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Tuscaloosa Awarded US AMATEUR SOCCER ASSOCIATION REGION III CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2010 AND 2011
Tuscaloosa, Alabama (January 5, 2009) The University of Alabama Student Recreation Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has been awarded the right to host the USASA Region III Soccer Championships in 2010 and 2011.
"I am so pleased that Tuscaloosa has been afforded this opportunity to host another significant event such as the USASA Region III Championships," said Don Staley Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation. “The Foundation is looking forward to partnering with George Brown and his outstanding staff at the UA University Recreation to provide a really special tournament event for the adult athletes and families that come to Tuscaloosa over Memorial Day weekend, as well as showcase the great things about the UA campus, its facilities, and our community.”
The opportunity to host the USASA Region III Championships is given to a venue from one of the 11 Southeastern states in that region on a two-year rotating basis. The tournament is traditionally played over Memorial Day weekend, typically includes more than 32 teams and was held in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2008 and 2009. Alabama last hosted the Region III Championships when it was held in 1999 and 2000 in Montgomery, Alabama.
"USASA Region III is very excited to call Tuscaloosa, Alabama home for the next two years,” said Kim Bowen, USASA Region III National Cup Commissioner. “With the current growth of adult soccer in Alabama, Don Staley's extensive soccer background, the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation’s proven experience in hosting prestige events and the excellent sports facilities of the UA Recreational Fields Complex, the next two years will deliver a great playing experience for our tournament’s participants." University Recreation Executive Director, George Brown, states, “we are excited to be hosting this top level soccer event at The University of Alabama and we welcome the opportunity to showcase our wonderful University Recreation facilities.”
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation also worked closely with the Alabama Soccer Association and grassroots members of the Alabama adult soccer community to bring the prestigious national soccer event to Alabama.
“The ASA is thrilled to have the 2010/2011 Regional III Adult Amateur tournaments come to Tuscaloosa,” said Griffin Shreves, VP-Adults for Alabama Soccer Association. “We look forward to the great competition and the opportunity to be part of these great soccer events.”
For more information about the USASA Region III Championships, contact Don Staley Executive Director, Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at 205-394-0700.
USASA Region III Championships Fast Facts
Dates: May 28 – 31, 2010
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Venue: The University of Alabama Student Recreation Center
About the USSF/USASA National Cups Competitions
The National Cups Competition is the oldest and most national prestigious soccer tournament in the United States teams playing in a league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation and the United States Adult Soccer Association.
The competition began in 1914 for the Men’s Open Cup. In 1923, the Men’s Amateur Cup was added; in 1980 the Women’s Amateur and Over 30 Cups were begun.
Each year, some 250 teams from four Regions across the United States participate in the National Cups Competition. 250 Teams! Of these, only 8 teams will become a National Champion in one of the 8 following divisions:
Additionally, the eight Men’s Regional Open Cup finalists from the four regions are each awarded a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, where they could potentially meet a top professional team from Major League Soccer or the United Soccer Leagues.
National Cups Men’s Competitions: Open Cup, Amateur Cup, Over 30 Cup, Under 23 Cup
National Cups Women’s Competitions: Open Cup, Amateur Cup, Over 30 Cup, Under 23 Cup
USASA National Cups Competitions: http://www.usasa.com/NationalCups09/index_E.html
USASA: www.usasa.com
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Announces Buffalo Rock as a Corporate Partner
 Tuscaloosa, AL-The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has landed another major company as a corporate partner in its quest to bring the Tuscaloosa area a better quality of life through sports. Buffalo Rock now joins the growing list of TSF’s corporate partners to help serve the West Alabama area.
Fitzgerald Washington, General Sales Manager Buffalo Rock Company, had this to say about the new deal. “We are excited to be associated with the TSF and their aggressive approach regarding new sports opportunities to our area. The TSF has a solid vision of providing “high profile” sporting events for the region that are consistent with Buffalo Rock’s community service commitment. We look forward to a long-term relationship with the TSF”. Buffalo Rock has been a part of this community for a long while, and they keep showing the community their dedication to it with acts like this. John Cook, General Manager Buffalo Rock Company, was also very proud of the partnership. “The Buffalo Rock Company is proud of its partnership with the TSF. As a national leader in the beverage industry, we truly appreciate and recognize organizations with a strong desire to impact a community. The excitement that has been generated by the TSF has been felt not only locally but throughout the entire state.”
 Don Staley, Executive Director, Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, couldn’t have been happier to have a quality company such as Buffalo Rock on board with the Foundation. “I was given some advice by one of the most well respected people in the industry when I first took this new job. Dr. Susan Blackwood of the San Antonio Sports Commission told me when starting a sports foundation partnering with the top organizations in your area brings significant credibility to your organization and cause. Important steps in cultivating quality partnerships include bringing onboard your local media (T.V., Print and Radio) and we did that. Then, she said, you begin making inroads with well respected associations like the Chamber of Commerce and then well established local businesses in your town. Having followed that advice I am proud to say that today we officially add another major corporate sponsor in Buffalo Rock to TSF’s growing armada of corporate sponsors”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation seeks to attract quality sports events to the area at the youth, amateur, and professional level, making our area a regional, state, national, and international destination for competitions of every kind. For information on the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, please visit tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700.
Tuscaloosa scores big success with Super 6
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| Jason Harless / The Tuscaloosa News |
Demopolis players hoist the state companionship trophy after their' 27-14 victory over Russellville at the AHSAA 5A state football championship game Thursday at Bryant-Denny Stadium
By Andrew Carroll Sports Writer Published: Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 9:56 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA | If the first reviews are any indication, staging the AHSAA Super 6 Championships in Bryant-Denny Stadium was a resounding success.
“From what I’ve been hearing in the coaches’ (hospitality) room, I think we’ve hit a grand slam,” said Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation.
The cities of Tuscaloosa and Auburn teamed up on a proposal to rotate as hosts for the event. When the Auburn University football team plays Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2010, the Super 6 Championships will be at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Super 6 event started in 1996 to bring all the finals to Birmingham’s Legion Field. The six games were originally held over a three-day period. In Tuscaloosa, the finals were compressed into two days.
Construction was still going on in the south end zone of Bryant-Denny Stadium when the daytime games were played on Thursday and Friday, but Steve Savarese, executive director of the AHSAA, said emphatically that there were “no glitches.”
“It’s been an exceptional event with great customer service,” Savarese said. “The City of Tuscaloosa, Northport and the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation have all made a difference for our kids and our students and our state. We are deeply in gratitude to this city for what they’ve done for us and for our kids.
“I’ve seen superintendents cry. I’ve seen principals and coaches cry. I’ve seen children taking pictures since the moment they arrived. This is going to make a huge difference in creating lifelong memories, and we’re the ones that are deeply appreciative.”
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said he met briefly with Savarese on Friday.
“To say the least, I believe the Alabama High School Athletic Association is very pleased with the customer service and the welcoming spirit of this community,” Maddox said. “We believe this is going to generate a $4 to 6 million impact on a weekend we normally have very little going on.
“For our city to host an event on a statewide scale and do it in a manner which showcases the professionalism and the vibrancy of this city, you can’t ask for more than that. We’re very excited and very pleased, and we look forward to 2011.”
Staley said the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation was formed in 2007 with the goal of promoting the city through sporting events. Staley said he followed the example of former Alabama coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant and tried to “surround myself with good people.”
“You learn a whole bunch about working with different groups,” Staley said. “I sort of dove in with both feet because one man can’t do it all. Any good leader taps into the resources he has.”
Staley said the first piece of the puzzle was getting local motels and hotels to reserve rooms for visiting teams. The Bruno Event Team got involved along with the Chamber of Commerce, PARA, the YMCA and Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau. Staley said he knew had the support of the Tuscaloosa and Northport city governments and the Tuscaloosa County Commission.
“We couldn’t have done this without the support of an entire community,” he said. “When this event is done, you remember the people who were good to you. There were very few doors that were closed.”
Savarese, a former football coach, said it should be a special occasion for high school athletes to play on the same fields where the Crimson Tide and the Tigers play.
“Ninety-nine percent of our kids will never get the opportunity to play at the next level or especially at this level,” Savarese said. “For them to have the opportunity to step on the field of the possible SEC champs, whether it be in Auburn or Alabama, it’s just a memory that the kids will have for the rest of their life.”
Savarese said 1,100 coaches from across the state had visited the hospitality rooms in the stadium.
“It’s double the amount we normally have, so it means everything to the coaches in this state,” Savarese said. “There has not been one coach who stepped on this field who hasn’t thanked the association and everyone involved for making this event special to them.”
Savarese said that next week the management teams will meet and compare their “bucket lists” of the pros and cons.
“It will mostly be on the pro side,” Savarese said. “Then we’ll meet the following week in Auburn and Auburn will begin immediately working toward this event in Auburn. They’ll take the best practices from this event and use them to continue to build on this event.”
Maddox said Auburn’s mayor, Bill Ham, was part of a visiting group that gathered information on how to stage the event next year.
“I want to say the City of Tuscaloosa, all their support people and their sports foundation have done an excellent job,” said Ron Anders, chairman of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council. “They’ve put on a major event in a short period of time. I commend their efforts and the University of Alabama’s support of this.
“We’ve been up here the last 24 hours and learned a great deal. Both communities know a lot about putting on big football games, but putting on six games in two days lends itself to being a unique occurrence. We do have some work to do when we get home, but it’s not things we’re not prepared to do.”
Anders said he expects the 2010 Super 6 to provide a “multi-million dollar boost” for the Auburn-Opelika economy.
“What’s important for Auburn and for Tuscaloosa is that every year after Thanksgiving, as Christmas season is getting started, we’re going to have an economic victory,” Anders said. “One community is going to have the Iron Bowl, and the other community is going to have the Super 6. For six straight years, we’re going to have a great economic boost right after Thanksgiving. It’s a great opportunity for both Auburn and Tuscaloosa.”
The setting and the outcome were perfect for senior linebacker Caleb Crane of Cherokee County. Crane had seven tackles as the Warriors won the Class 4A title with a 31-27 victory over Jackson.
Last year Cherokee County played UMS-Wright in the title game at Birmingham’s Legion Field.
“We got here early today,” Crane said. “We kind of came out here and threw it around a little bit just to get used to the atmosphere and how you’re going to see the ball and stuff.
“It was the best place I’ve ever played in in my life. It was special to play here. I’m a big Alabama fan. I’ve been an Alabama fan since I could walk. It was great just to be able to come here and play where Alabama plays.”
Jackson made its first appearance in a Super 6 championship game. “It was amazing that we had a chance to play up here, but it really didn’t affect us at all,” said senior Damion Bracy, Jackson’s leading rusher. “Everything went fine. This is something I’ll remember.”
Reeltown’s Shaquille Roberson, a junior linebacker, recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter, and the Rebels ran out the clock to secure a 16-8 victory against Clay County in the Class 2A final.
“I’m an Alabama fan,” Roberson said. “I love playing on this field. It was just a great experience for us to come out here and do this. To win it all, it’s just a happy feeling for us. I’ll never forget this day.”
Shawncey Simmons, a sophomore quarterback who scored the only touchdown for Clay County on s 60-yard run, said he was somewhat familiar with the big stadiums because his brother, Stanford Simmons, played at Auburn.
“I used to come to the Iron Bowl,” Simmons said. “This was the first championship (game) I’ve ever been to. It meant a lot to me.”
Reach Andrew Carroll at andrew.carroll@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0223.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Tuscaloosa scores big success with Super 6
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Gets Ready for Its Second Event of the Fall Season
Tuscaloosa, AL-Just two weeks after the Bama Rama Invitational, the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation is setting up for its second major event of the season. The Clash at the Capstone Youth Football Tournament will start this Friday, November 27 and run through Sunday November 28. Games will be played at sites around Tuscaloosa including Central High School and Stillman College.
The tournament is the first event that will be coordinated by a joint staff of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation and the West Alabama Youth Football Association. " It's always nice to see people’s dreams come true and in the case of the Clash, Burkles Davis and WAYFA organization are experiencing fulfillment and reality in that over 32 teams will converge onto Tuscaloosa for this outstanding first year tournament. In addition some local hotels will feel a spike in business during a traditionally slow period. This is a positive first step in what can be a staple for many youth football teams around the southeast to return to Tuscaloosa for years to come." Coach Don Staley, Executive Director, Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation said.
For more information on Clash at the Capstone or the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation please visit either www.tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or http://www.wayfa.info/cachome.htm.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Wraps Up the First Event on their 2009 Fall Calender
Tuscaloosa, AL-The Bama Bounders gymnastics club and the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation were both extremely relieved when the doors closed at the Belk Center Sunday night. The twenty-third annual Bama Rama Invitational was a major success this weekend, drawing in over seven-hundred and fifty gymnasts including thirty-five boy gymnasts to compete in the first ever boys gymnastics session at the event. The setup for the event started on Thursday and the competition began on Friday at 2PM and lasted until 5:30 Sunday evening, running two gyms for most of that time. Mike Holdefer, Don Staley, Julie Wilson, Celeste Holcutt, and a plethora of volunteers and parents teamed together to make this one of the most successful local gymnastics meets to date. This was the first event of the Fall season, and it will be followed by the Clash at the Capstone Youth Football Tournament on November 28, 29, and 30, and the AHSAA Super 6 Football Championships on December 3 and 4.
TheTuscaloosa Sports Foundation Announces Completion of the Super 6 Volunteer Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL-The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has completed its drive for individual volunteers for the AHSAA Super 6 football championships completing a process started just a few months ago. This feat was completed more than a month ahead of schedule. There were over four-hundred and eighty-five volunteer spots filled including two-hundred and fifty volunteers for inside the stadium, sixty plus ticket seller positions, hosts/hostesses, team hosts, and sideline volunteers. The AHSAA Super 6 football championships will take place on December 3 and 4, 2009, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
This is a major step on the path to making this event successful. Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, was in awe of the avid participation of the local community. “It is incredible the amount of support that we have received from our community. Whether it was businesses, banks, school systems, service organizations, or just the general interested fan, our community once again shows why Tuscaloosa is such a special place.”
Although there is much still to do before the AHSAA’s arrival, the foundation is confident that the remaining pieces of the puzzle will be quickly put together in the days and weeks to come. December 1, the AHSAA will arrive for a walk-through and meetings, followed by December 2 with receptions, banquets, the coaches’ chalk talk, then the FCA breakfast will begin on December 3 and three games will take place at Bryant-Denny Stadium on the same date. December 4 will bring three more games and the conclusion of this major event.
From a logistical standpoint, Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation is confident and appreciative with UA Auxiliary services, UA Event management team and the working relationship between the City of Tuscaloosa and TDOT to coordinate a smooth transition into our city and to the arrival at the gates of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Our city’s hotels, businesses, and merchants stand ready to accommodate and provide excellent services and hospitality to our out of town guests who are here to enjoy what we feel will be the finest championships to date.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. One of the cornerstones of the foundation’s mission was to bring the AHSAA Super 6 football championships to Tuscaloosa. For more information on the AHSAA Super 6 football championships or the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, visit tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Announces Host Positions
Tuscaloosa, AL-Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation announced today that all of the positions available for the AHSAA Super 6 Football Championships host/hostess have been filled. Several community organizations have chipped in to help make this possible. The hosts/hostesses will assist in all phases of the event’s hospitality functions.
The following organizations are supporting Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation for these important positions that will represent Tuscaloosa and service all the various needs of our out of town guests: West Alabama Chamber of Commerce, working in the VIP area; Tuscaloosa PARA and Tuscaloosa YMCA, working in the coaches’ hospitality room. Individual staff members from the University of Alabama recreational center, Hillcrest, Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Central, Northridge and Bryant High Schools, the Junior Cosmos, Shelton State Ambassadors, and the Tuscaloosa Civinettes will all be working other events and areas. “These outstanding organizations and high schools have helped us facilitate much needed hospitality roles in these four rooms and at banquets. TSF and our community are indebted to these organizations for the support they have given to this event.” said Don Staley, executive director Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation on the good news.
This announcement comes less than a week after the announcement that the ticket seller and sideline volunteer positions have been filled as well. These are all very important steps to making sure that Tuscaloosa is ready for the AHSAA Super 6 football championships. The AHSAA Super 6 football championship will take place December 3 and 4, 2009 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has been in operation since June of 2008. One of the cornerstones of the foundation’s mission was to bring the AHSAA Super 6 football championships to Tuscaloosa. For more information the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation or the AHSAA Super 6 football championships visit tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org, or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, at (205)-394-0700.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Announces Completion of Sideline Volunteer Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL-It has been announced today that the West Alabama Metro Referee Officials Association has stepped up with sponsorship of the sideline volunteers for the AHSAA Super 6 State Football Championships. This is a major contribution as it has filled close to forty volunteer slots over two days for six football games. The AHSAA Super 6 Football state championship will take place on December 3 and 4, 2009 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
This announcement comes on the heels of the news that the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has filled all of its ticket seller positions, and takes the event even closer to a full staff. Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, was gracious when he got the news, “This is a great example of people giving back to the community. I’d like to thank Gregg Kosloff, President of the West Alabama Metro Referee Officials Association, the volunteers, and their employers for allowing them to take the time off to help this year’s state football championships a memorable event.”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. One of the cornerstones of the foundation’s mission was to bring the AHSAA Super 6 Championships to Tuscaloosa. For more information on the AHSAA Super 6 football championships or the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, go to tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Announces Fulfillment of Ticket Seller Positions
Tuscaloosa, AL-All fifty-six spaces for ticket sellers at the AHSAA Super 6 Football Championships have been filled thanks to the local area banks. The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, TSF, held a meeting in August with the team hosts for the twelve teams that will travel to Tuscaloosa for the event. Eric Kightlinger, a team host and volunteer for the event, had a novel idea. Why not let people who handle money on an everyday basis, our city bank tellers, handle the responsibilities of handling the money at the ticket windows? Since then, nine area banks have stepped up by offering their cooperation in getting their bank personnel to volunteer for the jobs.
This step allows TSF to move on to the other four volunteer drives, for team hosts, hospitality room host/hostesses ,sideline volunteers, and stadium workers/volunteers, that would complete the needs for the championships. Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, was excited about the support of the community on this drive, “This is another piece of the puzzle to be finished. We are thrilled to have the support of our local banks and other organizations that have contributed. We will now move forward with our ambassador groups and other projects to complete the readiness of the 2009 AHSAA Super 6 Football Championships.”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. One of the cornerstones of the foundation’s mission was to bring the AHSAA Super Six Championships to Tuscaloosa. For information on the AHSAA Super Six football championships or the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, go to tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700.
Skyy Boxing Gym Announces Spar-a-Thon to raise funds for gym
Tuscaloosa, AL-Skyy Boxing Gym will be holding a Spar-a-Thon at the gym on Thursday, October 22. The event will feature Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder doing a workout, and Olympics and Silver Gloves Champions Heath Dunn, DeMontae Pickens and Nate King sparring for the crowd in a real boxing gym.
The Spar-a-Thon is being presented to raise money for Skyy Boxing Gym which provides a quality program for youth, amateur, and professional boxers. When asked about the fundraiser, Jay Deas, owner/operator of the gym said, “It sure beats a car wash.” Ticket sales and donations will go to help keep the gym running and provide new equipment for the gym. Tickets will be $20 and will be available in advance or at the door. For your donation, you will receive a night of quality entertainment, snacks and soft drinks, and a free raffle ticket that is valued at $5. Additional raffle tickets can be bought inside.
Skyy Gym is located in Northport off of MacFarland Boulevard/Highway 82 behind the Pizza Hut and across from the Northport Police Department. You may park in the front or back of the gym. Donations will also be accepted if you cannot make the event. For any questions, please contact Jay Deas at (205) 799-1696.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Partners with Patriot Softball Classic
Tuscaloosa, AL- The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation announced today its partnership with the 5th annual Patriot Softball Classic February 26-27, 2010 at Hillcrest High School softball complex and PARA’s Bowers Park. The tournament partnership comes days before the hosting of the ACCC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships in the Hillcrest area at Shelton State Community College Feb 28- March 6, 2010
The Patriot Classic will feature thirty-three high school teams from all over Alabama, and will also feature eight junior college teams from across three states. The tournament is not just for competition’s sake, but also donates money to the DCH Cancer Foundations. Last year’s tournament produced over $9,000 in contributions from monies raised by several of the participating teams. When asked about the tournament and the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation’s involvement, Angie Pugh, Patriot Softball Classic Tournament director, had this to say, “On behalf of the Hillcrest High School Softball Booster Club, I would like to thank the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation for becoming a supporter of our tournament.”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation joins a long list of sponsors supporting the 2010 tournament and its fight for the cure of Breast Cancer. TSF Executive Director Don Staley said “The TSF’s expectation is for this tournament to continue to grow at a rapid pace due in large part to a quality infrastructure in place from the local softball community, outstanding community involvement at all levels, top flight softball facilities and proven success from Angie Pugh and her staff that will help lead us to even bigger tournaments on the state, regional, and national level” Staley went on to say “Tuscaloosa County Commissioner Bobby Miller was instrumental in bringing to our attention the significant number of teams this tournament has and will continue to attract and its potential growth for tournaments like these in the future”.
This event will be one of the many spring season events on the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation’s calendar including the Crimson Classic gymnastics meet, ACCC men’s/women’s basketball tournament, and the Alabama USAG optional state gymnastics meet and Professional Boxing later this spring @ Shelton State Community College.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation seeks to attract quality sports events to the area at the youth, amateur, and professional level, making our area a regional, state, national, and international destination for competitions of every kind. For information on the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, please visit tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation and the Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse Association Join in a Partnership
Tuscaloosa,AL-The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation continues its mission to improve and enhance the sports experience in Tuscaloosa County and West Alabama with its partnership with the Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse Association(GBYLA). The partnership will help to bring the sport of lacrosse to Tuscaloosa through some of GBYLA’s coaching staff, teachers, experience and leadership. The goal of the partnership is to expose Tuscaloosa to the sport, stimulate growth, and bring future events to the area in the future.
Lacrosse is a fast-paced contact game that people compare with soccer and hockey in its strategies and game play. It is one of the fastest growing sports in America and in particular the South. Over the last few years, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida have all developed lacrosse as a championship sponsored sport. Alabama has its own high school club teams which are building from the Birmingham area. Mountain Brook, Hoover, John Caroll, Homewood, Spain Park, and Vestavia all have teams.
The GBYLA started off as the Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse League in 1999, and in those ten years has seen its membership class go from five to ten boys in the first season to 930 boys and girls in the most recent season. It also claims Brye French, who graduated from Hoover in 2008 and is now attending the US Naval Academy, as one of its alumni as well as Trey Atkinson who will attend Robert Morris University outside of Pittsburgh after his graduation in 2010. When asked about the partnership, Hunter Faulconer, executive director of GBYLA had this to say, “The GBYLA is really looking forward to help bring lacrosse to Tuscaloosa. It really is a great sport.”
Among the growing list of events that are already on the TSF’s calendar, this partnership will help bring additional events to Tuscaloosa in future years. “With the leadership of a guy like Hunter Faulconer, I see this sport growing in this state and locally with the opportunity down the road to host regional level competition which brings significant economic returns for our community” said Don Staley, Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation.
This partnership adds to the long list of youth associations that the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation is partnering with including Warrior baseball, Skyy Boxing, Bama Bounders gymnastics program along with several other local organizations.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation seeks to attract quality sports events to the area at the youth, amateur, and professional level, making our area a regional, state, national, and international destination for competitions of every kind. For information on the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, please visit tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700. For information on the Greater Birmingham Youth Lacrosse Association, please visit their website at gbyla.org.
Tuscaloosa No. 57 among best sports cities
Published: Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 11:24 p.m.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. | The city of Tuscaloosa moved up 21 spots to No. 57 in Sporting News’ annual Best Sports Cities rankings, which were announced Wednesday.
“Man, that is wonderful news,” said Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation. “There’s no question that the arrival of Coach Nick Saban and the ascension of the (University of Alabama) football program back to the top ranks obviously helped in a major way to move us up in that poll.
“I’d like to think in a small way the things we’re doing, what the Convention and Visitors Bureau has done and basically the local sporting organizations have done in the last year — with (Olympic boxer) Deontay Wilder and his success, outstanding events with the triathlon (elite national championship), the list goes on and on — have played a part in that. It’s a great time to live in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and it’s only going to get better.”
The Best Sports Cities list features 399 cities and towns in the U.S. and Canada, ranked by a system that assigns points to a variety of categories, including a city’s number of teams, the regular-season won-lost records of those teams, playoff berths, bowl appearances and tournament bids, championships, power ratings, fan fervor, attendance and more.
“People down here in Tuscaloosa, this is it for them. You won’t walk around anywhere without seeing an Alabama shirt,” Alabama offensive lineman Mike Johnson told Sporting News. “People just eat, sleep and breathe Alabama football. You’re always recognized wherever you go, and everybody wants to shake your hand or talk to you.”
Pittsburgh reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the rankings. Boston, which topped the rankings last year, fell to third place behind No. 2 Philadelphia.
“We identify with our sports teams as cities and communities, and, right or wrong, that affects how we feel about ourselves, not just as fans but as citizens,” said Sporting News chief of correspondents Bob Hille, who has coordinated the rankings since their expansion 13 years ago, in a press release. “That’s what we’re getting at with this list. We’re not just celebrating success but that sense of community in so many great sports cities in the U.S. and Canada.”
The full list can be found at: http://www.sportingnews.com/general/article/2009-10-06/best-sports-city-list.
The new Sporting News Magazine with the rankings, featuring Sidney Crosby and Ben Roethlisberger on the cover, hits newsstands later this week.
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John Croyle Featured Speaker for Baumhower’s Wings Sports Grill FCA Coach’s Breakfast
Tuscaloosa-The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has announced John Croyle will be the guest speaker at the Baumhower’s FCA coach’s breakfast presented by Moody Radio 88.9 FM December 3 beginning at 8 AM in “The Zone” at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The breakfast is in conjunction with the Super Six High School Football Championships at Bryant-Denny Stadium December 3-4, 2009 for the AHSAA coaches and representatives of the Association. John Croyle is a former standout defensive end and national champion at the University of Alabama, and is the founder and executive director of Big Oak Ranch, inc. which provides a “quality, Christian home and education for children who are simply needing a chance.”
The FCA breakfast comes on the heels of the Baumhower’s Wings Sports Grill “Coaches’ Welcome Reception” at the Bryant Museum, the AHSAA Super Six Kickoff Dinner featuring Coach Nick Saban as its guest speaker and the DCH Coaches’ Chalk Talk which will both be held in “The Zone”/The Recruiting Room at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the more than 450 coaches expected to be in attendance.
“John Croyle’s presence and inspirational message coming on the heels of Coach Saban’s speech takes these functions to a new level. We are honored to have speakers of this caliber in the first year of the Super 6 Championships in Tuscaloosa. John Croyle is an ambassador for the University of Alabama, the state of Alabama, and has made a difference in the lives of children throughout our great state.” said Don Staley Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation.
The Super 6 Championships, moved from Birmingham’s Legion Field to a rotation between Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn beginning this December, will be played on December 3-4 with three games each day.
The six state championship games will be played at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2009 with the class 3A finals set for Thursday at 11 AM on December 3, followed by the class 1A finals at 3 PM, and the class 5A finals at 7 PM. Friday’s schedule on December 4 will feature the class 4A finals at 11AM, followed the class 2A finals at 3 PM, and the class 6A finals concluding the event at 7 PM.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. One of the cornerstones of the foundation’s mission was to bring the AHSAA Super Six Championships to Tuscaloosa. For information on the AHSAA Super Six football championships or the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, go to tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org or contact Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205)-394-0700,
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation announces corporate sponsorship with radio station WTBC am 1230.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation announces a new corporate sponsor, radio station WTBC AM 1230. WTBC joins several other corporate sponsors including; WVUA Television, Tuscaloosa News and Citadel Broadcasting. These media outlets join Zoiig Web design, PostNet Printing, Pentad Consulting and Totalcom as TSF corporate sponsors.WTBC owner Ronnie Quarles said “Talk Radio 1230 WTBC and 102.9 Jack FM are proud to be associated with The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation. This further solidifies our commitment to local events as the local outlet for special events in the Tuscaloosa area. The economic impact these events will bring to our area are treasured asset to the West Alabama community.
Additionally, we are excited to being part of great local sporting events involving both the youth and professional athletes in our area”.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Executive Director Don Staley is also pleased with the partnership. “The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation is honored to officially have WTBC on board as a corporate sponsor and look forward to continuing the great relationship that was started more than a year ago during our infancy,”Staley said.
Whether it was Deontay Wilder’s rise to Olympic stardom, Pro Water20skiing at Lyman land or our quest for the Super Six, Ronnie, Dave and Wally have been in our corner from the beginning and for that we are indebted.”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, established in 2008, actively seeks to attract quality sporting events to the area for competition at the youth, amateur and professional levels, making Tuscaloosa a state, regional, national destination for events of every kind.
Coach Nick Saban Featured Guest Speaker for Super Six Kickoff Dinner
Tuscaloosa- The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has announced Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban will be the featured speaker at the AHSAA Super Six Kickoff Dinner sponsored by The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce, Wintzell’s Oyster House and Ellis Architects beginning at 6 p.m. December 2, 2009 at “The Zone” in Bryant Denny Stadium. The dinner is in conjunction with Super Six High School Football Championships that will be held at Bryant-Denny Stadium December 3-4, 2009 for the AHSAA Coaches and Representatives of the Association.
The Kickoff banquet comes on the heels of the Baumhower’s Wings Sports Grill “Coaches Welcome Reception” earlier in the day at the Bryant Museum and followed by members of the University of Alabama Coaching staff holding a “Coaches Chalk Talk” in the Zone and Recruiting Room for the more than 450 coaches expected to be in attendance.
The final hospitality function on December 3 concludes with the Baumhowers’s “Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coaches Breakfast” beginning at 8AM in the Zone with a guest speaker to be named.
“Coach Saban’s presence at this event projects the significance he places on the AHSAA Championships, its coaches and Tuscaloosa. His speech is expected to generate a record of statewide coaches converging into Tuscaloosa as well as those attending the “Coaches Chalk Talk” immediately following. “The AHSAA, Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation and our community leaders are indebted to Coach Saban and his staff for supporting the event which in turn helps create excitement, exposure and economic stimulus” said Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Don Staley.
The Super 6 championships, moved from Birmingham’s Legion Field to a rotation between Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn beginning this December, will be played Dec. 3-4 with three games each day. Since the Super 6 inception in 1996, the championship series had been played over three days with two games per day.
The six state championship games will be played at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2009 with the Class 3A finals set for 11 a.m., on Thursday, Dec. 3, followed by the Class 1A finals at 3 p.m., and the Class 5A finals at 7. Friday’s schedule on Dec. 4 will feature the Class 4A finals at 11 a.m., the Class 2A finals at 3 p.m., and the Class 6A finals at 7.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation began operation in June of 2008. One of the cornerstones of the foundation’s mission was to bring the AHSAA Super Six Championships to the Tuscaloosa. For information on the AHSAA Super Six football championships at Bryant-Denny Stadium or the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, go to tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org and super6al.com.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Announces Corporate Sponsors
08/03/2009 TUSCALOOSA, AL. – Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation announced today that three media corporate sponsors have partnered with the foundation; WVUA Television, The Tuscaloosa News and Citadel Broadcasting. The 4 media outlets join Zoiig Web Design, PostNet Printing, Pentad Consulting and Totalcom as TSF Corporate Sponsors.
The Partner program is focused on uniting forces with TSF to increase local, state, regional and national public awareness of Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation and the sporting events showcased in the area. As an official Community Partner, these organizations help support TSF initiatives, outreach programs in the local community as well as promoting future events.
Executive Director, Don Staley comments on the partnership by saying, "TSF is delighted to announce these partnerships which help move us forward in expanding the number of sporting events brought to our community. These exclusive sponsorships will maximize exposure for all that Tuscaloosa has to offer, in turn allowing us to bring bigger and more frequent events creating economic impact for our community. These media outlets will act as a vehicle to get our message out that Tuscaloosa, Alabama is an attractive place to host sporting events and help build our foundation for the future.”
Tuscaloosa has gained a presence in the Amateur and Olympic sports scene over the past several years as various groups in the community have successfully hosted events, such as the USAT Triathlon (TCVB), various AHSAA championships, National Teams exhibitions in Softball & Soccer and Regional/National Collegiate Championships at the University of Alabama (UA Athletics/UA Rec Sports) all of which receive high marks from national governing bodies.
Todd Livingston, the Director of Citadel Broadcasting in Tuscaloosa states, “Citadel Broadcasting's Tuscaloosa stations reach a vast cross-section of Tuscaloosa County and West Alabama. Given how important sports and community involvement are to Citadel Broadcasting, we are privileged to enter a sponsorship agreement with the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation.”
Citadel Broadcasting reaches a wide range of listeners, as they offer several radio stations, including 95.3, The Bear and The Deuce, 99.1.
Corporate sponsor, WVUA Television has also expressed enthusiasm for the partnership.
WVUA recently launched its digital broadcasting signal that is now seen in 3 million homes around the state and is expected to increase its coverage area, state wide in the future.
WVUA President Roy Clem believes “As Tuscaloosa's hometown television station, WVUA TV is honored to be the television media partner for the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation. The Foundation's mission is designed to bring exciting events, interesting people, and positive recognition to Tuscaloosa and West Alabama. We believe our expanded signal will help keep our loyal viewers and our new viewers across Central Alabama informed about the great things happening in Tuscaloosa."
“Almost a year ago, TSF president Chuck Sittason, executive committee members
CM Newton, Kirk McNair and Jimmy Warren and the TSF board charted a path to follow which would enhance a quality infrastructure in building this new sports organization. An area of need quickly identified was a working relationship with our local media to promote the events we bring to our community. The confidence these organizations have displayed through sponsorship is significant because it validates that we are heading in the right direction” comments Staley.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, established in 2008, actively seeks to attract quality sporting events to the area for competition at the youth, amateur and professional levels, making Tuscaloosa a state, regional, national destination for events of every kind.
For information, please contact Don Staley of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205) 394-0700 or dstaley3@aol.com
SHELTON STATE TO HOST 2010 ACCC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS
TUSCALOOSA - Shelton State Community College, in association with the Tuscaloosa
Sports Foundation, will host the 2010 Alabama Community College Conference
(ACCC) Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments Sunday, February 28, through
Saturday, March 6, at the Tom Umphrey Center.
The women's tournament will be held first, with tipoff on Sunday, Feb. 28. The
semifinal round will be played on Tuesday, March 2, followed by the women's
championship game on Wednesday, March 3.
The men's tournament will begin on Wed., March 3, with the semifinals scheduled
for Friday, March 5, and the men's championship game on Saturday, March 6. Times
for all games will be determined at a later date.
"I am so pleased that Shelton State has been afforded this opportunity to
service our sister schools in the state by hosting these events," said Dr. Mark
Heinrich, Shelton State President. "We also are grateful for the assistance from
the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation and look forward to a collaboration that will
allow us to showcase our campus, facilities, and community."
A previous host of both tournaments, Shelton State worked in tandem with the
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation (TSF) to secure this year's events. "Almost a year
ago we met with Dr. Heinrich with the plan to work with Shelton State in order
to bring quality events to Tuscaloosa that would benefit both our community and
Shelton State," said Don Staley, executive director of the TSF. "Being awarded
the tournaments yesterday was the beginning of an exciting partnership, and the
Foundation is thrilled to work with a first class organization like Shelton
State. It is a win-win situation, as it brings visitors to our city and exposes
them to what Tuscaloosa has to offer. Plus, it allows Shelton State to highlight
its impact in and commitment to our community."
Shelton State is no stranger to success in the ACCC Tournament. While their
teams were winning the championships in Hanceville, Ala., in March of this year,
Shelton State's Madonna Thompson and Barry Mohun were also honored following the
tournaments.
Thompson directed the Lady Bucs to a 28-4 record and their fourth straight ACCC
championship. She was honored as North Division Coach of the year for Region
XXII.
The men's team (31-2) posted a 31-game winning streak in 2008-09 en route to
claiming their second straight ACCC championship and the fourth in the last six
years. Mohun was also named the Region XXII North Division Coach of the Year at
the tournament. Prior to the tournament, Mohun also received the 2009 Glen Clem
Award as the Junior College Coach of the Year from The Birmingham Tip-Off Club.
He is the only recipient to receive the award more than once.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, established in 2007, operates with a mission
to provide, organize, and administer youth, amateur, and professional sports
activities, programs, and events to enhance the quality of community life in the
Tuscaloosa County area. In just over a year of operation the TSF is off to a
great start, as earlier this year it secured the Alabama High School Athletic
Association's Super Six football championships to be played in Bryant-Denny
Stadium for three of the next six years, starting December 2009. Other TSF
initiatives have included collegiate rugby, Olympic developmental soccer camps,
youth baseball, and events with Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder.
TUSCALOOSA | The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation officially came into being a little more than a year ago with the ambitious agenda of bringing the state high school football and basketball championships to the city.
The TSF reached a major part of that goal earlier this year when it landed a contract to bring the Alabama High School Athletic Association's Super Six football championships to Bryant-Denny Stadium for three of the next six years (in partnership with Auburn, which will host the event the other three years), starting this December.
The foundation has also played a major part in landing or staging 13 sporting events in the area in its first year, with events ranging from youth baseball and gymnastics to Olympic developmental soccer camps and collegiate rugby.
'The sports foundation's mission is to bid on events, run events and generate the revenue from those events for the local economy,' said Don Staley, executive director of the organization. 'There's been some giant leaps for the sports foundation, but there's also these baby steps that set up for the future.
'There's so many things that these other markets do that we can do and do just as well, if not better.'
The organization's official start date was June 2, 2008, but the idea began when Chuck Sittason, C.M. Newton — now president and vice president of the TSF, respectively — and others began to discuss ways to land the high school championship events. Meetings with leaders in the cities of Tuscaloosa and Northport and the Tuscaloosa County Commission resulted in $220,000 in funding for the first year, and the organization was officially formed last summer.
Staley's first order of business was to line up facility use agreements with the University of Alabama athletic department, the UA recreation department, Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, city and county schools and the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority.
'UA was the first piece to the puzzle,' Staley said. 'Everything else fell in line after that.'
Staley started small, with the TSF helping to host a pro water skiing event and state youth baseball events last summer, but much of the organization's time and resources in the first year were devoted to the high school championship bids.
'All the events we did, the partnerships, the meetings, all the things locally, all those were positives that gave credibility to get the name out there,' Staley said. 'Our eye on the prize was the Super Six. It was what the foundation was started upon.'
Those involved, and those outside, see the TSF's first year as a successful one.
'I think it's been unbelievable to me to see how much it has accomplished,' Newton said. 'It has done much more than I ever dreamed it would in the first year.
'I think the future of this thing is going to mean a great deal to this total community, the retailers and citizens and the cultural and sports aspects.'
Bill Hanson is associate executive director of San Antonio Sports, a commission with a similar mission to that of the TSF. He's impressed with what Tuscaloosa's foundation has achieved in the first year, particularly with landing the Super Six.
'I don't know about high school football in Alabama, but in most every other state it is a pretty big deal,' he said. 'That's exactly what it's all about. It's sports tourism, and you're looking to bring people together.
'I'd say that's off to a great start.'
TSF hasn't given up on the idea of hosting the AHSAA state basketball championships, which remained in Birmingham after this year's bidding process.
'I think we'll eventually get those,' said Newton, former UA basketball coach. 'I really believe they need to move to the campus sites.'
The TSF has second-year funding from the County Commission already secured, and is in the process of getting continued funding from Northport and Tuscaloosa. The $175,000 for the Super Six bid has been pledged by the area government entities.
In addition to preparing for the prep football championships, the TSF has lined up a 50-team youth football tournament for Thanksgiving weekend and a major youth gymnastics event.
TSF will learn next week if its bid to host the Alabama Community College Association 2010 men's basketball, women's basketball and baseball championsips at Shelton State was successful.
Staley wants to see the foundation's effort continue to grow.
'I'm chomping at the bit to go out and start racking it up,' he said. 'I've got friends in the business that are bringing 35 or 40 events (per year) in. To have the green light, to have a bid pool of money, to be able to hang your flag out there and do all these things and all these events we can bring in here, I'm excited about that possibility.'
Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-72... .
The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce Forms Partnership with The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation
The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce has formed a partnership with The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation. The partnership formed as a result of the AHSAA Football Championships being hosted in Tuscaloosa, AL in Dec.
President of the W.A.C.O.C., Johnnie Aycock, said “We are very proud of the progress and impact of TSF to date. TSF has filled an important niche in leveraging our community's and the university’s athletic facilities for economic advantage”.
The chamber has agreed to assist in securing funding sponsorships for the coaches’ clinic and dinner while also providing staff for the VIP areas during the event.
Executive Direct of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, Don Staley, said “During the TSF’s initial start up over the last year the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce has been an active supporter. We truly appreciate the efforts of Johnnie Aycock and his staff in providing support, wisdom and manpower for our most significant event to date, the Super Six Football Championships in December.”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation was founded in 2008. The foundation is responsible for bringing sporting events to the Tuscaloosa area. For more information on the Tuscaloosa Sports foundation go to tuscaloosasportsfoundation.org
Post 34 To Host Baseball Tournament
American Legion Post 34 will host the annual Killian – Windham Invitation Baseball Tournament beginning Friday, June 19th with play concluding on Sunday, June 21st. Sixteen teams from 5 states will play games at Tuscaloosa Academy, Stillman College, Shelton State, and Gordo High School on Friday and Saturday to reduce the field to four teams who will play the semifinal and Championship games on Sunday at Tuscaloosa Academy. Two time defending Alabama State Champion Post 34 will be joined in the field by 2007 World Series Champion Post 19 from Columbia, TN, 2008 Killian – Windham Champion Lindsay Dodgers from Fayetteville AR, and 2006 Alabama Champion Decatur Post 15 among others.
“This is probably the strongest field we have had”, said Post 34 Coach John Rushing. “There are several teams that are playing this year that have historically had strong teams and we are looking forward to another great weekend of Baseball”.
American Legion Baseball teams are for players 19 and under and are typically comprised of young men from local high schools and colleges. Post 34 is no exception having players from Tuscaloosa Academy, Hillcrest, Bryant, Tuscaloosa County, and other area High Schools. Several of the players are or will be continuing their playing careers at numerous Colleges and Junior Colleges as well.
There are approximately 20 American Legion teams in Alabama with hundreds across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
More information about Post 34 and the Killian – Windham Invitational is available at www.Post34baseball.com
Deontay Wilder, Skyy Boxing and House of Representative Gerald Allen to Hold Press Conference
TUSCALOOSA, AL. –Fresh off another first round knockout undefeated heavyweight boxer Deontay "Bronze Bomber" Wilder, Skyy Boxing and House of Representatives Gerald Allen will hold a news conference to announce Deontay’s upcoming fight in Tucson, AZ., take questions regarding his latest fight in Cincinnati Ohio, while representative Allen will provide details of the newly approved Alabama Boxing Commission, a Gerald Allen sponsored bill.
The first news conference will be Monday June 1 at 1pm in the Skyy Gym in Northport, AL.
Wilder who ran his professional record to 5-0 with a 55 second knockout of Chuckie Brown is expected to take on a seasoned opponent in Arizona and be one of the headliner in his return to ESPN's Friday Night Fights on June 26 in Tucson, AZ.
Rep. Gerald Allen, the Cottondale Republican, who set up the bill to create an Alabama Boxing Commission, which Gov. Bob Riley recently signed into law is expected to lay out plans of the commission formation.
Wilder, of Tuscaloosa, was the only medal winner for the United States in boxing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and continues to turn heads since turning professional with a 5-0 record all coming from knockouts. Wilder has garnered national and international media attention for his meteoric rise in the sport in less than three years.
For directions or information, please contact Jay Deas at
(205) 799-1696 or Don Staley of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205) 394-0700 .
Bryant-Denny to host Super 6
Tuscaloosa, Auburn will rotate yearly
(Michael E. Palmer/Tuscaloosa News)
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox , left, looks on as Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation executive director Don Staley speaks during a press conference in the mayor's office Tuesday April 8, 2009 on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. The two announced that the cities of Tuscaloosa and Auburn will rotate hosting the Super Six high school football championships.
By Andrew Carroll Sports Writer
Published: Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 10:51 p.m.
MONTGOMERY | Six high school football champions will be crowned in December at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control voted unanimously on Wednesday to move the Super 6 Championships from Birmingham’s Legion Field and rotate the sites annually between
Bryant-Denny Stadium and Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Alabama will host the event this year and in 2011 and 2013. The Super 6 games will be in Auburn in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
The board voted to keep the basketball semifinals and finals — the Final 48 — at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. At a late Wednesday afternoon news conference at City Hall, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said the bid to land the events included $175,000 in each year Tuscaloosa hosts the Super 6 Championships, with most of the money pledged from the Tuscaloosa City Council and County Commission.
Maddox added the Super 6 Championships to a list of events the city has hosted, including last year’s Olympic Triathlon Trials and last weekend’s air show.
“Now we’ve gone out, by working with the city of Auburn, and landed one of the premier sports events in Alabama,” Maddox said. “This community is on the move, and that investment is one I’m proud that this city made.”
Maddox estimated the economic impact of the event at between $3 and $7 million in each year that it will be held in Tuscaloosa, and expressed a belief that the event will grow in value over the course of the six-year contract.
Tide head football coach Nick Saban was also pleased with the announcement.
“I think it’s outstanding for the state, it’s outstanding for high school football players, it’s certainly outstanding for us to be able to host the games,” Saban said Wednesday. “We have tremendous facilities here, as fine as any facilities anyone has in the country.”
Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, headed up the effort to put together the bid that lured the event from Birmingham.
“We think this event will be really special for those athletes that come on [the UA] campus,” he said. “I’m just thrilled. We’ve had so much support from so many different groups, I’m just excited.”
This fall’s championship games are tentatively set for Thursday and Friday, Dec. 3-4, with three games to be played each day, although final details have not been set.
Local high school coaches are excited about having the state title games move to their backyard.
“What it really means to this area is it gives us the opportunity to see the best football in the state,” said Melvin Pete, who coached Central High to the 2007 Class 4A state championship. “A lot of our fans don’t travel, so it gives them an opportunity to see what’s out there. Plus the fact that it helps our city. You have to have hotel rooms and everything else. It helps our economy and our restaurants.
“If we’re fortunate enough [to play for the championship], it will help because we won’t have to travel. We’ve always kind of thought about playing in that stadium. If you’re born in Tuscaloosa, you’ve dreamed about playing in that stadium.”
Said Lee Gibson, interim head coach at Tuscaloosa County High School, “My biggest reaction is Birmingham has been a good location, but it’s just that kids don’t understand the significance of playing in Birmingham like they did 10 years ago. The whole mystique of getting to play in Birmingham has died down. The kids understand it’s special playing at Alabama and Auburn.
“If we’re lucky enough to get there, it would be a huge home-field advantage for us because more of our fans would get a chance to go there. By being Alabama and Auburn, more fans will actually go to the games than they would in Birmingham. It’s a better draw for the average fan.”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation and Auburn submitted a joint proposal to secure the football and basketball championships on a rotating basis. Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum was the longtime home of the state basketball tournament, which moved to Auburn in 1993.
The football finals have been at Legion Field since 1996. Before 1996, the Class 6A final was at Legion Field, with the other championship games played at campus sites.
Bryant-Denny Stadium, which used to host the high school All-Star Game, has a capacity of 92,138. Jordan-Hare Stadium seats 87,451. Legion Field, which had its upper deck on the east side removed, has a capacity of 71,594.
“This is exciting news for our schools and our children,” said Steve Savarese, executive director of the AHSAA. “The stadiums at Alabama and Auburn are among the best in the nation. The two cities are committed to making this event even bigger and better than it has been in the past. In addition, the city of Birmingham is pledging to make the Final 48 tournament for our basketball teams an even more memorable experience for everyone.”
More than 50,000 fans paid to attend this year’s Final 48 in Birmingham, according to an AHSAA release.
Savarese told the AHSAA Legislative Council that the change in venue for football “will enable us to do so much more for our kids.”
Savarese said Alabama and Auburn officials even committed to adjusting the goal posts to high school standards.
“I just think the stadiums are much better than Legion Field in Birmingham,” said Leonard Riley, superintendent of the Chambers County School System and a member of the Board of Control. “I think it will be great for the kids.”
Luke Hallmark, Marengo County superintendent, said the Alabama and Auburn facilities were a major reason for accepting the football proposal.
“There are probably kids who have always dreamed about playing in an Auburn or Alabama stadium,” said Hallmark, also a member of the Board of Control. “It’s great exposure for the kids.”
Hallmark said he thought that Birmingham remained a “great fit” for basketball because of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center arena and the work of the Birmingham Tip-Off Club in promoting and running the event.
Tommy Deas, Aaron Suttles and Christopher Walsh contributed to this report.
Reach Andrew Carroll at
andrew.carroll@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0223 .
Super Six Coming To Bryant-Denny
Bryant-Denny to host prep championships
By Kirk McNair
Posted Apr 8, 2009 on http://alabama.scout.com/a.z?s=14&p=2&c=854969
 The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation got the ball rolling for landing the Super Six high school championship games out of Birmingham. Joined by the Auburn Convention Bureau, the six championship games will be played in alternate years on the campuses of Alabama and Auburn.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation was the brainchild of retired banker Chuck Sittason. he put the foundation together and hired former Alabama Soccer Coach Don Staley as its executive director.
On Wednesday, the Alabama High School Athletic Association announced that beginning this fall, the Super Six will rotate between The University of Alabama and Auburn University. Bama will get the six high school championship games this year.
The contract is for six years.
The high school basketball championships will remain in Birmingham for the next six years, the AHSAA announced Wednesday. The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation had also made a bid for the boys and girls basketball championship games.
While Sittason, Staley and former Alabama Basketball Coach C.M. Newton (who is also a member of the foundation) did the brunt of the work, it would not have been successful without the support of Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore and his staff and University President Dr. Robert E. Witt.
In his regular press briefing Wednesday, Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban was asked about his role in landing the event.
"There were a lot of people more involved that I was," Saban said. That may be true, but it was important to have his endorsement.
Saban said he was pleased, calling it "outstanding" for the ASHAA and high school football, and for The University and Tuscaloosa. He pointed out that participating players will have the opportunity to use facilities "as good as any in the nation" and play in Bryant-Denny Stadium. He noted the importance of the campus setting for visitors.
"It's great for our campus and our city, and I'm very pleased we are going to have this here," he said.
Saban discounted any football recruiting advantage. "We get most of the players in our stadium anyway, but this time they will be playing instead of watching us play."
He added that it is important for The University to have so many parents and students see the campus and learn about The Capstone. "Everyone who comes will leave with impressions and they'll each tell 100 who will tell 100."
He pointed out that Alabama's academic reputation had blossomed under President Witt and that it is important to have people on campus to see for themselves.
"That's why we're so excited," Saban said. "We want them to feel very much welcome."
College Rugby Tournament Held in Tuscaloosa
 The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, in conjunction with the University of Alabama Rugby Club and Student Recreation Department, brought part of the USA Rugby National Championship tournament to Tuscaloosa over the weekend. The competition, which lasted two days at the Student Recreation Complex, brought in 14 teams from all over the southeast and saw over two thousand fans take in the tournament.
“It was a great weekend for the UA club sports, the vendors and merchants, the participants and fans. Overall Tuscaloosa was exposed to a non-mainstream sport in the local community for which those who attended walked away with a better appreciation for the sport of rugby,” Don Staley, the TSF executive director said. “We’re happy that this tournament, along with the Tour de Tuscaloosa, the Alabama Relays, and the Alabama Regatta, could be a part of a great sporting and economic weekend for Tuscaloosa in which several different organizations had a hand in sponsoring.”
     
   
Results:
Saturday, March 28
Division 2 Men’s Semifinals
USF 19 Appalachian State 14
ECU 34 GA. Tech 10
Division 3 Men’s Semifinals
Coastal Carolina 12 Lee University 5
Furman 26 Tulane 10
Division 1 Women’s Championship Game
UNC 27 Clemson 0 – North Carolina advances to Elite 8 on April 15 in Sanford, FL
Division 2 Women’s Semifinals
ECU 64 South Carolina 0
UCF 36 Elon 14
Sunday, March 29
Division 2 Men’s Championship Game
USF 27 ECU 24 – South Florida advances to the Elite 8 on April 15 in Sanford, FL
Division 3 Men’s Championship Game
Coastal Carolina 13 Furman 10 – Coastal Carolina advances to the Elite 8 on April 15 in Princeton, NJ
Division 2 Women’s Championship Game
ECU 36 UCF 12 – East Carolina advances to the Elite 8 on April 15 in Sanford, FL
UA, Auburn team up to bid for state championships
University of Alabama employees Octavio Cozar, left, and Ronnie Browning, paint the end-zone in preperation for the 2008 A-Day Game at Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. UA' is bidding to host high school championship games.
By Tommy Deas, Executive Sports Editor
Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, February 16, 2009 at 10:36 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA | The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has teamed with Auburn to bid for the Alabama High School Athletic Association state football and basketball championships starting in 2010.
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The bid was submitted Monday to the Bruno Event Team, which has a contract with the AHSAA to market the events, at the Alabama Sports Foundation offices in Birmingham.
Birmingham, which has hosted the Super Six football championships at Legion Field and AHSAA boys and girls basketball championship events since 1996, also made a bid for the championship events for 2010-13. Mobile decided not to bid, but did bid for the state's summer all-star week.
The University of Alabama will make Bryant-Denny Stadium and Coleman Coliseum available to host the events if Tuscaloosa's bid is successful. Under the proposal, the UA and Auburn campuses will alternate hosting football and basketball, with the football championships in Tuscaloosa in 2011 and '13 and the basketball championships at Coleman Coliseum in 2010 and '12. Auburn would host football in 2010 and '12 and basketball in 2011 and '13.
Don Staley, executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, said the bids will be sent to AHSAA offices in Montgomery and the state athletic organization's central board will make the final decision. Staley said he does not expect the central board to make a final ruling before the conclusion of the state prep basketball championship event, which is being held next Tuesday through Saturday at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham.
Jay Stewart, senior event director for the Alabama Sports Foundation, directed all questions to AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese. Efforts to reach Savarese Monday were unsuccessful.
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, which is funded by the cities of Tuscaloosa and Northport and the Tuscaloosa County Commission, was started last May specifically to lure the state high school football and basketball championships to Tuscaloosa, as well as other athletic events.
'We know that we worked hard,' Staley said. 'We feel like we did due diligence. We worked with the appropriate officials to help make this presentable.
'It's potentially huge economically for the community.'
The AHSAA extended the bidding process to allow Tuscaloosa and Auburn's joint bid. Bids were originally due in December, but the deadline was pushed back to January and then to mid-February because the Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau needed to meet with new Auburn football coach Gene Chizik to enlist his support.
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Great Night for Wilder, Tuscaloosa Boxers
By Tom Canterbury
It was an undefeated night for Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder and five other Tuscaloosa boxers as they took part in a Mississippi record 10-bout card in Columbus Friday night.
In the main event of the evening, Wilder ran his professional record to 2-0 with a first round knockout of Shannon Gray. Wilder’s only complaint about the match was that it was over so quickly, as he scored the knockout with a body shot at 2:12 in the first round. “Each time he went down, I kept praying that he would get up,” Wilder said. “I had a lot of fans here that have wanted to see my fight ever since Beijing and I wanted to give them as much as I could.”
Many see Wilder as a prime candidate to be America’s next great heavyweight after he was the only American to medal in the ‘08 Olympic Games, and that is a goal that he has set for himself as well. “People keep asking if this is the next American heavyweight,” Wilder said. “I don’t know all about that but I try to be perfect with my power and footwork. It is a goal for me.”
Wilder’s opponent on Friday was certainly convinced. “I’ve been hit that hard before, but not that many times,” Gray said. “He’s just too good. If he ever can get 10 to 15 more pounds on him with that power, watch out.”
In the other featured bout of the night, fought in the 160 pound division, Tuscaloosa’s Gundrick King improved his record to 7-3 with a third round TKO over Brad Thompson.
Two Tuscaloosa fighters maintained their undefeated professional records with wins. Anthony Doughty (3-0) knocked out Billy Cunningham in the second round of their fight in the 175 pound weight division and Leon Dukes (5-0) beat Ernest Parfait with a second round TKO in the 190 pound division. Heavyweight Marcus McGee scored a first round knockout of Gary Butler to improve his record to 23-14. The lone Tuscaloosa fighter to not win his fight was Anthony Middlebrooks (8-3-2), who fought Charles Sims to a four round majority draw in the 147 pound weight class.
Wilder to be the Main Event
By Tom Canterbury
Special to the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation
2/11/09
In just his second professional fight, Tuscaloosa-native and Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder will be in the main event. The “Bronze Bomber” (1-0, 1 knockout) will take on Shannon “The Natural” Gray (1-1), a fighter out of Kentucky at the Trotter Convention Center in Columbus, Mississippi on March 6th.
In his first professional fight, Wilder knocked out Ethan Cox in the second round. That was part of a card at Memorial Gym in Nashville. Wilder’s dream is to fight professionally in Alabama, but as of now that is impossible because the state has no boxing commission. There is currently a bill in the state legislature to create one, and a strong turnout from Alabamians for Wilder’s fight in Columbus would do a lot to help that legislation to at least get voted on.
Don Staley, the executive director of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, sees enormous potential for the Tuscaloosa area in Wilder. “We have the only American boxing medalist here in Tuscaloosa, many boxing experts think he can be a world champion some day, and he wants to fight at home,” Staley said. “If they could do it at Vanderbilt in Memorial Gym, why can’t we do it at Coleman Coliseum?”
Wilder’s story is a story of triumph and overcoming adversity. Despite having only 3 years of boxing experience, Wilder won the Golden Gloves National Championship, the USA’s Men’s National Championship, and the Olympic Trials. He then took the bronze in Beijing in the heavyweight division.
Fighting out of Skyy Gym in Northport under the direction of 2007 United States Olympic Committee’s National Developmental Boxing Coach of the Year Jay Deas, Wilder turned pro following the Olympics. Wilder is now managed by the “Manager of Champions” Shelly Finkel and in addition to Deas, 2-time world champion Mark Breland is training him. Wilder has also signed with Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
Wilder has said that he fights for his three-year-old daughter Naieya, who was born with spina bifida. “She’s doing great,” Wilder said. “She’s doing things now that the doctors said she never would.”
Like Wilder, his opponent on March 6th Shannon Gray also has a stirring story. Once a promising young amateur boxer, he became addicted to drugs and alcohol, eventually ending up homeless. Gray has been clean for a decade, works as an intervention specialist, and is now entering his third and biggest professional fight.
“While it’s an honor to fight Deontay,” Gray said, “we do come to win. I’ve never been hurt, I’ve never been knocked down, and I do have a 40-pound weight advantage. I think Deontay is a future world champion, but this could be a huge springboard for me as well. Either way, I think we’ll put on a great show.”
The under card will feature 6 other fights featuring fighters from Alabama and Mississippi. Included in that under card is a middleweight fight between Tuscaloosa-native Brad “Boom Boom” Thompson and former University of North Alabama football player Gundrick “Sho-Gun” King.
Tickets for the event are $25 general admission and $300 for a VIP table of 10. The show is presented by Skyy/Miller’s Boxing and the Columbus Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Tickets can be purchased in Alabama at Skyy Gym by calling (205) 799-1696 . In Mississippi call Miller’s Tae Kwon Do-Boxing at (662) 364-3443 .
“It was very important to Deontay for this to be an affordable show,” Deas said. “He wants as many Tuscaloosa people as possible to make the 45-minute drive to Columbus to watch him continue his pro career.”
Tuscaloosa News 2/18/09
Foundation did well in seeking prep championships
What is the sports capital of Alabama? Folks here will be quick to say Tuscaloosa, while those on the eastern side of the state may pick Auburn. Usually that makes for a bitter rivalry, but we are glad to see the cities have joined forces in a bid to jointly host the Alabama High School Athletic Association championships in football and basketball starting next year.
Putting together a solid bid for the high school championships is remarkably complex, and not just because it involves getting Tuscaloosa and Auburn to work together cooperatively. Lining up four-year commitments from the University of Alabama, for the use of Bryant-Denny Stadium and Coleman Coliseum, and Auburn University, for Jordan-Hare Stadium and Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, is a task almost as large as the facilities themselves. But it is exactly the kind of job the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation was created to do.
The “Super Six” championships could expect to attract 40,000 to 60,000 people yearly to Tuscaloosa and Auburn, as each would host the basketball event one year and the football event the next. While some players might become recruits for the Tigers or the Tide, many families would see this as an opportunity to visit the campuses aside from aspirations for collegiate athletics.
Less than a year old, the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation already has proven to be a good investment for the cities of Tuscaloosa and Northport, and Tuscaloosa County, which are jointly funding the effort.
Tuscaloosa has long been synonymous with college football, not just in Alabama but across the nation. That reputation remains strong, but we are no longer a one-trick pony when it comes to sports. Last year, the city hosted the Olympic Trials in triathlon and local boxer Deontay Wilder’s success in Beijing raised the city’s international exposure even further.
The sports foundation was instrumental in attracting a statewide gymnastics meet in December of last year. It has been involved in other events, from an 11-day baseball championship hosted by Warrior Baseball, to a national collegiate intramural soccer championship.
Next month, the Tour de Tuscaloosa returns, with bicycles racing on a short, closed circuit of downtown streets on March 28, followed the next day by an open road race from Lake Lurleen State Park.
Northport and Tuscaloosa are investing in river walks. Tuscaloosa is about to begin work on its amphitheater. The Blue Angels have a show here scheduled April 4-5. All of this is possible because this is a healthy, safe place to visit.
We don’t expect that Tuscaloosa and Auburn will always get along, and at least one weekend each year our interests are definitely in conflict. But just as the universities have joined forces to seek better state funding, the cities can find common ground in their bid for the high school championships. Fans on both sides can be rooting for a win here.
Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Honored by SportsEvents Magazine
TUSCALOOSA, AL. – The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation has been named as one of the top 50 Organizations/Places to watch in 2009 by national sports publication SportsEvents Magazine. The award is the first for the up-start sports organization that was established in May of 2008.
SportsEvents Magazine's Annual Readers' Choice Awards Winner spotlights industry professionals, destinations and venues from across the country who have exhibited a high level of professionalism, creativity and excellence in hosting sports events in their January issue.
“Anytime you are recognized by a respected national publication in which you have yet to advertize, it not only highlights your organizations efforts, but it brings positive exposure to your community and all we have to offer our sporting guests. Since our inception we have strived to promote Tuscaloosa as a destination that offers quality event planning, outstanding facilities, southern hospitality and progressive leadership. To be included with these well established organizations is quite a lofty honor and we look forward to continued success in the future as we promote Tuscaloosa." said Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation Executive Director Don Staley.
Sports event planners featured in the spotlight have garnered attention in the industry for their ability to recognize and rise above the various challenges of running sports events, for their innovative and creative approaches to planning and executing sports events.
SportsEvents managing editor Michelle Martin said “when we put the call out to readers to nominate sports-friendly destinations and venues for SportsEvents’ inaugural “Readers’ Choice Awards,” we asked them to recommend only the best. We believe the following select group of destinations, fields and facilities not only meet but exceed the high demands of sports event organizers today—in both physical attributes and commitment to hospitality and service”
The Tuscaloosa Sports Foundations next scheduled event will be the Rugby South Collegiate Championships at the UA Recreation Center March 27—29.
Deontay Wilder to Hold Press Conferences to announce March 6th bout in Columbus, MS
TUSCALOOSA, AL. – Olympic Bronze Medal winning boxer Deontay "Bronze Bomber" Wilder will hold two news conferences to announce his March 6th bout with Shannon "The Natural" Gray.
Both conferences will be held Wednesday, February 11th. The first one will be at the Skyy Gym in Northport at 1pm. The second one will be at Miller's Boxing and Martial Arts Gym in Columbus, MS at 3 pm. Wilder and Gray are both expected to attend, along with their trainers. Other boxers who will fight on the show will be available as well.
Wilder was the only boxer from the United States to win a medal at the Beijing Olympics. Since turning professional, Wilder is 1-0 with 1 knockout. The March 6th bout, to be held at the Trotter Convention Center in Columbus, Mississippi will be Wilder's first main event. It is scheduled for four rounds.
Shannon Gray of Kentucky will be Wilder's opponent. Gray is 1-1 with no knockouts and will weigh approximately 240 pounds for the fight, outweighing Wilder by 25 pounds.
The 7-bout card will also feature Tuscaloosa's Gundrick "Sho-Gun" King vs. West Blocton's Brad "Boom Boom" Thompson in a 6-round bout. Outstanding professional boxers from Alabama and Mississippi will fill the undercard.
For more information or directions please contact Jay Deas, at Skyy Boxing (205) 799-1696 or through e-mail at Jay_Deas@comcast.net. You can also contact Don Staley, executive director of Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation at (205) 349-0700 or his email at dstaley3@aol.com
Wilder a knockout in pro debut
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Heavyweight Deontay Wilder (1-0, 1 KO), a 2008 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist in Beijing and the only American to take home a boxing medal, made his professional debut with a second-round knockout of Ethen Cox (2-3-1, 1 KO).
After a cautious first round, Wilder, who is 6-foot-7 and stepped over the top rope to enter and exit the ring, turned it up in the second. He dropped Cox with a right hand, then forced the referee to give him a standing eight count. Moments later, he knocked Cox down again with a hard overhand right, forcing the fight to be called off without a count.
"I feel good, but I'm disappointed in a way because there are a lot of things I didn't take advantage of, all the openings he gave me," Wilder said. "He was throwing a slow jab and I need to work better against that. I expect the best from myself, so even though it was a good knockout, I know I could do better. I want to be a world champion, and to be that you have to take being good to being great."
Even though Wilder, a 23-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Ala., was a bit hard on himself, he beamed smile after the fight and said it was great "getting a taste of the water" as a professional.
"Everything was good. I just want to work on the little things," said Wilder, who weighed 207 pounds and is signed with Golden Boy Promotions and manager Shelly Finkel. "No head gear, smaller gloves and no [amateur] scoring system, it's everything I wanted."
Also on Wilder's team: co-manager and trainer Jay Deas and trainer Mark Breland, a former world champion and decorated amateur.
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