Pure Florida Watersports owners Natalie Manrique and Derick Burgos did not receive any government aid in the first round of PPP funding & feared for their business, but say they are thankful that customers are slowly returning.
Derick Burgos and Natalie Manrique (photo) are the co-owners of Pure Florida Watersports off S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel. They are small business owners. They are the people that the grants and loans from the federal government, in response to the economic hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, were supposed to help.
Like many small businesses in Wesley Chapel, however, that help never came for the Meadow Pointe residents.
Despite applying for money through the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Burgos and Manrique, who are engaged, received nothing. The first time. And, at our press time, they hadn’t heard anything yet about the second round.
“It’s hard,” Derick says. “We are a mom-and-pop, family-owned business. We’re pushing hard to make this work. That (PPP loan) would have helped. Our business is lucky to be alive still.”
When it came to getting an infusion of funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (or CARES) Act, a glimmer of hope was snuffed out for many Wesley Chapel businesses.
The most coveted loan/grant sought was the PPP, which wouldn’t need to be paid back if the business showed that 75-percent of the funds were used to retain employees. But, that first $349 billion ran out quickly, and then news that bigger, well-known brands like Shake Shack, Ruth’s Hospitality Group (the parent company of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse)Inc. and even the Los Angeles Lakers were among the businesses that received checks.
And, even though they eventually returned the money amid bad press, it did little to reduce the sting felt by area small businesses.
“It was a very confusing process,” says Hope Kennedy, the CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. “We heard from many of our members. They weren’t happy.”
Nyree Bland, the co-owner of PROtential Sports, says PROtential’s after-school sports programs for kids have been closed for six weeks. She is praying the company can still offer its popular summer camps, “but we haven’t received PPP for our staff yet,” she says.
To help fill the void for county businesses, the Pasco Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on April 21 to approve $2 million for an aid package to help the county’s small businesses. The Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) partnered with the county to get the $2 million in grants in the hands of as many as 400 area small businesses affected by Covid-19.
The vote was held at 11:20 a.m., and the website to apply went live a minute later. Luckily, says Pasco EDC CEO Bill Cronin, the county had purchased additional bandwidth to handle the crush, but even so, the EDC received 1,439 applications in 36 hours before cutting off the process.
“We (the county and the EDC) wanted to try and help and make sure there was some cash moving around in the economy,” Cronin says. “It went a little faster than we thought.”
The Pasco EDC has begun distributing the money, the limit of which was $5,000 per applicant. Some small businesses asked for less than that, so more than 400 applicants are receiving at least some assistance.
But, many others are still waiting for that federal help, and trying to decide if they can survive without it. Businesses throughout Florida were allowed to reopen on May 4, but social distancing guidelines and stringent rules limiting the number of customers inside restaurants and retail establishments may not provide the boost those businesses need to survive. A second round of PPP, and more aid down the road, will help — if it ever comes.
Burgos says he was “scared crapless” during the early stages of the coronavirus. He has a rosier outlook now that the quarantine restrictions have been eased.
“I had some insider scoop that businesses under 50 employees were just going to have to brace themselves,” Burgos says. “We don’t expect to get anything from PPP, but a lot of people are getting stir crazy from being inside. I know a lot of them are on the fence still, but I’m hoping they will be coming back out.”
Tony and Nyree Bland know what it takes to achieve success at the highest levels of athletic competition, and they have been sharing that knowledge with young people in communities throughout New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for more than a dozen years.
PROtential Sports campers stretch before breaking off into teams for flag football. (Photo: Gavin Olsen)
“It’s about being the best you can be and having integrity,” says Nyree.
That’s the foundation of the New Tampa couple’s youth sports training company, PROtential Sports, where the stated mission is “Teaching Life Through Sports.”
Achieving high standards of performance through hard work and fair play is what the Blands credit for their own personal and professional successes, on and off the fields of play.
Nyree was ranked as the number-one junior tennis player in North Carolina before a knee injury curtailed her professional tennis aspirations. Tony was a wide receiver for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings for four years, including the team’s historic 16-victory season in 1998, when he played behind NFL Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss.
Passing on the insights and lessons from their own sports and life experiences is the goal of every after-school instructional sports program and summer camp the Blands offer.“We’re trying to teach them how to be good people, as well as being good athletes,” says Nyree.
Their venture into the business side of athletics came about in 2003, when Tony participated in a youth football camp with then-Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson (who was also a teammate of Tony’s at Minnesota) and former Bucs running back Michael Pittman.
That experience brought home Tony’s own football beginning, as a 14-year-old playing in a youth football league and then catching passes at Pinellas Park High. His focused dedication to athletic achievement became part of his overall lifestyle, including academics, and he earned a scholarship to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, where he majored in political science.
PROtential district manager Julie Garretson is another lifelong athlete who aspired to a career in physical education and now oversees many of the day-to-day operations of PROtential Sports. Since the youth activities are community-oriented, that means developing relationships with the activity and lifestyle directors in local communities like The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel and Heritage Isles, and stopping by when the children are on-site to check on things.
So Many Locations!
According to Garretson, PROtential Sports’ after-school instructional sports programs for students ages 5-12 years old are located at Club Tampa Palms, Arbor Greene, Heritage Isles, Grand Hampton and Cory Lake Isles in New Tampa. While previously only available to residents, the Cory Lake Isles location is now open to everyone.
PROtential sports summer campers work on agility drills at Grand Hampton, one of five sites that host after-school instructional sports programs for students ages 5-12 in New Tampa. (Photo: Gavin Olsen)
In Wesley Chapel, PROtential has been running summer camps and after-school instructional sports programs at Seven Oaks and Meadow Pointe IV, and this summer has added The Ridge.
“We are so happy to be in The Ridge,” Nyree says, adding that the summer programs have been a big hit in the bustling new community. “It’s just a beautiful subdivision, the amenities are great, the staff is amazing and the residents coming to PROtential have been wonderful.”
Being able to operate in the new communities popping up in Wesley Chapel is a treat for Nyree and Tony. Developments like The Ridge grow into long-time relationships, like at Heritage Isles, where PROtential is in its 16th year of operations.
“Anytime you have a chance to grow with a new development, it’s a blessing,” Nyree says.
PROtential also offers the added convenience of transportation, which is extremely helpful for families where both parents work, especially during the school year. Children can be transported from school back to their communities in many cases, and are provided with exercise and positive team-building skills that they can’t find at home playing Fortnite.
“We pick up from all the local schools,” says Garretson. “We do two to three sports rotations a day and try to hit each major sport twice a week.”
Besides getting a chance to learn about and play a variety of sports, like baseball, flag football, golf, tennis and soccer, kids participating in a PROtential Sports after-school instructional sports program also learn the principles of teamwork and sportsmanship.
“We want the kids to always put their best foot forward,” Garretson says, adding that instilling a solid work ethic and sense of compassion in young people — whatever their athletic goals may be — will serve them well in the future. And, she says that’s important for the children to understand.
Nyree adds that while PROtential places a strong emphasis on athletic development, it balances that with an equal dose of character building. When former PROtential participants who went onto become college athletes come back to help the younger generation at their summer camps, Nyree knows that incorporating lessons about integrity, responsibility and compassion at PROtential have paid off.
“We want to make great athletes and great people,” she says. “We are devout Christians, and this is our mission in life.”
There are about 20 coaches working directly with children at PROtential. Experience in sports is a requirement, but according to Garretson, they need more to meet PROtential’s standards by also being able to pass on athletic and life skills.
“(Our instructors) should be teachers,” Julie says. “They are 50-percent life coaches and 50-percent sports coaches.”
One of PROtential’s coaches is Brooks Lovely, who says he has been playing sports since he was 3-years-old. Brooks was an offensive lineman at Maryville College in Maryville, TN, and he also was a football coach at Robinson High in Tampa before signing up with PROtential.
“We try to make a positive impact on their lives every day,” Brooks says. “We teach them what we learned in our lives through sports, like the importance of teamwork and communication.”
He adds that part of the job sometimes involves helping kids in the after-school instructional sports programs with their homework and instilling a positive attitude about getting good grades.
“(We tell the kids that they need to learn to like school,” he says.
Coach Devonn Polk, a graduate of Wharton High in New Tampa who played tight end for the Wildcats, can easily relate to the kids he’s responsible for at PROtential Sports. To him, you’re never too young to learn a sense of responsibility and he says PROtential Sports offers a way to do just that.
“We teach them not just how to play sports, but how to be good leaders,” the Heritage Isles resident says.
The lessons that New Tampa resident Sandra Ferris says her son Alexavier has learned through PROtential Sports makes the program a winner in her view.
“It’s gratifying to watch my son learn a variety of sporting techniques while gaining lifelong leadership and sportsmanship skills,” Ferris says. “I firmly believe that Alexavier will learn to exemplify PROtential Sports’ motto by developing an appreciation for teamwork, perseverance and consistency throughout his adolescence into adulthood.”
NFL Flag Football, Too!
Now that the summer programs have ended, PROtential Sports has begun shifting gears as it fields inquiries about its after-school instructional sports programs. After-school sports programs cost $68 per week (or $295 a month) per child.
If you pay online, use coupon code AS1819 to drop the price to $58/$255.
It’s also the time of year when interest in football is renewed. For kids who want to compete in organized, limited-contact flag football in a professionally-run league, PROtential Sports offers NFL Flag Football in both the fall and the spring.
The NFL Flag Football program operates under a license granted by the National Football League. It’s a 6-on-6 game, which is known for exciting, low-contact playmaking on the gridiron.
Currently in its second year, PROtential’s NFL Travel Flag Football League — which offers more of a competitive experience — also continues to be a success, including a second-place finish in a national tournament held at Lakewood Ranch.
“That’s Tony’s baby,” Nyree jokes.
The New Stuff
PROtential Sports is adding a golf academy at Heritage Isles Golf Club each day from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., and Tony also is starting new middle school leagues this fall.
Geared towards athletes who may not be ready to get playing time on teams with seventh and eighth graders, PROtential also will begin offering leagues in a handful of sports to be determined, like tennis, basketball, soccer and others.
Teams, which will play and practice each day from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., will represent their communities. So, a team from The Ridge might travel to Grand Hampton for a soccer match, or Meadow Pointe IV might take on Cory Lake Isles in a tennis contest.
Because many sixth graders can’t compete against bigger and more experienced schoolmates, they can often lose an entire season of playing while they wait their turns. The Blands aren’t looking to compete against middle school sports teams at area schools, but are hoping to help sixth graders in particular lay the foundation for future athletic success at school.
“We want to get kids ready,” Nyree says. “And, of course, not just for sports.”
More information about PROtential Sports’ NFL Flag Football, after-school instructional sports programs, sports leagues and camps is available at PROtentialSports.com or by calling (813)-843-9460. Also, see the ad on pg. 35 of this issue for more information.
PROtential Sports founders/owners Nyree (left) & Tony Bland were featured on a recent episode of WCNT-tv.
Tony and Nyree Bland know what it takes to achieve success at the highest levels of athletic competition and they have been sharing that knowledge with young people in communities throughout New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for more than a dozen years.
“It’s about being the best you can be and having integrity,” says Nyree.
That’s the foundation of the New Tampa couple’s youth sports training company, PROtential Sports, where the stated mission is “Teaching Life Through Sports.”
Achieving high standards of performance through hard work and fair play is what the Blands credit for their own personal and professional successes, on and off the fields of play. Nyree was ranked as the number-one junior tennis player in North Carolina before a knee injury curtailed her professional tennis aspirations. Tony was a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings for four years, including the team’s historic 16-victory season in 1998. He played behind NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter and future Hall of Famer Randy Moss.
Passing on the insights and lessons from their own experiences is the goal of every after-school program, sports league and summer camp PROtential offers.
“We’re trying to teach them how to be a good person, as well as being a good athlete,” says Nyree.
Their venture into the business side of athletics came about in 2003 when Tony participated in a youth football camp with then-Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson (who was also a teammate of Tony’s at Minnesota) and running back Michael Pittman.
That experience brought home Tony’s own football beginning, as a 14-year-old playing in a youth football league and then catching passes at Pinellas Park High. His focused dedication to athletic achievement became part of his overall lifestyle, including academics, and he earned a scholarship to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, where he majored in political science.
PROtential district manager Julie Garretson is a lifelong athlete who aspired to a career in physical education and now oversees many of the day-to-day operations of PROtential Sports. Since the youth activities are community-oriented, that means developing relationships with activity and lifestyle directors and stopping by when the children are on-site to check on things.
According to Garretson, PROtential Sports’ after-school programs for students five to 12 years-old are located at Club Tampa Palms, Arbor Greene, Heritage Isles, Grand Hampton and Cory Lake Isles (the latter is for Cory Lake residents only) in New Tampa and at Seven Oaks and Meadow Pointe IV in Wesley Chapel.
“We pick up from all the local schools,” says Garretson. “We do a snack time, a quick study hall and then a sports routine. We do two to three sports a day and try to hit each major sport twice a week.”
Besides getting a chance to learn about and play a variety of sports, including baseball, football, golf, tennis and soccer, kids participating in a PROtential Sports after-school program also learn life skills. Garretson says that whether it’s after school, at one of PROtential’s summer camps or in the company’s competitive leagues, the principles of teamwork and sportsmanship apply.
“We want the kids to always put their best foot forward,” Garretson says, adding that instilling a solid work ethic and sense of compassion in young people — whatever their athletic goals may be — will serve them well in the future. And, she says that’s important for kids to understand.
“You can’t be an athlete forever, but you’re a human being forever,” she says.
There are about 20 coaches working directly with children at PROtential. Experience in sports is a requirement, but according to Garretson, their job qualifications are not just derived from their athletic statistics or backgrounds.
“(Our instructors) should be teachers,” she says. “They are 50-percent life coaches and 50-percent sports coaches.”
One of PROtential’s coaches is Brooks Lovely, who says he has been playing sports since he was 3-years-old. Lovely was an offensive lineman at Maryville College in Maryville, TN, and he also was a football coach at Robinson High in Tampa before signing up with PROtential. Lovely expresses awareness of the responsibility he is entrusted with in working with young people.
“We try to make a positive impact on their lives every day,” says Lovely. “We teach them what we learned in our life through sports, like the importance of teamwork and communication.”
He adds that part of the job sometimes involves helping kids in the after-school program with their homework and instilling a positive attitude about getting good grades. “(We tell the kids that they) need to learn to like school,” he says.
Coach Devonn Polk can easily relate to the kids he’s responsible for at PROtential Sports. The Wharton High grad played tight end for the Wildcats. To him, you’re never too young to learn a sense of responsibility and PROtential Sports offers a way to do that.
“We teach them not just how to play sports, but how to be good leaders,” the Heritage Isles resident says.
The lessons that New Tampa resident Sandra Ferris says her son Alexavier has learned through PROtential Sports makes the program a winner in her view.
“It’s gratifying to watch my son learn a variety of sporting techniques while gaining lifelong leadership and sportsmanship skills,” Ferris says. “I firmly believe that Alexavier will learn to exemplify PROtential Sports’ motto, ‘Teaching Life Through Sports,’ by developing an appreciation for teamwork, perseverance and consistency throughout his adolescence into adulthood.”
NFL Flag Football, Too
While the end of summer means PROtential Sports is right now fielding a lot of inquiries about its after-school programs, it’s also the time of year when interest in football is renewed. For kids who want to compete in organized, limited-contact flag football in a professionally-run league, PROtential Sports offers NFL Flag Football.
The NFL Flag Football program operates under a license granted by the National Football League. It plays a six-on-six style of game, which is known for exciting playmaking on the uncrowded gridiron.
How You Can Get Into The Game With PROtential!
PROtential Sports also gives business-minded adults a way to get in the game through franchise opportunities. The company that Tony and Nyree Bland started more than a decade ago now operates in Riverview and Westchase, as well as New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. Franchising is another area of responsibility for Garretson.
“We have franchise opportunities available in Central Florida and we hope to expand into Pinellas County and Orlando,” Garretson says.
As PROtential Sports continues to grow, it sometimes means Nyree and Tony dress for doing business a little more often than they do coaching on the field. But, whether it’s business or sports, Nyree says whatever success they’ve achieved can always be traced back to the core values that have guided her and Tony throughout their lives.
“Having integrity and showing good character,” she says. “Because that’s all you have, is your integrity and your word.”
More information about NFL Flag Football, after-school programs, sports leagues, camps and franchise opportunities is available at PROtentialSports.com or by calling 843-9460. You also can check out Episode 3 of WCNT-tv for a special segment featuring PROtential Sports at NTNeighborhoodnews.com or Youtube/WCNT-tv.
Pokemon GO is taking over The Shops at Wiregrass mall, new restaurants are nearing completion of S.R. 56, we stop by and talk with PROtential Sports and Gary shares some of his favorite places to get a good meal in the Seminole Heights area.
That experience brought home Tony’s own football beginning, as a 14-year-old playing in a youth football league and then catching passes at Pinellas Park High. His focused dedication to athletic achievement became part of his overall lifestyle, including academics, and he earned a scholarship to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, where he majored in political science. 
One of PROtential’s coaches is Brooks Lovely, who says he has been playing sports since he was 3-years-old. Lovely was an offensive lineman at Maryville College in Maryville, TN, and he also was a football coach at Robinson High in Tampa before signing up with PROtential. Lovely expresses awareness of the responsibility he is entrusted with in working with young people.
