Hit or Miss: Jen Blanco

Lakewood Ranch residents Chris and Jessi McComas have taken the phrase "fun and games" to a new level. 

I met the couple for the first time eight months ago and it was arguably the most entertaining interview I’ve ever done. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard as I did in their living room. 

Coming from college towns built around athletics, the couple and I instantly clicked. The fact that Jessi was willing to throw a kickball at her husband’s head for a photo only added to the entertainment. 

After all, entertainment was why I was there in the first place. They were preparing to launch their first MVP Sports and Social kickball season with the goal of getting others in the community hooked on social sports. 

In the months since, the co-ed adult sports league has grown to three sports leagues with a fourth slated to launch in August. In addition to kickball, MVP Sports and Social also offers sand volleyball and cornhole leagues, both of which are now in season, and will soon offer a co-ed MVP softball league. 

During the season, MVP Sports and Social plays music during all league games and events and also holds several themed nights, such as 80s night, and an end of the season awards party. 

“We enjoy seeing everyone having fun,” Chris McComas said. “The biggest satisfaction we get is watching all of the new friendships made.”

Over the next 18 months, MVP Sports and Social plans to introduce several new leagues into the mix, including miniature golf, flag football, bowling and basketball. Additionally, the club also has several social events in the works, including trampoline dodgeball, soccer golf and attending live sporting events, among others. 

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at a sport, MVP Sports and Social might just be the club for you. With two young boys, I haven’t quite found the time to join a team just yet. Hopefully that will change in the coming months. 

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A trio of The Out-of-Door Academy graduates will be adding their names to the lengthy list of athletes to come out of the East County area to play college sports. 

M’Balia Bangoura, who captured the Class 1A doubles tennis state championship with Sydney Sforzo this spring, earned a scholarship to play for the University of Nebraska. 

Miller Condrack has aspirations of being a dual sport athlete in college. Condrack will attend SUNY Maritime College, in the Bronx, N.Y., where she plans to compete in lacrosse and sailing. 

Finally, Qiwen ‘Wendy’ Tan will continue her golf career at Vassar College, in Arlington, N.Y. 

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The Sarasota Crew is making it hard to go unnoticed. I imagine the area’s largest rowing club wouldn’t want it any other way. 

As in years past, the Crew sent a fairly large contingent of rowers to the USRowing Youth National Championships June 10-12, in West Windsor, N.J., and walked away with several top 5 finishes. 

The Men’s Youth 8+ posted the Crew’s best finish of the regatta, claiming a bronze medal in the event. 

Lakewood Ranch High junior Sydney Wright helped lead the Women’s lightweight 8+ to a fourth-place finish. 

The Men’s Lightweight 8+ finished third in the B Finals and ninth overall. The Men’s Lightweight 4+ finished fourth in C Finals while the Women’s double finish 12th overall.