RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational (Week 6)
Dates: Now— March 30
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park, Chain of Lakes Baseball Complex and other baseball fields around the county
-Over 200 colleges annually in all divisions (NCAA D I, II, III, NAIA & JUCO), that’s more college teams than all other Florida spring break tournaments combined come to Polk County area for this tournament.
-Follow @CentralFLSports on Twitter and “Like” CFSports on Facebook for daily game schedule, game results, and weather updates.
-Scores are posted on Twitter daily.

Detroit Tigers Spring Training
Dates: Now – April 3
Games start at 1:05 p.m.
Venue: Joker Marchant Stadium- Lakeland
-Spring Training for the Detroit Tigers is in action!  Check the schedule for daily home games.
This week’s home games:
Monday, March 26- Miami Marlins
Thursday, March 29- Washington Nationals at 6:05 p.m.
 Sunday, April 1- Houston Astros

38th Annual SUN ‘n FUN Fly In
Dates: March 27 — April 1
Venue: Florida Air Museum — Lakeland
-Offering over 250 open forums, hands-on-workshops, seminars, evening programs and industry dinners, plus four expo hangars and outside exhibits with over 500 aviation exhibitors, acres with over 4700 aircraft of all types & classes from vintage to war birds
-Also features a signature daily air show with the world premiere aerobatic stars and demonstration flights by military precision jet teams

Race for the Kids Foundation – Boat Racing
Dates: March 29 — April 1
Venue: Boys and Girls Club of Winter Haven
-Presented by the Race for the Kids Foundation, there will be over 80 teams from all over the U.S. competing in these hydroplane boat races; multiple classes running.
-This race benefits the Citrus Center Boys & Girls Clubs (Winter Haven, Lake Wales & Haines City).

SUN n’ FUN Splash-In at Fantasy of Flight
Date: March 29
Venue: Fantasy of Flight — Polk City
-Fantasy of Flight hosts the Splash-In on sparkling Lake Agnes as part of the 38th Annual SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In.
-Visitors will witness a variety of seaplanes and amphibious aircraft perform water landings and takeoffs as part of the competition.

2012 Hyperflite/Skyhoundz Southeast Regional Qualifier
Dates: March 30 — April 1
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park —Auburndale
-Canine Frisbee® has been around since at least the mid -1970’s, and has just recently become popular in Florida within the last several years.
-This year’s Southeast Regional Qualifiers will be held at Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale.

Stock Outboard Winter Nationals
Dates: March 30 – April 1
Venue: Lake Hollingsworth – Lakeland
-American Power Boat Association’s Stock Outboard Winter Nationals will host boats from 10-12′ in length with motors that range from 15 cubic inch up to 44 cubic inch. They will range in speeds from 40 mph in the Junior classes, where nine-year-olds can begin to compete up to 85 mph in the big 44 cubic inch classes.
-Two different hull designs will race, Hydro’s and Runabout’s, in each class. 
-Competitors from Maine to Washington State and everywhere in between will attend the event along with several Canadian teams.

March Meltdown
Dates: March 31 — April 1
Venue: Bartow “555” Complex
-The March Meltdown is a Florida ISA qualifying event that will be held at the Bartow “555” Complex. It is expected to have over 400 softball players participating.

Mustangs & Mustangs at Fantasy of Flight
 Date: March 31
Venue: Fantasy of Flight —Polk City
-Fantasy of Flight and the Imperial Mustang Club of Polk County team up for this 15th annual event, the only Mustang event in Florida that features both beautifully restored P-51 Mustang war birds from World War II and Ford Mustang automobiles.

Patrick Patriots Twirling Corps – Florida State Championship
Dates: March 31 — April 1
Venue: Polk State College —Winter Haven
-The Baton Twirling State Championship is a qualifier for the National Baton Twirling Association’s “Nationals” held in July. The event host novice, beginners, intermediate and advanced twirlers from Florida. However, it also will be expecting several twirlers to attend from out of state as it also holds an open contest. There will also be several teams/corps that come and compete in the group competition section.

Sketches & Steel by Albert Paley
Dates: March 31 — June 27
Venue: Polk Museum of Art —Lakeland
-This exhibition will focus on both sides of Paley’s creative process: the plan and the end product.
-His sculptures will be on view alongside the initial sketches Paley produced to create the sculptures.
-A reception to celebrate the exhibition will take place at 7:00 p.m. and will feature a lecture by the artist.

Rowdies Rush
Date: March 31
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park —Auburndale
-The Tampa Bay Rowdies wrap up the preseason campaign against the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers with an exhibition match hosted by Florida Youth Soccer Association.

15th Annual Fire Shootout Classic
Dates: April 1 — April 29
Venue: Gyms across Lakeland, Bartow and Mulberry
-Fire Youth Sports, Inc. presents this qualifier where over a hundred teams from across the state are expected to participate.

Upcoming:

Legends & Legacies- Unspoken Valor: The Bomber Crews of World War II – April 13-14, 2012 (Fantasy of Flight-Polk City)

Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Citrus Classic 5K –April 14 ( LEGOLAND® Florida-Winter Haven)

Ironman 70.3 Florida –May 19-May 20 (Lake Eva Park-Haines City)

Red, Brick & Boom – July 4 (LEGOLAND® Florida – Winter Haven)

Polk NatureFest – October 4-7 (locations across Polk County)

This week, we wind down from the RussMatt Collegiate Central Florida Invitational and gear up for the 37th Annual Sun n’ Fun International Fly-In and Expo.  Be sure to check these events out!

Central Florida Collegiate Baseball Invitational – RussMatt Baseball Dates: 2/18 – 3/28
Venue:  Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Auburndale, Chain of Lakes Ball Park – Winter Haven

For more information on RussMatt Baseball please visit www.russmattbaseball.com  and for local sporting events and news check out www.centralfloridasports.com

Florida’s Natural Charity Classic – LPGA Futures Golf Tour
Dates: 3/26-27
Venue: Lake Region Yacht and County Club

This event will bring in over 155 participants and over 250 spectators to Polk County. The LPGA Futures Golf Tour showcases professional women golfers as they earn their LPGA card to get on the tour. For more information on this event please visit www.floridasnaturalcharityclassic.com or www.duramedfuturestour.com 

High School Pre-season Challenge – Auburndale Hoops’
Dates: 3/25 – 3/27
Venue: Auburndale High School – Auburndale

For more information please visit www.eteamz.com/auburndaleyouthbasketball 
 

9^th Annual Lady Fire Shootout Classic – Fire Youth Sports, Inc.
Dates: 3/25 – 3/27
Venue:  Various High School Basketball Gymnasiums – Lakeland

Florida Youth Soccer Association (FYSA) State Cup Round 1 
Dates: 3/26 – 3/27
Venue: Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Auburndale

This FYSA event will host 39 elite youth teams from around the state with ages ranging from 11 to 19 to Polk County.  Over 580 participants are expected along with over 1,000 spectators. For more information visit www.fysa.com or www.centralfloridasports.com

Bartow March Madness – Independent Softball Association (ISA) 
Dates: 3/26 – 3/27
Venue: Bartow 555 Complex – Bartow

For more information please visit www.isasoftball.com or www.centralfloridasports.com

 
Men’s Senior Baseball League/Men’s Adult Baseball League – Grapefruit Classic
Dates:  3/26 – 3/28
Venue:  Chain of Lakes Baseball Complex – Winter Haven

This adult men’s baseball tournament will bring 25 teams to the area for three days of competition at the Chain of Lakes Complex. For more information, please visit www.centralfloridasports.com or www.msblnational.com

 
Sun n Fun International Fly-In & Expo – Sun ‘n Fun, Inc. – Aviation
Dates: 3/29 – 4/3
Venue: Lakeland Linder Regional Airport – Lakeland

The Sun ‘n Fun Fly In will bring in people from around the world for one of the world’s largest Air shows truly making this an international event. Plan to join as this year the event will showcase the popular Blue Angles Precision Jet Demonstration Team! For more information on this event please visit www.sun-n-fun.org on local sports and news check out www.centralfloridasports.com

 The Thunderbirds plan to arrive at SUN ‘n FUN during the second half of the six day SUN ‘n FUN event.  They may engage in individual media flights and a team training flight prior to their scheduled performances on Saturday and Sunday, April 17 and 18. Advanced discounted ticket packages to SUN ‘n FUN are available on the SUN ‘n FUN website at www.sun-n-fun.org. They will perform approximately 30 maneuvers during their demonstration. The entire Thunderbird performance, including ground and air routines, runs about an hour and fifteen minutes.