April 03, 2025 Call for Letters of Interest: Become an “IWF Certified Supplier”! The International Weightlifting Federation is happy to announce that in order to enhance its licensing programme, it has launched a public offer for certification of manufacturers and weightlifting equipment in the six categories listed below: Weightlifting barbell equipment, comprising the following full […]
Call for Letters of Interest: Become an “IWF Certified Supplier”!
The International Weightlifting Federation is happy to announce that in order to enhance its licensing programme, it has launched a public offer for certification of manufacturers and weightlifting equipment in the six categories listed below:
Weightlifting barbell equipment, comprising the following full set of deliverables:
Competition Stations
Warm-up and training Stations
Bars
Bars
Discs
Discs
Collars
Collars
Platforms
Platforms
Plate Racks
Plate Racks
Magnesia Container
Magnesia Container
Barbell Lifter
Squat Stand
Safety Barrier
Weightlifting competition stage
Weightlifting costumes/singlets
Weightlifting belts, wrist and knee sleeves, wraps and bandages
Weightlifting Shoes
Scales and portable saunas (for event purposes)
For each of the categories, a non-exclusive agreement will be established with the IWF, whereby the selected manufacturers/products will be “IWF Certified Suppliers” for the period 2025-2028.
This certification will allow each of the licensees to promote its products as IWF homologated and benefit from the associated promotional and marketing opportunities specified in the agreement.
As the number of licensees is limited within each of the categories, a thorough technical, quality and compliance evaluation will be made by the IWF upon the reception of each candidature file.
Expressions of interest must be transmitted to the IWF by no later than Monday, April 28, 2025, at the following e-mail: iwf@nulliwf.sport
Specific details concerning the financial conditions and the requirements to be fulfilled by each of the applicants can be obtained by contacting the IWF at the same e-mail (iwf@nulliwf.sport).
Technical requirements (if any) can be found in the IWF Technical Competition Rules (link here).
Gerena Leads Hofstra At CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship
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CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Results
Greensboro, NC – Isabella Gerena recorded a personal best time in the 3000m Steeplechase to lead the Pride at the CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. Gerena finished the race in 10th […]
Greensboro, NC – Isabella Gerena recorded a personal best time in the 3000m Steeplechase to lead the Pride at the CAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. Gerena finished the race in 10th place with a time of 11:21.40.
Allison Reid finished the 1500m trials with a time of 4:53.83 to finish in 25th place out of the 29-runner field. In the 10,000m race, Saralyn Frederick finished with a time of 38:43.33 to place 18th of 18 runners.
Elon leads the team competition with 44 points, with Hampton in second place with 29. As a team, Hofstra is not ranked.
2025 Boys Volleyball State Championships: Know Before You Go
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In partnership with Polk County Public Schools and Visit Central Florida Sports, the Florida High School Boys Volleyball State Championships return this weekend to the Winter Haven Health Center on the campus of Polk State College in Winter Haven. This will be the third straight year that Polk State College will host the boys championship event, […]
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In partnership with Polk County Public Schools and Visit Central Florida Sports, the Florida High School Boys Volleyball State Championships return this weekend to the Winter Haven Health Center on the campus of Polk State College in Winter Haven. This will be the third straight year that Polk State College will host the boys championship event, but the first year the event consists of three separate classifications. The three-day event will comprise of semifinal matches on Thursday and Friday, followed by all championship matches on Saturday.
Some event notables heading into the weekend include the 2024 state champion Winter Park returning to the event to defend their title and seek their third overall championship school history. However, with the addition of the two new classifications, the Wildcats will do so in the newly formed Class 3A. Should they advance to the championship match on Saturday, they could see their 2024 opponent Southwest Miami who are also seeking their fourth overall title. All remaining teams in the field this year will be seeking their first ever state championship in the sport.
Tickets are currently on sale via GoFan for $14.00 if purchased in advance and $17.00 if purchased the day of, with no onsite ticket sales taking place. Tickets are general admission and good for the entire day of competition. Additionally, there will be no charge for parking onsite, as the $3.00 cost is already included in each ticket of admission. For a complete schedule, along with the playoff brackets and any additional event information, please see below or visit the boys volleyball sport page.
2025 Boys Volleyball State Championships (Thursday, May 15 – Saturday, May 17)
State Championship Tournament Match Schedule
Thursday, May 15
Class 1A State Semifinal #1, 4 p.m.
SLAM (Tampa) vs. True North (Miami)
Class 1A State Semifinal #2, 7 p.m.
J.C. Bermudez (Doral) vs. King’s Academy (West Palm Beach)
Friday, May 16
Class 2A State Semifinal #1, 10 a.m.
Lake Howell (Winter Park) vs. Suncoast (Riviera Beach)
Class 2A State Semifinal #2, 1 p.m.
Gulf Breeze vs. Reagan (Doral)
Class 3A State Semifinal #1, 4 p.m.
Horizon (Winter Garden) vs. Winter Park
Class 3A State Semifinal #2, 7 p.m.
Seminole Ridge (Westlake) vs. Southwest Miami
Saturday, May 17
Class 1A State Championship, 1 p.m.
Defending champion: Winter Park
Class 2A State Championship, 4 p.m.
Defending champion: new classification
Class 3A State Championship, 7 p.m.
Defending champion: new classification
Know Before You Go: Where: Polk State College – Winter Haven Health Center (Winter Haven) When: Thursday, May 15th – Saturday, May 17th Host: Polk County Public Schools Tournament Brackets: Class 3A | Class 2A | Class 1A Event Schedule & Results: click here Admission: $14.00 with advance purchase and $17.00 the day of
All tickets available via GoFan with NO onsite ticket sales taking place
$3.00 cost of parking included in each ticket of admission
Parking: fee included in ticket of admission with all proceeds retained by the Host Official Merchandise: Team IP Event Photography: Fastbreak Connect Live Webcast(s): NFHS Network Lodging and Event Information: click here*
*This is a collection of resources provided by the host organization to better assist you in your travel and stay within Polk County. All lodging and attractions will need to be contacted for more information, and are not directly affiliated with the FHSAA or Local Organizing Committee.
Sponsorships available to become Brevard County firefighter
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Want to become a Brevard County firefighter? Now is your chance with an annual sponsorship award offered by Brevard County Fire Rescue. One young scholarship recipient says he has a personal motivation to serve the public. What You Need To Know Brevard County Fire Rescue offers annual sponsorship awards to help […]
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Want to become a Brevard County firefighter? Now is your chance with an annual sponsorship award offered by Brevard County Fire Rescue.
One young scholarship recipient says he has a personal motivation to serve the public.
What You Need To Know
Brevard County Fire Rescue offers annual sponsorship awards to help attract firefighters and paramedics
Jeff Gauvin and 33 others will attend Eastern Florida State College for EMT or fire training academy
The department has hired 72 sponsorship recipients since the program began in 2021, and more are in the hiring process
About 25,700 firefighter-paramedic positions were expected to open annually each year from 2023 to 2033, the U.S. Labor Department reported
Jeff Gauvin steps away from the stress of working two jobs, seven days a week, with his music. His goal is to pay his car off.
Jeff Gauvin is looking to become a firefighter-paramedic after his grandmother passed away in a house fire two years ago.
“For me, it’s just something I want to be a part of, to make sure nobody else has to go through that phone call, because my dad called me when it happened,” Gauvin said. “I found out through him. That’s something I want to help prevent.”
Gauvin is on his way to becoming a first responder after being awarded one of 34 Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighter sponsorships.
Gauvin and the others will attend Eastern Florida State College for emergency medical technician or fire academy training.
Since the program began in 2021, the department has hired 72 recipients, and 19 more are currently in the hiring process.
Gauvin, who now works two jobs, seven days a week and gets away from the stress of that with his music, learned about the scholarship through a friend who is an EMT in Orlando.
“He’s going to work with me when I’m going through school and help me through the process,” Gauvin says.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, about 25,700 openings for firefighters/paramedics were expected nationwide each year from 2023 to 2033.
The national average for demand nationwide by 2026 is 8%, and Florida stands at 7%, according to the Labor Department.
The increase in demand can be attributed to injuries, job transfers and retirements, officials said.
The training to get new firefighters and paramedics ready for their jobs is physically taxing.
“I lift Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I run every day after work,” Gauvin said. “I just get it in.”
He recommends the path to anyone.
“They are with you the whole way through,” Gauvin said. “They’re telling you what to do. They are motivating you and giving you some words of encouragement.”
The fourth annual BCFR sponsorship signing day is May 28 at 3 p.m. at Station 48 in the Viera community.
Gulf Breeze boys volleyball advances to state Final Four in Winter Haven
The Gulf Breeze boys volleyball team continues to make some history. In just its second year as a program, the Dolphins are in the state Final Four after sweeping Nease, 3-0, in the Region 1-2A finals on May 13. Gulf Breeze has won its last six matches via sweep, with the last four all being […]
The Gulf Breeze boys volleyball team continues to make some history.
In just its second year as a program, the Dolphins are in the state Final Four after sweeping Nease, 3-0, in the Region 1-2A finals on May 13. Gulf Breeze has won its last six matches via sweep, with the last four all being in the postseason through the district and region tournaments.
But the contest against Nease allowed the Dolphins to show “mental fortitude,” head coach Jackson Arnold said. It was Gulf Breeze’s first match on the road in a few weeks, after going to North Bay Haven on April 22. Since then, the team has hosted at “The Tank.”
“Usually our team is very reliant on our passing in our ball control defensively, and yesterday Nease did very well trying to get us out of system with their serves. It was a different gym that we’ve ever played in before, and it was a little bit of a different ball,” Arnold said. “But what we did was keep our mental fortitude and our focus between teammates and ourselves.”
Gulf Breeze may now have a road playoff game under its belt for the 2025 season, but that doesn’t mean the Dolphins have been afraid of traveling throughout the year. The squad had already been to the Jacksonville area during the season, plus played at a tournament in the Orlando area against some tough competition.
After beating Nease earlier in the week, Gulf Breeze opted to stay on the road and travel directly to Winter Haven, where the state Final Four is slated to be held on May 16-17.
Arnold said it just “logistically” didn’t make sense to drive back to Gulf Breeze from Jacksonville, then have to turn right back around and head to Winter Haven the next day. Instead, they’ll find a place to practice down south before the semifinals against top-seeded Reagan on May 16.
The winner of that semifinal game, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Polk State College, will face the winner of No. 2 Suncoast and No. 3 Lake Howell for the championship on May 17.
“We’ve been in this situation before throughout the season just traveling to larger games, traveling to bigger tournaments. I feel like the boys are mentally prepared as they can be and they’ve seen every kind of level of talent throughout the season that they can possibly see,” Arnold said. “So there shouldn’t be any surprises. You’re always going to have some issues here and there, but that’s my job as a coach to minimize the risk.”
That’s not to say Gulf Breeze isn’t enjoying the journey to the destination at the same time. Since the Dolphins’ team is made up of athletes not just from Gulf Breeze, but from Navarre, Milton and Central, the extended road trips allow for more team bonding.
Especially since teammates might only see each other during practice or game days, and not throughout the day at school like most other programs.
“It’s really really good for the boys to be able to have some quality time together, especially leading into these larger games where they can really learn about each other’s personalities and build a good cohesive bond that would contribute positively on the court,” Arnold said.
With Gulf Breeze now in the Final Four, that means all three of Gulf Breeze’s volleyball teams – including girls indoor and girls beach – have made it to the state’s biggest stage. The girls indoor team fell in a five-set match in the championship game in the fall, while the beach team just successfully defended its state crown.
Now, the boys team will look to make some noise.
“I mean, I just it says a lot about the Panhandle and its drive for excellence in sport. … It Just shows that our our community is ready to rally upon these new programs and can give their full support,” Arnold said. “Encouraging is the best word I can say when you have the support of a community behind you. It takes a village not an individual, so I’m so really thankful for that and I don’t know it would not be possible without the community that we have.”
Top Mets Prospects Grow Together, Win Together In Loaded High
The Brooklyn Cyclones’ May 6 lineup card reads like a greatest hits track listing of lower-level Mets prospects. Eight of the nine High-A Brooklyn hitters that night ranked as preseason Top 30 Prospects for the Mets, and the ninth was athletic outfielder Eli Serrano III, a 2024 fourth-rounder from North Carolina State whose prospect stock […]
The Brooklyn Cyclones’ May 6 lineup card reads like a greatest hits track listing of lower-level Mets prospects.
Eight of the nine High-A Brooklyn hitters that night ranked as preseason Top 30 Prospects for the Mets, and the ninth was athletic outfielder Eli Serrano III, a 2024 fourth-rounder from North Carolina State whose prospect stock was on the rise.
Playing the outfield alongside Serrano were 2024 first-rounder Carson Benge and spark plug A.J. Ewing. Benge, Ewing and Serrano rotate between the three outfield posts, each rangy enough for center and with enough arm for right.
The Cyclones’ infield alignment is similarly fluid. Jesus Baez, Boston Baro and Marco Vargas make most middle infield starts. Baez and Baro play third base, as well, but the club’s primary hot corner option is emerging 21-year-old slugger Jacob Reimer, the South Atlantic League player of the month in April.
Reimer played shortstop in high school, dabbled in left field in the Arizona Fall League last year and was beginning to see more action at first base this spring. He has kept mashing after his award-winning April, and no minor leaguer with at least 100 plate appearances had a higher wRC+ than his 198 heading into mid May.
Both of Brooklyn’s 21-year-old catchers also figure in the club’s first base mix. Christopher Suero and Ronald Hernandez both can hit and both play multiple positions. Suero even plays left field sometimes.
“This team is special. It’s one of the best teams I’ve been a part of,” said Brooklyn first-year hitting coach Bryan Muniz, who worked in the same capacity for the Astros’ High-A Asheville affiliate last year.
“Development comes first, but the hunger to want to win stands out with this team.”
A typical Brooklyn lineup includes seven, eight or nine top 30-caliber prospects, with a defensive alignment that changes daily. Every one of the highlighted players but Serrano throws righthanded, allowing for maximum versatility, to the point where Ewing, who was a high school shortstop, plays second base at times.
In fact, “high school shortstop” is a common theme for the 2025 Cyclones. It applies to Baro, Ewing and Reimer. Baez and Vargas also entered pro ball as teenage shortstops, in their cases hailing from the Dominican Republic and Mexico, respectively.
In recent drafts, the Mets have earmarked bonus pool money to go over slot to sign talented prep shortstops away from college commitments. In 2022, it was fourth-rounder Reimer, who missed most of last season with a serious hamstring injury. In 2023, it was supplemental fourth-rounder Ewing and eighth-rounder Baro.
Now, Baro, Ewing and Reimer are teammates in a Brooklyn lineup that is the third youngest in the SAL. More important than the Cyclones’ youth is the fact that they are scoring runs, winning games and building the camaraderie that follows from playing well individually and succeeding collectively.
From winning, team chemistry often springs, and the vibes are strong in the Brooklyn clubhouse. Benge and Serrano are natural team leaders, based on them being two of the older position prospects and both having power conference backgrounds in college.
Muniz credits Serrano with having a “big voice” and “good energy” for the Cyclones. As leadoff man, he sets the tone in more ways than one. The 6-foot-5 lefthanded batter hits the ball hard and is working to get in the best position for the long levers in his swing to play.
Benge starred as a two-way player at Oklahoma State and was drafted 19th overall last year. His bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions are already well-defined. The lefthanded hitter can let the ball travel deep and hit with authority to the opposite field, which Muniz refers to as Benge’s superpower.
Now, Benge is making progress hitting breaking pitches in the air to his pull side to tap into his power.
“He’s been a great team guy,” Muniz said. “He picks teammates up. He knows when to joke. He’s just special in the clubhouse, where he goes out of his way to talk to teammates.”
Brooklyn ranks third in the SAL in runs scored, just a few behind league leaders Hudson Valley and Greensboro. No Cyclones squad has ever finished higher than 10th out of 12 teams previously as a full-season affiliate, a period dating back to 2021.
For the Cyclones, it’s a total team effort. They lead the SAL in batting average and slugging. They rank second in home runs, on-base percentage and stolen bases. Their lineup is balanced. Baro, Benge, Ewing, Serrano and Vargas bat lefthanded, while Baez, Reimer and Suero bat righthanded. Hernandez is a natural righty who switch-hits.
Success for the Cyclones’ lefthanded hitters is notable. A strong ocean breeze blows in from right field at Brooklyn’s Maimonides Park and tends to knock down fly balls hit in that direction. The park is one of the most difficult for lefthanded hitters to homer in among all 120 full-season minor league venues.
“At the end of the day, baseball is baseball. And it’s been the same for 100 years,” Muniz said. “While our home park is pitcher-friendly, consistency is what’s important. Swing at the right pitches, and you’ll make more contact, and you’ll hit the ball hard.
“We’re trying to make you a big leaguer, not a High-A all-star. A hard line drive might get caught up in the wind in right field in Brooklyn, (whereas) a pop fly to right field might go out in (hitter-friendly) Asheville. But which of those will play in Citi Field?”
Brooklyn’s team ERA is second best in the league—no surprise given the Cyclones’ home park—which yields a plus-54 team run differential that is second only to Hudson Valley in the SAL.
If they can keep up the pace, the Cyclones’ .625 winning percentage would be far and away the highest for a Mets full-season affiliate this decade. The Low-A St. Lucie Mets finished with a .566 mark in 2022, but that team was an older one without a ton of prospect juice, aside from partial seasons from college arms Christian Scott and Mike Vasil.
And while there’s still a lot of baseball to be played this season, the 2025 Brooklyn Cyclones are setting a standard of excellence among Mets affiliates.
“We’re very excited about our Brooklyn roster,” Mets farm director Andrew Christie said. “The depth of talent there is emblematic of the type of system we believe we have.
“Our goal is to develop major league talent while winning games at the minor league level, and this year’s Cyclones team is leading the charge.”
VOIT AND WISSBROECKER EARN USTFCCCA ALL-REGION HONORS
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NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two Warriors were named to the 2025 NCAA Division II USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region team. Freshmen Ella Voit and MacKenzie Wissbroecker each earned the honor after impressive seasons. Voit, a freshman from Sauk Rapids, Minn., won the 2025 NSIC Outdoor […]
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two Warriors were named to the 2025 NCAA Division II USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region team. Freshmen Ella Voit and MacKenzie Wissbroecker each earned the honor after impressive seasons.
Voit, a freshman from Sauk Rapids, Minn., won the 2025 NSIC Outdoor 3000m Steeplechase championships after turning in a time of 10:48.26 last weekend. Voit has been a key component of the distance team during her first year at Winona State.
Wissbroecker, a freshman from Antigo, Wis., has rewritten the WSU record books in the long jump during her first season as a Warrior. Wissbroecker set the new Winona State outdoor long jump record twice with the best being a jump of 6.31 meters.
All Region honors for the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the regular season. Top-5 individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region honors, in addition to each of the members of a top-3 ranked relay team.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit: www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH.
(via @joshbutlertv/TT)
