SPORTS Royal welcome

The First Academy football team will start its 2023-24 season under the guidance of Jeff Conaway, the first coach the Royals have hired since former head coach Leroy Kinard took charge 16 years ago.

After 16 years under the guidance of former head football coach Leroy Kinard, The First Academy football team now has a new leader and head coach in Jeff Conaway.

“When I came down and visited, all the boxes I needed to check as far as the church, the administration, the school for my kids, the opportunity for my career, the ability for my family to thrive, the people that I get to work with, checked,” Conaway said. “This is not something that I sought after.

I’m not trying to over spiritualize it, but I believe God opened the doors and God called me here. I don’t know that I really had an option, I think if

I would have stayed (where I was), I would have been disobedient.”

For 20 years — four as an assistant coach and 16 as the head coach — TFA was the temple where Kinard provided young student-athletes with the knowledge of the sport of football through the Christian pathway.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to coach at TFA and for the people that have had come across my path along the way, and for the entire experience,” he said. “Many coaches before me contributed (to the program) and it was my turn to do what I could do to make sure those guys were not only football players … but also that they knew what it meant to be a great husband and father. … I hope I did a good job while I was there, that I stewarded the program while I was there and that I helped guys become more Christ-like while I was there.”

However, change is inevitable, and TFA Athletic Director Will Cohen believes Conaway will be a tremendous addition to the Royals family.

“A lot of new, a lot of change, a lot of transition,” Cohen said. “Coach Kinard was here for a long time. All eight of my years as our director of athletics have been with him as my head football coach, and we feel like we ran a great race together. … But, we are looking forward to the days ahead, coach Conaway is — what we believe — an elite high school football coach and someone that is going to take the program to the next level and build upon what we’ve already done

The Orlando Area Rowing Society Men’s 2- boat placed first at the USRowing U19 National Team Trials Regatta Wednesday, June 14. Tyler Murphy and Ian Ballard crossed the finish line in second place during the time trials Tuesday, June 13, followed by a first place finish at the semifinals that same day. With a time of 6:50.6, Murphy and Ballard claimed first place at the regatta during the finals, becoming the fastest U19 2- men’s boat in the United States. With the win, OARS earned a spot to compete internationally for the U.S. However, the team declined the bid to be part of the U19 National Rowing Team at the 2023 World Rowing Under 19 Championships, to be held from Aug. 2 to 6 in Paris, France.

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The Winter Garden Squeeze will play a three-game series against the Leesburg Lighting. The first and second games will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 22, and Friday, June 23, at Olympia High. The third game will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at the Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg.

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Horizon High is looking for a girls JV head soccer coach to lead the Lady Hawks in the upcoming 2023-24 season. The ideal candidate will be a leader who has nurturing abilities, as well as an enthusiastic personality who knows how to motivate studentathletes. If interested, email your résumé to Thomas Brown, thomas. brown@ocps.net.

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The Foundation Academy swimming team got several student-athletes named to the NHSCA All-Academic team.

These include Cameron Cotch, Colton Kelly, Charles Lyman, Lexi Sheridan, Kenneth Gonzalez, Eliana Bosque and Quin Sundermeyer (honorable mention). Emma Sundermeyer was named to the second NHSCA All-Academic team.

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The CrossFit Iron Shamrock in Winter Garden hosted “The Murph” workout challenge recently. This workout was named after Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, who died in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. The workout consists of a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats and another 1-mile run. “We are truly honored to have hosted the ‘Murph’ workout challenge and pay tribute to Lt. Murphy and all the fallen heroes who have selflessly given their lives for our country,” CrossFit Iron Shamrock owner Tiffany Ferlmann said. CrossFit Iron Shamrock will host more events to foster community engagement while promoting physical fitness. For more information, visit crossfitironshamrock. com or contact (309) 369-0904.