Story Tools • • Date of Issue: July 05, 2006 Summer, B-ball, crabs... by Kevin Cassidy Islander Correspondent Center athletic director Andy Jonatzke gives Daniel Pimental instructions during the "Driven" basketball camp. Chris Pate passes the ball during basketball action at the Center's summer camp. The Anna Maria Island Young Professionals (AMIYP) recently sent two Holmes Beach youngsters to the Central Sarasota Hitting Clinic sponsored by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Adam and Joel Hart, who both played last season for Morgan Stanley teams in the Anna Maria Island Little League, learned a great deal about hitting in the two-day intensive hitting camp. Barry Jones, senior group account executive for the Devil Rays, got Adam and Joel into the Devil Ray camp at no cost to their parents. According to Will Bouziane, president of the AMIYP, it was a project of the AMIYP philanthropic committee, which is dedicated to assisting Island youth in their development.   NASCRAB update The June 14 story on NASCRAB referenced Ellen Benjamin as the "Richard Petty" of the sport. Does that make Ellen’s husband Ross the Danika Patrick of the circuit? Ross Benjamin won his first NASCRAB title June 22 after just 181 attempts. Ross joked while modeling his "coveted NASCRAB T-shirt, "This is the first $181 T-shirt I’ve ever owned." Congratulations, Ross! A would-be sports writer now takes on the distinction of  the longest streak without a victory in NASCRAB.   Horseshoe news Two teams emerged from pool play with 3-0 records in the June 17 horseshoe competition at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Herb Ditzel and Ron Pepka rolled past Mitch Soffer and George McKay by a 22-12 score to walk off with the duck-shaped trophy. Wednesday, June 21, saw only seven participants, but the competition was close with no team managing an undefeated record. Pepka and Soffer defeated Jimmy Spencer and John Johnson 21-11. Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.   Key Royale golf news The golfing ladies of the Key Royale Club mixed it up a bit in their weekly golf game. On June 20, the ladies played a fun game called "three club," in which each player chooses only three clubs to use during their round of golf. Nancy Grimme must have chosen the right clubs, winning first-flight honors with a one-over 33. Lois Biel and Joyce Reith tied for second with 34, while Roswitha Fowler and Diane Miller came in third place with a pair of 35s. Rose Slomba fired a 29 to capture Flight 2 honors, four shots ahead of Terry Westby. Jane Winegarden finished in third place with a 38. Eloise Miller’s second shot on hole No. 6 found the bottom of the cup.   Join Her-icane golf challenge The Manatee High School Her-icanes girls' soccer team is hosting a golf tournament at the Bradenton Country Club at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. For only $100 per golfer, players can test his/her golf skills at one of Bradenton's most exclusive and challenging layouts in a four-person scramble. A goody bag, cart and greens fees are included in the fee for all players who register before the Aug. 1 deadline. Also included with early registration is the post-tourney banquet and awards party. On tap are a straightest-drive contest, two closest-to-the-pin contests, a putting contest and raffles for tons of prizes. The field is limited to the first 100 golfers, so don't delay. The Her-icanes are also looking for sponsors for the tournament. For $800, a business can purchase the Hat Trick package, which consists of a foursome for golf and the banquet, a tee or green sign on the course and a banner which will be displayed at all Manatee Her-icane home soccer games. A golden goal sponsorship package includes a foursome and a tee or green sign on the course for $500, or just a business sign on the course is $125. To sign up a foursome, list four players and their phone numbers and include the list with a check written out to Manatee Girls Soccer Booster and mail it to me at 3610 York Drive, Bradenton FL 34205. For more information, call me, Her-icane Coach Cassidy, at 751-6602.   More Center news Adult pickup basketball is being played in the Center's air-conditioned (cool) gym for only $2 per player from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. And pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the United States, is being played indoors at the Center on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pickleball, a combination of tennis and badminton, is played by two or four people using wooden paddle/racquets and a whiffle ball. If you are over 21 years of age and interested in this exciting new game, stop by the Center. Cost is $2. For more information, contact the Center at 778-1908.