Category: Uncategorized

Cypress Creek’s Tiffany Colin Sprints Towards Her Dream

*Tiffany Colin is hoping to become the first Pasco County girl to run a sub-12-second time in the 100m since 2016, when Pasco High’s Alfreda Steele did it.* (Photos: Charmaine George)

Cypress Creek High track and field coach Steven Rivers loves coaching, but as his team showed up for the first day of practice in 2021, he was contemplating making this his last season.

Then he saw Tiffany Colin, and she was running. Her stride was a little unrefined, but it was graceful, fluid and, heck, maybe even special.

“I saw her and I got mad,” Rivers says, with a wide smile. “I had one foot out the door and this girl had the nerve to show up here. I called my wife and told her this new girl could be really really good, and she said, ‘Well, it sounds like you have another adopted daughter,’ and she hung up the phone.”

What Rivers has is the fastest girl sprinter in Pasco County.

Colin, a junior, has posted the county’s fastest times in the 100- (12.19 seconds), 200- (25.09) and 400-meter (58.9) races this season.

When the Class 3A, District 7 meet is held at Cypress Creek on April 28, Colin will be favored to win all three events. The top four finishers in each event advance to the Class 3A, Region 2 meet, which will include teams from speed-rich areas like Lakeland, Orlando and Tampa.

Rivers says Colin also currently has the top times in the 100 and 200 in the region, but now is the time of the season to begin shaving time off.

She has lowered her 100 time from 13.17 as a freshman to 12.19 (and has run a 12.14 wind-aided time as well), and has taken more than two seconds off her 200 time.

Most remarkably, Colin ran the 400 for the first time this season and posted a 1:01.79. The second, and only other, time she ran it a few weeks later, she did it in 58.9 seconds.

“It’s probably my second favorite race, next to the 100,” she says of the 400m.

Heading into districts, Colin is hoping to become the first Pasco County girl to run a sub-12-second time in the 100m since 2016, when Pasco High’s Alfreda Steele was dominating the local scene and winning state championships before competing at the University of Miami and nationally.

Rivers coached Steele, and a few other speedsters currently in college, and thinks Colin could be next. Especially if she can get her 100 time under that 12-second mark.

“She has an outstanding work ethic, and is just a joy to coach,” Rivers says. “All those kids in college are there because they wanted it. They beat me to practice. They didn’t complain. That’s Tiffany.”

Colin was rezoned to Cypress Creek after spending her freshman year at Wiregrass Ranch, where she golfed, played basketball and ran track for fun after winning the county middle school title in the 100.

She has golfed since she was six years old, learning the game at the First Tee program at Tampa’s Rogers Park. She played a number of junior circuit tournaments and even qualified twice, she says, for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Championships.

Colin and coach Steven Rivers share a laugh at a recent workout.

However, during quarantine, her dad Eddy showed her a YouTube video of the day in the life of Texas Tech track athlete Rose Njoku. Colin was fascinated, and decided then she wanted to run track in college. She even practices in a Texas Tech t-shirt these days.

While she also golfed this past season for the Coyotes, Colin says she is hanging up her bag so she can focus on getting faster.

“I like golf, but not that much anymore,” Colin says. “When my dad showed me that video, it opened my eyes. I was just like, ‘Oh man, I want to run track seriously.’”

Rivers says he knows she will reach her goals, because of the one time she failed to do so. After going undefeated last year in the county, she fell behind against stiffer competition in the 100 at the District meet and even wiped out at the finish line trying to stretch forward, ending her winning streak

Rivers says Colin’s competitive fire burned like he hadn’t seen it burn before.

“She was mad; I’ve never seen her like that,” Rivers says. “She lost, and she shouldn’t have lost, and she knew it. She was hot, and I was laughing because I loved it.”

Colin doesn’t have any college scholarship offers yet, but Rivers says he has had some feelers. When she asks why no colleges have called, he tells her that while she has garnered some attention, she hasn’t done enough yet.

“Not yet,” he says. “But, if she keeps working hard, it’s going to happen.”

Need A Workout? Feel The Burn (Boot Camp)!

Kathy Wasserman was looking for a new place to work out just as Burn Boot Camp was opening its doors in New Tampa for the first time roughly four years ago. She jumped on one of the grand opening offers and has been a member ever since.

“They offered a free 30 days, and, by the end of the 30 days, I was hooked,” says Wasserman, a Tampa Palms resident. “Not only were the workout programs well thought out and varied, but the community of people is the nicest group of people I have ever worked out with.”

Owner Tammy Henrici deserves some of that credit. When she took over Burn Boot Camp, located in the Big Bear Plaza off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. between BayCare and Mahana Fresh, in September 2021, Covid had sucked some of the life out of the gym.

Now, with new equipment and trainers and under her direction — Henrici even leads some of the 45-minute boot camps herself— the place is popping again.

“There’s increased energy and enthusiasm from the trainers,” Wasserman says. “I have never enjoyed working out more.”

Henrici is a self-described workout buff, who has been a member of many gyms over the years. She joined the Burn Boot Camp in New Tampa shortly after Wasserman did and found it just as satisfying.

So, she decided to buy the New Tampa franchise.

“I was addicted. I was so excited about going the next morning I couldn’t sleep,” Henrici says. “I have been in the corporate world for 40 years and working out at Burn gave me the confidence to make a change in my life. When I saw how Burn can change people’s lives, I knew I had to own one to finally help other people realize their potential, too.”

Henrici used to work in IT for a major health company, and now focuses on fitness. She is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)- Certified Personal Trainer and also is a second-degree black belt in Krav Maga Martial Arts.

Burn New Tampa offers a combination of strength training and high intensity interval training (HIIT) in each 45-minute camp. On Sundays, a protocol is released online and through an app explaining what lies ahead for the next week. No two workouts are the same, says Henrici, so no matter what days you come, the workouts will be targeting different parts of the body and range from strength to cardio.

Wasserman says she goes to 5-6 classes a week. There are other people like her, while others show up 2-3 times a week. There’s literally something for everyone, Henrici says, and anyone of any skill level can get something out of each boot camp.

“We meet each member at their level of fitness,” says Henrici. “We have some people who have never worked out before. We have some former collegiate athletes. We have moms and dads, people who are young and not so young anymore. No matter your background, we push everyone to do 1% better than the day before.”

Henrici says she has built a family atmosphere at Burn New Tampa, and Wasserman says that is probably what she likes most about it.

“There is a level of inclusiveness and positivity you don’t normally see in gyms,” Wasserman says. “Everyone seems happy to see each other and work out next to each other. They high-five each other. There’s a positive, competitive nature I haven’t seen at other places.”

But, don’t mistake that camaraderie for being part of an easy workout. The workouts at Burn New Tampa are anything but, Henrici says. There are a variety of weights and resistance bands, along with foam jump boxes, a boxing bag and other equipment that keeps you moving from station to station.

For those who don’t work out due to creaky knees and sore joints, Burn has a floating floor which cushions the jumps and lessens the impact on your body. And, if you can’t jump, trainers can provide modified techniques.

“The floor was the initial physical thing that attracted me to the gym and it makes a big difference in a workout,” Henrici says.

Burn New Tampa offers camps six days of the week, with multiple camps — usually some in the morning and some in the early evening — each day of the week and two on Saturday morning. For four of the camps during the week, Burn New Tampa offers a complimentary “child watch” room (Burn is not a licensed day care provider, however). All the camps are open to both men and women, although Henrici says that her current members are predominately women.

The goal is to provide physical improvement via weight loss and muscle gain which, in turn, help decrease the need for a variety of medications you may be taking, as well as mental improvement by providing stress-reducing and endorphin-releasing workouts.

“That’s why so many members say this is their ‘happy place,’” Henrici says proudly.

About The Burn

Burn Boot Camp is a franchise with more than 330 locations across the U.S. All of its trainers are NASM CPTs (Certified Personal Trainers) and also have to be CPR-certified, including the four at Burn New Tampa. But, they also need to have the energy to run a boot camp and get to know each and every member’s needs.

“No one is a number, and we take pride in providing personal attention to every member,” Henrici says. “We can be giving Jane form correction while calling out to those at the next exercise to get three more reps in and addressing the entire camp about how much time is left, all at the same time.”

Burn New Tampa offers 6-, 12- and 18-month memberships, as well as month-to-month memberships. There are Camp Packs (5-8 camps per month) and Fit Cards, which are good for a year. Wasserman, who travels to visit her children in Nashville and Chicago, loves that Burn has universal memberships so her membership can be used at any Burn Boot Camp facility in the U.S.

If it all sounds too good to be true, Burn New Tampa is currently offering a 7-day complimentary trial for you to try it out and see for yourself.

With so many fitness options, Henrici thinks Burn New Tampa is the best choice because she says it is the total package.

“We provide unlimited 45-minute camps a week,” she says. “We offer 1:1 Focus Meetings with the trainer to set goals and monitor them. We also provide nutritional guidance. Members can also access daily virtual workouts when they can’t make it to the gym.”

The Focus Meeting is to help define what a member wants to get out of the boot camps. And while there are no certified nutritionists at Burn, the trainers do recognize the importance of a proper diet when it comes to being in shape and asks members to track their food intake in an app. They will suggest increases or decreases in their fat, carb, and protein intake.

“We aren’t focused on the scale but rather on the inches, fat loss and muscle gain,” Henrici says.

The Burn Boot Camp app allows members to check in to camp for the child watch room, trainer and workout schedules for the week as well. And, the support from other members, Henrici says, is unrivaled.

“Your best friend may be here waiting for you.”

Burn Boot Camp New Tampa is located at 17512 Doña Michelle Dr., and is open Monday-Friday, 5:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m., and 4:15 p.m.-6:30 p.m.; and 7:45 a.m.-10 a.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit BurnBootCamp.com and check under “Locations” or call (813) 563-6700.

BURN Bootcamp

Dr. Kiran Patel To Open Elementary School On Charter Campus

When Dr. Kiran C. Patel Elementary School opens this fall, it will complete the campus that currently houses Patel High School for students in grades 9-12 and Terrace Community Middle School for students in grades 6-8.

The 32-acre campus is located on Raulerson Ranch Rd. and is visible from I-75 near E. Fowler Ave, just 15 minutes south of New Tampa.

Patel High opened its doors for the 2019-20 school year and has continued to increase in popularity, with 450 students already signed up with hopes of being chosen by lottery to fill one of the 150 available slots at the school for the 2022-23 school year.

Terrace Community Middle School has been operating for more than 20 years and moved onto the Patel campus at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year in August.

After establishing the high school and working to bring the middle school onto the campus, Dr. Kiran C. Patel has turned his attention to younger students with the latest campus expansion.

“I think education in the formative years is what will create the future for anybody,” says Dr. Patel, a local entrepreneur and philanthropist who is both the founder and financier of the school. “Here we have an educational institution that focuses on a well-rounded person who has qualities of being a better human being. We don’t just focus on the grade of the school. There’s no question we want students to achieve a high standard of measurable goals, but there’s a lot more to education than that.”

*(L.-r.) Co-founder Ashok Bagdy, Dr. Kiran C. Patel and former Chiles Elementary assistant principal Ashley Galfond are the driving forces behind Dr. Kiran C. Patel Elementary, which opens Aug. 2022.*

After initially committing $20 million to launch the high school, Dr. Kiran has spent another $20 million to build the elementary school and has spent an additional $5 million on upgrades to the campus, such as adding a covered outdoor court and restrooms by the sports fields. The Tampa resident’s business enterprises include luxury real estate development, medical software, healthcare solutions and commercial property acquisition and management. The success of these businesses allows him to make impactful contributions on a global scale, which he has done through the establishment of schools, colleges and hospitals on three continents.

“Construction on the elementary school was completed this summer,” says Ash Bagdy, who is a co-founder of the school, along with his wife, Kavita Jain, and Sonali Judd, who is Dr. Patel’s daughter.

Bagdy explains that the 84,000-sq.-ft. building is L-shaped. The elementary school is housed in one half and the middle school in the other. The two schools are completely separated with no interaction and TCMS remains a completely independent charter school.

Bagdy also says the campus was built with security in mind. Classrooms have key card entries, there are security cameras, a school security officer, and the school can be locked down in an emergency, with “one click to lock all doors.”

About The Elementary School

New Tampa’s Ashley Galfond has been hired as the first-ever principal of Patel Elementary.

Galfond was most recently the assistant principal at Chiles Elementary in Tampa Palms. She taught elementary school since her graduation from USF in 1998 until she moved into school administration seven years ago.

While she says it was not an easy decision to leave Chiles, she is extremely excited about the smaller focus at Patel.

“I like that everything within the organization is focused on the kids of Patel Elementary,” she says. “Here, everyone who has any stake in the school is just focused on our students.”

In fall 2022, the school will open with students in just three grades — kindergarten, first and second grade.

“Each year, as those children move to the next grade,” Galfond says, “we will add that grade until — four years from now — we will have K through five.”

Patel Elementary will open with a total of 270 students. There will be five classes in each of the three grades.

Each class will be limited to just 18 students. Although the physical size of each of the classrooms was expanded just before construction, it was to allow kids to spread out more for physical distancing because of Covid, not to make space for more kids in each classroom.

The Three ‘Pillars’

Galfond says that faculty members explain to parents and students that there are three crucial “pillars” at Patel Elementary.

“First,” she says, “we will focus on the whole child, including mental, physical and academic health and growth, with great outdoor learning opportunities as well as in the classroom.”

The second pillar, she says, is social emotional learning, which will be woven into the academic curriculum every day. Galfond explains that this includes teaching children to support one another, helping them to learn to express their own opinions and views, and figure out ways to calm themselves when they become upset. She adds that teacher training is a crucial part of the program.

The third pillar, according to Galfond, is project-based learning.

“It is inquiry-based,” she says. “We start with a question to engage students – something that affects the community in some way — and then, all disciplines are tied in to solve the problem, from reading to science to math.”

Dr. Patel notes that while academic achievement will be emphasized, it is not the only measure of success for the students who attend Patel Elementary.

“We will have a holistic approach and the goal of producing a student who is going to be an asset to the community,” explains Dr. Patel. “The purpose of education should not be to become a CEO. That should not be the primary goal, but to say that I will be a better human being and leave the earth better than I found it.”

Students Chosen By Lottery

Parents whose students will be entering kindergarten through second grade for the 2022-23 school year and are interested in attending Patel Elementary must apply online at PatelElementary.org. Students are chosen to attend the school through a random lottery process.

“This is the year with the best chance to get in,” explains Galfond. “It’s the most spots we will ever have.”

Every Tuesday in January, at 6 p.m., the school will host a new applicant Open House where families can meet the principal, with food and drinks provided.

“I am excited that everything materialized,” says Dr. Patel. “It was a big, big endeavor. I am very happy and proud to provide this option to the community.”

Patel Elementary is located at 10739 Raulerson Ranch Rd. in Tampa. To apply online for a spot for the 2022-23 school year, visit PatelElementary.org. For more information, call (813) 444-0660 or see the ad on page 21.

Patel

Quail Hollow Residents Oppose Youth Group Home

Residents in a Quail Hollow neighborhood are hoping to stop a residential treatment facility for young boys ages 13-17 from taking root — or at least wait until it has gone through a thorough zoning verification that examines exactly what its plans are and will mean to the community.

The issue, however, is that Pasco County may have already erroneously granted permission to Elevated Youth Services (EYS) to proceed with opening a facility at 26318 Lawrence Ave.

According to chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein, back in August, EYS owner Nicholas Browning sought approval for a residential treatment facility for 12 minors with handicaps and disabilities. Frederick Humberstone, a planning and zoning tech II for the county, wrote back to Browning informing him that the proposed use as a residential group (single family of unrelated people) was a permitted use (as opposed to a conditional use, which residential treatment and care facilities are supposed to be considered).

Browning then closed on the property, paying $495,000 for the five bedroom, 3,500-sq.ft. home.

However, Humberstone was incorrect, because the correct permitted use is only supposed to be for six or fewer residents.

“Was the letter probably erroneous under our code? Yes,” Goldstein said at the Jan. 6 Pasco Planning Commission meeting . “However, it’s clear that the applicant relied on it, and then bought the property after they got the letter.”

Goldstein says that makes this a “fairly unique” case, although he still recommended approval but with conditions, which would include a 1-to-4 ratio of supervisors to children, limits on street parking, and not accepting any residents who have been adjudicated as sexual offenders.

However, that wasn’t sufficient for other members of the planning commission — nor for a dozen or so Quail Hollow residents who showed up at the Dade City Courthouse — and the case was continued to the March 3 Planning Commission meeting while Goldstein and EYS continue to negotiate the conditions.

EYS is essentially seeking approval for a residential and treatment facility but want relief from going through the conditional use process (CUP) because it claims it would violate the Fair Housing Act (FHA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and unfairly burden EYS’s use of the property.

“We would have no problem going through the CUP process if it was required of all groups of unrelated persons,” said EYS attorney Dan McDonald, “but it’s only required of handicapped persons needing treatment and care at a treatment and care facility. The case law is very, very clear on this. This is discriminatory.”

Some members of the planning commission and the Quail Hollow residents argued that not enough is known about EYS to grant any approval, and would like to see them go through either the state screening process, or by a third party.

“They (EYS) haven’t agreed, and specifically refused to agree, to state screening,” claimed Dan Lincoln, the attorney representing Quail Hollow.

Some Planning Commission members and residents also raised concerns that the EYS website makes references to problem sexual behavior. Worried that the home’s residents may include juvenile sexual offenders, one resident said that while she understood the need to rehabilitate, “our quiet residential area is not the place.”

McDonald denied that EYS accepts any sexual offenders. He said EYS does not accept youths who pose a direct threat of harming others, and it uses individualized risk assessment and psycho-sexual evaluations to make those determinations.

Residents who spoke also raised other concerns, wondering where so many teenage boys would find room to play outside in a small yard, whether the property’s septic tank could handle so many people and parking on the street causing safety issues.

Goldstein suggested a continuance as both sides try to come to an agreement and the county can avoid getting sued.

Resident Lauren Taylor had little sympathy for the county’s predicament.

“It’s not our fault you sent that letter out,” Taylor said. “And, if there’s repercussions because of that, that’s not our fault either. Pasco is going to have to deal with it.”

Quail Hollow

Nibbles & Bites: New Restaurant on Cross Creek, and more!

The Grill At Morris Bridge Opens On CC Blvd!

For those who have been hoping for a great new restaurant to open in the location that was originally Beef O’Brady’s on Cross Creek Blvd. at Morris Bridge Rd., The Grill at Morris Bridge is off to a pretty good start since hosting its friends & family event on December 18 and opening the following day.

Yes, the location has had a couple of Italian restaurants open and close over the last couple of years, but co-owners (and brothers) Frank and James Gouveia are hoping that great food, premium liquor, an outstanding 250-bottle wine list (with some bottles only $25) and a casual, but elegant atmosphere will help The Grill succeed where those others failed.

Frank (photo) says he spent more than 20 years in the wine business, so he definitely knows how to pick great grapes, but he also is thrilled to have an outstanding Executive Chef — Daniel Friley — creating a unique menu with a great variety of starters, entrées and desserts. Both the Gouveia brothers and Friley are from Massachusetts and the menu definitely is New England-inspired.

For example, the starters include a zesty authentic New England clam chowder and stuffed giant clams known as quahogs, plus non-New England options like excellent Chesapeake crab cakes with a roasted padron pepper remoulade, charcuterie boards and more.

We’ve also gotten to sample some great entrées, including a tender and delicious filet mignon au poivre with potatoes au gratin and fresh asparagus and a pan-seared black grouper served with herbed butter broccolini.

There’s also a 10-oz. NY strip, a blackened chicken tscoupitoulas, a grilled dry aged pork chop, fresh Atlantic salmon and more.

For dessert, try Chef Daniel’s house-made creme brulée or Key lime ginger cheesecake.

And, while Jannah says The Grill’s cosmopolitan was one of the best she’s ever had, please also check out The Grill’s outstanding fine wine selection, too.

The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open for lunch (at 11 a.m.) and dinner (until 9 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 10 p.m. on Fri.-Sat). It is open for dinner only Mon.-Tues. For more info, visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com or call (813) 388-5353. — GN

Mint Cocktail Café Also Open In Palms Connection!

We first told you a couple of months ago about the Mint Cocktail Club, located in the Palms Connection plaza at 2810 E. Bearss Ave.Mint, which opened last month, is owned by Cody Jay, who also owns the Bearss Tavern & Tap in the same plaza.

Well, Mint is a beautiful, self-proclaimed “Tropical Hideaway” with some unique drinks — many made with the variety of quality rums available, although I loved the tropical High Tide (the yellow drink in the far right pic), which is made with banana-infused bourbon, toasted coconut, pineapple and lime — and what appears to be a great “sneak preview” menu.

Although our bartender Nia assured us that the menu will be expanded, Jannah and I really loved the queso frito appetizer, which is a lightly fried, crispy-coated Mexican cheese with guava rum and a slightly spicy papaya salsa.

While Mint definitely caters to USF students with some free-drinks on Ladies Nights, it should also attract New Tampa adults of all ages.

For more info, visit MintTampa.com or call (813) 219-3478.— GN

Provisions Opens 2nd Location On Bearss Ave.

Congratulations to owner Dana Morris on the opening of her second location of Provisions Coffee & Kitchen (the first is in the KRATE Container Park in The Grove at Wesley Chapel) in the Palms Connection plaza at 2816 E. Bearss Ave. The new location, which opened last month, is larger and will have a slightly larger menu than the KRATE location, but you can get the tasty fried chicken biscuit sandwich above at either location.

For more info, visit “Provisions Coffee & Kitchen” on Facebook. — GN