State baseball championships start at JetBlue Park

LEE COUNTY – For the third consecutive year, JetBlue is host to the FHSAA Baseball State Championships. 32 teams and their families contribute to over 2,000 booked hotel rooms and $656,000 on food, activities and merchandise.

“I think that’s pretty cool how actual baseball players perform in here and practice in here,” said Michael Hannon.

Hannon and his buddies took the field trip from Tampa to support some of their high school idols.

“I automatically wanted to go because Evan, he’s my sister’s boyfriend, and he’s like the awesomist high schooler there is,” Hannon told WINK News.

24 games will take place on the JetBlue field over the next week. Jeff Mielke with Lee County Sports Development says every game brings in more players, more fans and more money for Lee County.

“To be able to put this much activity in this facility the 11 months of the year that spring training is not here,” Mielke said, “it’s a real asset to the community.”

For the Florida High School Athletic Association, the feeling is mutual.

Roger Dearing, the Executive Director of FHSAA said, “It’s just a unique experience for every one of them. It’s one they’ll carry for a lifetime whether they leave state champion or state runner up, It’s a memory they will never ever forget.”

Two local teams got a bid to the tournament: Canterbury and Bishop Verot. The tournament wraps up with the final state games on March 21st.