JUly 2012 VolUme 5 Issue 9 www.GatorcoUntry.com

The Comeback & Back & Back

Kid entrepreneur raymond Hines iii

finally sHares His inspiring story

gators in tHe olympicsdestinationsswamp spotligHt

superintendent hopeful george tomyn south florida

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4 gator country | feB/2012 fact: since 1938, a total of 312 gators have been drafted in the nfl.

wHat’s inside

ceowww.gatorcountry.comRaymond Hines III

cooBernadette King

cfo Raymond Hines, Jr

managing editorMike Capshaw

staff writersThomas GoldkampAndrew SpiveyPhillip Heilman

reportersSean CrawfordDrew LaingChris KirschnerMax MatternThomas MorrellElizabeth Rhodes

pHotograpHersSaj GuevaraJack LewisWesley Rodriguez

ceoMarc Douglass

eXecutiVe editorLauren Douglass

copy editorDaniel Sulphin

art directorDaniel Tidbury

grapHic designDaniel TidburyLisa TorresJane Dominguez

promotionsAmanda LilesKaren JonesHilah DriggersKristen Cokas

accountingLynsey Parrish

circulationEddy Falla

special proJectsLauren KolanskyDaniel Sulphin

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adVertising & salesShane Howell Bryan Porter

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contents

on and off tHe field8 Happy Birthday Title IX16 Gators Track Wins National

Outdoor Championship18 Recruiting Notebook19 Football Notebook40 Twice is Nice44 Friday Night Lights Preview

for tHe family 24 UF Trivia: 2011 Football Season25 The Play Book: July Events29 Mom Blog: Keeping Kids Cool

in the Hot Summer Sun34 Sun ‘n’ Fun Destinations36 Fishing Report38 Gear for the Summer

swamp spotligHt 14 Gators in the Olympics26 A ‘Super’ Man30 The Comeback and

Back and Back Kid45 Best of Gator Country’s Forums

5gator country | feB/2012fact: since 1953, the uf football team has won 16 out of 19 bowl games.

What a great time to be a Florida Gators fan!

The look of surprise and excitement on Jeremy Foley’s face was priceless. It said it all. The UF athletics director, the best in the nation in my humble opinion, was in the McKethan Stadium press box shortly after it was announced the Gators had won the NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship.

He wasn’t expecting it. With the team handcuffed because of a depleted roster, no one expected it.

I should have snapped a picture of Foley’s face just to illustrate how amazed and happy he was after hearing the news and high-fiving other UF personnel before the Gators’ super regional against North Carolina State, which they won in two games to advance to the College World Series, by the way.

Foley is reaping the rewards of everything he has assembled as far as hiring elite coaches and raising the funds needed to build first-class facilities.

Every team on campus competes at the highest level. No other athletic program even comes close. Foley’s vision and tireless work is why.

The men’s track national championship comes on the heels of the women’s tennis team winning its second-consecutive national championship in dominating fashion.

Men’s basketball has reached the Elite 8 two straight years and has won a couple of national championships not too long ago. The football team, of course, won a pair of national titles recently as well and appears to be headed in the right direction under second-year coach Will Muschamp.

Just this spring, the UF lacrosse team, in only the program’s third season, repeated as regular season ALC champions, won the ALC Tournament and reached the Final Four. The gymnastics team finished as the national runner-up. The men’s track team also won the indoor national title.

I could go on and on. Foley has built an

atmosphere of winning. An atmosphere where teams and fans are disappointed with Top 25 finishes.

Many colleges are ecstatic if just one of its teams reaches such heights.

At Florida, it’s expected, but sometimes the success even surprises the man who has built it all.

So, if you run into Foley at a game or around town, give him a hug or even a high-five because he has helped make it a great time to be a Florida Gators fan.

mike capsHawmanaging editor, gator country

eXpect to win

editor’sletter

6 gator country | feB/2012 fact: UF is one of three universities to be the first in the country to offer an Organic Agriculture undergraduate degree program (2006).

These are REAL emails from REAL Gator Country readers that come through our inbox each month. Readers can send questions, comments and suggestions to mike@gatorcountry.com. Put “Cheers & Jeers” in the subject line and your email could end up in this feature that we share with the rest of our readers in each issue.

cHeers & Jeers

permission deniedHaving issues with gc app getting permission denied and cannot get on the board. Logged out and in and still no go. I have access on the website, is there a known issue? Anonymous

EDITOR’S NOTE: Please try uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it. That usually fixes 99 percent of any issues.

password proBlemsI can’t access the photo gallery from the super regionals. It says I need a password, but I don’t know the password? Please help! Shannon G. Gainesville

EDITOR’S NOTE: It was one of the galleries we made “members-only,” so it needs a password that can only be found if you have premium service to GatorCountry.com. Each time you see a gallery that is “locked,” the password will be included in the actual story that links to the gallery.

past issuesA friend at work said my sons picture is in the april issue but i missed picking one up and want to know if I can still buy some copies. Thanks Michael S. Hawthorne

EDITOR’S NOTE: Absolutely, we keep several dozen of each issue for just such, well, issues. However, the magazine is free, so there will be no charge required. I’ll connect you with our customer service department and they will help you out.

BaseBall forum?What happened to the Gator Baseball forum? Can’t find it. HELP Anonymous

EDITOR’S NOTE: They’re still there. Look for “Diamond Gators” for premium members and “Around the Horn” in the free forums.

mag loVeMy bride and I continue to enjoy each issue of the magazine. The writing is good and the topics are very interesting. Everyone’s efforts are much appreciated! Anonymous

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you very much! We strive to continue improving every issue, so please let us know if you have any questions, comments or ideas for content you would like to see by emailing mike@gatorcountry.com.

tell us wHat you really tHink

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8 gator country | feB/2012 fact: uf is a national leader in alternative energy research, with strong programs in ethanol production, and nuclear and solar energy.

Happy BirtHday

title iXcontroVersial legislation

cHanges tHe landscape of college atHletics at uf and Beyond

By pHillip Heilman

Much of this success has been recent. Florida has won a league-high 11 national championships since 2006.

The program has become one of the nation’s most successful both in men’s and women’s sports. It has done so because of continued compliance.

Compliance with Title IX, that is.Title IX, arguably the most controversial piece of legislation

to ever hit athletics, turns 40 this year. In those 40 years, Title IX has had its share of critics and supporters.

However, the numbers don’t lie.Since its inception on June 23, 1972, the number of women

participating in collegiate sports has risen tremendously. According to the NCAA website, the NCAA began administering

women’s sports in 1981. At that time, there were 74,239 female NCAA student-athletes. As of the 2010–11 season, there were 191,131 female student-athletes.

The University of Florida has won

29 national championships since

1968. Of those championships,

men’s programs have won 15 and

women’s programs have won 14.

a well-rounded program

9gator country | feB/2012fact: John kaplan, an associate professor in the college of Journalism and communications, won the pulitzer prize for feature photography in 1992.

Certainly that is to be expected, but what might not be expected is the number of men participating in NCAA sports also increased during this time.

In 1981, 169,800 male student-athletes competed in athletics. In 2010–11, there were 252,946 male student-athletes.

Opportunities have increased for both genders through Title IX.

Now, female student-athletes such as Florida tennis phenom Lauren Embree or Gators softball star Michelle Moultrie can team with the likes of male student-athletes such as hoopster Kenny Boynton or baseball slugger Preston Tucker to help give UF one of the most well-rounded athletic departments in the nation.

So what exactly is Title IX?Passed as part of the Education

Amendments Acts of 1972, Title IX is a federal law that states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial service.”

Birch Bayh, a former United States Senator from Indiana once famously said, “Title IX is rather simple: don’t discriminate on the basis of sex.”

While that may be the gist of it, understanding the ramifications of Title IX is a bit more involved.

To meet the requirement of Title IX, schools have one of three options.

The first is the percentages of male nd female athletes are substantially proportionate to the percentages of male and females enrolled.

The second is the school having a

history and continuing practice of expanding athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex.

The third option is a school’s athletic program fully and effectively accommodates the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex.

For all intents and purposes, larger universities such as the University of Florida usually accommodate Title IX through the first option – by having the student-athlete population be representative of the academic population.

For UF, what this has often meant is adding more women’s programs.

When Title IX increased opportunities for women’s athletics on the collegiate level in 1972, the result was UF sponsoring its first intercollegiate varsity women’s tennis team during the 1972–73 season.

Florida quickly found success in the newborn program, as the Gators were perennially successful in tournaments sponsored by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

“Title IX is an excellent idea. It is benefitting youth all over America,” said UF women’s tennis coach Roland Thornqvist. “But we don’t really think about it now. We see ourselves as existing on our own merit.”

Winners of six national championships, including back-to-back in 2011 and 2012, the women’s tennis program certainly has established its place on the UF landscape.

Other programs have since followed suit.In 2002, Florida athletic director Jeremy

Foley said he believed that UF would add another women’s sport somewhere down the road to continue its compliance with Title IX.

Eight years later, his belief became a reality when the Florida women’s lacrosse team began playing in the spring semester

of 2010. Adding a women’s lacrosse team put Florida in a unique place.

Among the Southeastern Conference, Vanderbilt is the only other school to feature a women’s lacrosse program.

Still, it has become one of the most popular women’s sports at UF. Playing in the American Lacrosse Conference, Florida has found a great deal of success since starting the program.

The Gators were regular season conference champions in 2011 and 2012. Also in 2012, Florida reached the Final Four before losing a heartbreaker to Syracuse.

With such a humble beginning just a few years ago, Florida women’s lacrosse has already turned into one of the country’s premiere, powerhouse programs.

The success of these two programs is representative of Florida athletics as a whole.

Like most pieces of legislation, Title IX has had its share of detractors. It is not a perfect system.

The increasing number of athletes participating, both male and female, is a positive result of Title IX.

Still, some have lost out because of it.Florida has had to discontinue men’s

programs such as wrestling and volleyball to comply with the law. The loss of these programs is an unfortunate consequence of Title IX.

However, from former athletic director Ray Graves to Foley, UF has maintained that complying with Title IX will be the priority of the university.

Because of that, Florida has one of the most decorated athletics departments, both men’s and women’s, in the nation.

Title IX will never have full support from all involved, but Florida has continued to show that a tradition of winning can be established through compliance with the rule.

numBer of ncaa student-atHletes *1981–82 first year ncaa administered women’s athletics.

year women’s men’s total1981–82* 74,239 169,800 244,0391984–85 91,679 201,063 292,7421989–90 89,212 177,166 266,3781994–95 110,524 189,084 299,6081999–2000 150,585 210,989 361,5742004–05 166,728 222,838 389,5662009–10 186,460 249,307 435,7672010–11 191,131 252,946 444,077

source: ncaa.org

florida’s women’s tennis team defeated ucla 4–0 in duluth, ga., to win the program’s second straight and sixth overall ncaa championship. photo by Jack lewis

florida’s lacrosse team does the ‘gator chomp’ after winning the alc tournament in gainesville, fla. photo by mike capshaw

a well-rounded program

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11gator country | feB/2012fact: In 2010, UF ranked seventh in Princeton Review’s top party schools; UGA took first.

fandom

12 gator country | feB/2012 fact: Shands is affiliated with more than 80 UF physician outpatient practices located throughout north central and northeast Florida.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.After Florida’s baseball team lost in

the finals of the 2011 College World Series, 2012 was supposed to be the Gators’ year.

They returned most of last year’s team and most everything went according to script other than a few bumps along the way – until the College World Series.

Florida (47–20), the consensus No. 1 team in the preseason and the top overall seed for the NCAA Baseball Tournament, went “two-and-out” in Omaha, Neb. They lost to defending national champion South Carolina in the opener before being eliminated by an upstart Kent State squad, which entered its regional as a No. 3 seed.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.This group of juniors and seniors,

mixed in with a few underclassmen, was supposed to be the toast of the 2012 college baseball season.

“They’ve been very successful,” said UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan at the press conference following a 5–4 loss against Kent State. “They’ve been great players, but more importantly, they’ve been a great representation of what we want in this program. I think they’ve done the right thing, both on and off the field.”

It may be the best team Florida has ever fielded talent-wise, but the squad – fair or not – will forever be judged by its inability to get it done in Omaha.

A season that ends with a loss is a lost season.

“I’ve been able to make it (to Omaha) three times and all three times I’ve been just as disappointed,” junior catcher Mike Zunino said. “You put in so much hard work and get so close to the guys … you don’t

want it to end. “It’s going to take a while to hit me.”Zunino was selected as the third overall

pick in the Major League Baseball draft, the highest any UF player has been drafted. He headlined a talented group that saw nine in the first 20 rounds of last month’s draft (see Draft story on the next page).

Preston Tucker, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Houston Astros, returned for his senior season in hopes of winning the College World Series. He has shattered several Florida batting records during a memorable four-year career, but never won a CWS title.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Tucker said after the Kent State loss. “We’ve played so many games day-in and day-out. In the end, it’s just another ball game. But it’s my last, and obviously I’m not going to get another chance.”

Florida, which boasted one of the nation’s best defenses, coughed up three errors in the opening 7–3 loss against the Gamecocks. The Gators jumped out to a 2–0 lead behind a two-run double by Tucker in the third inning. South Carolina answered with a five runs in the fifth and Florida could never recover.

Against Kent State, Florida ace pitcher Hudson Randall left after one inning due to heat-related issues as temperatures climbed into the triple digits at TD Ameritrade Park.

The Gators had to rally from a four-run deficit to make it interesting in the ninth inning. O’Sullivan opted to pinch hit for slugger Brian Johnson, who grounded into a double play earlier in the game, with two runners on base and no outs. Tucker and Zunino had walked on eight straight

pitches, but O’Sullivan inserted pinch hitter Cody Dent, who bunted to move the runners into scoring position.

Daniel Pigott then was hit by a pitch to load the bases before freshman Casey Turgeon was struck out on a check- swing appeal.

“My first gut instinct was hoping it was going to be Ball 4,” Zunino said. “They appealed, and it wasn’t. I thought the umpire did a great job the whole game. So, I thought they were good calls.”

With two outs, it all came down to Justin Shafer, who flew out to right field with the winning run 180 feet from home plate.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.Despite sporting so much talent, things

just never went the Gators’ way – like Turgeon’s check-swing strikeout – during their three consecutive CWS appearances. They posted a 3–6 record in the CWS over that span.

The Gators won the Gainesville Regional and Super Regional in dominating fashion. Along the way, Zunino homered three times and sophomore pitcher Jonathon Crawford tossed a no-hitter to open the regional against Bethune-Cookman. It was the first no-hitter in NCAA postseason play since Florida’s John Burke no-hit Furman on May 23, 1991.

While the consecutive losses in the CWS will overshadow everything else accomplished, O’Sullivan said he’s still pleased with this group of players.

“I’ve been awfully proud of the way they’ve played and the way they’ve represented our program,” O’Sullivan said. “They’ve set a standard that following teams will have to live up to.”

two & BBQgators disappointed after mucH-Hyped season ends witH early cws eXit

By mike capsHaw

Players high-five Nolan Fontana after he homered during the first of the Gators’ two wins

against north carolina state in the gainesville super regional. photo by mike capshaw

tHere’s always neXt year

13gator country | feB/2012fact: uf admitted 1,049 international Baccalaureate students for the 2004–2005 academic year – more than any other university in the world.

Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan followed the 2012 MLB Draft with delight and horror.

Any coach who has helped players reach their full potential is happy to see them reach a pinnacle of their dreams. However, the 2013 team took a major hit by the 2012 draft and making a fourth consecutive trip to the College World Series will be a challenge.

Nine current Gators were drafted in the top 20 rounds, including eight in the first nine rounds and seven in the first seven. None of those players are likely to return, although anything can happen when a player sits down at a negotiating table with a major league club.

O’Sullivan called the number of Gators selected so early “a testament” to the program’s strength.

“The draft is something that is going to be there every year – It is what it is,” O’Sullivan said. “If you have good players in your program, they’re going to get drafted. If you recruit good players, there’s a chance you could lose them. It’s as simple as that. It’s an inexact science.”

Florida signed what many considered the nation’s No. 1 signing class, but six of those prospects were drafted in the first three rounds, meaning they likely will never suit up in the orange and blue. That includes three outfielders, two right-handed pitchers and a shortstop.

“We’re never going to change our recruiting philosophy,” O’Sullivan said. “We’re going to recruit the best players, and I feel like we’re at a place where we can do that.

“Sometimes you roll the dice on players, but at this place, we’re trying to win a national championship, so we’re going to recruit the best players and sometimes you’re going to lose them.”

With so many drafted so highly, the make-up of next year’s team will include mostly fresh faces.

Freshman infielders Casey Turgeon and Josh Tobias and outfielder Justin Shafer will be the lone returning starters. Freshman Taylor Gushue likely will take over Mike Zunino’s duties at catcher while junior Cody Dent, who started a few games at third when Tobias was out with a broken hamate bone, is another who returns experience.

The Gators’ ace-in-the-hole could be Tyler Thompson, a rangy centerfield who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Southeastern Conference season-opening series at Vanderbilt. He was granted a medical redshirt and will return for a fifth year in 2013.

As far as pitchers, a few will be back, led by sophomore Jonathon Crawford, who was a regular weekend starter and tossed a no-hitter against Bethune-Cookman to open the Gainesville Regional. Another with weekend starting experience is Karsten

Whitson, who was the No. 9 overall pick in 2010. Keenan Kish and Bobby Poyner also return postseason experience.

The heart of the team the past three years will be gone. Change-the-game-in-one-swing hitters like Zunino and Preston Tucker and dominating pitchers like Hudson Randall, Brian Johnson, Austin Maddox and Steven Rodriguez will not be back. The Gators also likely will lose defensive juggernauts in shortstop Nolan Fontana and centerfielder Daniel Pigott.

“Even though it’s painful at time to lose players, I think in the long run, it can only help your program,” O’Sullivan said. “You’ve just got to be careful you don’t get beat up too bad and be short the following year.

“But we’ve got a very good team coming back next year, so were excited about that team as well.”

Bittersweetdraft tHe 2013 gators will

feature many fresH faces tHanks to tHe 2012 mlB draft

freshman second baseman casey turgeon, who was named most outstanding player of the gainesville regional, will be one of three

returning starters on next year’s team. photo by saj guevara

By mike capsHaw

preston tucker

florida players draftedround (oVerall). pos player team 1 (3). c mike Zunino seattle mariners 1 (31). lHp Brian Johnson Boston red sox 2 (61). ss nolan fontana Houston astros 2 (82). lHp steven rodriguez los angeles dodgers 3 (118). rHp austin maddox Boston red sox 7 (219). of preston tucker Houston astros 7 (244). rHp Hudson randall detroit tigers 9 (292). of daniel pigott cincinnati reds 20 (631). rHp greg larson Boston red sox

florida signees draftedround (oVerall). pos player HigH scHool team 1 (29). of lewis Brinson coral springs Hs (florida) texas rangers 1 (41). rHp lance mccullers Jesuit Hs (florida) Houston astros 1 (49). rf Jessie winker olympia Hs (florida) cincinnati reds 2 (73). of max white williston Hs (florida) colorado rockies 3 (103). rHp Jonathan sandfort winter springs Hs (florida) pittsburgh pirates 3 (104). ss avery romero st. augustine pedro miami marlins menendez Hs (florida)40 (1,238). rHp eric Hanhold east lake Hs (florida) philadelphia phillies

looking aHead

14 gator country | feB/2012 fact: uf is the only university to appear in the nacda national all-sports top-10 ranking for each of the past 28 years.

gators in tHe olympics

seVeral current, former and future

gators are Hoping to Qualify for tHe 2012

summer games

By tHomas goldkamp pHotos By tim casey, roB foldy and saJ gueVara

The Olympic Torch has made its rounds across

the United Kingdom for the past month and

a half, with only weeks left before the

London 2012 Opening Ceremony begins

and the torch comes to rest inside Olympic Stadium on July 27.

Always competing near the top of college athletics in just about every sport, the University of Florida expects a number of its current, former and future players to compete in the Olympic Games.

Many of the athletes have yet to qualify for their respective events, but several of the stars are sure to be representing their respective countries.

Take former Florida swimmer, Ryan Lochte, for example. The six-time Olympic champion has helped spearhead some of the marketing efforts in the U.S. as one of the nation’s most recognizable Olympians. The New York Times wrote that Lochte is “poised to be the breakout star of the 2012 Summer Games.”

Or Abby Wambach, who nearly led the U.S. to the top of the soccer world in the 2011 World Cup in Germany. Wambach has gotten nearly as much pre-Olympics air time as Lochte, starring in a handful of Gatorade commercials leading up to the Games.

A pair of former Florida national champion basketball stars could also star for their respective countries in London. Joakim Noah could play for France, which has already qualified for the Olympics, if he can recover from an ankle injury in time. Former teammate Al Horford could also

play in the Olympics if his Dominican Republic team can qualify in the first week of July.

Former point guard Nick Calathes is in the same boat as Horford, with Greece looking to qualify from in the same early-July tournament. Current combo guard Mike Rosario is also in the mix to make the Puerto Rico team that will compete in the qualifier, as well.

Football and track star Jeff Demps was set to compete in U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Ore., at the end of June, along with a handful of other star Florida athletes.

This year’s NCAA 400-meter champion Tony McQuay will also compete, along with NCAA triple-jump champion Omar Craddock. Four-time SEC champion Gray Horn will also compete in the Olympic Trials in the decathlon.

Star distance runner Genevieve LaCaze, who became the first person in SEC history to sweep the conference titles in the 3000-meter steeplechase, the 1500-meters and the 5000-meters in May, will represent Australia in London.

To the right is a list of the dozens of athletes with ties to the University of Florida who could appear in the 2012 Olympic Games.

omar cradduck

Joakim noah

al Horford

genevieve lacaze

going for tHe gold

15gator country | feB/2012fact: UF is home to one of the world’s largest butterfly and moth collections, with more than 9 million specimens.

gators in tHe 2012 olympic gamesryan locHte swimming u.s.a.*Lochte is the most high-profile former Florida athlete competing in the Olympic games. a six-time olympic medalist, lochte will be looking to take the title of the best swimmer in the country from michael phelps at the games.

aBBy wamBacH soccer u.s.a. after narrowly missing out on a world cup trophy in 2011, wambach returns to the olympics in what will likely be her last major outing for the u.s. national team. the second-best goal scorer in u.s. history will be looking for her second gold medal after missing the 2008 games with a broken leg.

al Horford BasketBall dominican repuBlic*Joakim noaH BasketBall francenick calatHes BasketBall greece*mike rosario BasketBall puerto rico*aZania stewart BasketBall u.k.marissa king gymnastics u.k.*Bridgette caQuatto gymnastics u.s.a.*mackenZie caQuatto gymnastics u.s.a.*Bridget sloan gymnastics u.s.a.**Brett fraser swimming cayman islands*sHaune fraser swimming cayman islands*melani costa-scHmid swimming spain*marco lougHran swimming u.k.*Jemma lowe swimming u.k.gemma spofortH swimming u.k.dan wallace swimming u.k.*eliZaBetH Biesel swimming u.s.a.*caroline Burckle swimming u.s.a.*teresa crippen swimming u.s.a.*conor dwyer swimming u.s.a.*carlos omana swimming u.s.a.*dara torres swimming u.s.a.*melanie BootH soccer canadaHeatHer mitts soccer u.s.a.geneVieVe lacaZe track and field australiakemal mesic track and field Bosnia*keely medeiros track and field BraZil*stipe Zunic track and field croatia*mariam keVkHisHVili track and field georgia*moise JosepH track and field Haiti*noVlene williams-mills track and field Jamaica*agata strausa track and field latVia*ugonna ndu track and field nigeria*will claye track and field u.s.a.*kerron clement track and field u.s.a.*Jeff demps track and field u.s.a.*kristin Heaston track and field u.s.a.*gray Horn track and field u.s.a.*tony mcQuay track and field u.s.a.*calVin smitH track and field u.s.a.*wes stockBarger track and field u.s.a.*cHristian taylor track and field u.s.a.*terrell wilks track and field u.s.a.*Jane collymore VolleyBall u.s.a.*keVin collington triatHlon u.s.a.*

*Not yet qualified at time of publication.**Not yet qualified current Florida commitment. All others current or former UF athletes.

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M A G A Z I N E

going for tHe gold

16 gator country | feB/2012 fact: In 2006, UF became the first university in collegiate history to earn both the national men’s basketball and football titles in the same year.

The improbable become probable as the points just kept adding up over the three-day NCAA Men’s Outdoor National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa. The Gators did it behind national titles by Omar Cradduck and Tony McQuay and several other individuals coming for career-best performances.

“We lost our best sprinter, we lost our best decathlete and our 4x100 didn’t qualify,” UF coach Mike Holloway said in a release from the school. “A lot of people would have given up hope, but our group of guys didn’t. I sat them down after Regionals and I said ‘We are still the best team in the country, as long as you believe it,’ and our guys believed it.

“I actually figured out on the plane that we had no seniors (competing on the men’s side). Obviously, if we stay healthy, there is a bright future for the University of Florida, on both the men’s and the women’s sides.”

The program’s first outdoor championship coupled with winning the indoor makes the Gators the first team since the Arkansas Razorbacks (2003) to win both NCAA titles in the same year.

“This is unbelievable,” Florida head coach Mike Holloway said in a press release. “It’s an absolute blessing. I can’t tell you how proud I am of this group of young men. We had a lot of adversity, not just this week, but throughout the year. You think about things, the people that weren’t here, the people that didn’t want to give you a chance but our guys never bought into it. I’m extremely proud of them.”

Florida head coach Mike Holloway was announced as the 2012 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year.

The women’s track and field team made strong strides in the

NCAA Championships this year. The team finished 23rd in the NCAA Outdoor Championships after coming in ninth at the NCAA Indoors.

lacrosseIn only its third season, Florida’s women’s lacrosse team made historic steps as a program. The Gators finished the season 19–3 while winning their second straight American Lacrosse Conference Title and their first ALC Tournament. The Gators were able to beat the No. 1 team in the nation (Northwestern) twice to win both the regular season and tourney championships.

The Gators were seeded No.1 in the NCAA Tournament. In their first appearance in the Final Four, the Gators lost to Syracuse 13–12 in double overtime in a game that only can be described as a loss that will sting for a while.

After giving up a 12–5 leading in the second half, the Gators were in a position to win the game in overtime. Junior Gabi Wiegand was taking a free-position shot with 12 seconds remaining, similar to a penalty shot. She put the ball right into the top of the net, but the referee called for an illegal stick to take the goal away. The play took all the momentum the Gators had going. A minute into double overtime, Syracuse found the back of the net to win the game.

“I’m proud of my team and proud of our season as this is just the third year of the program,” said UF coach Amanda O’Leary.

O’Leary was named the National Coach of the Year by WomensLax.com, which also named Mikey Meagher as Goalie of the Year. Meagher was joined by Kitty Cullen, Brittany Dashiell and Shannon Gilroy on the website’s All-American team.

spring sports reView

gators track wins national outdoor cHampionsHipBecomes first program to win indoor and outdoor titles in same season since 2003

By maX mattern pHotos By saJ gueVara

Despite winning the 2012 Indoor title, winning the Outdoor title was almost an afterthought for the Florida Gators men’s track & field team.

Jeremy Postin put together a national runner-up finish in the hammer throw.

17gator country | feB/2012fact: since 1968, 145 gators and 13 florida coaches have earned 91 medals (45 gold) while representing 34 countries in 12 olympiads.

spring sports reView

golfThe UF men’s golf team finished in a tie for 12th overall in the NCAA Championship from May 29–31 in Pacific Palisades, Calif. The Gators were led by junior Tyler McCumber tying for second overall after firing a two-under-par 211 for the three-day tournament.

Florida women’s golf coach Jan Dowling announced her resignation on May 26 following her team’s second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships, where the Gators finished 10th in 2011 and 12th this season. Dowling said she was making what she believed was the right choice for her “personal life” when she left the program after three seasons.

Emily Bastel, who was just hired as an assistant at UF 10 months earlier, was promoted to head coach.

tennisWhile the women’s tennis team repeated as national champs, Florida’s men’s tennis team could not get past the round of sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. No. 5 Ohio State beat the No. 12 Florida Gators (16–10) in dominating fashion. Florida lost all but one singles

game in the match. For the NCAA Men’s Singles and Doubles Championships, no Gator made it further than the round of 32. After the end of the season, Florida athletics director Jeremy Foley hired Bryan Shelton as the new coach of the men’s team after Andy Jackson announced his resignation.

softBallThe Florida Gators softball team had an abrupt ending to its season. After earning the No. 5 overall national seed, the Gators hosted an NCAA regional against in-state foes Florida Gulf Coast, Central Florida and South Florida. Florida lost its first game to FGCU on the same day it was announced that UF coach Tim Walton dismissed three starters from the team in Cheyenne Coyle, Kasey Fagan and Sami Fagan. The reason behind the suspension remains unclear, but the Gators had to continue on through the tournament without the help of the trio’s consistent offense and defense.

Florida was able to come together to beat FGCU and UCF in a doubleheader before suffering a season-ending 1–0 loss against USF in the Gainesville Regional finals.

omar cradduck won a national title in the men’s triple jump.

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Saturday, September 29, 2012Besilu Collection, Micanopy, Florida

20 gator country | feB/2012 fact: more than 330,000 uf alumni are located throughout the world

recruiting noteBook

few spots remaina couple more pledges mean florida’s class of 2013 is almost completed

By andrew spiVey

footBall commitments (class of 2013)*1. rB adam lane (5–8, 215, winter Haven, fla.)2. dt caleb Brantley (6–3, 305, crescent city, fla.)3. lB James Hearns (6–3, 235, tallahassee, fla./lincoln)4. lB daniel mcmillian (6–3, 220, Jacksonville, fla./first coast)5. rB kelvin taylor (5–10, 205, Belle glade, fla./glades day)6. wr rodney adams (6–1, 175, st. petersburg, fla./lakewood)7. lB Quinton powell (6–2, 195, daytona Beach, fla./mainland)8. dB nick washington (6–0, 180, Jacksonville, fla./trinity christian)9. lB dillan lawson (6–3, 215, crestview, fla.)10. dB keanu neal (6–1, 200, Bushnell, fla./south sumter)11. ol rod Johnson (6–5, 315, delray Beach, fla./american Heritage)12. wr ahmad fulwood (6–4, 200, Jacksonville, fla./Bishop kenny)13. dB tre’ Bell (5–11, 170, Jersey city, n.J./st. peter’s prep)14. ol Joshua outlaw (6–4, 280, lithonia, ga./king)15. ol cameron dillard (6–3, 285, canton, mich./plymouth)16. wr marqui Hawkins (6–2, 205, columbus, ga./carver)17. dl Joey ivie (6–4, 269, dade city, fla./pasco)18. QB max staver (6–5, 235, Brentwood, tenn./Brentwood academy)

footBall commitments (class of 2014)*1. wr ryeshene Bronson (6–3, 195, fort myers, fla./dunbar)

BasketBall signees (class of 2012)1.michael frazier (6–4, 190, clermont, fla./monteverde academy)2. Braxton ogbueze (6–1, 185, charlotte, n.c./ united faith christian academy)3. dillon graham (6–4, 175, orlando, fla./first academy)4. deVon walker (6–6, 190, winter Haven, fla.)

BasketBall commitments (class of 2013)*1. kasey Hill (6–0, 175, clermont, fla./monteverde academy)

*Verbal commitments are non-binding.

The Florida Gators already have 18 football prospects verbally committed for the Class of 2013, which leaves little room remaining.

With the recent commitments of Pasco City, Fla., defensive tackle Joey Ivie and Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy quarterback Max Staver, here is a projection on how the rest of the positions will break down:

In my opinion, the staff is looking to add one tight end, one more receiver and one more offensive lineman to complete the offensive side of the ball.

And to complete the defensive side of the ball they would like to add one defensive tackle, two defensive ends/buck linebackers, one more linebacker and two defensive backs, preferably one safety and one cornerback.

These projections are off of things I have been told with the possibility of a commitment or two withdrawing their verbal pledges.

With the Class of 2013 almost finished you will see the coaching staff start to focus more on the 2014 prospects.

The Gators have already accepted their first commitment for the 2014 class when Fort Myers, Fla., receiver Ryeshene Bronson pledged during the Will Muschamp Gators Football Camp.

Several other top 2014 prospects were on campus and earned scholarship offers.

Here are a few:tarpon springs (fla.) east lake receiver artavis scottBaton rouge, la., offensive lineman Garrett Brumfieldcross city (fla.) dixie county cornerback duke dawsonfort lauderdale (fla.) university cornerback Quincy wilson

The next big event for the Gators is Friday Night Lights in July, which will have several top prospects from the 2013, 2014 and 2015 classes in attendance.

Hoops recruitingWith the recent signings of transfers Damontre Harris and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Gators are now turning their attention to the Class of 2013 in which they expect to sign four prospects, including already committed point guard Kasey Hill.

The headliner of that group is Bonifay (Fla.) Holmes County forward Chris Walker, who has been rumored to be making a decision this summer. Most believe it’ll be between Florida and Kansas, with the Gators holding a slight lead for his services.

One of the biggest factors working in Florida’s favor is the fact that Walker and Hill are AAU teammates and Walker has went on record as to saying he loves playing the game of basketball with Hill.

In a perfect world, Florida would like to sign two big men and another shooter to go along with Hill.

Some other prospects to watch for next year are:paterson (n.J.) Hudson catholic forward reggie cameronmemphis (tenn.) melrose guard markel crawfordmemphis (tenn.) east center nick kingsparta (n.J.) pope John XXiii forward Jermaine lawrencecharlotte (n.c.) west charlotte center kennedy meeks

Billy donovan landed two of the biggest transfer prizes during the

offseason. photo by saj guevara

21gator country | feB/2012

sec eXpansion

fact: former coach steve spurrier coined the phrase, “the ‘mighty’ gators” after struggling to beat a team we were expected to crush.

Missouri and Texas A&M will get their first taste of Southeastern Conference football this fall, but one of the SEC’s two new additions has already gotten a taste of SEC smack talk from Florida coach Will Muschamp.

Florida will travel to College Station, Tex., to take on Texas A&M in the second game of the season. Joking with fans at a Gator Club speech in Lakeland in late May, Muschamp cracked to a fan, “You ever been to College Station? It’ll be the only time you go.”

Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin got wind of his comments and quickly told reporters in College Station that Muschamp “needs to worry about his own team.”

With the two teams set to square off so early in the season, though, Muschamp would be best off learning as much as he can about the two additions to the conference that fans may not be quite as familiar with.

Florida will take on Texas A&M on Sept. 8, before playing host to Missouri later in the season on Nov. 3. Here’s everything Gators fans need to know about their two newest conference foes.

teXas a&m 2012 preView2011 record: (7–6, 4–5 Big 12)

record vs. top 25: 1–5pass offense: 291 ypg (18th)rush offense: 199 ypg (24th)pass defense: 276 ypg (109th)rush defense: 102 ypg (12th)

Texas A&M flirted with the Top 25 all season long after entering the season ranked in the Top 10 in all the major polls. The Aggies were a terrific team that couldn’t seem to close games, suffering four losses after blowing big second-half leads.

The Aggies lost two of their top playmakers on offense. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill went No. 8 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and leading rusher Cyrus Gray was also taken later in the draft.

Outside of the quarterback position, Texas A&M returns a lot of talent on offense. Running back Christine Michael

rushed for 100 yards per game last season (899 yards total) before tearing his ACL late in the year. He returns healthy along with backup running back Ben Malena, who rushed for 306 yards in 2011.

Two of the top three receivers are back after Ryan Swope opted to return for his senior season. Swope caught 89 passes for 1,207 yards and 11 touchdowns and is one of the best returning receivers in the country. Uzoma Nwachukwu also caught 50 passes for 639 yards last year.

Perhaps most importantly, Texas A&M should be able to protect its new quarterback. All five starters are back on the offensive line from a unit that ranked fourth nationally in sacks allowed last year.

Defensively, almost the entire front seven returns intact for the Aggies. The 3–4 defense Texas A&M plays puts a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and the Aggies lead the country in sacks last season.

All four starting linebackers are back, and all four ranked in the top five on the team in tackles in 2011. Those returning starters include Sean Porter and Damontre Moore, who combined for 18 sacks last season.

The secondary will need a bit of retooling after losing three cornerbacks from the two-deep and a starting safety. A couple players have made starts here and there in the defensive backfield, but it will be a very inexperienced unit overall.

missouri 2012 preView2011 record: (8–5, 5–4 Big 12)

record vs. top 25: 2–3pass offense: 232 ypg (64th)rush offense: 244 ypg (9th)

pass defense: 253 ypg (94th)rush defense: 127 ypg (28th)

Missouri is almost the opposite of Texas A&M on offense. The Tigers return their top quarterback and running back. Dual-threat quarterback James Franklin threw for 2,865 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 981 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He’s joined in the backfield by running back Henry Josey, who rushed for 1,168 yards and nine touchdowns, while racking up an eye-popping 8.1 yards-per-carry average.

Three of the top five receivers are also back for the Tigers, including leading receiver T.J. Moe. Though there are plenty of skill players back on offense, there will be some gaps to fill up front on the line.

Missouri lost three starters on the offensive line and a starting tight end, but the Tigers do return three linemen with some starting experience.

Defensively, Missouri will have to replace three of four starters up front. That will be tough to do, but having two of the top three tacklers back from the 2011 team at linebacker should help.

Linebackers Andrew Wilson and Zaviar Gooden should be the heart and soul of the defense up the middle after combining for 178 tackles a year ago.

The secondary will have two starters back and a third defensive back with starting experience. However, the Tigers will also have to replace star safety Kenji Jackson, who racked up 76 tackles and three interceptions a year ago.

footBall noteBookan early look at missouri and teXas a&m, tHe newest additions to tHe sec

By tHomas goldkampwill muschamp traded verbal jabs with texas

a&m coach kevin sumlin. photo by saj guevara

22 gator country | feB/2012 fact: in 2008, uf was ranked as the nation’s top party school, according to the princeton review.

women’s tennis

23gator country | feB/2012fact: over 100 uf football players have been selected for all-time sec players of the week.

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25gator country | feB/2012fact: “the swamp” ranks as the largest stadium in the state of florida.

July 2nd1pm Anna Moo performs for the Summer Reading Program at the Library @ The Library Partnership

July 3rd7pm FANFARES & FIREWORKS @ UF Bandshell at Flavet Field

July 4tHCruisin’ the Fossil Freeway @ Florida Museum of Natural History

1pm Verdant Earth and Teeming Seas: The Natural World in Ancient American Art @ Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art

July 6tH7pm Creative B Movie Series | July 6 – The Lost World (1925) @ Florida Museum of Natural History10pm Project Bass Featuring Dillon Francis @ The Vault

July 7tH 4pm National Dragster Challenge/Jr. Dragster Challenge/Summit E.T. Series @ Gainesville Raceway

July 8tH1pm Book Talk on Boneshaker by Cherie Priest @ Alachua County Headquarters Library – Downtown7pm Tyler Hilton @ Double Down Live

Jul 9tH 1pm Volleyball Youth Day Camp @ Stephen C. O’Connell Center

July 10tH8pm Candy Lee @ The Bull Downtown

July 11tH1pmVerdant Earth and Teeming Seas: The Natural World in Ancient American Art @ Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art

July 12tH6pm Red, White & More Red @ Gainesville’s Women Club

July 13.2pm Volleyball Team Camp (Session II) @ Stephen C. O’Connell Center7pm Creative B Movie Series | July 13 – Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) @ Florida Museum of Natural History8pm “Hairspray” – A Musical Comedy @ Vam York Theater

July 14. 2pm Bats Alive! at the Library’s Summer Reading Program @ Millhopper Branch Library

6pm Gainesville Street Rods – Car Show/Cruise-In! @ Springhill Commons

July 16.1pm Volleyball Individual Skills Camp (Session III) @ Stephen C. O’Connell Center10pm Heather Luttrell @ The Bull Downtown

July 18.11am Miracle of Science @ Alachua County Headquarters Library – Downtown1pm Verdant Earth and Teeming Seas: The Natural World in Ancient American Art @ Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art6.15pm Authors@UF: Leela Corman @ Architecture & Fine Arts Library – UF campus

July 19. 8.30pm Nappy Roots @ Double Down Live

July 20.2pm Volleyball Team Camp (Session IV) @ Stephen C. O’Connell Center7pm Creative B Movie Series | July 20 – Jurassic Park (1993) @ Florida Museum of Natural History

July 21.4pm Citizens Co-op Summer Survival Festival @ Citizens CO-op7pm Tallahasse Capital Punishment vs Gainesville Roller Rebels @ Skate Station Funworks

July 22.4.30pm The Sun-kirtan Experience @ Unity of Gainesville

July 24.The Mystery and History of Chocolate, Library Summer Reading Program @ Millhopper Branch Library

July 25.1pm Verdant Earth and Teeming Seas: The Natural World in Ancient American Art @ Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art8.30pm Fortunate Youth @ Double Down Live

27.7pm Creative B Movie Series | July 27 – Anaconda (1997) @ Florida Museum of Natural History

JulytHe play Book

photos courtesy of uf communications VisitGainesville.com

It’s alwaysGameday in Gainesville,

only the venues change.

26 gator country | feB/2012 fact: uf’s Health science center provides health and dental services in gainesville and 11 other cities throughout the state.

Have you ever known a person who, when in their presence, made you want to stand just a little straighter? Who, when you thought about the countless good deeds they do for their community, made you all too aware most of us could be doing better by our little world?

Around Marion County, that person is principal, Superintendent of Schools hopeful and University of Florida alumni George Tomyn.

Born and raised in Ocala, Fla., Tomyn graduated from Forest High, where he was principal from 1996–2005. He has spent the past seven years as the executive director for school development and evaluation for Marion County Public Schools.

Tomyn and his wife of 34 years, Barbara, have raised two beautiful and successful daughters, Claire and Carrie, who are also UF alum.

“Marion County is my home,” Tomyn said. “I had opportunity to go to other places but it just didn’t feel right. My wife loves it here. We think it’s a great place to raise kids.”

A few other do-gooder type entries on Tomyn’s resume are that he’s a former board member of the United Way of Marion County, an elder in his church, a 45-gallon blood donor and a Take Stock in Children Mentor. He chairs The Milling Foundation – a charitable organization that grants low- and no-interest loans to Marion County graduates who attend University of Florida. Finally, George is a – yup, you guessed it – boy scout (Eagle no less).

Now, his story reads somewhat like an “aww, isn’t that nice, but how is it newsworthy?” Well, for the same reason TV Guide ranked the Andy Griffith show ninth on its list of the 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. Truly fine people fascinate us – especially those who have no sense of their own nobility.

“I’m far from perfect but I believe that if you have a strong moral compass, you work hard and surround yourself with good people you’ll be OK,” he said.

And so it goes when you speak with Tomyn. No matter the question asked and no matter the angle taken, his response always circles back to one thing: the greater good.

“I want everybody to work together for the common good,” Tomyn said. “My wife laughs at me because in my senior yearbook I wrote that I wanted to spread warmth and cheer all over this cold cruel world.”

So, how then does the desire to be Superintendent of Schools fit in with the whole we’re-all-in-this-together thing George has goin’ on? Let’s be honest here, a 6-foot-5, athletic man running for office who comes complete with a Master’s Degree in educational leadership and Sean Connery-esque good looks must have at least a bit of megalomaniacal tendencies lurking around the ol’ id, right?

Not so quick. “The decision to run for Superintendent

of Schools was not a religious experience but I do feel that I have a calling,” Tomyn said. “It hurts me when we (public education) get negative publicity. It’s easy to be negative.

“I’m not looking for a job. I’m returning a favor. The community has been good to me and it’s time to go and be the server.”

Tomyn’s got quite a following of supporters around that community, too.

“When George and I saw each other the first day of school (Dunnellon High School, 1980) we were surprised,” said Tom Williams, UF’s assistant athletic director for student services. “We’d been friends at UF – we were both education majors – but I didn’t know he had been hired as vice principal and he didn’t know I’d been hired as a physical ed. teacher and coach.”

Williams said he was always impressed by Tomyn’s character and called him a “friend.”

“He always had a bright attitude and always very professional,” Williams said. “Many people don’t know this but George has a wonderful sense of humor. Another strength I can tell you is he truly is a family man. Been married forever, his daughters are crazy about him.

“He is honest. What you see is what you get. His word is true.”

Oh, c’mon now George. Isn’t there some little part of you that secretly wants to be the star of the school play?

“You don’t have to be a star to be important,” Tomyn said. “There are an awful lot of nice, normal people who make the world go ‘round.”

Yes, there are. And one of the most authentic examples of that is George Tomyn. You’ve made believers of us. Now go out there, get elected and spread some warmth and cheer throughout the schools of Marion County.

a ‘super’ mangeorge tomyn, wHo’s running for superintendent of marion county scHools, inspires otHers to Become Better people

By Bernadette carter-king

fan featuregeorge d. tomynBorn: March 19, 1954Hometown: Ocala, Marion CountyHigh School: Forest High, Class of 1972College: Central Florida Community College (A.A., 1974), Valdosta State College (B.A., 1976) and the University of Florida (Masters, 1980)Notable: Began career as a teacher at Osceola Middle School in 1977 and also taught at Lake Weir High from 1977–80. Was assistant principal of Dunnellon High from 1980–86 and Vanguard High from 1986–95. Was principal of Sunrise Elementary from 1995–96 and Forest High from 1996–2005.

on tHe rise

27gator country | feB/2012fact: there are university of florida graduates in all 50 states and in more than 135 countries.

gator triVia: 2011 uf footBall season

1) with the victory over ohio state, florida established a school record with its…straight bowl win.A) Fifth B) FourthC) Sixth D) Eighth

2) the gators made their 21st-straight bowl appearance, which ranks…in the sec and second nationally. A) Second B) ThirdC) First D) Sixth

3) this was also florida’s 18th January Bowl game since…?A) 1993 B) 1990C) 1984 D) 1991

4) since 2005, florida is one of three teams to post six bowl wins. the other two are:A) Alabama B) ArkansasC) TCU D) Utah

5) overall, the gators had…players earn playing time in 2011. A) 77 B) 68C) 76 D) 72

6) UF finished the season with…scholarship players who were awarded scholarships after august training camp.A) 81 B) 72C) 75 D) 79

7) with the win over ohio state win, will muschamp became the…of uf’s 22 head coaches to finish with a winning record in his first full season leading the Gators.A) 17th B) 16thC) 15th D) 18th

8) uf played 15 true freshmen and 25 freshmen overall this season. A) 16, 21 B) 17, 22C) 15, 25 D) 18, 22

9) who is the only player in school history to lead the team in rushing yards, receptions, all-purpose yards and punt return yards?A) Jeff DempsB) Chris RaineyC) Fred TaylorD) Emmitt Smith

10) florida had…different players with a rush or reception of 60-or-more yards on the season. A) Three B) TwoC) Five D) Four

11) andre debose’s 99-yard ko return was the longest play in gator Bowl history, as well as florida’s longest ko return for a td in its…bowl appearances. A) 39 B) 40C) 37 D) 41

12) who did uf play in its 2011 opening game?A) UABB) TennesseeC) KentuckyD) Florida Atlantic

what was the attendance at uf’s 2011 opening game?A) 88,709 B) 89,000C) 88,708 F) 87,743

Jeff Demps finished the 2011 season with 2,474 yards and ranked…all-time.A) 5t B) 8thC) 3rd D) 7th

answer key:1–B, 2–C, 3–A, 4–C&D, 5–A, 6–B, 7–C, 8–C, 9–B, 10–D, 11–A, 12–D, 13–C, 14–B

sHow us wHat you got

28 gator country | feB/2012 fact: uf’s athletic victories include 26 national team championships, 201 sec titles, and more than 230 individual national titles.

keeping kids cool in tHe Hot summer sun

By renee gork

Summer is a time when we all kick back and have some fun. Our kids are out of school, and many of us will be taking time off for a family vacation in the next couple of months. Luckily for us Floridians, we don’t have to travel too far to find sandy beaches, cool waves and family parks. That also means we don’t have to travel anywhere to experience extremely hot and humid weather all summer long, which means parents have to take extra precautions in protecting their little ones.

Heat exhaustion is a concern for everyone in the summer, but young children have an increased risk of heat illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Babies and young children are especially at risk when it comes to heat-related illness, because the surface of their body is high relative to their body mass index. That means they absorb more heat from the environment, produce more heat when they exercise and sweat less than older kids and adults. They are also less apt to stop playing to ask for a drink when they need one or take a break when they are getting too hot. Even if they’re thirsty, they don’t want to miss any of the fun.

The first and best step to avoid the heat is stay inside. But as parents we certainly know we can’t spend the entire summer indoors, so try to get out early to play and get back inside before the heat of the day. Obviously, the heat of the day is at different times for different areas of the country. In Florida, it is best to avoid playing outdoors between the hours of 11a.m. and 4p.m.

When you are outside, make sure your children take mandatory breaks. Provide your children with cool drinks, preferably water, as sugar and caffeine can increase dehydration. If your little ones don’t seem to think they need a break, make it fun for them. Perhaps, throw out a blanket under a tree, let them get a water bottle and a snack out of the cooler, and tell stories while everyone relaxes in the shade for a bit.

motHer knows Best

29gator country | feB/2012fact: famous alum, John atanasoff, invented the digital computer.

Make sure your kiddos have sunblock of at least SPF 30 on, and apply every 3 to 4 hours even if it’s water proof, because; your kiddos likely will be wiping their brow, upper lip, and maybe even their cheeks with their shirt. Reapplying sunblock is much better than not having enough on. And again, if you are in Florida, don’t forget the bug spray. We use a “family” version, which is a bug repellant with less DEET than the normal strength or Deep Woods OFF!.

If breaks aren’t a big success with your children, then play a game that might not cause them to get so hot. Any game with water will help keep your hot heads cool and be a big hit with friends as well. Of course, pools, water guns, sprinklers, and water balloons are pretty obvious suggestions. However, if you don’t have those, just take some household items and turn them into a water wonderland.

How about filling up two big plastic mixing bowls with water and place them each on a lawn chair. Then, place two empty plastic mixing bowls on two other chairs opposite of the first set. Line up the kids behind each chair that has an empty bowl and give the kid in front of the line a plastic cup. The object of the game is to take the cup down to the full bowl, fill up the cup, take it back down without spilling, dump it

in the empty bowl, pass on the cup and repeat and continue until the bowls which had water in them are empty and vice versa.

Sound too complicated? OK, how about empty spray bottles? Everyone has a few empty spray bottles lying around the house. Fill up these bottles and let the kids run around the back yard spraying away. Each kid gets a bottle full of water. They can play water tag, water hide-and-go seek, water kickball; really any game can include the water bottle as the spray can be part of the game or be a reward. The point is, they are having fun while staying cool.

If you aren’t able to keep your little one cool or you notice another child might be getting too warm, be on the lookout for some tell-tell signs of heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is caused by dehydration and loss of salt in the body due to excessive sweating. Signs of heat exhaustion are:•��Slightly�increased�temperature (not�above�104�degrees)

•��Profuse�sweating•���Pale�skin�that’s�cool�and�damp�

to the touch•��Rapid�and�shallow�breathing•��Headache•��Dizziness,�weakness�or�fainting•��Muscle�cramps

If you think your child is experiencing heat exhaustion, movie them to a cool area right away and lie them down, remove any extra clothing and apply cool water to their skin. Get them to drink chilled water if they’re not nauseated. If he/she does not improve in an hour, or if they seem confused or disoriented or is acting strangely, take them to a hospital immediately.

Heat exhaustion sounds scary, but being prepared and thinking ahead are parents’ best tools to keep a trip to the emergency room out of their family summer schedule. In addition to playing outdoors at the right time, taking breaks, and playing water games, there are a few other precautions parents can take into consideration when getting their child ready for sweltering summer days.

Choose clothing that will keep the body cooler, minimizing the risk of heat exhaustion. Children should wear loose, lightweight clothes on hot days. Light colors are better than dark colors for keeping your child cool.

Consider putting a hat on your child. According to the CDC, a wide-brimmed hat helps to keep the body cooler and reduces sun exposure.

Break up outdoor activities. It’s best not to plan long stretches of outdoor time on hot summer days. Try breaking up your child’s outdoor playtime into smaller segments to help prevent heat exhaustion.

And finally, if it is just too, too hot and too, too sticky, just stay inside! Watch a movie, build a town with blocks, color and draw and write your own super hero books, go bowling, take a trip to the museum, sculpt with clay, paint watercolors, paint toys and trinkets, make noodle necklaces, bake cookies, make puppets and put on a puppet show, hide treasures for your kids and have them go on a treasure hunt, and if all else fails, give them a broom or a duster and put them to work cleaning the house!

There are many great things you can do inside when it’s too hot to play outside. The same goes for folks who may live a little further north, as I’ve used a lot of these indoor tricks to keep our little guys occupied on snow days before we moved to the Sunshine State.

renee gork is a mother of two boys and a 2001 graduate of the university of florida. she is the student experiences coordinator for the division of multimedia properties college of Journalism and communications at uf. feel free to email renee at rgork@wruf.com.

motHer knows Best

30 gator country | feB/2012 fact: In 2009, South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier admitted he did not vote Tim Tebow to first-team All-SEC.

tHe comeBack & Back & Back kid

raymond Hines iii, owner/founder of gatorcountry.com,

finally opens up to sHare His inspiring story

By Bernadette carter-king

“A lot of people do want to know Ray. They feel like they owe him. They feel gratitude. It (GC) would not have existed if not for Ray,” said David Parker, aka “PD” on the GC forums.

The first thing one notices about Raymond Hines III is that he’s nowhere to be seen. Ever. He doesn’t attend schmoozy business events around Gainesville, never once sat in the press box and his social circle is smaller than the fan base at a Seminoles’ game.

At the occasional GC event, Ray slips in and out virtually unnoticed – a difficult feat to pull off considering he’s 6-foot-2 with Howdy Doody red hair.

So, he’s become somewhat of an enigma within the very community he’s created. And we’re not talking about a small community here. GC is one of the top 10 independently owned collegiate sports

websites in the country. Just to give you an idea of what that means, in 2011 readers viewed GC’s pages more than 60 million times and stayed on the site an average of 15 to 18 minutes per visit. And the Gator Country Magazine dominates the local Gainesville market with a distribution of 20,000 copies per month and a digital download rate in the tens of thousands.

In fact, the might of the GC community is not anything that should ever be overlooked or underestimated, When UF football player Greg See was diagnosed with brain cancer, Ray put out a call on the GC forums for donations to help the See family. In short order, GC members contributed $50,000. Those funds became the Greg See Courage Endowment at the university and have been providing help for students for more than a decade.

Under great protest and for the first time in sixteen years, Raymond Hines III, founder and owner of GatorCountry.com (GC), has given permission to tell his story.

coming out on top

31gator country | feB/2012fact: the gators’ average home attendance last season of 90,511 ranked ninth in the country.

tHe comeBack & Back & Back kid

Yet during a time when flagrant self-promotion has reached epic proportion, Ray’s made a conscious decision to stay out of the public eye. There’s purpose and strategy in his behind-the-scenes orchestration. OK. Not really. Truth be told, Mr. I Make My Living Via Mass Communication is uber shy. That, and if he’s said it once he’s said it a jillion times, “It’s all about the Gators and the fans who love them.” For those few who are close to Ray, we know that’s not a marketing catch phrase. It’s as heartfelt a sentiment as there ever was.

Yes, Raymond Hines III loves him some Florida Gators. But it’s the fans – the Gator Nation family – who drive Ray. For as shy as he is, he simply loves people. All of ‘em. Without judgement, without prejudice and to such an extent that, conundrum though he is, the literally thousands of GC members with whom Ray has interacted with via message boards and emails, seem to have the same opinions.

“He’s funny and he cares. He really cares.” Parker said.

Here’s another take:“Ten years ago I had to have emergency

heart surgery,” said David Shepherd, aka GatorGrowl. “My friendship with Ray was young but I was a forum moderator. The morning of my surgery, I told my wife Donna that no one at GC would even know where I disappeared to.

“Five minutes before they wheeled me out to work on my heart, the room phone rang. ‘Growl?’ asked the voice on the other end of the phone. Well, it was Oxgator, another member of the site. Ray had asked him to call around to see if I was in the hospital. It really lifted my spirits. The night after surgery they almost lost me, I could remember crying thinking I was gonna die and Donna was not there (it was 3a.m.).

“The next evening as Donna and I were sitting in my CCU room, the nurse who held my hand for an hour walked in the room and started weeping. Said she never thought I would be there when she got back to work. So, I was feeling down, as was Donna.

“Anyway, a friend bought me a laptop and I logged on to GC to see dozens of posts of people praying for me and wishing me the best. Folks I had never met or laid eyes on. It not only melted my heart toward Ray

and GC, but it let my wife see that GC was a good place for me to hang out while she was gone all day.

“I think I may be the only one who has posted on GC from CCU.”

Known as Solari on the GC message boards, Ray refers to himself as the GC janitor. It’s a description not far off the mark. Whether cleaning up code on the website or lugging office trash down the stairs at GC Universal HQ, Ray is the consummate caretaker of the company. The barely concealed looks of, “Huh?” are a never-ending source of amusement when a salesperson, potential employee or intern is introduced to him. Always sporting baggy button downs, even baggier khaki shorts and Nikes with shoelaces eternally untied, threatening to trip him at every step, Ray just doesn’t read, “I own the joint.”

If Ray were telling his story, it would be pretty basic, he’s got a wife (Nicki), a sassy teenage daughter (Alyssa) and a dog (Callie); he’s a regular schmo living the proverbial American dream. Thank goodness he owns GC but doesn’t actually

write for it. Ray would leave out little details like the fact he’s profoundly deaf and has been since birth. By definition, a person with profound hearing loss cannot hear any sounds without the help of amplification and even then the ability to hear anything can be minute.

Misdiagnosed for the first year and a half of his life, a crucial time in child development, Ray has managed to master a couple of skills most profoundly deaf persons never do. He lip reads with freakish accuracy and speaks with clarity, intonation and uncanny timing.

Ray’s parents decided early on they would do whatever it took to integrate him into mainstream society. As luck would have it, Ray’s innate personality lent itself perfectly to this goal.

“Ray has always been independent, fairly

aggressive as a child,” said Jill Green, Ray’s mom. “His personality helped him learn to speak the way he does – with intonation, timing. I’m a teacher and worked with him ‘til he was eight(-years old) on speech, then he rebelled. He did everything on his own. He fought back when kids picked on him. He simply never gave up. Ray went to mainstream school and never learned to sign. He didn’t want to. He wanted to function as a mainstream person. His headstrongness made him a challenge at home, though.”

Upon reading that his mom stated he is unable to sign Ray countered with, “That’s not true. I know how to sign all the important words. Which way to the bathroom and all the bad ones!”

The rebellion Ray exhibited at the eight-year-old mark was both a blessing and a curse. Relieved for his sake and proud that their profoundly deaf son was already hell bent to stand on his own two feet, the curse part is that Ray never seemed to actually want to be on his feet. A daredevil from the get go he wanted – who are we kidding here, still wants to – be on or in

anything that goes fast!

No amount of scolding or the time he almost died after being hit by a van seemed to curb Ray’s appetite for the adrenaline rush. Yes, you read that correctly; hit by a van and almost died. When asked about

the situation, he shrugs and says, “The whole neighborhood was in a panic. My mom and dad were in shock and when I finally came to, I remember a feeling of peace like I’ve never experienced since. I was only 9, but somehow I just knew everything was going to be OK. It was no biggie.”

Really? ‘Cause you almost died.In typical Ray fashion he retorted,

“Yeah. But I didn’t so … what?” The next big thing that crashed into

Ray or was it he into it, was computers.“When Ray hit middle school, he found

computers,” said his mom, Jill. “There, he didn’t have a handicap. Quickly Ray became a self-taught guru on the computer and it wasn’t too long before the office folks at school would call his classroom, so he would come to different offices to fix their computers.”

“i felt so Helpless, and really confused. tHese attacks made me feel like i was on tHe aByss of notHing – i was so disoriented tHat eVen wHen i closed my eyes, tHe spinning wouldn’t stop. it seemed like tHe spinning would go on foreVer and eVer. tHat was wHen i got scared and couldn’t wait for my wife to get Home from work (i work at Home). it was Just awful and really Hit me

emotionally and mentally … i’m a ‘Very’ laid-Back fellow and wasn’t used to tHese feelings – i eVen cried a few tears during my

predicament and was asHamed of tHat.” – raymond Hines iii, wHo was Born deaf and later diagnosed witH meniere’s disease.

coming out on top

32 gator country | feB/2012 fact: on december 16, 1949, plans were drawn to add 11,200 seats to west stands with expansion completed for the 1950 season.

As the computer and Internet industry grew, so did Ray’s love for both. For some years he lived your average life; was a hubby, a dad, owned a computer repair and website-building business and founded GC.

“Ray has always been an innovator. Ray’s had the ability to stay ahead of the trends and actually to the point of starting trends. That’s always been the secret in the strength of Gator country, Ray can see things that aren’t even there yet.” Franz Beardm former GC employee.

He had some ups, he had some downs. It’s when those ups and downs started to become physical and spin out of Ray’s control that the problems started.

The first half-dozen episodes – the projectile vomiting accompanied by dry heaving that went on for hours, the dizziness and fatigue that only a day spent in bed would get rid of – Ray chalked up to extreme food poisoning (remember, he’s red and hard headed).

There came a day however, when after a “food poisoning” episode took over a week and a half to subside, Ray had to face the very real possibility that something was drastically wrong.

“This was the first time I got really scared about all this in the middle of the attack,” Raymond Hines III said. “I felt so helpless, and really confused. These attacks made me feel like I was on the abyss of nothing – I was so disoriented that even when I closed my eyes, the spinning wouldn’t stop. It seemed like the spinning would go on forever and ever. That was when I got scared and couldn’t wait for my wife to get home from work (I work at home). It was just awful and really hit me emotionally and mentally.

“I’m a very laid-back fellow and wasn’t used to these feelings – I even cried a few tears during my predicament and was ashamed of that.”

His quest to find answers was arduous at best. Some physicians told him it was an emotional issue, others garden-variety vertigo. Because Ray is so independent and has always been the king of research, he found he was able to allay the attacks a tad by cutting his salt intake by 90 percent and

consuming whole and organic foods rather than the highly processed diet computer geeks are infamous for.

Eventually, Ray received the final diagnosis: Meniere’s Disease. Before he and his family could breathe a sigh of relief (because a diagnosis means moving forward with a cure, right?), the doctor’s next sentence was, “We don’t know

what causes it and we don’t know how to cure it but there are several experimental … and blah, blah, blah,” was all that Ray lip-read after that.

“No reason why it’s happening to me and no cure?” he thought. “I don’t like that. I’ll figure it out.”

And try he did. For the next few years Ray desperately sought for solutions, all while trying to helm the GC ship and be a good husband and father. True to Ray’s style,

his heart and mind instantly went to everyone else’s needs first and he founded another website – Menieres.org.

“Our website, Menieres.org was founded to provide a ‘home’ of support for those of you who are suffering from Meniere’s Disease, which can be quite dreadful at times. Our primary goal is to provide a warm home on the

web for you to lean a shoulder on, share your tips, experiences and tears with other sufferers. Like we say, you’re not alone, especially not here,” said Raymond Hines III on Meneires.org.

Ray’s fight to heal went about as badly as things can go. Because he’s deaf, he couldn’t just pick up the phone and call for answers, his wife had to do it for him. No matter where he turned, no option to stop the attacks seemed viable and all were experimental. Further, Ray swore his wife and daughter to secrecy. He didn’t want the rest of family to worry, plus he was terrified that if word of his illness got out to the public it could compromise GC in some way and the company supported not only his family, but staff and their families. The more the stress piled up the more the attacks came on. For

almost three years it went on.One evening, with the effects from yet

another attack lingering, Ray broke down and wept in front of his wife and daughter, telling them he “couldn’t take it anymore.” At that point, he felt there were really

only two choices left: One, a rather radical form of brain surgery where they cut the nerves to the ear permanently, or two, end his own life.

This is where the story takes a fairly unbelievable turn. When asked if he wanted the real events to be written Ray said, “It’s the truth, so why not?”

Hookay, here goes …At this point, Ray was simply too ill to

run GC. An employee at the time, saw this as a prime opportunity and moved in for the kill. Other employees begged Ray to stop the takeover, but he was barely able to cling to the small knot he’d managed to tie at the end of his completely frayed rope.

Now, a family’s rope has multiple ends and Ray’s wife was frantically grasping at hers. That’s when she looked for some comfort and guidance from a local spiritual mentor. During their session, the woman gave her some specific information regarding Ray that she couldn’t have possibly known as none of the parties had ever met before. Two weeks later, Ray went to see her.

That mentor opened the door to a world Ray had only heard of but never considered. She spoke of energy centers in the body and the illnesses that can develop when they’re blocked. She explained how meditation and connecting to the energy of the Universe

on a deeply spiritual level can heal many things. Basically, she hipped him to the kinds of things that cause mainstream folk to conjure up images of tie-dye clad, pot-smoking hippie types who bathe only when the buzzards start to circle and chant everything they say.

Funny thing is, from that day forward, almost three years ago, Ray hasn’t

had one more attack of Menieres. Not one. Now, let’s not forget how independent

– ahem, control freakish – Raymond Hines III truly is. He’s always been the kind who asks for and takes in many different opinions ... then does what he wants anyway. He took the cute little crystal

coming out on top

33gator country | feB/2012fact: On September 23, 1950, the first night game was played at Florida Field versus The Citadel.

wearing, Nag Champa burning lady’s mentoring for what he thought it was – well-meaning words of encouragement and nothing more ... especially the part where she told him that, intuitively, she was picking up that something was critically wrong with the finances of his company and that he should look into it immediately.

Nonetheless, something about that interaction compelled Ray, and in the ensuing weeks he read day and night about energy healing and meditation, spirituality and world religion and was sent to his knees, weeping when the forensic bookkeeper he’d hired found money missing from GC. Lots of money.

At least Ray wasn’t alone when he was knocked to the floor that day. Two angels were on their knees right beside him, absorbing as much of the grief as they could and in more shock than he. You see, Ray really had somehow managed to keep his failing health and business secret, even from his parents.

“This was the one time I ever saw Ray break down,” said Jill Green, Ray’s mother.

“When all this mess was going on nobody knew. Nobody.” said Raymond Hines Sr., Ray’s father.

At this point GC was in pretty bad shape all around. Ray, Sr., a superb financial analyst for more than 35 years, took a long, hard look at the viability of his son’s life’s work. Though optimistically cautious, his opinion was that with some elbow grease the muck of poor business decisions could be cleaned off and GC could get its luster back.

During the next year Ray alternately worked on reviving GC and visiting the boho gal who was a catalyst in setting him on his spiritual path. They talked, she served him organic french press coffee from the

little cafe in the back of the store that she owned and he became a regular there. Over the months Ray shed 100 pounds and started to regain his strength, health and pride. He replaced his guilt and feelings of failure as a husband, father, son and businessman with the faith that everything happens for a reason; that all involved in the story have had the opportunity to experience spiritual growth based on their individual choices made.

Ray looked only at what actions and non-actions he choose that brought chaos, heartache, fear and loss into his family, his business and his soul. Never did he point fingers, his reflections were for him alone.

One day he noticed that his spiritual mentor wasn’t just all chakras and sage smudgings. He observed that when she spoke, she had an understanding of and creative bent for big business that mirrored his own and that her comprehension belied the kitschy persona of the environment she’d cocooned herself in so she could do some energetic healing of her own.

Ray inquired about her personal story. He lip-read it. Then he hired her as his COO.

So where are Ray and Gator Country today?

“Subscribers that haven’t been around for a lot of years don’t know that every time GC takes a hit, it always comes back stronger,” said David Parker, aka PD.

Truer words have never been spoken. The little red-headed deaf boy who almost lost his life at 9, almost took his life at 40 and who almost had to endure the loss of a child, his beloved GC, is ... well ... as the GC Janitor himself said, “Yeah, those things almost happened. But they didn’t and we’re kickin’ ass. So...what?”

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coming out on top

34 gator country | feB/2012 fact: the university libraries form the largest information resource system in the state of florida.

soutH florida destinations

with summer creeping to a close, the time to ditch the daily routine wanes as well. despite the looming reality of fall, the sun is still high and the water is cool. take advantage of it while it lasts. pack up the kids, hit the road and celebrate this summer right until the bitter end. in doing so, gc is returning to the mainland in this issue to explore the best family vacation stops in the south and southwest florida regions.

naples Zoo at cariBBean gardens $$

1590 goodlette rd, naples florida 34102

(239) 262-5409 www.naplesZoo.com

Combining the thrill of the animal kingdom with the allure of a

botanical garden, Naples Zoo tames the wilderness right before your eyes. Animals from

alligators to zebras live within the historic tropical garden, which was founded in 1919. The zoo features a

full day of presentations and programs equipped to fit any family adventure. Naples Zoo is one of the top 10 percent of

the nationís zoos according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The 43-acre zoo welcomes over a quarter million

guests a year and is the only zoo in Florida where visitors can glimpse such oddities as the fosas of Madagascarl, the African

honey badger and Malayan tigers!

sun n’ fun

By daniel sutpHin

eVerglades national park $40001 state road 9336, Homestead, florida 33034-6733 (305)-242-7700 www.nps.goV/eVer

Florida is known, almost synonymously for its swamps. As a Floridian, or as a tourist, you haven’t really experienced the state until you have spent a day in the Everglades. Everglades National Park, the third largest in the lower 48 states, covers 1.5 million acres and hosts a number of locations for visitors to begin their adventure. Boating plays a major role in outdoor activities of the park. Florida Bay represents one-half million acres of the park. Visitors looking to enjoy watersports such as fishing, kayaking, or canoeing will find they’ve come to the right place! For a lighter endeavor, guests can spend a morning photographing the birds, an afternoon hiking and seeing alligators or take a ranger-guided tour.

little toot dolpHin adVentures $$marine entertainment 25 causeway Blvd. slip #16 clearwater fl, 33767 (727) 446-5503 www.littletoot.us

Unlike other dolphin tours, the Little Toot can enter the shallow waters as well as the Gulf, promising more dolphin sightings and closer contact. The vessel’s ‘tug boat’ shape and power causes huge wake creating an aquatic playground for the dolphins. The 40-foot authentic tugboat is a hit with the kids too! Climb aboard and experience dolphin sightings with a narrated tour of the Gulf of Mexico and Clearwater Harbor. Passengers can enjoy the breeze under the boat’s canopy or catch a tan in the warm Florida sun. Soft drinks, water, beer and restrooms are available onboard. More importantly the little toot guarantees guests will see dolphins or their next trip is FREE!

35gator country | feB/2012

soutH florida destinations

fact: uf’s radio and television stations reach audiences from Jacksonville to tampa and throughout north central florida.

tHe coral castle museum $$28655 south dixie Highway, miami, fl 33033 (305) 248-6345 www.coralcastle.com

Single-handedly and secretly carved from over 1,100 tons of coral rock, Edward Leedskalnin spent 28 years crafting the Coral Castle Museum to create one of the

world’s most mysterious accomplishments. The museum welcomes visitors from around the world to tour the Coral Castle using audio stands, with narration available in English, Spanish, French or German, as well as guides to conduct tours. Features of the Coral Castle Museum include a 9-ton gate that moves

with just a touch of the finger, a Polaris telescope and functioning rocking chairs – all of which were made entirely of stone. Still today, no one knows how Leedskalnin created the castle. Built during the night, at a time devoid of modern construction conveniences, Ed would comment that he knew “the secret of the pyramids.”

san carlos Bay/BuncHe BeacH preserVe $18201 John morris road, fort myers, fl 33908 (239) 765-6794 www.leeparks.org

If the shore is more your calling, this 719-acre facility is a natural tidal wetlands area located on San Carlos Bay. This completely natural area is the epitome of the phrase, ‘Old Florida’. The living ecosystem ranges from a sandy beach to Mangrove forests and salt flats, containing of variety of wildlife. Be sure to bring you cameras, from the flora and fauna to the sunsets, pristine sights are at every turn. The new Outdoor Activity Center has two paddlecraft launches, two wildlife piers, a 310-foot boardwalk and restrooms!

glaZer’s cHildren’s museum $110 w gasparilla plaza , tampa, fl 33602 (813) 443-3861 www.glaZermuseum.org

It can be difficult to get the kids excited about going to a museum, however, at Glazer’s Children’s Museum, that is not the case. With a variety of fun and challenging ‘interactivities’ in 12 themed areas, there is excitement at every turn. Guests can pilot a cruise ship, build a noodle sculpture, design a city, fly an airplane, paint with light or even slide down a fireman’s pole, just to name a few. The children’s museum includes 14 galleries and more than 175 interactive exhibits for children up to 10 years old.

coral gaBles Venetian pool $2701 de soto Boulevard, coral gables, fl 33134 (305) 460-5306 www.coralgaBles.com

Listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, the Venetian Pool is a unique aquatic facility enjoyed by people from all over the world. The pool was formed from a coral rock quarry in 1923, where much of the original coral rock was used to border and further highlight the pool. The 820,000 gallon pool is filled with spring water from an underground aquifer. In the spring and summer seasons, the pool is filled and drained daily. The pool boasts two historic lookout towers and two waterfalls that provide a scenic backdrop as well as the cave-like grottos. The Venetian Pool’s extravagance is furthered with its loggias, porticos, palm trees and bridge. The Cafe at Venetian Pool offers a range of food and drink.

island Boat adVentures6800 sunshine skyway ln., st. petersburg, fl 33711 (727) 871-2628 www.islandBoatadVentures.com

A family-oriented tour boat business, Island Boat Adventures sets sail to explore Florida’s West Coast with a brand new 45-foot catamaran. They provide daily dolphin watching and snorkeling trips to Egmont Key Island with the goal to offer a fun, affordable and memorable vacation for the whole family. Egmont Key is an island just off shore at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Accessible only by boat, Island Boat Adventures takes guests on a five-hour jaunt to discover a lighthouse, an old soldier cemetery and the sunken ruins of old Fort Dade. The ruins provide an artificial habitat for many fish and sea life – perfect for an afternoon of snorkeling!

lake santa feA recently conducted Largemouth bass population survey (March of 2012) indicated that it is an excellent year for fishing Lake Santa Fe. Several large bass (over 6 pounds) were found under docks in deeper water, primarily along the Northwestern shoreline of Little Lake Santa Fe, as well as around the Cypress trees in the Southwestern shoreline of the big lake. Large bass were also found under the two fish attractors in the big lake

in deeper water. Large crappie were found close to the shoreline in Melrose Bay along the maidencane grass, and large bluegill and redear sunfish were found among the cypress stands. The boat ramp at Little Lake Santa Fe is complete with a new floating dock, and plenty of water to get a large bass boat onto the lake. The boat ramp at Santa Fe Lake Park also has plenty of water, but may prove difficult for larger boats.

36 gator country | feB/2012 fact: Head Coach Steve Spurrier tagged Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field “The Swamp”.

angling for a niBBle

suwannee lake Very low water levels currently restrict all but the shallowest-drafting vessels to the north section of the lake. Plenty of young-of-the-year bluegill schools were observed, but this does not constitute resurgence in the forage base, especially for this period. Therefore, black crappie and bass should be easily enticed with live bait or close look-alikes.

lake wauBergWater levels continue to remain down 2–3 feet in this lake, but the State Park boat ramp is still usable. Water color is a productive, fish-growing green. This points to an increase of available nutrients that can be beneficial to the shad component of the forage base. Fishable maidencane edge has been reduced to about three feet or less and the submerged logs of the southwestern shoreline are high and dry. The abundant panfish population of this lake will start their bedding rituals this quarter. Black crappie will take to the maidencane edge for their spawning activities. They can be targeted with small minnows or jigs fished in close proximity to this cover. As the largemouth bass behavior transitions from bedding and nest-guarding this quarter to a more dispersed post-spawn habit, traditional summer baits and approaches will apply.

lake newnansThe prolonged drought in north central Florida has greatly influenced access to the fisheries at Newnans Lake. Access is currently only possible with small vessels that can be hand-launched or pushed off of their trailers. For those anglers that manage to reach the lake, most are fishing the relatively deeper water near Palm Point from bream, catfish, and black crappie. Anglers should be aware of tagged black crappies with rewards. If you catch a tagged crappie, call FWC fisheries biologist Travis Tuten (352-955-3220) to receive information on how to claim your reward.

suwannee and santa fe riVers Boaters sHould Be eXtremely cautious on BotH riVers, as low water Has made clearance oVer sand Bars and otHer underwater HaZards less certain.

An annual largemouth bass electrofishing survey was conducted by FWC biologists in the section of the Suwannee River downstream from the Suwannee River State Park. This section revealed a robust population of legal and above-average sized bass, both Suwannee and largemouth. Good numbers of harvestable-sized panfish

Hook.line.sinker.

as of June 2012. courtesy of florida fish & wildlife conservation commission.

for tHe latest updates, Visit myfwc.com.

37gator country | feB/2012fact: prior to 2003 season construction was completed on a two-year, $50 million stadium expansion/renovation

angling for a niBBle

(redear and redbreasted sunfish) were also observed. Farther downstream near the Gopher River tributary, bass were surveyed holding in deeper water along outside bends of the river and areas that support spatterdock and eelgrass. Redbreast sunfish fishing will pick up this period with ultra-small crankbaits fished by drifting being the preferred lure and method. Water color in the Suwannee is currently tannin-stained, most likely influenced form Okefenokee Swamp waters. In the Santa Fe River mullet numbers are high between Rt. 129 and Rum Island. Water clarity is very clear high throughout the Santa Fe, so you might consider using a fluorocarbon line or leader which is more difficult for fish to detect.

orange laketHe prolonged drougHt in nortH central florida Has eliminated access to tHe fisHeries at orange lake. orange lake is completely inaccessiBle at all Boat ramps surrounding tHe lake.

rodman’s reserVoirlook out for floating logs. to preVent Boating accidents during tHe drawdown, Boaters are asked to watcH tHeir wake and Be courteous to anglers fisHing along tHe Barge canal and riVer cHannel.

By the beginning of April, the three-month reservoir drawdown will be over, and reservoir water will be back to normal levels. Largemouth bass catches during the drawdown were hit-and-miss according to reports, but many testimonies of trophy fish were reported. At normal water levels, Rodman Reservoir still offers some of the best bass fishing in the area due to the drought in north central Florida that is affecting many of the surrounding lakes. As water temperatures increase, largemouth bass will move to deep water in the stump fields. Anglers may also try drifting or trolling live shiners in the stump fields on both sides of the barge canal in the pool area. Artificial lures such as spinner baits and soft jerkbaits retrieved along the

stumps should also provide some action. In the Orange Springs area, live shiners floated under overhanging vegetation in the river channel should produce some good catches of largemouth bass. Bluegills are caught throughout the reservoir; however, the Kenwood to Orange Springs area generally seems to be the best. For redbreast sunfish, fish the riverine section of the reservoir (Orange Springs to Eureka). Small Beetle Spins and worms work well. Finally, look for stocky warmouth between Orange Springs and Cypress Bayou using worms and grass shrimp to get the best results.

upper st. JoHns riVer & lakesWater levels in the upper St. Johns River basin are generally their lowest this time of the year, but levels are presently much higher than last year at this time. Expect good fishing success in the river sections between Lakes Winder and Poinsett (Middle River), Washington to Helen Blazes, and from SR 520 to SR 50. Shallow draft or smaller boats typically have an easier time navigating sand bars and secondary channels in the river than their larger counterparts this time of the year. Largemouth bass and panfish (bluegill, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, redbreast sunfish, and warmouth) should be concentrated throughout the deeper portions of the river. Anglers should target the edges of floating vegetation along banks, sharp bends, and drop-offs near shallow bars. Traditional methods for taking all species will work. Lake Washington will be the best choice for those anglers with larger boats because the lake is impounded for the city of Melbourne’s water supply and typically has the deepest water. Anglers should focus their efforts around the offshore bulrush patches and emergent grasses for bass and panfish.

for tHe latest updates, Visit myfwc.com.

38 gator country | feB/2012 fact: On June 30, 1990, natural grass replaced artificial turf at Florida Field.

gear for tHe Summer little giant alta one type 1 model 13Although summer is often the time for play, it can also stand as time to work, especially if the house needs fixing up. The reliable Little Giant Alta-One is light, strong, safe and flexible. The hinge locks and sides allow for safe use as an adjustable extension ladder, A-frame ladder and staircase ladder, as well as a trestle-and-plank scaffolding system. Wide-flared legs, rubberized feet, and high-quality construction provide stability in any of its forms!www.littlegiantladder.com $199.99

dynaZap eXtendaBle insect ZapperPutting all other fly swatters to shame, the Dynazap Extendable insect zapper stretches up to 3 feet and has a head that bends in multiple directions for hard-to-reach areas like walls and ceilings. If that weren’t enough to destroy the insects, it also zaps them upon contact. The Dynazap is safe for indoor and outdoor use and has a safety switch that electrifies the zapping grid only when pushed “on”.www.dynatrap.com $25.95

By daniel sutpHin

gadgets!

39gator country | feB/2012fact: the september ’91 north end zone addition cost $17 million, but involved no state funding.

dynatrap Xl insect eliminatorThe bugs grow thick these summer days. Rescue your barbecues and outdoor

lounging from this nuisance with the DynaTrap DT2000XL Insect Eliminator.

This jacked up bug zapper eliminates insects without chemicals being added to the environment or

surrounding areas. The DT2000XL offers a three-way protection plan for

insect elimination. Two UV fluorescent bulbs produce warm light to attract

insects to the DynaTrap. The Ti02 funnel produces C02, which

attracts insects to the whisper quiet vacuum fan!

www.dynatrap.com $229.99

drycaseIt’s always fun to pump out some jams when you’re hitting the water, however the risk of device damage is ever-present. DryCase is an adaptable, crystal clear waterproof case that allows complete use of your phone or camera while keeping it dry and clean. The crystal clear case provides uninhibited use of the device. All you have to do is place your device in the case and pump out the air!www.drycase.com $39.99

dry BudsWith dry buds you can maximize your DryCase’s capabilities and listen to music even underwater. Completely submersible, the stereo DryBuds waterproof headphones are for use with the DryCase waterproof cell phone, camera and MP3 player case. These can be used up to nearly 10 feet underwater. These are in-the-ear buds, with super soft rubber ends. This way you can enjoy the water and your music simultaneously!www.drycase.com $39.99

gadgets!

40 gator country | feB/2012 fact: uf’s mcknight Brain institute is home to more than 300 faculty using some of the world’s most powerful mri imaging systems and other state-of-the-art tools.

twice is nicegators repeat as women’s national tennis cHampions

By pHillip Heilman pHotos By Jack lewis

As Lauren Embree smashed a forehand winner down the line against UCLA’s McCall Jones, Florida became back-to-back national champions.

Unlike in 2011, there was no late flair for the dramatic.

There was no 184-match home winning streak on the line.

There was no pulsating comeback to clinch the national championship.

There was just Florida making quick work of a talented, yet overmatched, UCLA team. There was the Florida Gators becoming champions, again.

This NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship was

particularly impressive because of that final word – again.

Winning a national championship is demanding enough on its own but doing it in consecutive years is exceedingly difficult.

repeat defenders

41gator country | feB/2012fact: the university of florida traces its beginnings to 1853 when the state-funded east florida seminary acquired the private kingsbury academy in ocala.

Since the NCAA began sponsoring national championships in women’s tennis in 1982, back-to-back champions have been crowned a total of four times. Of the four occurrences, Stanford accomplished each of the previous three.

The first repeat came in a dominating stretch of championships for Stanford in each year from 1986–91. The Cardinal also accomplished the feat in 2001–02 and three-peated from 2004–06.

For a Florida team returning all seven players from a national championship team in 2011, there was certainly a repeat- or-bust mindset.

“Because we did it last year, we obviously set our goals this year just as high,” Alexandra Cercone said. “We knew what it took last year, so we pushed ourselves even harder.”

Still, there is a reason Stanford was the only program to previously conquer the country in back-to-back seasons. As the defending champion, there is always extra motivation

from opponents to beat the best. Given that, what Florida

accomplished was even more remarkable.

Playing one of the most difficult schedules in the country, the Gators ripped off a 27–1 mark on the season.

Florida was unbeatable at home, winning all 12 of its matches. Of those 12 wins, seven came against teams ranked in the top 50 in the nation.

The lone blemish for the team came at Stanford on Feb. 12. Stanford swept the doubles point and made quick work of the Gators in a 5–2 victory.

Looking back, UF coach Roland Thornqvist said the loss at Stanford may have been the best possible result for his team. While the loss stung at first, Thornqvist related the loss to a “pressure valve” in which all the pressure that comes with having a perfect season was then released.

With the pressure released, his team was free to play the type of tennis it was capable of with fewer distractions.

That meant it was time to get back to winning matches.

sweet repeatthe florida gators women’s tennis team won back-to-back national championships. Here’s a list of the players and coaches that made it happen:

player class Hometown/scHoolclaire Bartlett senior chattanooga, tenn./girls preparatory schoolalexandra cercone sophomore seminole, fla./allendale academylauren embree Junior marco island, fla./lelycaroline Hitimana Junior waterloo, Belgium/cardinal mercierolivia Janowicz sophomore palm Bay, fla./american schoolJoanna mather senior duluth, ga./keystone nationalSofie Oyen Sophomore Leopoldsburg, Belgium/Leonardo Lyceum Topspotallie will Junior Boca raton, fla./keystone national

Head coach: roland thornqvistassociate head coach: dave Baloghgraduate assistant trainer: christina schmidgallmanager: anthony cagninaprogram coordinator: kate HarteVolunteer assistant coach: anastasia revzinauaa associate director for women’s tennis: kathy cafazzo

Florida ended the season on a 22-match winning streak after the loss to Stanford.

More than winning, Florida dominated in all aspects of the game. From top to bottom, there was not a more complete team in the country.

Entering the first round of NCAA singles play, Florida’s seven players were a combined 184–34 on the season.

“All seven of these young women were absolutely exemplary,” Thornqvist said. “They were always working to be the best they could be. They put their heart and soul into the process.”

The process continued from the regular season into the 2012 NCAA Women’s Championship.

Despite being defending champions, Florida came in as the No. 2 seed behind UCLA.

The Gators cruised through the first four rounds of the tournament. Florida beat South Carolina State, Washington State, Michigan and Miami in succession, without dropping a point, before beating Duke in a tight 4–3 contest in the semifinals.

That set up the championship match to decide who was truly the top seed in the nation.

Again, for the second year in a row, it proved to be Florida.

“Every step of the road we have had to battle and grind hard,” said Allie Will. “To come out on top again is incredible.”

coacH roland tHornQVist

repeat defenders

42 gator country | feB/2012 fact: famous alumni include actress faye dunaway and actor Buddy ebsen

let tHem play

43gator country | feB/2012fact: famous alumnus is a forrest sawyer national broadcast journalist.

let tHem play

44 gator country | feB/2012 fact: The original stadium consisted of the first 32 rows on the west, east and north sides of the current stadium.

Florida’s Friday Night Lights is one of the most talked about summer camps across the country. It’s one of the biggest days on UF’s recruiting calendar, perhaps second only to national signing day.

One of the many reasons is because of the atmosphere that is created on that Friday night in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Prospects work out under the lights at the Swamp with the music blaring and there are highlight videos going on as well.

Former UF coach Urban Meyer created the camp in 2005 with the hopes of bringing in the top recruits across the country and he was successful in doing that.

When Will Muschamp was hired at Florida, he vowed to continue doing the camp on Friday’s in late July to lure top prospects to campus.

Most years the Gators pick up a few verbal commitments at the event with the exception of last summer’s camp when attendance was down in Muschamp’s first year as head coach.

Picking up commitments or not, this event is key for the Gators coaches and prospects. It provides a time to showcase the atmosphere and facilities to the prospects while also giving coaches a chance to evaluate top prospects going against other top prospects.

This year’s event will be on July 27 and with the class of 2013 almost finished, the Gators can expect to see a number of top 2014 and 2015 prospects participating.

This will be a big event to once again show some of Florida’s top targets what Gainesville has to offer and who they will be playing with potentially.

A number of Florida’s 18 current commitments have already said they will be in attendance to help recruit for the Gators.

Here are the commitments who have confirmed they will be in attendance:Jersey city (n.J.) st. peter’s prep cornerback tre Bellcanton, mi., offensive lineman cameron dillardJacksonville (fla.) Bishop kenny receiver ahmad fulwoodtallahassee (fla.) lincoln linebacker James Hearnswinter Haven, fla., running back adam laneBushnell (fla.) south sumter safety keanu nealBelle glade (fla.) glades central running back kelvin taylorJacksonville (fla.), trinity christian safety nick washington

That is just a short list of confirmed visitors, but expect most of the commitments to be in the house.

Along with the commitments, current Gators players also will be in The Swamp watching the workouts and helping recruit prospects.

Some of the prospects that will attend the event will be under-the-radar prospects that most fans have not heard of much.

Coaches will invite these prospects to camp to see them work out and to get first hand view of what that prospect can do a nd could potentially offer that prospect a scholarship

A good example of this was last year when Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas defensive end Bryan Cox Jr. came to camp with no offers. He impressed the coaching staff enough that he was put on the recruiting board, later earned a scholarship and ended up signing with the Gators in February.

Another big key for this year’s event will be the chance to evaluate several 2014 prospects to get ahead of other schools.

Friday Night Lights is a huge recruiting tool for the Gators’ coaching staff. It’s became the second biggest day on the UF recruiting calendar.

friday nigHt ligHts preView

By andrew spiVey pHotos By tim casey

annual summer camp Has Become almost as Big as national signing day for flroida

tales from camp

45gator country | feB/2012fact: In April, 1971, artificial surface was installed.

in this new feature, we take a look at a few of the more insightful and/or most talked about threads from various forums throughout the gator country community. many of the swamp gas forums can be accessed for free, but the premium message boards are where fans can find the hottest debates and juiciest insider information.

to access the forums, go to www.gatorcountry.com/swampgas

marVelous indoor ideasFrom the Bullgator Den … An indoor practice facility is always an entertaining topic between Florida fans. After UF approved indoor courts for the tennis team, the conversation between GC members shifted to indoor practice facilities for other sports and some interesting ideas followed, particularly this one from the poster known simply as “PD.”

PD writes …“Outstanding. Then we can tear down the O’Dome and build a basketball stadium-hovercraft and play all our hoops games circling Gainesville 300 feet in the air. It’s all coming together … yes …”

BradDad replies … “Stealing from “The Avengers” are we?”

riValry reVisited?From Around the Horn … In the free baseball forum on GC, members discuss the possibility of a UF-FSU rematch in the College World Series, which was set to begin June 15, after this page went to press.

JaggaGator writes …“I feel it coming. The perfect distraction to keep us all from longing for football season to finally return.Florida vs. Florida State – for the College World Series national championship.Certainly such an outcome in the NCAA Tournament wouldn’t be unexpected. The Gators are the top overall national seed, and the Seminoles are No. 3.”

arrested deVelopment?From The GatorTail Pub … Of course, in The GatorTail Pub forum, conversation spans not only to sports but also to pop culture and anything about the world in general. Here, GC’s members discuss TV shows that were unfortunately cancelled.

ArtVandelay writes … “TV shows you were upset about being canceled?”

GatoRella writes …“Bored to Death Arrested Development”

MdlGator writes …“Previously Firefly Arrested Development”

tHe walking deadFrom The GatorTail Pub … In a country struggling through hard economic times, high gas prices and energy concerns, the USA now can apparently add something new to the list: zombies. Thankfully, some GC members have thought ahead on how to survive.

LeafUF writes … “If any of you had read the zombie survival guide you would know that these things have been happening forever. Small zombie outbreaks that flash up and are quickly put down before they get out of hand which are then reported as something else. Only once the warning signs are ignored or not caught early enough will there be trouble. Until then, prepare yourself and aim for the head.”

deep_threat replies … “The University of Florida is something like the only school in the United States that has a guideline for a zombie attack. Us Gators come prepared lol”

romeg8r replies …“If I run out of bullets, I have a broadsword. And a cane knife.”

you’re not specialFrom Too Hot for Swamp Gas … If you haven’t seen one of the more impressive 2012 commencement speeches in “You’re Not Special,” we highly recommend it. At GC, some of our members shared their own thoughts on the viral sensation.

jdrgator writes …“Very true. One of the things that struck me when I taught at UF as a grad lecturer was the sense of entitlement of students and how special many of them thought they were, as if they deserved A’s and success just for showing up. Now, many of these students were nice and very intelligent, but they weren’t special.”

QGator2414 replies … “I have heard the same sentiments you express from others that teach at UF.”

Best of gator country’s forumsBy drew laing

GatorCountry.com offers 30 different forums to express opinions and discuss everything from Gators football to religion to politics to pretty much everything. If it happens in life, people rap about it on Gator Country.

tHe gator nation speaks

46 gator country | feB/2012 fact: famous alum Bob graham is a former us senator and florida governor.

scenes from tHe stands