Sidelines

+ Sarasota YMCA in need of volunteers
The Sarasota Family YMCA is looking for volunteers to help during the 2014 YMCA National Gymnastics Championship next month.

The Sarasota Y and the Tampa Metropolitan Y are co-hosting the event, which will be held at the Tampa Convention Center.

Volunteer duties include: decorations, moving equipment, timing the meets, manning the information desk, handling ticket sales, greeting attendees and participants, maintenance, registration and announcing.

Set-up and registration begins July 1 with the final competition and teardown scheduled for July 5.

Those interested in volunteering should complete the online volunteer application at ymcagymnationals.org and then email Jennifer Craig at [email protected]. Be sure to mention the dates and times you are available.

For more information, contact Craig at 952-9533, Ext. 106.

+ i9 Sports fall registration open
Registration for the 2014 fall i9 Sports Manatee/Sarasota season is now underway.

The season begins Sept. 27 and runs through Nov. 15. The league is open to boys and girls ages 4 and up. Fall sports include: flag football, soccer, basketball, T-ball and cheerleading.

For more information and to register, visit i9sports.com or call 312-2400.

+ The Founders Club improvements begin
The Founders Club in Sarasota began improvements last month to enhance the club’s driving range.

Improvements, which began May 19, include grass replacement and an expansion that will double the size of the half-acre driving range.

The range was closed for three weeks while crews replaced traditional Bermuda grass with sprigs of Florida-friendly Celebration, a deep blue-green type of Bermuda, which has been named the top turf for wear tolerance, recovery and drought resistance.

The renovation also will include expansion of the 22-tee driving range and will add as many as 15 spots to accommodate a growing membership. The full range will open in October.

The Founders Club is dedicated to a traditional golf experience. It offers the area’s only caddie program and allows members to walk the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed championship course. Membership is limited to 275, allowing members to golf year-round with no tee time required.

For more information on The Founders Club, visit ExperienceFounders.com or call 866-711-3132.

+ Florida Burn 2016 Pennant Team
The Florida Burn 2016 Pennant Team went 7-0 to win the 2014 16U WWBA East Memorial Day Classic May 23 through May 26, in Fort Myers.

The Burn outscored its opponents 32-3 during four pool play games. The team then went on to beat the Scorpions 2016 Prime 2-0 in the quarterfinals. The Burn came from behind to beat South Florida Storm Blue 3-2 in eight innings on a walk-off double.

In the championship game, the Burn defeated Elite Squad 16U Prime 3-2 on a walk-off suicide squeeze bunt to win the 16U championship.

Braden River pitcher Eric Kimsey earned a pair of wins for the Burn, while Braden River’s Tyler Dyson went 7-for-15 with five RBIs to lead the way at the plate. Kimsey and Dyson also both made the all-tournament team.

ODA’s Parke Phillips came on in the top of the seventh inning to earn the win for the Burn in the championship game.