Description
Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism’s High School Scholar Athlete Awards Program Presented by Indian River State College on Monday, April 17th 6:30 pm at the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, FL
Play Treasure Coast Sports tourism (formerly the Treasure Coast Sports Commission) is a 501 (C3) non-profit organization created to attract State, Regional, National and International sports-related events to the Treasure Coast Region and enhance the economic impact through sports tourism.
Sports and its economic social benefits have a multi-faceted appeal. From the hospitality Industry viewpoint, sporting events attracts large number of visitors to our area and from a community standpoint, sports provides civic pride, health and vitality, sportsmanship, anti-drug programs and a positive quality of life for our youth on the Treasure Coast.
For the past six (7) years, Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism has recognized outstanding high school student athletes for their dedication and hard work in the classroom, on the athletic field and community service within their community from 20 area public and private high schools.
Student athletes will be recognized and honored for:
- their achievements in the classroom,
- their strong leadership skills for their teams
- strength of character
- good sportsmanship
- serving as a role model to others on and off the playing field
Keynote speaker for the 2023 Awards Night is Rick Ankiel, a Port St. Lucie High School graduate and former professional baseball outfielder and pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, and New York Mets.
Ankiel became the first player after Babe Ruth to win at least 10 games as a pitcher and also hit at least 70 home runs. Ankiel is also the only player other than Ruth to both start a postseason game as a pitcher and hit a home run in the postseason as a position player. His change of position, and the fact that he played for six teams in a five-season span, suggest that Ankiel’s playing history represents “one of the stranger careers in baseball history” in the words of journalist Barry Petchesky.
Past guest speakers for the High School Scholar Athletes Awards Night have included:
- Jason Taylor: NFL Hall of Fame, former Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and New York Jets
- Doug Flutie: 1984 Heisman Trophy winner, Played in the NFL and Canadian Football League
- Erin Guy: TV Anchor for WPBF in West Palm Beach, FL, former college basketball player at IUPUI
- Trevor Mowad: Mental Conditioning expert and strategic advisor for some of the world’s elite athletes and performers.
