Wesley Chapel 2017 Year in Review: Sports

Hockey, Tennis & Lots Of Firsts For Area High School Teams

Wesley Chapel has had the occasional high school team break through. Saddlebrook Resort trains world-renowned tennis players. But, to call our community a sports “mecca” would be an overstatement.

That may, however, be changing.

Consider in 2017 alone: Wesley Chapel hosted the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey team training camp, some of the best professional women’s tennis players in the world competed in the Federation Cup semifinals at Saddlebrook, a new indoor sports facility received approval (and will break ground next year) and even the local kids made a little history at Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and Cypress Creek high schools.

Not bad for one year.

As for ranking what we feel were the top stories, where do we start?

* The U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey team training for the 2018 Winter Olympics was huge news. We wrote about it on page 11.

* The RADD Sports indoor sports complex will break ground in 2018, and could be open by spring of 2019. While we’re still not sure how much use Wesley Chapel residents will get out of the complex, its overall local economic impact is likely to be significant.

* The Fed Cup semifinal pitting the U.S. against the defending champion Czech Republic at Saddlebrook Resort in February put a buzz in the area’s significant tennis population.

Saddlebrook constructed a temporary 3,500-seat stadium around one of the resort’s Har-Tru Classic Green Clay Courts, and it was nearly full on both days of the event, despite temperatures that were blazing.

The Fed Cup, started in 1963 as the women’s version of the men’s Davis Cup, is the world’s largest annual international team competition in women’s sports, with roughly 100 teams competing.

The semifinals were a good get for Wesley Chapel, and the U.S. delivered an exciting down-to-the-wire 3-2 win as Coco Vandeweghe and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won the final doubles match to clinch it.

Many of those who watched from the stands in Saddlebrook that weekend were also watching from their couches in November on The Tennis Channel as Vandeweghe (this time with Shelby Rogers) again clinched a 3-2 win in Minsk, Belarus, ending a 17-year Fed Cup championship drought for the Americans.

* Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) became the first team from Wesley Chapel to win a Florida High School Athletic Association football playoff game, despite a few 10-0 seasons back in the early-2000s by Wesley Chapel High (WCH).

The Mark Kantor-coached Bulls, led by 1,000-yard rusher Adrian Thomas, managed a school best-ever 9-3 record, and a 17-10 win over Lake Nona in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs (before a loss to state powerhouse Lakeland ended their season).

The Wesley Chapel softball team won almost as many games this season (19) as it had in 10 previous seasons (22), setting a school record.
(Photo courtesy of Steve Mumaw)

* At WCH, the softball team made some of its own history. Losers of 27 straight games and 43 of 44 over a three-year span at one point, coach Steve Mumaw and freshman pitcher Jordan Almasy led the Wildcats to their first playoff appearance ever. WCH won a school record 19 games, beat Robinson 4-0 for their first postseason win, and had eventual Class 6A champ Land O’Lakes on the ropes before losing 4-2 in the Regional semifinals.

* And, the new kids on the block at Cypress Creek Middle High (CCH) hit the ground running — on August 25, the Coyotes, coached by Mike Johnson, won the first football game they ever played, beating Gulf 12-0.

The closest anyone came to winning a state title in 2017?

* The WRH boys tennis team, which already won state titles in 2014 and 2015, fell short in their bid for No. 3 in four years, in April. The Bulls lost to Parkland Stoneman Douglas High 4-1 in the State Class 4A championship match, just the third time in their last 114 matches the Bulls boys have lost a head-to-head battle.

Florida E.N.T. & Allergy Can Help You Cope With Allergy Season

At Florida E.N.T. & Allergy’s Wesley Chapel office, Dr. Yoon Nofsinger and her colleagues help people suffering from allergies and asthma — from pediatric patients to adults.  Photos by Gavin Olsen.

Every year, millions of people flock to Florida for our mild winters. However, did you know that those warm and more humid temperatures mean that our allergy season sticks around a lot longer? Even though you’re not worrying about shoveling snow or driving on icy roads, asthma and allergies are a real concern for Tampa Bay-area residents.

“People always associate allergies with spring when flowers are pollinating, but here in Florida, the fall and winter months can be even worse. The temperatures do still drop here and the winds pick up, pushing all of those allergens out into the air. This time of the year is especially brutal for my patients who suffer from allergic rhinitis,” says Yoon Nofsinger, M.D., a Board-certified Otolaryngologist with Florida E.N.T. & Allergy.

Dr. Nofsinger is one of three physicians who work at the practice’s Wesley Chapel office, located just off of S.R. 56, near I-75, in the Cypress Ridge Professional Center.

Dr. Nofsinger specializes in general otolaryngology (the medical term for medical and surgical management and treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, and throat), head and neck surgery, balloon sinus dilation and treating allergies. She received her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where she also earned a Graduate Degree in Anthropology. She completed her undergraduate education at Duke University in Durham, N.C., and is Board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology.

Dr. Nofsinger works with Peter F. Agnello, M.D., and Pierre Y. Musy, M.D., Ph.D., at Florida E.N.T. & Allergy’s Wesley Chapel office.

Dr. Agnello specializes in general otolaryngology and head and neck surgery. He received his medical degree from the Boston University School of Medicine, and his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. He did a residency at the University of South Florida’s College of Medicine and is Board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology.

Dr. Musy practices surgical and medical management of a variety of ear, nose, and throat problems. He has a particular interest in sino-nasal problems, and cares for both adult and pediatric patients. He holds several degrees from the University of Florida in Gainesville, including his medical degree and his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. He did residencies at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, then practiced ENT in Montana and in Washington, D.C., before joining Florida E.N.T. & Allergy. Dr. Musy also is Board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology.

Allergic rhinitis is an allergy to dust, mold, pollen, mites or insect parts. Symptoms include coughing, watery and itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing. Allergic rhinitis also puts you at a higher risk of developing sinusitis, or inflammation of the sinus cavity (see below).

“Allergies can cause your sinuses and nasal passages to swell, preventing the sinus cavities from draining properly, which increases your chance of developing a sinus infection,” says Dr. Nofsinger. “Any stuffy nose or cough that lasts more than two weeks is probably more than a cold, and you should see a physician.”

How Can Florida E.N.T. & Allergy Help You?

Asthma symptoms also can rear their head during these cooler months. The cold, dry air can trigger wheezing, cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Viral and bacterial infections that are more common this time of year also can bring an onset of asthma symptoms.

“Asthma is caused by different factors in different people, so it is always important to see a specialist,” says Dr. Nofsinger. “We get our patients on a personalized treatment plan that takes into account their lifestyle and any medications they are already taking.”

As for allergies, there are several treatments available at Florida E.N.T. & Allergy to help alleviate patient symptoms. Allergy shots are still the most common option; however, Dr. Nofsinger says sublingual immunotherapy, also known as SLIT, is even more convenient. During this therapy, an allergen solution is placed underneath the tongue — instead of through an injection — to boost the body’s tolerance to the substance and reduce symptoms. Patients administer the drops themselves at home instead of having to run back and forth to an allergy specialist’s office.

“Patients first come see us and undergo testing to confirm their sensitivities,” says Dr. Nofsinger. “We then prepare an allergen extract and send them home with directions to place it under their tongue for a prescribed amount of time. Patients can continue on this therapy for up to five years, until they develop a lasting immunity.”

SLIT has been readily available in Europe for years, and clinical trials have shown it to be safe and effective for the treatment of rhinitis, asthma and allergies, including to dust mites, grass, ragweed, pet dander and tree pollen. “Our patients not only find it effective, but it’s an extreme convenience,” says Dr. Nofsinger. “Instead of taking time off work to come to the office for allergy shots, they can treat their symptoms at home and get on with their daily lives, allergy-free.”

Florida E.N.T. & Allergy also helps patients suffering from sinusitis. Acute cases can be treated with decongestants and antibiotics. However, if the condition has become chronic, surgery may be necessary. Florida E.N.T. & Allergy’s specialists offer many surgical options, including balloon sinuplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that is performed right in the office.

Your Ear, Nose, &

Throat Experts

The specialists at Florida E.N.T. & Allergy have been helping pediatric and adult patients in the Tampa Bay area for more than 40 years. With 17 Board-certified physicians and 11 convenient locations, the practice’s experienced team specializes in all aspects of ear, nose and throat care from pediatric allergies to fitting hearing aids.

Florida E.N.T. & Allergy has locations in Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Lutz, Westchase, North Tampa and South Tampa, plus two St. Petersburg locations. The Wesley Chapel office is located at 26853 Foggy Creek Rd., Building 21, Suite 101. It is open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

For more information or to make an appointment, call (813) 879-8045, or visit FloridaENTandAllergy.com.

Florida Orthopaedic Institute Is Our 2017 ‘Advertiser Of The Year!’

We have so many wonderful advertisers who continue to support the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News that I decided a couple of years ago we should name an “Advertiser of the Year” each year.

Last year’s winner, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, is still throwing lots of support behind both WCNT-tv (more on that below) and our publications, especially our Wesley Chapel edition, and the Florida Hospital Physician Group has taken full-page ads in both editions since 2016. My friend Kristy Darragh of Florida Executive Realty hasn’t been off our back page in New Tampa for about 20 years (and Kristy also takes the two-page center spread in New Tampa a couple of times each year) and GL Homes has been promoting its The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch community in full-page ads in these pages since the community began pre-selling homes in 2015.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC)’s Board Member of the Year, Karen Tillman-Gosselin of Smith & Associates Realty has been on pg. 2 of every New Tampa issue since March. The Dimmitt Automotive Group has promoted its new Audi Wesley Chapel dealership in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for several months before the dealership opened…and the list goes on and on. 

And, while it’s been hard to pick an Advertiser of the Year who hasn’t been buying full-page ads with us, we are thrilled that most of the assisted living facilities in our area are all buying half-pages — including Discovery Village at Tampa Palms, The Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch, Promise Pointe at Tampa Oaks and The Legacy at Highwoods Preserve.

To state the obvious, we have a lot of amazing advertising advertisers, including one who has been advertising in the Neighborhood News since before I took over in 1994 — dentist Dr. Michael Green —and another, pediatric dentist Dr. Paul Duga who has been with us for more than 20 years.

We’re also always appreciative of our newest advertisers, including Snowrolls Ice Cream, Jane Crabtree of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. North Tampa Law Group, and John S. Wood, CPA; and for returning advertisers who have been out of the publications for a while, like Jersey Mike’s Subs, The Dade City Chamber of Commerce’s annual Kumquat Festival, the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival and Panda Hugs Learning Center.

But this year, I am thrilled to say that the Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI) is our 2017 Advertiser of the Year! In addition to running full-page ads in 13 issues every year since 2014 (switching off between our New Tampa and Wesley Chapel issues), FOI (in 2017) added half-page ads in the issues that the full-page ads haven’t run in to promote the amazing orthopaedic surgeons at the practice’s Wesley Chapel office. We wrote another feature story about those doctors that appeared in our last issue (photo above). And, FOI just renewed its commitment to us for 2018!

  For more information about Florida Orthopaedic Institute (2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 201 (upstairs), visit FloridaOrtho.com, call (813) 305-7775 or see the ad on page 4 and please tell them that you read about them in the New Tampa Neighborhood News!

WCNT-tv Surpasses 500,000 Views & 1 Million Reach!

Fresh off the heels of our recent News Desk segments about a volunteer group helping provide supplies to Puerto Rico (see story on pg. 12), WCNT-tv — Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Television — has surpassed a total Facebook reach of 1 million people and has now surpassed 500,000 total views on Facebook and YouTube combined.

And, to build on that success, we now have a new Rate Card for not only WCNT-tv, but for combining WCNT-tv and advertising in the Neighborhood News (and on NTNeighborhoodNews.com).

In other words, if you’d like to promote your business to the most New Tampa & Wesley Chapel residents, call our sales rep, Tom Damico, at 813.910.2575 or email Tom@ NTNeighborhoodNews.com and ask for our 2018 Neighborhood News & WCNT-tv Media Kit and Rate Card.

And, please remember to View, Like & Share every episode of WCNT-tv on YouTube and Facebook and to check out our daily news updates on our “Neighborhood News” page on Facebook!

I Miss You, Doug!

I was so saddened to learn of the passing of my long-time friend and New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe co-founder Doug Wall, who lost his nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer on November 25.

I met Doug for lunch shortly after he learned he contracted the disease, but he was so positive and happy about the possibility of his long-awaited New Tampa Cultural Center finally coming to fruition (see pg. 8) and about NTP’s recent successes that I was certain he was going to beat his illness.

I’m heartbroken for his family, and for myself, to have to say I was wrong.

Rest in Peace, Doug.

New Tampa 2017 Year in Review: Food

Ford’s Garage was a hit immediately after opening.

Fat Rabbit, Wok Chi & Snowrolls On Our List Of Favorite New Eateries In 2017

As part of our “year in review” series of stories in this issue, assistant editor John Cotey and I decided that I should include something about all of the new restaurants that opened in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel in 2017.

And of course, since I love to write about new places to eat, I decided to mention a few of my favorites that opened in our area over the past 12 months.

In Wesley Chapel, my favorite new eatery is Noble Crust.

But, Noble Crust was far from alone on the list of new places to eat north of the Pasco County line in our distribution area. In The Shops at Wiregrass alone, in addition to Noble Crust, Irish 31, Wok Chi and Menchie’s all opened and all of them were great additions to the dining scene at the Shops.

After Noble Crust, Ford’s Garage is definitely my favorite newcomer, with a really good seared tuna appetizer, tender steaks and a great Chicken Henry entrĂ©e. None of the other new entries around the Tampa Premium Outlets mall make my list, as most are fast food, my favorite of which is Culver’s, followed by Pollo Tropical, Starbucks, Panda Express, Wendy’s and Taco Bell.

Fat Rabbit

Irish 31 also makes my list of new favorites, even though the menu has a few too many fried items for my taste. However, the Ploughman’s salad and Farmer’s Fried Chicken, as well as a pretty good ribeye steak keep it near the top of the newbies for me.

I also really enjoy not only the build-it-yourself stir-fry dishes at Wok Chi, but also the Chi-Licious pork spareribs, the egg rolls and dumplings and even the hot green tea.

Meanwhile, here in New Tampa, we didn’t see as many new places to eat open, but The Fat Rabbit in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center and Precinct Pizza on Cross Creek Blvd. are both pretty good, with Fat Rabbit being my favorite of the two for its excellent burgers and blackened wings.

And, although it isn’t truly a restaurant, per se, the new Snowrolls, the  ice cream shop in the Pebble Creek Collection also is pretty incredible. Even though you can now get rolled ice cream in other places in our area, the quality of the ice cream and the variety of  flavors and toppings at Snowrolls is second to none.

This first location of a new franchise also has excellent crepes, amazing authentic Italian coffee and coffee drinks, as well as a new chocolate gyro that swirls milk chocolate and hazelnut flavors with more to come. It isn’t ice cream, but it’s indescribably smooth chocolate and you can even add toppings to it, too.

I’d also like to give a shout out to the new owners of CafĂ© OlĂ© Restaurant on Cross Creek Blvd., who have converted a small portion of the existing restaurant (which has long been my favorite in New Tampa) to a Venezuelan bakery and coffee shop with great cafĂ© con lechĂ© and a variety of authentic Latin desserts.

We Lost A Few, Too

Unfortunately, New Tampa also saw a few restaurants close in 2017, including Vuelo Mexican Grill, Takara Sushi & Sake, Paramount Lebanese Kitchen and Dairy Queen.