A new year always brings new moments. There will be some worth celebrating and even some worth forgetting.

In Sarasota, the sports scene of 2026 offers more than just highs and lows. There are lingering uncertainties that encourage discourse and debate.

Here are some big questions to consider in the year to come:

Might we see local athletes in the Winter Olympics?

An Olympic year never fails to pique the interest of sports lovers everywhere. The greatest athletes in the world go toe-to-toe on the grandest of stages.

It’s one heck of a spectacle to witness, even for Sarasota residents who will tune in on TV nearly 5,000 miles away from Milan, Italy. 

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 are set to run Feb. 6-22. That means less than one month until the opening ceremony, and with the lion’s share of trials completed, we have yet to see a local athlete book their ticket.

Historically, the Sarasota-Bradenton area has been well-represented at the Summer Games in swimming and rowing, but it rarely sends medal-chasers to the Winter Games.

There just aren’t enough nearby facilities — a product of our tropical climate — for this to become a breeding ground for winter Olympians. And those select few athletes who do spend time here end up seeking colder parts of the country for training.

That being said, Florida did send some of its best to Beijing in 2022. Seven members of Team USA hailed from the Sunshine State, including Ocala’s speedskating gold medalist Erin Jackson and bronze medalist Brittany Bowe.

Milano Cortina represents a major moment for men’s ice hockey. For the first time since 2014, teams will feature NHL players, and 18 names from the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are listed on Olympic rosters. Team USA will feature Jake Guentzel, Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones, in that regard.

Sarasota residents without any legitimate stake can be equally invested as those with a real reason to care. That’s the beauty of the Games.

Who will win big at USRowing Youth National Championships?

This area is an aquatic sports fan’s paradise. Ideal conditions and picturesque views are just part of what makes Sarasota perfect for competition in the water.

Premier young rowing talents from every corner of the country will, once again, join in on the fun when the summer rolls around.

File photo

On June 11-14, the USRowing Youth National Championships return to Nathan Benderson Park after celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025. The top youth rowers in the U.S. are slated to race here for the seventh straight year.

Sarasota Crew secured gold in last year’s Women’s U16 Eight with the boat of coxswain Lillian Teague, Rose Ottaviano, Sydney Soboleski, Isabella De Liz, Megan Murdock, Maya Jewell, Gabrielle Davis, Brooke Wilson and Addison Wilson. That crew clocked a 6:56.81 in the 2,000-meter race — over five seconds ahead of the pack.

Also in 2025, there were third-place and sixth-place finishes for Sarasota Crew in the Men’s U17 Eight and Women’s Youth Four races, respectively. The organization churns out elite rowers and, in 2026, will likely have even more boats recognized nationally.

These national championships have become one of the summer’s marquee local sporting events, and at a time of year when high school sports are dormant.

That’s all the more reason to go yourself and see who triumphs.

Is a dynasty possible for Cardinal Mooney football?

A state championship means greatness. Two in a row is all the more impressive.

Three in four years? Well, that’s a dynasty. It’s a special distinction no Sarasota-based high school football program has ever earned.

The Cougars are in pursuit of such a rarity as they enter 2026, having just claimed the FHSAA Class 2A state title in December 2025.

Photo by Jack Nelson

Major losses, though, loom for Cardinal Mooney football. Chief among them is defensive lineman Elijah Golden and wide receiver Kymistrii Young.

There were 25 seniors on the 56-man roster for this past season, so nearly half the team is set to graduate. Seven of them are early signees to Division I programs.

Coach Jared Clark and Co. have already begun assembling the puzzle for 2026. Quarterback Davin Davidson and running back Connail Jackson will both return as seniors, so much of the offensive firepower will be back.

Some big-time additions are on the way, too — Riverview running back Toryeon James, Parrish Community defensive lineman Kaleb Exume and Wiregrass Ranch wide receiver/defensive back Cedric King are all transferring to Cardinal Mooney.

Exume, a junior three-star recruit with 15 Division I offers, will have a considerable impact in the trenches. James’ move is especially intriguing following a junior season in which he racked up 1,941 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns.

The Cougars are poised to have one of the state’s most lethal backfields with Jackson and James splitting carries, and the reloading process has only just begun.

Several months remain until spring football gets underway. Even more stand between now and the fall. Already, a dynasty is what Cardinal Mooney is building toward.

How could a new sports complex at 17th Street Park impact softball?

There is arguably no more significant project for local athletes than the youth and adult sports complex under construction at 17th Street Park.

Put simply, it has real potential to turn Sarasota into a genuine softball destination.

The 18-month first phase of the project began in spring 2025 and is on schedule for a December opening. It will add three adult softball fields to the park as well as several multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse, football and more.

Courtesy image

Already, there is an arrangement for Division I, Power Four softball to be played on these grounds. The Sarasota College Softball Classic will launch on Feb. 11, 2027, with Alabama, Baylor, Florida State, James Madison, Ohio State and Texas State in the mix.

Softball has a strong foothold locally at both the high school and club levels — look no further than Sarasota High reaching the 2025 FHSAA Class 7A state semifinals.

This facility can only boost interest by being a magnet for coaches, players and parents alike. After all, athletes dream of playing on the same surface as their collegiate idols.

The years to come will shift Sarasota’s standing on the statewide softball landscape.