, running like bowling balls trying to knock pins down. Sprinters, on the other hand, look like they almost glide over the ground. A good track coach will teach your child to relax their body and exert the minimal amount of force

The most dominant separator of talent in football is speed. The faster an athlete can run while maintaining full body control, the better football player that athlete will be. If your child is serious about becoming a great football player they should consider dedicating themselves in the off season and think about running track.

Coaches often prescribe long sprints of 200 to 400 yards with short rest periods (about 45 seconds) between them. The short recovery time forces the athlete to find their most efficient stride and arm swing to avoid fatigue.

WINDERMERE SCENE | 33

34 | WINDERMERE SCENE

WINDERMERE SCENE | 35

Your exclusive access to the ultimate lifestyle... www.fourseasons.com/orlando/club | 407-313-6778