Through his Hand-Off Foundation, Dolphins legend John Offerdahl is trying to make a big difference in the community by providing nutritious meals to homebound seniors.

And, at his Off the Grill restaurant in Lighthouse Point, Offerdahl oversees each and every prepackaged meal that is delivered to the seniors.

“The whole, amazing thing about our senior meals is that they’re made fresh. No other provider in the state of Florida makes fresh, home delivered meals; they all make frozen,” said Offerdahl. “This is the chicken we use in our restaurant, and this is high-quality food. I think our seniors, basically, if they don’t get nutrition, their ability to live independent and in our community versus in an institution is minimized, so nutrition is huge, but another component to what we do is relationships.”

Relationships like the one Offerdahl with 93-year-old Barbara Mundy, a former teacher who spent decades in the Broward County school system.

“Let me tell you what we’re gonna give you from a home-delivered meals perspective: We’re going to give you five fresh dinner meals, dinner entrées, and an array of bagels, egg sandwiches and all that stuff,” Offerdahl told Mundy.

Offerdahl and his wife, Lynn, began the nonprofit Hand-Off Meals for Seniors in 2023. With an army of volunteers, they continue to prepare and deliver the free meals to the elderly.

“We do 450 to 500 clients. Each client gets 10 meals, so that’s for 4,000 to 5,000 meals a week,” said Offerdahl.

For Mundy, the visit from Offerdahl and his wife has created a special bond that goes beyond just delivering her much-needed meals.

“What goes with it, filters down from Lynn and John, which is a feeling of, oh, what’s the word? Not only compassion, but a feeling of generosity, and it brings the world into me as a person that lives alone. This is a different angle on the joy that I have at 93,” said Mundy.

“We all have grandparents, parents, peers who are in their 60s, 70s and 80s, and to feel like you’re helping a vulnerable population, and not only with sustenance, but also with relationship, you know, it brings you back, brings you back to your family,” said Offerdahl.

Mundy also happens to be a huge longtime Dolphins fan.

“This is the star of the Dolphins team, back when I had a brain in the ’80s, and he played football beautifully, and he hit the line hard,” said Mundy.

Volunteers are needed to help prepare and deliver those meals. If you’re interested in lending a hand, click here.

Construction crews gave 7News a preview of Miami Freedom Park as they say the park is already over 70% completed.

“You look around at all the cranes, it was Herculean. So, again, ambition is the best layman’s term,” said Graham Oxley, Vice President of Miami Freedom Park.

The stadium, which some call the house that team co-owner David Beckman built, will become the team’s permanent home when it opens in 2026.

Located just east of Miami International Airport, the state-of-the-art facility will seat 25,000 fans and has a canopy to keep fans dry if it rains during a game.

Crews say the canopy is operated by a one-of-a-kind cable system, a first for any stadium in Major League Soccer.

“It’s, I joke, it’s kind of my Messi. We, on the stadium side, went out for the most ambitious canopy there is, and we delivered,” said Oxley. Our canopy moves quite a bit, so there’s an equilibrium and a balance where our inner ring and outer ring get to a point where they are each pulling on each other.”

Officials say Miami Freedom Park is set to be ready on April 4, 2026, for Inter Miami’s season opener against Austin FC.

“Everything you see is a global team across three or four different continents that worked over 20 months to put this all together,” said Oxley.

Last month, Messi was on site at the Freedom Park to sign his three-year contract extension.

On Sunday, Inter Miami plays at F.C. Cincinnati in the East semi-finals. If Messi and his teammates advance and then win the East finals, there’s a possibility that Inter Miami could host the MLS Championship Game.

If that happens, it would be their last game at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 6.

Entering his eighth season, head men’s basketball coach Jim Crutchfield has already led the Sharks to two Division II national titles in the last three years. The main basketball court in Rick Case Arena on NSU’s campus will be known as Crutchfield Court.

“I’m trying not to feel more pressure from that. We have a win streak going here on that court,” he said.

To be exact, the Sharks had 86 straight home wins that started in February of 2020.

Under Crutchfield, NSU comes in ranked number one in Division II. The coach said this puts a target on his team players’ backs, but they’re ready for it.

“We’re the hunted. The team we open up with, if they’re not hunting us, nobody is,” he said. “We try to talk about, ‘Let’s not put ourselves in that position. Let’s be the hunter, too.'”

There are only two returning starters from the 2025 national championship team. Crutchfield will once again lean on senior guard Dallas Graziano from Pembroke Pines. Graziano started all 37 games last season.

“Being around him every day, like, you realize just kind of the way he thinks, and it’s kind of unique, just in everything,” said Graziano. “And, I don’t know, he always gives us little tidbits of information. I think it’s always – the guys always love it.”

Senior guard Ryan Davis will be starting his fourth straight season.

“Guys that have been here like me — Dallas, people that have been through it all — we just got to really install it, that every game is like a championship game for the other team,” said Davis.

There are changes every single season. Crutchfield has a knack for finding players who fit his system.

“I look for guys who have good motors, guys that are willing to accept the fact that they can get better and keep working hard to get better, and guys that are probably a little bit selfless in the fact that we don’t promote individualism as much as we do a team here,” he said.

The North Broward Preparatory School’s girls volleyball team has been on a mission since day one of the season. The Eagles, at 24 and 2, are ranked number one in Class 4, 11th in the state.

“When I first got hired back in January, like, we had a quick little, like, roundtable, like, ‘Hey, like, what’s our goal for the year?” said head coach Brian Coughenour. “And the number one word they came up with was ‘competitive, we want to be competitive, we want to go out the gate,’ and that was – they bought in right away.”

Gargano came in with the team loaded with seniors, but it’s his youngest player who’s turned out to be one of the best for the Eagles.

Emma Luehrs plays the center position. She feeds the ball to her teammates for the slams at the net.

Luehrs is only 14 years old, an eighth grader playing beyond her years.

“Confidence is the biggest thing for me. If you go in, like, not being ready, feeling like you’re not able to be here, but you know, like, I’m here for a reason,” she said.

Luehrs started playing volleyball on travel teams when she was 8.. She’s already surpassed 1,000 career assists.

“Very overwhelming, but then I was like, ‘You know what? Just like, all I have to do is be myself and work really hard towards this opportunity,'” she said.

“It’s been fun watching the seniors kind of rally around her. She’s really kind of what helps us go,” said Coughenour.

North Broward Prep just beat Mather Lakes Academy for the regional championship, helping to lead the Eagles’ win with senior defensive captain Destiny Wiggins. Her cousin is former Miami Heat captain Udonis Haslem.

Wiggins said she leads by example, just like her cousin once did.

“It’s business. We have to be locked in, like, at all times because, like, every team wants to beat us. We are the team to beat, so yeah, it’s pretty straightforward business,” she said.

North Broward Prep will face Southwest Florida’s Lemon Bay High School in the state semifinals on Friday. The winner of that match heads to the final round on Saturday.

“Yeah, I mean, I grew up in Weston, I was born there, raised there until i was 15-years-old, grew up playing for the Junior Panthers out at Incredible Ice, and just when I turned 15, it was time to play junior hockey up in Canada, so I got to make the move up there,” said Keyser. “But if it wasn’t for the Junior Panthers, I certainly wouldn’t be here right now, that’s for darn sure.”

The 26-year old spent six seasons in the Boston Bruins organization for the last month. He’s been playing for New York, New Jersey in the 3ICE hockey tournament. It’s for former NHL players and current minor league players.

Kyle credits the Florida Panthers, a team he loved growing up to the growth of youth hockey in south florida.

“And when you get to have kids grow up and see their team doing so well every single year, seeing their best players playing the Stanley Cup Final, it’s kind of hard not to watch them on TV and want to pick up a stick and go play out on the ice,” said Keyser.

The panthers Learn to Play kids program has increased 34 percent in the last three years. This past year alone, they had 1,000 kids learn the game, the highest number ever with the program.

“We’re growing at a rate that’s eight times the national average, we’re adding rinks every year, so what we’re seeing with our Learn to Play program is tremendous numbers,” said Florida Panthers Foundation Vice President John Colombo.

Coaches in this 3ICE tourney, some who have won Stanley Cups, some who are hall of famers, know why hockey continues to grow with fans of all ages in South Florida.

“There’s no question right now the panthers are the team, you know, they’ve proven that the last two years,” said 3ICE Coach John Leclair.

“Obviously winning makes a difference, but I think Florida has done it the right way,” said 2003 Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr. “They’re building the fan base from around the game, and you have to do that if you’re going to grow.”

You can find everything you need to know about the Panthers Learn to Play program here.

This is now Adebayo’s sixth camp with the kids, an important part of his commitment to continue to grow as a role model in the community.

“I mean, like I said, man, I’ve had a great leader in Udonis Haslem, shout out UD, you know, he showed me the way, he showed me how to love on the community, showed me how to give back and then to be able to do it in my own version,” said Adebayo.

He expanded on how camps like this can make an impact on the younger generation.

“Camps like this are important to me because I’m helping the younger generation and they’re our future, you never know what can happen, some of these kids in here might actually be pros, might not be basketball, but it might be football, it might be tennis, you never know,” he said. “So just being able to impact them and they have a chance to be around somebody who was a pro, you know, that goes a long way.”

And along with getting back to work within the community, Adebayo is ready to get back to work on the court after a Mediterranean tour over the summer and disappointing end to the season.

“I mean, I got to decompress a long time before that, we had a good month where, you know, I just kind of didn’t look at basketball and kind of gave myself a break from it, and it was great for me. I feel refreshed, I feel rejuvenated, you know, I got a bounce about myself again, so I’m excited for the new season.”

Adebayo also spoke about the Heat’s acquisition of Norman Powell in an off-season trade and what he will bring to the team.

“I mean, obviously to me, he’s very underrated. But what he brings, he brings an energy about himself. He brings that dog mentality that we like to have. And obviously, he brings scoring. So having Norman, he’s going to fit perfectly with us and I’m looking forward to it,” said Adebayo.

With the landscape of the eastern conference changing, Adebayo said his focus is only on how the Heat can keep playing winning basketball, not how other teams adjust to their off-season moves.

“I mean, we’re always going to look to win games. We’re always going to look to try to be the top of the east. You know, no matter what season it is, no matter what everybody’s looking at, you can’t look at everybody else. A lot of teams can look good on paper, but they might not pan out. You know, we’ve done some where we’ve been the eighth seed and went to the Finals, it’s unheard of. So like I said, you got to run your own race and we’re worried about us,” said Adebayo.

Despite the underwhelming end to the Heat’s season, Adebayo said he believes in Pat Riley’s vision to get back into contention.

“I got trust in Pat. Like I said, me and Pat have a lot of conversations and being able to talk to him, being able to understand where he’s coming from, like he’s one of those people, obviously he wants to see us win, but he does it his way,” said Adebayo.

Adebayo also said he’s looking to change narratives surrounding himself after having an underwhelming season.

“I think I had a down year last year. So, you know, it’s a lot of narratives that I want to change about myself. And it’s not to prove anybody wrong, it’s just to prove myself right,” said Adebayo.

Al Blades Jr. may look like any other pit crew member working for a NASCAR team.

“You know you change tires on the side of the road, but this is nothing like that,” said Al Blades Jr.

Al has gone from playing football at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and the University of Miami to being a rear tire changer for one of the top race teams. When Al transferred to Duke for his final year of college football, the assistant athletic director introduced him to his pit crew coach at Hendrick Motorsports.

“The people around me at Duke all knew I was into and loved cars,” he said. “They knew I was into building up my own cars; they knew I was fascinated with cars. So, the program here, no matter how successful you are at football, they are always looking to kind of push you in a direction they think you’ll really enjoy.”

Blades Jr. was an undrafted player with the Jets and was released after his first training camp in 2024. That’s when all of our efforts turned to working in NASCAR. His football background was a plus.

“Just like the NFL, you come in and watch film of the last practice, and we come in and watch film of our last practice. Every day, you have a coach that’s telling you what you need to do better. I had such good teammates and good coaches that it was never anything major like, ‘Aw man, I don’t think I could do this,’ or anything like that. It was just learning curves and learning how to do it every day.”

This is Al’s first full year of working in the pits in the Cup Series. Being a pit crew member is physically and mentally demanding to work as a team.

“We like to call the pitstop a play,” said Blades Jr. “Because if I don’t do my job, it could affect another man’s job. I see that car coming down; I always give my gun a good stretch two times and make sure my button is switched. I know my air’s on, my button is working, and I time my jump every single time. Once I’m down and I’m in it, it’s like clockwork.”

Consider this: Al had never been to a NASCAR race before he started working in the sport.

“I love hearing the engine roar, I love hearing the downshifts, and I love hearing the cars come in. I love the sound of the brakes and the tires sliding into the box. Everything about it, man. I love cars,” he said. “To know that you’re in it, and you’re doing it, you can’t take it for granted.”

Al worked the pits for driver Katherine Legge in today’s Brickyard 400 at the Indy. She finished 17th in the 39-car field. Next season, Al hopes to work the pits for one of the four main drivers with Hendrick Motorsports.

It’s considered the most dangerous eight seconds in sports.

One of the best to get a judge’s score while staying on a 2,000-pound raging bull is 19-year-old John Crimber.

“It’s a dogfight,” said Crimber, Florida Freedom Bull rider. “I mean, you’re out there; you’re trying to battle it out with this bull, trying to outpower him the whole time. It’s a battle of grit and determination the whole time.”

John, a member of the Sunrise-based Florida Freedom Team, is the reigning MVP and currently ranked third with the Professional Bull Riders.

His newest teammate, 40-year-old João Ricardo Vieira, is a 13-time PBR world finals qualifier.

“I never imagined I stayed 40 years,” he said. “But I still ride well, and I can retire.”

There’s currently no other PBR team with two teammates where the age gap is more than 20 years.

Florida Freedom head coach Paulo Crimber sees this as an advantage.

“Being the older guy in the locker room now, he’s one of the best bull riders there is on the planet,” he said.

Having JRV also helps Paulo, who also coaches his son, John.

“I mean, I think it’s going to help because he’s been through 20 years of experience ahead of him,” he said. “He probably feels better, more comfortable asking for a guy that’s still active and doing it. I’m going to just add to the team big time.”

John and JRV have been bonding. As they work together while touring the Panthers facility, their relationship keeps growing.

“For a long time with Paulo, and I see John Kramer grow up, you know,” said João.

“I used to watch him when I was little too,” said John. “So, I’m like, ‘This man right here knows what he’s doing.’ So, to have a guy like him, we’re very thankful to have a guy that’s experienced so much in his career.”

Recently, John was still riding bulls despite a broken collarbone. JRV’s advice to John on dealing with the pain: just think about what you’re having for dinner.

You can check out the PBR with the Florida Freedom Team at the Amerant Bank Arena from August 8th through the 10th.

Fans are celebrating the team’s historic back-to-back Cups, wasting no time to commemorate the history-making repeat victories and getting the massive achievement permanently tattooed.

C.J. Ugarte, an experienced South Florida tattoo artist, has been creating Panthers tattoos since last year’s Cup victory, and got right back to work at Electric Street Tattoo in Wilton Manors following the Cats’ victory Tuesday night.

Ugarte said he has a unique “embroidery-style” to his work, a craft he’s been perfecting since he began in 2008, that makes his tattoos appear as if they were stitched.

The unique style exploded in popularity after last year’s massive win for the Panthers.

“Since we won the Stanley Cup last year, it’s been a full, long year of me just doing Panther tattoos, embroidery-style and other styles, mostly embroidery, and I already have a bunch lined up next week, and I’m looking forward to doing another year of Panther tattoos. Let’s go Cats!” said Ugarte.

J.C. Crespo was one of those fans who came to Ugarte for a championship tattoo in 2024. A year later, he came back to Ugarte to get a vital update.

J.C. and his son, Jason, have been fans of the Panthers since the start, and he made a promise to get the tattoo if they ever won the Cup.

“Since the beginning, since ’93, me and my oldest son used to drive down to the Miami Arena. We had season tickets down there,” he said. “So I’ve been a lifelong Panther fan. I mean, I’ve been through the 30 years of misery. If you’re a Panther fan, you know what we’ve been through.”

An expert at the art, Ugarte updated J.C.’s tattoo, featuring the Stanley Cup and a rat wearing a Panthers jersey. The cup got an updated engraving on the cup to include 2025 underneath 2024.

After getting his tattoo updated, it was Jason’s turn to get his updated. He said he’s following through on a big bet.

“I have season tickets and, at the beginning of the season last year, we made a bet with each other, when the Panthers win the Stanley Cup, we’d come and get tattoos,” he said.

Jason’s tattoo, featuring the Stanley Cup in front of the sun and a cross made with a hockey stick and a palm tree, is also getting the engraving on the trophy updated to include 2025.

Ugarte credited the Panthers’ 2024 championship for bringing more customers, even being overwhelmed the moment after the franchise won its first-ever championship.

“Last year, a little bit before the final game, I had a few Panther fans scheduled to get their embroidery tattoo and, as soon as we won, they all pushed their appointments up as soon as possible, and it just kind of spiraled out of hand and, I mean, everyone was knocking on the door, trying to get a Panthers tattoo,” said Ugarte.

Ugarte said, so far, 2025 has been no different. Just two days since the Panthers clinched the Cup, he’s done more than 20 tattoos, all with different styles.

Ugarte said he’s offering fans who got a tattoo done by him last year the chance to get it updated for 2025 at his shop for free.

The IcePlex, located in Fort Lauderdale, is the hockey team’s training facility, and Thursday’s appearance gives players a chance to check out the men’s and women’s hockey leagues and mingle with their devoted fans. It echoes a similar event that took place last year when they beat the Edmonton Oilers, a feat they repeated at Tuesday night’s Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

As of 5 p.m., no players have shown up to the IcePlex, but they have been very busy over the past 48 hours. Wednesday morning, they were seen greeting fans and posing for pictures at Fort Lauderdale Beach’s Elbo Room. 7News cameras captured Panthers players Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk on the bar’s second-floor balcony as they used the Stanley Cup to pour beer onto the crowd below.

That night, the Syanley Cup made another appearance, this time on Las Olas Boulevard as Panthers defenceman Dmitry Kulikov carried it into Earls Kitchen + Bar.

The warmth expressed by fans is a reflection of an enduring love affair between the athletes and their admirers.

“There’s something about the Panthers that, compared to other South Florida teams, they’re so genuine and real and family-oriented, so it’s really nice to connect to these fans here on Las Olas, where they grew up,” said Panthers fan Caroline Lorenzo. “We see them from time to time just living it up and coming out for coffee on the street, so they’re locals just like us.”

Players Carter Verhaeghe and Sergei Bobrovsky were also on hand accompanying the cup at Earls.

Fans posted a video in Dania Beach of the championship T-shirts they delivered to the team after the Cats won their second straight Cup.

It has been a long and winding road for the Cup. After the team won their first Stanley Cup in 2024, Panthers Jonah Gadjovich and his wife posted a picture showing their nearly 1-month-olf twins fitting in the Cup. Fast forward one year, and a similar picture shows the twins unable to fit inside the trophy.

In June 2024, cellphone video showed former Panthers great and Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo eating pasta out of the top of the Cup.

The Panthers sightings won’t stop Thursday. Player Sam Reinhart will have his own shift at the Raising Cane’s location in Tamarac. He won’t be scoring goal but serving chicken tenders. The 29-year-old will be working the counter and the drive-thru.

This time last year, Matthew Tkachuck, another fan favorite, had his own shift at the Raising Cane’s in Pompano Beach.

Also last year, Panthers captain Aleksander “Sasha” Barkov brought Lord Stanley to E11EVEN Miami to share with fans. Organizers with the nightclub said they will host the Panthers at a big party set to get underway late Thursday night.

These appearances lead to a big championship parade and rally on Fort Lauderdale Beach set to kick off at noon on Sunday. 7News’ coverage begins at 11 a.m.

They say the journey matters more than the destination. For this cancer-fighting crew launching from Hovey Bach, the journey is the mission.

A seven-day, 330-mile journey, where every mile is a move to fight cancer.

It began 26 years ago, after founder Steven O’Brien lost his mother to lung cancer. He picked up a paddle and turned grief into purpose.

“She passed in 1999, and that started the organization,” he said. “All we knew is that you had to keep the blue on the left and the green on the right, and that’s all the kayaking experience we ever had.”

What began as a tribute has become a movement now known as Castaway Beach.

The launch draws hundreds, from veteran paddlers to first-time volunteers, all united in the fight.

This year, breast cancer survivor and first-time volunteer Jeanette Dovales led the ceremonial first stroke, five years cancer-free.

“It was a tough time because I really had to do this on my own, even though I had the support of my family at home,” she said. “But luckily everything went great, so I was very honored when I got the phone call from Captain Pino saying, ‘Will you do the first stroke?’ And I said, ‘Of course, I’d be honored’.”

Among those watching was her son, Nick, who saw her honored for the fight she never gave up.

“My mom deserves it,” he said. “She went through a lot, and to see her go through the first paddle, it meant a lot to me and my family.

And now, as one united family, the castaway paddles for survivors, rides for fighters, and runs for those we’ve lost.

“Our culture is to celebrate life,” said Captain Eric Pino. “Being out there is difficult and long and hard, but fighting cancer is harder, so that is the common bond that brings us all together.”

While the castaways move the miles, their mission funds the future. Their efforts support the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, where hope is being turned into healing.

“Investments that we make now are going to turn into cures to benefit those patients,” said David Lombard of the Sylvester Cancer Institute. “So it’s always a long-term project, and we’re always looking to the future.”

To the castaways and everyone impacted by cancer, what started as a small effort has turned into a powerful mission. Their journey from Miami to Key West is about more than miles.

“I hope that we can make a better world to honor those who have fought and to remember those who have lost the battle,” said Steven.

They are set to arrive in Key West on Friday.

Thirty-two teams will be pushed to their limits over the course of a month, in 12 different locations, until one wins the top spot.

Egyptian club Al-Ahly is the first team to arrive in MIA.

The team will be sharpening their skills ahead of the match in South Florida under recently named head coach José Riveiro.

“So excited happy to be here, representing our club, representing Egypt as well,” said Riveiro. “Ready to build up to the first game. We come in with enough time to have a good adaptation, to have a good preparation for the first match, and that’s the intention.”

“They’re going to be seeing teams from all around the world, different teams that they probably have never seen before,” said Noah Allen, a defender for Inter Miami. “So I think it’s going to be important, and it’s great for the whole club in general. The whole city, honestly, of Miami.”

The club is set to play Inter Miami in the opener next weekend, a team that the club, and the world, is all too familiar with.

“It’s a team full of big names, players that they don’t have so much to say anymore about football, they won everything already. Inter Miami is a big team with so many great players like Messi and Suarez, but we are also a big team,” said Riveiro. “It’s not our first time in the FIFA Club World Cup, and we believe we are already prepared, and we will show how we play against an important team, but we are also important, and we will do our best in the match.”

The coach says his team will bring their best onto the field.

“They come into the tournament with the same expectations than us, go through, go to the next round, and we know for sure we’re going to face extremely competitive players,” said Riveiro. “We’re going to show try to show our character, we’re going to try to show our football as well. It’s a club with a huge tradition.”

A tradition that football fans have been following for generations, including Khalid, a fan who drove all the way from Naples to see the arrival. He said he even played for the club’s handball team.

“I was born in this club; I feel like I’m so happy that the team will be here. This is the biggest event ever, and it’s going to be awesome. Thanks to FIFA that they did this,” said Khalid.

No matter the score at the end of the game, Al-Ahly said they plan on offering stiff competition.

“We’re not going to play the occasion, we’re going to play each and every game with the intention to win, and hopefully we can have a good time here,” said Riveiro.

The opening match of the tournament, pitting Inter Miami against Al-Ahly, kicks off June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium.

Whenever Plantation’s Patrick Staropoli is on or off track, he’s known as Dr. Speed.

“When I’m at the racetrack, people ask me about what I do, you know, operating and clinic during the week. And then here, I got a bunch of patients asking me how the races went,” he said.

Staropoli is a NASCAR driver and an eye surgeon.

Patrick has loved cars since he was a kid. First, racing go-karts. Then into this mid-20s on short tracks statewide.

About 10 years ago, he attended the University of Miami School of Medicine and then Harvard to get his degree in ophthalmology.

Patrick is now at the intersection of medicine and racing.

“It’s a lot of time management,” Staropoli said. “It’s a lot of people on both ends who believe in me and want to see me succeed in the things I’m passionate about. It’s a whole team effort on both ends to get me where I need to be, and I’m thankful for everyone who helped make it happen.”

Patrick is behind the wheel in three of the four NASCAR series.

He has 15 races on his schedule this season. The ultimate goal is to race full-time in the Cup Series.

“I find that I think I’m a better race car driver because I’m a doctor. And the other way around: being a racecar driver makes me a better physician,” Staropoli said. “I think the skills definitely translate. Even when you’re operating, you have to be smooth on the pedal and smooth with your instruments. Same thing when you’re in the car with the steering wheel and the gas pedal. You’ve got to be smooth all day long.”

Anytime the 35-year-old is at the racetrack, he’s always helping other drivers see clearly.

“Some people are like, ‘Hey, I have this funny thing on my eyelid; can you take a look?'” Staropoli said. “If someone else from another team asks me to look at their eye, I say, ‘Alright, let me take a look at your notebook and see what you guys are doing on the racecar.’ So there’s a barter system there. But it’s interesting. I like talking about what I do in medicine. I’ve always tried to use the racing platform to promote important causes in medicine. It’s cool; you have conversations with your crew chief and your pit crew that an average racecar driver wouldn’t have. So it’s always interesting.”

Saturday, Patrick finished fourth in the ARCA 125 at Rockingham. This Saturday, he’ll race at Talladega for the first time. It’s NASCAR’s biggest track, with a lot of four-wide racing and a lot of wrecking.

We first met Elia Carranza two years ago. She’s still fighting crime on the streets as a Broward County Sheriff’s deputy. She’s also still fighting in the ring.

In two weeks Carranza has a shot at winning her first major title.

“I treat every opponent like they’re all world champions, like they’re all dangerous,” she said. “But facing these caliber opponents just really lets me put everything into effect.”

Carranza’s upcoming fight will be for the WBA super welterweight championship. She’s ranked among the top three in her weight class in all four sanctioning federations. When Elia’s in the ring, she’s determined to make her bout a knockout.

“I like pleasing the fans,” she said. “I like going out there and being different, you know? So every fight, the goal is to go out there and give the people a different look. And I know for sure that we bring it to the table. Every single time.”

Carranza is one of the aces of women’s boxing today. In what was once a traditional man’s sport, where title bouts brought a lot of attention, Elia has helped pave the way for women in the sport with bigger fights and payouts.

“Because as women, we come in, we’re just naturally more disciplined. We’re going to come in, and we’re going to give it 150% every single day. You don’t have to ask me to give you my best. I’m going to give you my best,” Carranza said.

At age 34, Carranza has no plans to stop enjoying both of her jobs, in and out of the ring, anytime soon.

“There are no limitations on what you can do, other than what you put on yourself,” she said. “So a lot of people said, She won’t be able to. You couldn’t do that. It doesn’t mean I can’t. I’ve proven that time and time again, and I’m going to continue to prove that until I’m world champion. Unified and undisputed.”

Carranza will continue training at the Level Up Boxing and Fitness gym she owns in Fort Lauderdale. Then, on Saturday night, April 26th, it’s time to get it on. Elia is the main event on the fight card at Miccosukee Casino and Resort in Miami.

The Fish lost 100 games in the 2024 season, so the franchise re-vamped the entire front office.

The Marlins will open the 33rd season of franchise history under the leadership of their new manager, Clayton McCullough. There will also be plenty of new faces come opening day and to them McCullough gave this piece of advice.

“I think I would tell them embrace the emotions that come with it. It’s a cool thing, a cool moment to be on an opening day roster. We will have a number of individuals making their first opening day roster this year. A message to them would just be to take a moment, look around, and soak it all in,” said McCullough.

The team said they look to surprise some people this season.

Some top players to look for on the mound: Pitcher Sandy Alcántara and First Baseman Matt Mervis.

Alcántara, the 2022 National Cy Young Award winner, gets the opening day start. It is his fifth time as the opening day start.

It’s the first time for a game that counts since September 3, 2023. He missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

“It’s an exciting day for me and my team-mates, family and everything but tomorrow I just have to forget about everything and be out there and work,” said Alcántara.

This Marlins team that will get its start on Thursday is really young. Only two players are 30-year-olds while 10 players have played at least two years in the major leagues.

“To be up here with the Marlins is a whole different thing. So just trying to soak it all in, that’s what everyone tells me and it’s hard to do that when you’re focusing on the game and winning the game. But taking little moments when I can and just soak it all in,” said Marlins Right Fielder Griffin Connie.

Both Alcántara and Mervis will be at loanDepot park as the fish take on the Pirates at 4:10p.m., Thursday.

“I think the biggest message we’ve had right away, from day one, was that we were going to look to how in which we prepare and how which we train for each game. Some guys look drastically different than what they’re used to. It was kind of going into the deep end right away, from day one,” said McCullough.

South Florida legend and Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer Dan Marino will be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

After the game, there will be fireworks and performances by Flo Rida and Luis Fonsi.

Fans were captured at the ballpark for Opening Day wearing Fins gear and showing excitement for their hometown team.

“Opening game, the beginning of something beautiful for the team,” said fan Paul Whittaker.

“I love baseball. All my life. I’ve never actually been to a Marlins opening day in spite having love the team since they came to Florida and I’m excited to be here,” said fan Matthew Koenig.

“I’ve always been obsessed with being on time and being early,” Johnson said. “My wife, you know, really gives me hell for saying, ‘Hey, you said we were going to leave at 2:00. Why are you ready at 1:30?’ You know. I had a ball doing the show. I love doing it, but it was time for me to retire.”

Now 81, Johnson is spending his retirement at home in Key Largo, relaxing at the restaurant that bears his name.

“You know, I had a couple of football guys come down day before yesterday. I still have coaches come down, so I’m still busy talking football. So football is still a big part of my life,” he said.

The winner of two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and a college national championship with the University of Miami says he’s fulfilled both personally and professionally.

“You know, happiness for me is seeing other people be successful because I knew I had a part to do in that,” Johnson said.

South Florida fans remember his dominant run with the Miami Hurricanes in the 1980s.

“Go back and look at the schedule. The teams that we played every other week. It was Oklahoma, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame. We had such a difficult schedule. Plus we beat all those teams. And so it was so much fun,” he said.

Johnson’s time coaching the Dallas Cowboys is well documented, leading to Super Bowl titles with stars Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. His return to South Florida with the Miami Dolphins, however, didn’t go as planned.

“Don Shula is one of the greatest coaches ever, ever. And you know, I’ve got great respect for what he accomplished,” Johnson said. “But I wanted people to say, hey, you know, give me a chance to do what I can do. And we had such a great owner, and then we had a great Hall of Fame quarterback. I wanted to win a Super Bowl for them and that didn’t happen. So that’s a disappointment for me.”

Though there were setbacks, Johnson’s career saw far more victories than defeats. Now, there are no more play clocks or coaches’ meetings — just relaxation, reflection, and the signature hair that’s become part of his legend.

“Looking back on me when I first started, I would say, ‘Jimmy, strap it on. Because here we come,’” he said.

This weekend’s events at the Homestead-Miami Speedway are still set to go on despite the flames having burned over 26,000 acres, about 50% of which has been contained as of Friday night.

“The show absolutely goes on. We’re set. We’re ready. The fire department, the forestry service, everybody has done a magnificent job fighting these fires. So at no point were we worried. We were concerned to the point of keep an eye on it,” said Homestead Track President Guillermo Santa Cruz.

Event officials were seen working on preparations for the big event.

Two Cup drivers have had success on the 1.5-mile speedway, including Denny Hamlin, who has three wins here.

“You know, luck is something that is a factor. It’s, you know, it’s not the main factor, and I feel as though, you know, we’re going to put ourselves in position to be contenders on Sunday,” said Hamlin.

Christopher Bell comes in winning three of the first five Cup races. Bell won at Homestead in 2023.

“And then a huge, huge win in 2023 to lock into the final four. So it’s a, I have a love-hate relationship with it. That place was littered with heartbreak for me through the early part of my career,” said Bell.

Some local drivers will also take part in Saturday’s Xfinity race. Hollywood’s Brad Perez will drive the 45 Florida International University car.

“The first time I went to the Homestead Speedway, I was like 5. It was in 2002, and I fell in love with the sport. Honestly, without this place, I probably wouldn’t even be here right now,” said Perez.

Another local, Homestead’s Nick Sanchez will race in the 48 Spiked Coolers car.

“The first race at Homestead-Miami Speedway when I was 5. So, you know, this is where I fell in love with the sport. So to come back here and compete in it, it’s just amazing,” said Sanchez.

With the brush fire in mind, event officials want guests to keep an eye out for road restrictions.

“Certainly, if you’re coming up from the Keys, stay on top of it, because they’ve been closing cars down intermittently the last couple of days,” said Cruz. “If you’re coming south, you’re probably going to have less issues. In South Florida, check traffic, but everything should be good.”

The event kicks off Friday at 8 p.m. with the Truck Series race. Then, Saturday will feature the Ford Xfinity 300 race at 4 p.m., and Sunday, the main event will be the 400 NASCAR Cup race at 3 p.m.

Miami Dolphins’ outside linebacker Bradley Chubb will be the Grand Marshal, and he will be in charge of calling out commands such as, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”

It is set to be a great weekend of racing.

In 2011, Merchant was diagnosed with cancer.

“When I first found out — it was from a piece of paper, and I read the diagnosis, and it said ‘Hodgkin’s lymphoma’ — I felt like I got punched in the face. I was a little bit dizzy. This is shocking,” said Merchant. “It turns out I was Stage 4, which only has a 64% chance of survival. It [was] a little more concerning, but I had already built in this mindset of, ‘I got this. I’m going to win.'”

Following chemotherapy treatments, Merchant has been cancer-free for more than 11 years.

Last October, Merchant discovered the Haymakers for Hope boxing organization. Now he has a game plan for his first fight.

“What have I learned from my coaches over the last four months, five months while we’ve been preparing for this thing?” he said. “What have I learned in sparring that I need to be mindful and pay attention to? Everything else is outside of my control.”

For Hedke, preparing to box for the first time has been a process.

“So the amount of patience and discipline has been next level. I quit drinking and have tea every night and go to bed as soon as possible, because I get up and train, get up and train around 5:30 a.m. and start training,” she said.

Both fighters will soon step into the ring as part of the Haymakers for Hope Fight Card, an event featuring boxers who are either cancer survivors or have loved ones affected by the disease.

The Miami Beach event will raise money for the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Lucia is not a cancer survivor, but she is fighting for her family.

“My dad died 13 months ago. He had lung cancer,” she said. “My dad was a fighter. It makes me very proud to be his daughter, and even though he’s not here, I know I’m still his daughter, so this is why I’m training even harder, so I can give it my all.”

Between rounds, those holding up the cards are the “Ringcard Warriors.” All of them are cancer survivors.

The next Haymakers for Hope event is Thursday at the Fillmore in Miami Beach.

Click here for more information on Haymakers for Hope.

Meet Steve Mocco; he’s the man in charge of the American Top Team gym at Coconut Creek.

He runs one of the country’s top wrestling programs.

Mocco is also a two-time Division One NCAA National Champion and a 2008 US Olympian.

Out of his achievements, one stands out the most– coaching his two sons.

“I feel like I won the lottery,” he said. “Being able to share this time with them, prepare them the best I can.”

He oversees the growth of his two sons, Michael and Peter, who are both among the top high school wrestlers in the state.

“He’s one of the best coaches, and he’s also one of the best dads at the same time,” said Michael Mocco.

“It’s everything you need,” said Peter Mocco. “My dada helps us. He’s got a lot of answers for wrestling.”

16-year-old Peter is the defending state champion in the 190-pound class. Michael, a junior at Cardinal Gibbons, is the two-time state champ and the U17 U.S. World champion in the 215 class.

Their success comes as a result of the strong support system in the family.

“It’s amazing; my family’s awesome,” said Michael. “It’s great having a support system that can really support me on my journey to become the best wrestler I can possibly be.”

Even though they are family, the two brothers who train together are competitive, always pushing each other to bring out their best on the mat.

“They’re both competitors; they both like to compete and get better, and they push each other,” said Jamel Morris, head coach at Cardinal Gibbons.

“Yeah, it gets pretty serious,” said Peter. “I mean, we’re brothers; we both want to see each other get better. Wrestling, it’s physical.”

Michael’s and Peter’s dream is to one day follow in their father’s footsteps and represent the U.S. in the Olympics.

All Steve can ask for is that his two sons enjoy the ride wrestling has to offer.

“It’s a journey, right?” he said. “There’s a finish line to it, but you’re constantly improving, even after you’re done. I’m proud of them, what they put into it. Outside of the sport, just how they handle their business in life every day. They’re good boys. They make me and their mother very happy. It’s a lot of fun to be around them.”

Steve is the assistant wrestling coach at Cardinal Gibbons. He watched his sons win at regionals this past weekend.

On Thursday, the boys will be competing in Orlando as favorites in their weight classes, hoping to return home as champions.

His name is Shon Abaev.

“He’s a sleeper right now,” said Cilk McSweeney, head coach at Calvary Christian. “And soon the nation is going to learn who he is.”

While not yet a household name, Abaev is Broward County’s best high school hoopster.

The six-foot-nine senior guard from Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale averages nearly 21 points per game and is currently the nation’s twenty-fifth-ranked player.

“You know it’s just a different mindset,” said Abaev. “We came in this year, we wanted to win everything. That’s what we’re doing. We only lost one game this season. We’re trying to win it all this year and proving a point. I work hard every day. I just stay close to my family, my inner circle and I just keep believing in myself. And the people that believe in me, I just keep pushing, and I keep going for them.”

Abaev has propelled Calvary Christian to number three in the country, having recently been named to the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Team.

He’s the fourth player in Broward County to achieve that status.

Coach Cilk McSweeney knows he has a special player in Shon.

“A lot of kids gravitate towards him, and the stuff he says and does on the floor, and he works hard,” he said. “And we follow right behind him.”

Shon was recruited by over 20 colleges, including the second-ranked Florida Gators.

He ultimately chose the University of Cincinnati.

“I just felt like it was the best fit for me to achieve my goal, which is to go to the NBA after one year and to win a national championship,” he said. “They have everything in their power to get me better on weaknesses I have and also to help me improve myself and show myself to the next level.

Shon’s journey began halfway across the world in Israel. He got his love for basketball from his older brother, Eli.

“My brother had put the ball in my hands when I was three, and ever since then I loved playing the game of basketball,” he said. “Every time I need to talk to somebody, I call him. You know, he’s there for me every single day. He stays up to watch my games. Even with the time difference, he stays up late to watch my games.”

Born in Israel, he moved to South Florida when he was four. He takes great pride in being an Israeli.

“Those are all my people there,” he said. “So, just being able to put on for my culture, there’s not a lot of Israeli players that are on the level that I’m at and played in the NBA. You know, there’s only a few. So, just being able to be another one and just be at the level that I’m at is a great feeling.”

Shon and his Calvary Christian teammates are in the state’s Class 3A final four. They will face Cardinal Gibbons in the state semifinals on Friday in Lakeland.

Shant Solmaz, a lifelong Heat fan, was seated in the front row during Miami’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night when he saw reports of the trade online.

Solmaz, using tickets he received as a Christmas gift, took it upon himself to break the news to the team.

“I thought it was going to happen after the game. I had zero thought it was going to happen during the game, so when it happened during the game, I said, ‘Let me just tell the players really quick,” Solmaz said.

Solmaz shouted toward the bench, prompting reactions from his favorite player, Tyler Herro, as well as Kevin Love and Jaime Jaquez Jr.

I took my chances, I was like, ‘Boys, we won the trade,’ and I yelled it like three or four times,” Solmaz said.

Herro turned around and asked for details, while Jaquez appeared concerned he might be involved in the deal.

“Tyler Herro looked around, looked back and said, ‘What happened?'” And then I said, ‘Jimmy just went to the Warriors,’ and then Kevin Love turned around and asked me, ‘Who was it for?’ And then that’s when I went further into detail.”

After informing the players, Solmaz posted a video of the exchange on social media, which quickly went viral.

“After I told them, immediately I posyed in on Instagram, and probably five minutes later, Overtime reposted it,” Solmaz said, “and after that, my emails, my [direct messages] were flooded with everyone contacting me, and yeah, it just started to go viral.”

The Heat even featured Solmaz on their official Instagram page.

The trade sent Butler to the Warriors in exchange for Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schroder and Andrew Wiggins. It remains unclear whether Anderson will be staying with the Heat.

Schroder is getting moved to Utah — where the Warriors, coincidentally, were Wednesday night — and Josh Richardson is heading from Miami to Detroit.

Also on the move: P.J. Tucker, who was just traded to Utah and briefly was set to return to Miami, where he played in the 2021-22 season. As the trade continued evolving Thursday, Tucker was being moved to Toronto, and Davion Mitchell was headed to the Heat.

Solmaz, a Heat fan since he was 5, when Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and company won the team’s first NBA title back in 2006 championship run.

He said the Butler trade is a good move for the future.

“Andrew Wiggins is a great piece,” he said. “He’s a star, and he’s been cooking for the Warriors lately, so I’m excited to see what he bringsa to Miami.”

Though he admired Butler’s contributions to Miami, Solmaz was ready for the team to move on.

“I was a big fan of Jimmy for what he did for the city, but how he went about it I was upset about, so I just wanted the chapter to be over with,” he said.

Solmaz said he will always remember being the one who broke the news about one of the franchise’s biggest moves.

“I would say that was like probably the best day of my life — getting to interact with my favorite player and my favorite team, and then going viral for it,” he said. “Yeah, go Heat.”

Solmaz has since been interviewed by ESPN and Yahoo Sports, among other news outlets.

“You’re talking about one of the most incredible races in the world, and when you have an opportunity with a great group of people, who haven’t seen us, to go out there and drive, why not?” said Castroneves.

The Key Biscayne resident is aiming to join an elite group of drivers, as only Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt have ever won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.

“It would be a part of history. You know, again, everything when you say Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt and all the incredible names—they’re called the gods of racing, right? Imagine all of a sudden we have an opportunity to join those names. It’s a dream come true,” Castroneves said.

Although Castroneves has raced at Daytona before, winning three 24 Hours of Daytona titles on the road course, this will be his first attempt on the high-speed oval. The race requires 200 laps at speeds exceeding 200 mph, a challenge he welcomes despite the steep learning curve.

“It’s 200-plus miles per hour. You got Ross Chastain or Joey Logano behind you, and these guys, they’ll put you in the wall. Are you ready for that?” asked WSVN sports anchor Mike DiPasquale.

“You know what I’m going to do?” Castroneves said, jokingly gesturing the Sign of the Cross while miming holding a steering wheel. “Oh my goodness!”

“At the end of the day, obviously, we’re all drivers, competitors. We’re going to do everything we can to win a race,” he added.

To prepare, the 49-year-old will compete in the ARCA Menards Series 200 at Daytona, a developmental race that will help him acclimate to the larger, faster stock cars used in NASCAR’s Cup Series.

“It’s 200-plus miles an hour, and it has a lot of guys side-by-side. It’s just like I-95 in traffic and everybody right there side-by-side, so it will be quite an experience. I can’t wait,” he said.

Castroneves, who has been racing since he was 10 years old, doesn’t need to qualify for the Daytona 500, thanks to a NASCAR exemption granted to world-class drivers. However, he hopes to earn his spot through performance.

“I hope we don’t have to use that. I hope I can race myself into the race, but if something out of the ordinary happens, I don’t mind taking the opportunity,” he said.

Castroneves hinted that his partnership with Trackhouse Racing, co-owned by entertainer Pitbull, may extend beyond the Daytona 500. He could participate in additional Cup Series races, including the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 23.

The Daytona 500 is set for February 18. For Castroneves, it’s an opportunity to leave another mark on motorsport history.

For tickets and more information on the Daytona 500, click here.

Levy Sanchez is a former Division 2 athlete, who is not just coaching basketball, but coaching life.

At 26-years-old he is leading the inaugural women’s team at Millennia Atlantic University(MAU) in Doral.

He is shaping their future while drawing strength from a lifelong journey of playing sports.

“Again granted I can’t do it the way I used to. When there were stuff going on or I needed to let a little bit out I could count on sports,” said Levy Sanchez, Macaws head coach.

For Sanchez, basketball wasn’t just a sport, it was a home.

“He scored I think 55 points on his own,” said his father, Levy Sanchez Sr. “Suddenly after that, he was treated like Dwayne Wade but that was his time right there.”

But life has a way of testing those who love something deeply.

During his collegiate career at Spring Hill College in Alabama, Levy faced his greatest challenges: two devastating knee injuries.

The injuries occurred years apart, on opposite knees.

“The devastation that I left from there, ‘I was like is it really worth all this?” he questioned.

Despite the physical and emotional toll, Levy refused to let his scars define him.

“These scars are going to be there no matter what but they’re not going to affect anything that I do,” he said.

Levy’s passion for the game never wavered, even when his playing career was cut short.

Instead, he found a new way to stay in the game.

“I know how to play the game. If I can play it, why can’t I coach it?” he said.

Through all of his challenges, Levy connects deeply with his players.

To them, he’s more than just a coach.

“Respect doesn’t have an age, so I feel like if you give respect. Respect will be given. I feel like with Coach Levy he definitely understands where we are coming from,” said Amanda Montufar, Macaw player.

Just as it seemed like life was giving Levy a break yet, another obstacle came about.

Only a month after beginning his coaching career, a car accident left Levy with nerve damage, stealing any feeling from his neck to his fingertips.

“This one is heartbreak, very much, because I’ve lost my life physically. Granted I can fix the knee injury. This doesn’t look like there’s a hope to fix,” he said.

This injury might’ve broken someone else, but not Levy.

Despite the daily challenges his journey is a testament to the power of persistence and he hopes his story inspires others.

“We couldn’t be any prouder. He has outdone any of our expectations of what his possibilities were and as a parent, you couldn’t ask for anything else from a kid,” said his mother, Regina Sanchez.

“I’ve learned that if I give up that it doesn’t do me any good, so if I got to put myself through the pain to go hoop I’m going to do it,” said Levy.

The MAU Macaws are playing as an exploratory team they are hoping to move up to the NCWA level.

Levy Sanchez continues to lead with determination, proving that resilience is the key to achieving any dream.

“I wanted to build it around activity, a healthy lifestyle,” said Spoelstra.

The event welcomed participants of all ages, including young Heat fans, to run, walk or simply take part in the charity effort.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do now for a couple of years and then finally this year, just decided I’m going to work with the Miami Heat Foundation and we’re going to do it,” said Spoelstra.

Proceeds from the event benefit Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, which provides pediatric care for a range of illnesses, including cancer.

“Amazing. They’re angels sent from above and I’ve really been inspired by what they do,” said Spoelstra.

The hospital offers life-saving treatments regardless of a family’s ability to pay, ensuring all children receive necessary medical care.

Spoelstra’s initiative aims to raise awareness and funds to support the patients and families served by the hospital.

“The entire campus is built around making miracles happen,” said Spoelstra. “The families that are there, you can never underestimate the spirit of human beings and I think it’ll be a day that will touch your heart and we can all use a little bit of that.”

“I’m very excited, man, especially in year one, being able to get it with this staff,” he said. “I wouldn’t have wanna do it with anyone else, man. This, this style, they grind, they put in the hours. I’ve been, I’ve been, excuse my language, I’ve been an (expletive) to them and they’ve accepted the challenge, and we’re with champions now.”

It was the running of the Bulls in the 3A state title game against the Jacksonville Reigns. The 41-to-nothing win by the West capped off one of the most dominant playoff runs in years.

Last year, Northwestern finished the season with a 4-6 record.

Man, those kids deserve it,” he said. “They stuck with us in February. They trusted the process. We just told ’em, ‘Man, you stay together man. You get to walk this walk together for the rest of your lives. If you win this game,’ and they want it 10 years from now when we have practice on Thanksgiving, they’ll come back and reminisce.”

Junior wide receiver Calvin Russell had a 6-yard touchdown in the second quarter that gave the Bulls a 14-to-nothing lead.

“It’s great to win with these guys,” Russell said. “The funnest team I’ve been on so far and these last three years, these last three years, been a lot of ups and downs, but you know, it’s been the funnest years of my life and I can’t wait to win again.”

Once the game was over, Bridgewater was first to be dancing on the sidelines and then was on the streets to continue the celebration.

This was Northwestern’s first state title since 2019.

“It means a lot to the kids, school, the community, Liberty City in general, man,” Bridgewater said. “But Northwestern is doing well. Liberty City is fine. We’ve been saying this for years and it’s great to be back on top.”

Northwestern now has nine state titles overall.

Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School won the 1A State Championships. That’s four straight wins for the Lions.

American Heritage won the 4A State Championships, which is there sixth overall.

St. Thomas Aquinas of 5A won their sixth straight state title. Their state record is 16th overall.

Thursday night’s game, held at Florida International University’s Pitbull Stadium, saw the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders prevail against the Lakeland Dreadnaughts.

The Raiders came in as the underdogs against the undefeated Dreadnaughts, having lost four of the last five meetings.

The team did not appear to listen to the outside noise. They started early, with the first touchdown of the game, followed by a big defensive play that left them with a 17-0 lead at halftime.

Aquinas held Lakeland to just 209 total yards on 54 plays.

Raiders quarterback Andrew Indorf went 13 and 19, 159 yards, and also rushed for 21 yards.

Indorf recieved help from senior Chance Washington, who scored two touchdowns for the Raiders.

St. Thomas Aquinas cruised to victory with a 34-0 win over the Dreadnaughts.

This latest victory marks the sixth consecutive state title for the Raiders under head coach Roger Harriott, defeating the number two team in the state.

“It was an amazing journey. It really enhances the faith and belief of our players,” said Harriott. “We tell them to keep their eyes and focus on the prize and, you know, sometimes it’s a little difficult, it could be somewhat frustrating, but when you have faith and belief, God’s plan is much greater than our own, and we were able to come out of here with a championship, and more importantly than anything else, increased our players’ faith.”

Thursday’s victory means St. Thomas Aquinas has now won a record 16 state championships.

7News’ Mike DiPasquale spoke with the heavyweight champion at a pop-up event about his health scare that almost prevented him from participating.

The former heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson is still the people’s champ.

Mike was in North Miami at the MUV Medical Cannabis Dispensary to promote his Tyson 2.0 Cannabis product but lot of people are still talking about his fight last month against Jake Paul.

In June, Tyson had a health complication with a bleeding ulcer, which caused him to lose 25 pounds.

“I almost gave up. It was pretty grim. We had what, 11, 10 blood transfusions. We didn’t think we were going to make it out of the hospital let alone fight and we did,” said Tyson.

The one time baddest man on the planet, overcame his health scare to train and step back into the ring for the first time in nearly 20 years.

A world-wide television audience watched on Netflix as the 58-year-old Tyson went 8 rounds with 27-year-old Paul.

Tyson lost by unanimous decision.

“Magically. It just happened so quick. 8 round were over fast. I wasn’t tired. I wasn’t sweating. I didn’t understand that,” said Tyson.

Tyson said after the fight he had no regrets. He added that this is one of those rare occurrences when you lost, but still won.

The fans who came to see and meet Tyson in North Miami are still in his corner.

“It’s Mike. I am here to see Mike. Mike’s the goat,” said ” said Felix Aorcea. “I grew up watching him and he’s an inspiration to everybody. I mean he’s a champion. He’s one of the greatest ever.”

“I think if he let go, I think it would’ve been a much quicker fight. I think he could’ve knocked him out in the first or second round to be honest,” said Frank Aliello.

Tyson said he’s officially retired from stepping back into the ring, but the man who once dominated the heavyweight division as the undisputed champ , has not ruled out being involved in the fight game.

“As I said before the sky is the limit. Anything I want, I’m just happy to be able to do it. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to be able to do everything that I want to do in this and beyond,” said Tyson.

Tyson telling 7New’s Mike DiPasquale that he’s looking into more movie roles. The champ played Se Stesso in The Hangover parts 1 and 2.

For those interested, his best cannabis product is ‘Mike Bites’, the gummies are shaped like ears.

On game day, it’s a stadium where you’ll find Ingold.

But on Tuesday nights, Ingold in the SiriusXM NFL Radio studio on South Beach, where he’s talking football.

“You definitely have to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and be under, be able to understand what answer can help an audience,” he said. “So you’re always thinking about what impact your answer can give to whoever’s listening.”

Ingold and his co-host, veteran free agent titan, Colin Thompson, hosts “A Player’s Point.” It’s a one hour show from 7 to 8 p.m. on SiriusXM Channel 88.

“There’s a lot on the table, right? It’s not just another game where you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m sore. I don’t feel great.’ No man, like you’re juice up. You can’t wait to go back out to Hard Rock Stadium because it means so much,” Ingold said.

This is year two of the show that gets right to the point to inform and entertain fans by providing a player’s perspective.

“I love just talking about how I see things too,” he said. “Like if some of the concepts that I talk about are a little out there or it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, there might be the one person that saw the same exact thing and they’re like, ‘That guy knows what he’s talking about.'”

It’s a given for Ingold that during the one hour show, he’s being asked and he’s talking about the Dolphins.

“You got to protect your, your team first and foremost,” he said. “Now, if I can have fun and bring to light some of the situations behind the scenes and bring y’all into the locker room quite a bit with our week of prep or what a bye week is like, those are some of the topics that I’ll lean into a little bit more.”

Ingold takes his job seriously. He understands the platform he has for football fans everywhere.

“As an active player, I definitely have a little bit more critical eye on the types of questions or the information that’s being brought up,” he said. “What a guy might have been thinking when you know, another person might see it as a huge failure and be like, ‘No, he is this close to making a game changing play.’ Like those are the types of things and those edges that I love to chase and see on tape to bring to life.”

Aside from the “Player’s Point,” Ingold was part of the SiriusXM NFL Radio Broadcast Team on Radio Row for last year’s Super Bowl. He could be doing the same in February.

The 12th annual Miami Torch Relay for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals was held Sunday at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove.

7Sports’ Mike DiPasquale was once again the master of ceremonies to get this walk and run started. He was one of the celebrity judges for this year’s charity taco cook-off.

This year’s Miracle Child was 10-year-old Barbi, a cancer survivor who is receiving life-saving treatment at Nicklaus.

Families whose children receive treatment do not pay for anything.

“Everything is taken care of — not only the medical needs of the child, but the parents are also cared for,” said Marcus Borman with the Marriott Business Council. “It is a record-setting, amazing facility that has a kitchen for people, for the families to actually cook in, and they care of the quarters, as well as transportation. Everything is covered.”

Sunday’s event is just one of many held throughout the year to raise awareness for life-saving treatments at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital that help so many young patients.

Simone Biles is about is about show fans and their cities across the U.S. what has made her the most decorated gymnast in history: 11 Olympic and 30 World Champion medals.

“We try to connect with the fans as much as possible, get as close to the crowd with an interaction. We try to engage as much as possible in each of our numbers so that everybody feels seen and heard,” said Biles.

It’ been a whirlwind since the Paris Summer Games, now Biles will be joined by some of her teammates in the Gold Over America tour. The performance is being held in over 30 arenas.

Oct. 11 it comes to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

“The show is non-stop, high-energy, pop-style the whole time, so it’s very engaging. Very fun and fast, but we also tell a story line too. So, it’s been so fun so far,” said Biles.

Biles view this tour as a way to connect and celebrate with fan who cheered and supported her at home. She also hopes it inspires the next generation of gymnast.

“I think it’s a privilege that I have such a big platform that I can share that with everyone. We try to have as much fun and tell our stories because the kids can resonate with that,” said Biles. “And I feel like in our cast and crew, there’s representation and so, any of the kids can see themselves in us. Which is really sweet because I think the sport has grown.”

After a stressful Olympic run, Simone says she’s just happy to be able to share her craft who watched her at the recent Summer Games.

“I’m having fun to because this is like hard, but easy work. To learn numbers was hard, but after that this is easy. We’ve already done the hard part in Paris, so now we get to celebrate our success,” said Biles.

Simone will be joined by Olympic teammate Jordan Chiles when the tour makes at stop at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Oct. 11.

Simone shared that she fully supports Chiles, who had filed a second appeal with the court the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland after being stripped of her bronze medal in Paris.

For tickets to the show on Oct. 11, click here.

There’s a South Florida connection with the Dolphins. On the active roster, there are five players who either played their high school or college football in South Florida.

Tight end Jonnu Smith went to Florida International University and six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Calais Campbell went to the University of Miami. The duo are embracing the opportunity of playing for the Dolphins.

“I wake up every day, man, I’m just grateful for it to be back and represent the City of Miami,” Smith said. “It means a lot to me.”

“Here I am today. I’m happy to be here,” Campbell said. That aqua, I feel like it looks good on me. They say, If you look good, you feel good, you feel good, you play good, so I’m excited about it.”

Smith and Campbell are once again teammates.

Last season, they played for the Atlanta Falcons and the two were sold on the Fins over lunch.

“Me and him sat down and we ate, and we talked a lot about it and, you know, he had some influence on me coming here, just talking through his experience, how much he liked it,” Campbell said.

“I got a chance to take him out to lunch. It was on me, you know what I mean?” Smith said. “I had to treat my guy, talk him to what we got going on here and knowing that we could build something special with him.”

Linebacker Jaelan Phillips enters his fourth season with Miami. He was once a dominant player for the Canes.

Phillips had this to say on playing on defense with Campbell.

“It’s been really invaluable having him here, just from a leadership standpoint in terms of him being able to come in and identify the things that make up,” Phillips said. “He’s been to the Super Bowl, and so him being able to just give us advice and kinda guide us on what we need and what we need to be focusing on to reach that end goal.”

Campbell recently turned 38 years old.

“He doesn’t even seem like an old man, bro,” Phillips said. “You wouldn’t think he’s 37 or whatever he is. He works his ass off and he moves really well for how old he is. So that sounded crazy.”

Campbell posted on his Instagram and said he had an early birthday celebration after he saw the Canes win against the Gators at “The Swamp” on Saturday.

7News’ Mike DiPasquale sat down with head coach Mario Cristobal to outline expectations ahead of week one.

Mike DiPasquale: “Joining me, University of Miami head football Coach Mario Cristobal. Mario, we’ve known each other a long time. I know you’re a busy guy, so thanks for making the time.”

Mario Cristobal: “It’s good to see you, brother. Welcome.”

Mike DiPasquale: “Two years ago, we’re in this building, they announced you as a new head coach and I remember that day you saying, ‘It’s going to take time.’ The U is not back yet. How close are you now?”

Mario Cristobal: “Well, when we chose to come back to Miami, when we had the honor and the privilege to be selected to come back to Miami, we knew Miami had gotten here. It didn’t get here overnight to a situation where it needed drastic change at every level. So we knew getting it out of that place was not going to be an overnight process either. And that’s OK with us. And we feel we’re closer and closer, and closer. We feel strongly about the group of guys that we have. I know that hard work works, and hard work and good people make special things happen, and Miami is on its way to doing special things.”

Mike DiPasquale: “I remember from FIU to Oregon, it’s important for you to bring in the type of player that fit your system. And I keep hearing the guys that will follow Mario. Are you starting to get those guys here?”

Mario Cristobal: “Yeah, I mean, football in 150, 200 years hasn’t changed. It takes tough-minded, hard-working individuals that are willing to compromise, you know, me for the team. And as we’ve certainly accumulated a lot of like-minded individuals that are high-level competitors that want to win, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

Mike DiPasquale: “You talked about players that want to win. Cam Ward has already come out. First year, he wants to not only not be a leader of the offense, but be a leader of this team. Is this the type of player you knew you would have when you brought him in here?”

Mario Cristobal: “Cam Ward is the right type of guy because it’s not just talk. The way he approaches practice on a daily basis, the way he approaches workouts, what he is as a teammate. As a guy that people depend upon because he knows what he’s doing, he knows how to do it, he knows why we’re doing it that way, and he’s willing to invest time with others to make sure they know why as well and help make them better. That’s why Cam is the right type of guy.”

Mike DiPasquale: “We had some periods of being a bumpy road last season. So for the players that are coming back and the coaching staff, what did you learn that you can bring into this season?”

Mario Cristobal: “Well, those are painful steps that you cannot skip. They come with football, unfortunately. And you learn from them. You face them. You admit your faults. You look at the areas where you could be better, and you attack them, and you work at them, right? And you do it as an entire organization. That’s the best part about this team right now. No one really gets offended. Does that make sense? If it’s wrong when you win, it’s wrong when you lose, right? I mean, you can’t choose when it’s right and when it’s wrong. Wrong is wrong, right is right. So the emphasis is on making sure that we’re doing things the right way all the time, giving ourselves the best chance for winning.”

Mike DiPasquale: “I know that you’re an intense guy. You put in a lot of hours. You love this place. Is it still fun when you know that there’s, let’s be frank, there’s pressure on you and this program?”

Mario Cristobal: “Well, I mean, the word pressure, for someone like yourself in the media, is something that is just not part of the DNA that we have. It’s just not. We play and we coach football because we love the sport and we’re relentless competitors. And we left a great situation, we’re winning championships to come to Miami and get Miami to winning championships. That’s self-determination and expectation. And anyone that is too thin skin, that’s a little bit faint of heart, does not belong in this process and cannot be part of this process.”

Mike DiPasquale: “Let me ask you, finally, you open up in the swamp against the Gators, 90,000 fans, you know the atmosphere. Is that what you wanted for this team right out of the gate?”

Mario Cristobal: “Awesome opportunity. And as we head into game one, opponent one prep, I’m sure we’ll get a lot of questions regarding the opponent. We always look it as a tremendous opportunity, tremendous challenge, and we’re all about preparation. That’s all we’re talking about.”

Mike DiPasquale: “Best luck against the Gators.”

Mario Cristobal: “Good seeing you, brother.”

A day before her Friday fight, two-time world boxing champion Maureen Shea sat down with 7News.

What a lot of people don’t know is that the Delray Beach native first met and then trained actress Hillary Swank to box for her iconic role in Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby.”

“We became sparring partners, and it was a great experience,” she said. “You know, the respect I have for Hilary is because she really owned the role as a fighter, but she worked her butt off. She was in that gym for hours.”

Being a part of the Academy Award-winning film got Shea noticed by boxing trainers. She went from amateur fighting to the pros.

Now, at age 43, she’s still in the fight game, with a 32-2 record and 13 knockouts.

“I’ve got to stay busy. I mean, I think the most important thing is to stay busy [with] fights,” she said, “and also, it’s not about about stepping up at this point, because I’ve already fought at the highest levels, and I have the résumé to prove that I’m deserving of another world title.”

Her next fight is just another checklist.

“I don’t do this ’cause I have to; I do it ’cause I want to,” she said, “and I think that’s most dangerous than anything else.”

Three of Friday night’s seven bouts at Hard Rock Live will be for titles. For Shea, aka the real Million Dollar Baby, it was another fight to win another championship.

Biaggio Ali Walsh is the grandson of one of the greatest heavyweight champions of the world.

His relationship with his grandfather provided valuable learning lessons from an early age.

“I think the biggest piece of advice that he’s ever told me was always be humble. I wasn’t 18 when he told me that. I was a little kid when he told me that,” said Biaggio.

At first, Biaggio had no interest in combat sports, he previously played college football for the California Golden Bears and then for the UNLV Rebels at the University of Nevada.

Biaggio learned mixed martial arts (MMA) to overcome his depression which eventually sparked his interest, so he decided to try MMA fighting.

“I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. At the same time I was training and I just ended up falling in love with the sport,” he said.

Dennis Davis has been Biaggo’s trainer since he was an amateur to now, a pro MMA fighter.

“You show him things and he picks it up right away, faster than the average guy. He’s already gone to pro pretty quick for the amount of training had. So I see with the growth what he can still do because he is still really new. He could be huge,” said Davis.

The 25-year-old has always understood that his surname can be both a blessing and a curse.

“Yea. there’s pressure added to that. Everybody wants to beat Muhammad Ali’s grandson. As I keep progressing in my career the pressure is going to be more and more elevated and the target on my back is going to get even bigger, but I don’t care. I welcome all the pressure in the world,” said Biaggio.

Biaggio fought in his second Professional Fighters League this past weekend at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood.

“I want to create my own name and legacy, but I will still always be Muhammad Ali’s grandson.

Biaggio isn’t the only ‘Ali’ involved in a combat sport his younger brother Nico is a boxer he has 11 wins and 12 professional fights. Their cousin Laila, Muhammad’s daughter has won multiple boxing titles. She is now retired.

The rodeo team made its debut at their first home tournament at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

“The Florida Freedom team is just a group of young guys passionate about the sport. They’re hungry to win,” said head coach Paulo Crimber.

Considered the most dangerous eight seconds in sports, it takes incredible strength and courage to successfully ride these massive, short-tempered animals. While some may just be drawn to the sport, it takes years of practice and good coaching to become an expert.

Although this team appears to be in good hands, with their head coach Paulo Crimber formerly holding the number rank in the world of bull riding.

“We got to do our job. Ride our bulls. Then it doesn’t matter where we play. We’re going to beat them all and that’s our game plan,” Crimber is heard saying to his team.

On this team is Paulo’s 18-year-old son, John, he was recently the Freedom’s number one pick in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) draft.

John started riding bulls when he was 5 years old, thanks to his dad.

“He actually was the one that taught me everything growing up and I just want to be like him and follow his footsteps. So I just watched him and ever since I was a little kid I’ve wanted to be a bull rider,” said John.

With bulls weighing up to 2,000 pounds, this extreme sport can be quite taxing on the rider’s body and injuries are often one jump or kick away, something John says he is no stranger to.

“You know sometimes when everyone is like ‘You better watch your butt on this one’, if you take a wrong move he might get you hooked,” said John.

“It’s happened to me before. I broke my eye socket last year. A bull’s horn went in my eye and I mean, the next week I was getting on bulls,” he said.

Riders holding onto the bull must use one hand to grip the rope. A successful eight-second ride earns points from the judges, which are added to the team’s overall score.

“Crimber converts and he gets the walk-off right here at home,” an announcer is heard saying.

The best bull riders master a tactic in order to stay on for as long as their body can endure, or before the bull kicks them off, whichever comes first.

“When the bull rears you’re supposed to go up with them and whenever the bull kicks you’re supposed to lean back with them. When you don’t do that in order it’s usually when you fall off,” said Connor Halverson, a Florida Freedom rider.

“It’s all new to them and I want to have a group of younger guys and some older veterans in it. But the younger guys the only thing they want to do is nod their head and ride them bulls and have fun,” said Paulo.

Just like any other professional league, there are 10 teams in the PBR, they rack up points during a regular season and the ultimate is to go to Las Vegas in October and win the world championships.

Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made a surprise appearance at a back-to-school event held Thursday afternoon outside Hard Rock Stadium.

There were smiles all around as the star player brightened up their day.

It was all part of the “Get Fit for School” event hosted by Gatorade.

The event helped students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade get a jump-start on the school year.

“We want to help, hopefully, help start you guys back on track going back to school and whatnot,” said Tagovailoa. “Hopefully one day, you guys get to be in this position that I’m in to help give back to the generation that comes [after you].”

Students received backpacks filled with school supplies and sports equipment, some given out by Tagovailoa himself. He even signed some shirts, leaving his mark.

Students also got to see the Dolphins practice.

Former Dolphins linebacker Twan Russell said these supplies could help the students do big things in life.

“On the grand scope of things, we might be giving a backpack to someone that’s gonna be a governor or the president of the United States, and they’re gonna look back on this moment and say, ‘Hey I was motivated by the Miami Dolphins, I was motivated by Tua or Tyreek Hill,'” he said.

The “Get Fit for School” event is held to increase access to sports for students in need and educate communities on the importance of physical activity.

Cremaschi, 18, has quickly become a standout player with Inter Miami.

“It’s honestly a dream,” said Cremaschi. “The first dream is playing in my hometown and in front of my family and friends.”

Born and raised in Key Biscayne, Cremaschi honed his skills through Inter Miami’s Academy and joined the senior team in 2022. Last year, he had the golden opportunity to play with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

“They help a lot. They bring a lot to the team and they bring a lot to the young players so the young players can learn. So, it means a lot,” said Cremaschi.

Cremaschi is part of the U.S. national team that will compete for the gold medal in the summer games in Paris.

“The Olympics is one of the biggest sports events in the world–in every sport,” said Cremaschi. “So, the fact that I can go out there to represent my country–a country that I was born and raised in–means a lot and it’s something huge for me and my family.”

Cremaschi has other aspirations, including playing for the U.S. in major international competitions like Copa America and the 2026 World Cup. With Hard Rock Stadium set to host several matches, Cremaschi has his sights set on representing the U.S.

“Yeah, obviously my dream is to play in the World Cup and I think that’s the goal after the Olympics,” said Cremaschi.

Cremaschi is optimistic about the future for American players making an impact not only in Major League Soccer but also in some of the world’s top leagues.

“I mean, there’s more young players coming out of the U.S.A. playing in the MLS,” added Cremaschi. “We’re playing overseas and I think that’s important because that means we’re gonna be a more competitive nation in a couple of years. So, I’m happy about that. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Less than a month after winning the Stanley Cup, the Panthers wasted no time beginning their development camp where a new coach awaited the proteges.

Christine Bumstead was invited to be a part of the development camp staff to work closely with the players. She’s currently a performance coach for the men’s Saskatoon Blades Western Hockey League team.

“Yeah, so I guess coaching pretty much runs in my blood. I’ve been doing it as soon as I stopped playing or even when I was still playing I was coaching,” said Bumstead.

New opportunities typically go hand in hand with periods of adjustments, especially when coaching young men, but Bumstead decided she’d tackle this head-on and with confidence.

“I think you always have nerves. You don’t really know how other people are going to see the situation or take it, but with myself, I was confident in what I was there to do,” said Bumstead. “I was there to help the players be better and get better and develop them. And that’s exactly what we wound up doing.”

Christine has a relationship with Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. She was the Winnipeg Jets’ development coach when Maurice was the Jets’ head coach. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christine and her dad invited Maurice to go hunting.

“We took a long drive together and him and I just kind of talking about coaching and kind of what I was doing and things like that. And it kind of just opened a whole new door to me,” she said.

Christine says the Panthers invited her to give her coaching knowledge.

“It’s been a seamless transition. It’s the first time we’ve had a female coach in here and she’s fit in greatly. She’s added a lot of value. She’s had some great teaching points. She’s been fabulous this week, it’s been a lot of fun to have her around,” said Bryan McCabe, Director of Player Personnel for the Panthers.

Being at this camp for Christine comes on the heels of Jessica Campbell being named the first female National Hockey League coach as an assistant with the Seattle Kraken.

“There’s a female or a male on the men’s or the women’s side of sport. I think the norm has always been to have the right coaches in the right spots,” said Bumstead.

Christine felt right at home at the Panthers camp.

“I was just one of the coaches right when I walked in. It was never liked ‘Here’s Christine, she’s a female and she’s a coach.’ It was just ‘here’s Christine she’s part of our staff’ and I think the players were supper welcoming right from the get-go and the staff as well,” she said. “It was something new for everybody, but everyone took it in stride. It was great.”

Christine not only coaches young men in the Western Hockey League, but the 28-year-old went into her fourth season as an assistant coach for the University of Saskatchewan Huskie women’s team.

Butler suffered an MCL sprain on his right knee during the final seconds of the opening quarter in the Heat’s play-in loss against Philadelphia. He played for 40 minutes and was able to get the Heat 19 points.

While Butler will be out for several weeks as his recovers, several other Heat players will not play in Friday’s game due to injuries.

Terry Rozier is out with a neck injury and Duncan Robinson is listed as probable with a back injury.

On the line for Friday’s game is a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

“A lot of us of got here, all opportunities that people left the door opening, and being able to take advantage of those opportunities, it’s just one of those things that you don’t have a choice,” said Caleb Martin, Heat forward. “He’s not going to come back, he’s not going to recover his leg in a couple of hours to come back and play. We’ve had guys in many of these positions before where we’ve had huge key pieces go down and we just have to find a way, and that’s part of our culture here. We just find a way.”

During the regular season, the Miami Heat were 13-9 with games Butler missed.

Joey Marino is a men’s head golf coach at Nova Southeastern University.

“Joey, how many times have you been asked, ‘Are you related to Dan Marino?’ or, ‘Is Dan Marino your dad?'” said 7News’ Mike Dipasquale.

“I mean, it probably seems like every day, right?” he said. “You say the last name, and they just kind of – first they ask if there’s any connection, and then, when you tell them yes, then you go into a whole story.”

The 34-year-old is the son of Dolphins legend Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. Joey has never been pressured by his dad to follow in his footsteps and play football.

“He never kind of pushed us in any particular direction,” he said. “It’s kind of do what you’re passionate about and, you know, I’ve played golf my whole life and kind of got into coaching here.”

Joey enters his sixth season as Nova’s head coach. His Sharks are the defending Division II national champions, and right now, they’re eighth in the country.

“There’s the expectation of seeing if we can we can do it again,” he said. “We’ve got a target on our back, probably a little bit with that. But no, I don’t think anyone’s taking any extra steps to beat us.”

Senior Mikey Hay is one of Joey’s top players. When Hay was first recruited, he had no idea who Joey’s dad was.

“It took me probably two months, and then I started telling people that, like who? Like the name of coach,” Hay said. “Um, and they’re like, ‘Oh, he’s related to Dan Marino,’ and I was like, ‘Yes, he might be, um, I don’t know.'”

It isn’t an all-factor when Dan takes part in celebrating the team’s success.

“It’s just a guy like, OK, he’s really good at what he did, but he’s just another guy at the end of the day, and he treats us as equals,” Hay said. “He doesn’t, you know, look down on just because we’re golfers in D2.”

During his NFL career, Dan was intense and fiery at times. During a golf match, Joey is pretty laid back.

“He gives, he gives the best part of him so we can give the best part of us,” Joseba Torres said.

“The success comes from the players,” Joey said. “I mean, you know, it’s all recruiting in this game. So, you know, staying on top of that and trying to get the best guys you can possibly get to come down here in South Florida.”

Next Sunday, the Sharks will be in the Sunshine State Conference tournament. Then it’s on to the D2 national championship tournament next month.

It’s the Sharks’ fourth trip overall to the national tourney.

Cameras showed Dawn Atkinson-Jones as she embraced Gronkowski and his girlfriend, Camille Kostek on Wednesday.

“Nice to finally meet you,” said Kostek.

“Congratulations,” said Gronkowski.

The Tampa-based vet said she still can’t believe her good fortune.

“I don’t even play Lotto because I’m so unlucky,” she said.

But luck revved right up for the Tampa resident.

“We loved Brady and Gronk. I liked them when they were with the Pats, but when they came to the Bucs, that was even better. Like, that was my dream,” she said.

Supporting the causes that Gronkowski and his girlfriend Camille Kostek champion was a no-brainer. One of the causes they support raises awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

“I go to the VA out at James Haley here in Tampa to get all of my health treatment, and there’s a lot of people out there that I talked to that have ALS,” said Atkinson-Jones.

So the military veteran made a donation though the platform Voomerang, not once imagining it would come back to her in the ways it did.

“For a week, I kept getting these calls from this number.” she said.

Lo and behold, Atkinson-Jones won Gronkowski and Kostek’s first giveaway: a classic renovated 1974 Corvette and a brand-new Corvette that she intended to gift to her father.

“She had told us on our FaceTime, when we met her, that she had actually put a picture of an old school Corvette in her dad’s stocking for Christmas, before she had even won the Corvettes,” said Kostek.

It all seemed a little less like luck and more like fate.

“It was fate, and I’m all about the veterans,” said Gronkowski. “I believe they are true heroes, you know, protecting our freedom, protecting our country and giving us the right to do what we love.”

The surprise continued to grow. Atkinson-Jones said she wanted to shine the spotlight on something bigger than herself. So she took Gronkowski and Kostek to visit a veterans hospital.

“They took time out of their day to be here, and they took time out of their day to come talk to us,” said Army veteran Ken Patterson. “They spent a lot of time with us and signing autographs.”

“Just to talk to them about, you know, what sports they play, what activities they do, I mean, it just brings joy to everyone,” said Gronkowski

Brining joy to all of these people, thanks to one donation.

“If this isn’t God ordained in some way. All of these people are together for a reason,” said Atkinson-Jones .

Atkinson-Jones continues to pay it forward, Instead of keeping the second Corvette for herself, she ended up gifting it to her son.

She also said that being able to bring joy and support for the veteran community is the biggest reward of the experience.

At loanDeport Park Thursday afternoon, it is expected that a crowd of 37,000 will be in attendance for the game. Fans are also encouraged to make opening day a festive event by bringing bongos, drums, trumpets, and flags to the game.

As far as the team goes, the Miami Marlins are ready to start their season.

Skip Schumaker enters his second season as the Marlins manager.

“There’s nothing like major league opening day. There just isn’t,” Schumaker said. “No matter where you’re at in your career, as a manager that’s been around for a little bit, I remember opening day in Dodgers Stadium. When I was there, growing up as a Dodgers fan and then getting to play on opening day there it was a surreal moment.”

The opening day starter will be Jesús Luzardo. The Parkland native had a rough spring training: Four starts and ERA of 5.24.

But now, the games will count.

Luzardo got tickets for 65 family members and friends to be in the stands.

As a kid growing up in South Florida, it’s a dream to pitch opening day for your hometown team.

“This will be my sixth season in the big leagues and I still feel like a kid,” Luzardo said. “I go back to my old high school and hangout with them and I feel like I’m one of them still. But at the same time, I mean, I can see the maturity when I’m on the mound at times and then like, my thought process in between and stuff. I’ve definitely grown in that in the sense, but at the same time, I still feel like I’m a kid.”

The Marlins return two-time All-Star second baseman and two-time batting champion Luis Arráez.

This team will also have a full season with Jake Burger and Josh Bell.

Peter Bendix is in his first season as the Marlins president of baseball operations.

“We feel really good about the group that we have,” Bendix said. “I think there’s a lot of young talent on this team, there’s a lot of talent that can do different things, right. We got speed, we got power, we got guys that that can put the ball in play, we got good defenders and I think it’s about giving those young guys opportunities to show what they can do.”

At loanDepot park, seating at the second level, from sections 201-204, is the all-you-can-eat section. For $52, you can get a seat and an endless amount of popcorn, peanuts, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, soda and water.

Fans could begin to enter the stadium at 2:00 p.m.

The first pitch against the Pirates starts at 4:10 p.m.

Traditionally known for its rodeo-rich culture, Davie has become a hub for students looking to secure scholarships by showing off their skills in various rodeo events.

“With any athletic ability, if you go to a little league baseball game, you see a kid that’s pitching 90 mph, you know that kid can rope a cow,” said Troy Lee Weekly of Bergeron Davie Rodeo. “You know, all you gotta do is teach him how to ride a horse because he’s gonna be able to rope.”

These athletes, unlike traditional sports figures, hone their talents in rodeo competitions in an attempt to garner attention from college recruiters.

Cale Tous, who once attended Cyrpess Bay High School, said growing up around the sport has prepared him.

“I guess since my dad did it and I grew up with [the horses], we’ve just always done it,” he said. “A lot of hand-eye coordination because you got to look at your target. The head is longer than the horns so we focus only on the horns.”

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association has schools across the country offering athletic scholarships, with Tous securing recruitment when he was a freshman as a roper.

“This is a sport just like anything else,” said Tous. “It’s competition so, I don’t see why you aren’t an athlete.”

Although Cous tried to teach 7News’ Mike DiPasquale, it’s evident that roping is much different on a horse. Rodeo is also not limited to men. The women specialize in barrel racing.

Sloan Schweitzer said she followed in her family’s footsteps, explaining the intricacies of barrel racing and its potential to catch the attention of college rodeo coaches.

“There’s a lot of moving parts in this work,” said Schweitzer. “If you’re not locked in fully, the littlest mistake can mess you up.”

For young rodeo athletes like Schweitzer and Tous, the path to college scholarships spans various levels of competition, from junior rodeo to high school rodeo and beyond.

“They have junior rodeo, high school rodeo, college rodeo. And it’s just all next levels where you go to pro rodeo status and it’s a really fun thing to have,” said rodeo coach, Devon Wood. “To be able to have it your whole life and then bring up the next generation into it.”

The Weekly family, who have been involved in putting on rodeo shows for more than 60 years, hold five rodeos a year in South Florida. The next one will be on April 13.

Bill Zito: “I wish I could tell you it’s fun. There’s a few different aspects of, I guess, a GM’s existence and then Bill Zito as the GM’s existence.”

Zito considers himself a problem solver, always thinking how he can make the Panthers not just a good team, but a Stanley Cup contender.

Bill Zito: “What can I do more? What can we do to make it better? What can we do to try to help the guys, help the coaches win more.”

Zito is currently in his fourth season with the Panthers. During that time, he’s had three different coaches and has shaken things up.

There are only four players on the active roster who were with the Panthers prior to Zito joining the team: Aleksander Barkov, Sergei Bobrovsky, Aaron Ekblad and Eetu Luostarinen.

Mike DiPasquale: “How did you get from what you have, let’s go back to last season, and what you have this season, people buying in [and] wanting to be here?”

Bill Zito: “The character of the player. The personality of the player. The people that we are able to bring in who want to win.”

The culture overall falls in line with Zito’s belief in the game.

Bill Zito: “If you don’t love hockey more than me,

Last season, the Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals for only the second time in franchise history. Soon, they’ll prepare for yet another run at the Cup.

Bill Zito: “The script is to be as prepared as you can be, to do as well as we do in the playoffs. Right? There’s injuries, there’s just any number of factors that we can’t control but so long as we control the ones that we can, to the best of our ability, we’ll get a lot of them right.”

Zito priority is the team, but there is another side of him that many fans are unaware of — he’s half Italian.

Mike DiPasquale: “I’d like to eat a cannoli with you.”

Bill Zito: “Oh my God. I’m going to start crying.”

Mike DiPasquale: “So as we say in Italy, ‘Buon Appetito.’ Tell me what you think” This is from my momma.”

Bill Zito: “Thank you.”

Joining the ranks of Florida’s aquatic powerhouses, the University of Miami and the Florida Gators, the sharks are set to make waves in their quest for a national title.

“Lots of kids are getting beat up just ’cause of the workload that they have to put in over four and a half days,” said Sharks head coach, Ben Hewitt. “They’re prepared for it. So, we’re just getting healthy and getting back to work and fine tuning a bit more.”

Hewitt is in his eighth season leading the Nova Southeastern University men and women teams. Both are currently nationally ranked in Division II NCAA. The head coach has built a national powerhouse by recruiting swimmers locally and internationally.

“We want to find athletes that are coming with some potential to grow,” he said. “Some of the domestic kids that understand NSU, that we’ve gotten to see through the ranks as they’ve grown from 10, 12, 13 years old up to college-level kids and they know about us and we see a good pedigree.”

The defending Division II champion women’s team is led by Emily Trishman, a college junior from northern Fort Lauderdale and a five-time national champion.

“I’m just another swimmer. I’m there to get the job done and that’s why I’m gonna keep going about it,” she said. “This year, I think we know what we’re coming for . We definitely have the experience and we’re not gonna give up. I think we’re more in the underdog position, in my opinion. Some may disagree but I think that just makes us have a little more fight in ourselves.”

One of Emily’s teammates, Solana Capalbo, hailing from Cooper City, is a four-time conference champion.

“When I came here as a freshman, I was super shy. I was very intimidated by the team,” she said. “I’ve grown into the leader of the team and the one that everyone looks to for support.”

The men’s team will be looking for their first-ever national title. They have prepared themselves in practice for what lies ahead.

“We always push ourselves,” said Gustav Henriksen, a Sharks sophomore swimmer. “We go very fast in training. It’s high intensity because we do a lot more speed work than just a race.”

With the Division II Championship starting Tuesday, the Sharks are ready to compete, fielding 12 women and seven men. Lacking a diving teams, Nova will concentrate on dominating the swimming events to accumulate points.

“I feel pretty good about it,” said Hewitt. “They work really hard. They worked hard all season. We build our season around these meets. It’s a priority for the program to be at our best in the best situation and that’s the NCAA championship need.”

“It was a great experience,” said said Miami Sharks CEO, Mariano Filippini. “I think it was a great starter. We have a lot of things to learn from the sports side, from the event side and it was a great rugby party. We’re proud of being the umbrella of rugby here in Florida.”

Although the starter was a hit, the process of bringing together new players from around the world will take some time.

“We have 12 different nationalities on our team,” said Jose Pellicena, Sharks head coach. “I think it’s a huge experience to create Miami Sharks culture. That means bring the best of their own culture that each player has, put it on a team and create something new.”

The physical nature of the game, which combines elements of football and soccer, involves 15 players on each side.

According to Miami Sharks player Rick Rose, it showcases both artistry and technique.

“It’s not always just smashing,” explained Rose. “There’s a real art to it and a real technique. A lot of these guys are like, it’s almost mixed martial arts at points. So, I can appreciate and I think others will appreciate some of the physicality.”

The presence of 12 teams in the U.S. base league contributes to the growth of rugby in South Florida especially in high schools.

“Rugby is not really an American sport,” said Rocky Miyares, Cardinal Gibbons High School head rugby coach. “People fear what they don’t know so we’re just trying to educate ’em and show ’em how much this game can help with other sports as well.”

The Miami Sharks are set to play a total of 18 matches in their first season in Major League Rugby. They plan to hold clinics in the community to introduce fans to the game.

The first full season with Lionel Messi is about to begin. Inter Miami know that they’ll have a target on their backs.

“Especially considering the footballers we have, they pose an additional challenge for our opponents when facing them,” said Inter Miami coach Tata Martino. “However, we have to consider the expectations according to the team we can field, in order to be fully prepared to face every challenge.”

Messi did have some health issues during the recent pre-season tour. He had a hamstring and slight hip injury, which limited his play in six of the seven friendlies.

During the Hong Kong game, Messi did not play.

Inter Miami expects Messi to be ready once the regular season starts.

“We know the season’s going to be long and it’s going to be really, there’s going to be challenges on the way but I think we’re not looking back at last season anymore, I think it’s more looking forward and being excited, and ready for this,” said Inter Miami midfielder Robert Taylor.

Inter Miami lost key players during the pre-season.

Facundo Farias tore his ASL during a match with El Salvador and is now out for the 2024 season. Benjamin Cremaschi suffered a sport hernia injury during the El Salvador game and is out for the next two or three months.

Inter Miami made the playoffs last season, but when they had a healthy Messi, who didn’t miss games playing for Argentina, the team won its first ever Leagues Cup Championship.

For the 2024 season, Inter Miami added a couple of new players, which includes Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suarez.

In January, Julian Gressel, signed a three year deal with Inter Miami before he won the 2023 MLS cup with Columbus. He’s adjusted to the style of play that the team wants this season during pre-season.

“These games are a balance of, ‘We want to compete and test ourselves,’ as well as, you know, kind of learn and grow, you know, in pre-season,” Gressel said. “So it definitely got a little bit intense because we all want to win. It’s a lot of lessons I think to take and a lot to learn from for us to, you know, to grow.”

Messi could potentially miss six games at DRV PNK Stadium when he plays in international games for Argentina. He could also miss more games when he plays for Argentina during the 2024 Summer Paris Olympics, which starts on July 26.

When Wesley Williams isn’t standing on the ground, he’s several dozen feet in the air, performing on his unicycle.

“What I do is a daredevil. I mean, it’s a different way of being one, ’cause I’m a unicyclist,” he said.

Williams is one of the main acts for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The one-time Weston soccer player, who once made the U.S. Junior National Team, is the Guinness Book of World Records holder for riding the tallest unicycle, at nearly 35 feet.

For Williams, it’s a journey that has come full circle.

“I got a unicycle for Christmas after seeing Ringling when I was just 6 years old, and that was where it sparked the dream to want to perform,” he said. “It’s brought me all the way back to the Greatest Show on Earth, which gets to play in my hometown, so it’s going to be wild.”

The 26-year-old has performed in the circus for more than 10 years. Four years ago, he said, his unicycle malfunctioned. The towering fall from nearly 30 feet caused severe injuries, including a broken back.

Williams said he was determined to get back on his unicycle after going through this ordeal: seven operations, two metal plates, 35 screws, 83 stitches.

“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s all been a part of the journey,” he said. “Obviously, that was one of those defining moments: whether you continue or you don’t.”

Williams understands the risk-reward of his job.

“If you have a routine, and I do definitely myself, you’ve got to be in the zone,” he said, “and when you get up on that unicycle, there’s no second thoughts. You’ve got to be in the zone, you’ve got to ride.”

Williams is on various unicycles throughout the two-hour-plus circus performance.

“The audience starts chanting my name, and it’s just something you’ve never experienced before,” he said. “You feel a rush in your heart. You’ve obviously got to focus on this daring stunt you’ve got to do, but to hear an arena full of people chanting your name is just incredible.”

Williams said he doesn’t plan on riding away from the circus anytime soon.

“I think it’s in my blood. I think the entertainment, the edge to be the best in the world, is something that probably won’t die off for a while now,” he said.

Williams said he will continue to perform in the circus as long he loves it. As far as greater heights on his unicycle, he said 40 feet could be next.

“Make yourself tired,” yelled head Coach Victor as students warmed up, embodying the dedication that has propelled South Dade to the No. 1 spot in the country.

A national poll has South Dade ranked as No. 1 in the country and Coach Balmeceda’s program has a shot at winning a 25th state championship.

“Kids feel that and they know the passion. They see the passion that I, myself, and the assistant coaches have for the program and the love that we have,” said Coach Balmeceda. “There’s something to be said about walking out there with South Dade singing along. You know, I used to say that it’s like wearing a super hero costume.”

Having produced an impressive 74 state champions, Coach Balmeceda’s influence extends beyond victories on the mat. Senior Sawyer Bartlet is aiming for his fourth consecutive state championship and has a record of 139-0, having never been taken down on the mat.

“Sometimes it’s kind fun like, guys will come up to me before a match and ask like, ‘It’s really easy,’ but it’s like putting them out of their misery. So, the faster the better,” said Bartlet, a three-time state champion.

Adding to the team’s strength is Coach Balmeceda’s son, Gavin, a three-time state finalist.

“When he’s in my corner, he’s calling out moves and I just do the moves and they end up working most of the time,” said Gavin. “This sport is a grind. If you’re not grinding in this sport, you’re not winning.”

The Buccaneer’s coach created this high school wrestling powerhouse by getting children involved at a young age.

“I came up with a kid’s club. that’s when it became a well-oiled machine,” said Victor. “They’re already coming here with the confidence that they could win state titles. Now instead of winning state titles, it was like, ‘I wanna be one of the best in the nation. One of the best in the world.'”

Coach Balmeceda is now on the verge of 500 career dual meet wins, which will rank him among the best ever in the state of Florida.

In a festive Tuesday evening, the Miami Dolphins’s Football Unites Program hosted a Christmas event at Hard Rock Stadium. The program organized its annual toy event, where 27 chosen families experienced the joy of the season.

“It’s such a special moment for kids to be able to come here to the stadium and have dinner give gifts, meet some of the players,” said Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft. “I mean it’s hopefully an experience they’ll remember for a while.”

Players traded helmets for Santa hats, serving meals and delivering gifts to spread holiday cheer.

“Just seeing the magic in the kid’s face, you know the belief in this holiday, it’s what it’s all about, you know. It’s important and being there for each other and just providing joy for people in their lives so, it’s super cool to be a part of it,” said Dolphins quarterback, Skylar Thompson.

Earlier in the day, Dolphins players visited Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, bringing smiles to those spending the holidays away from home.

“A lot of these kids are going through things we can’t even imagine so, just to see as smile on their face and be able to get them to not think about their situation for a second,” said Dolphins linebacker, Bradley Chubb. “You know, it’s dope to be that light for somebody.”

Dolphins linebacker, Andrew Van Ginkel, was among the many players handing out toys and signing plenty of autographs.

“I just signed someone’s phone, they’ve been doing this for 3 years now. It’s something I enjoy doing, and I love coming here, seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, and all the workers who put in the extra time,” shared Ginkel.

For all the players, the event wasn’t something they felt obligated to do, rather, it was something they wanted to do.

“We want everyone to feel special this time of year and if we can provide that for anyone, specifically people dealing with other things, I think that means a lot,” expressed Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe.

In the spirit of giving, the players expressed their joy at being part of this special occasion, making the holiday season brighter for those in need. On Sunday, at Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins will be playing against the Dallas Cowboys.