FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2004
Hurricanes force relocation of swimming & diving finals to Gainesville
GAINESVILLE – Damage caused by hurricanes Frances and Jeanne has forced the relocation of the 2004 FHSAA Swimming & Diving Finals state championship meet, the FHSAA Office announced today.
The meet, originally scheduled at North County Aquatic Complex in Sebastian, has been moved to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville. The dates of the event – Nov. 5 and 6 – will not change. The Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee (GSOC) will serve as host organization for the re-located event.
All available hotel rooms in Gainesville have been blocked by GSOC for use by the event. Hotel reservations must be made on line through the GSOC’s authorized agent. The link for this purpose will be activated on the FHSAA web site (www.fhsaa.org) by 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7. Efforts to book rooms by contacting hotels directly will not be successful.
“We thank the Treasure Coast Sports Commission for informing us of their unfortunate situation and graciously relinquishing their rights to serve as host of the 2004 FHSAA Swimming & Diving Finals,” said FHSAA Commissioner-Designate John A. Stewart. “We are especially grateful to the Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee which, on extremely short notice, has stepped forward and agreed to serve as host organization for the state meet at the University of Florida. We also thank Alachua County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dan Boyd, as well as Gainesville and Eastside high schools, for offering their assistance in the conduct of the meet.”
Said GSOC Executive Director Jack Hughes: “We are honored that the FHSAA has the confidence in us to seek our help in this major undertaking. It requires that we accomplish a year’s worth of planning in just three weeks, but we are up to the challenge and will get the job done. The University Athletic Association, along with UF swimming coach Gregg Troy and the Stephen C. O’Connell Center management, have bent over backwards in assisting us to secure use of the facility for the meet. We thank them for their support.”
The Treasure Coast Sports Commission (TSOC), a co-host of the state meet in Sebastian along with the Indian River Parks and Recreation Department, Sebastian River High School and Vero Beach High School, notified the FHSAA Office on Friday that it appeared unlikely the event could be held in that area due to the devastation caused by the storms and recommended that the Association secure an alternate site. While the aquatic center itself was not damaged, TSOC Executive Director Tom Colucci said the area’s hotels did not fair as well. Those few hotels that are in operation will be filled with emergency workers, making it virtually impossible for participating schools and spectators to secure rooms within a reasonable drive of the pool.
The Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee currently serves as host organization for the FHSAA Football Finals, and also has served as host for the FHSAA Track & Field Finals and the FHSAA Boys Weightlifting Finals. It is a not-for-profit organization that strives to promote tourism through sporting events, creating a positive economic impact on Gainesville and Alachua County.
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of 725 middle, junior and senior high schools.
Contact:
Jack Watford
Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
jwatford@fhsaa.org
