It is said that good things come to those who wait. It’s a good thing then, that Sarasota Paradise forward Andres Freire is a patient man, or at least he appeared to be on Saturday night in Lakewood Ranch, when the Paradise bested Miami AC 2-0. Although the Paradise dominated from the first touch, logging two shots on goal in the first three minutes, Freire, a Sarasota native, did not score until the 30 minute mark.

Freire’s goal was unassisted, a beautiful arcing lob from just right of the Miami AC’s goal area that found the top right corner of the net. It put the Paradise up 1-0 in the first half, a lead that, while small, was never put in doubt, due to Paradise's stifling back line. Miami AC struggled to gain any momentum in the first half, logging its first shot on goal only at the 31 minute mark.

“The approach was to be physical,” said Paradise defender Felipe Rojas of the back line’s attitude. “The other team came with a different formation, so we had to adjust a little bit, but we have solid, versatile defenders that can move up, get high, be good on the ball and be strong defensively. Having that balance is crucial to being a strong team.”

While Miami AC’s pressure intensified in the second half, Freire all but put the game away in the 57th minute, when he converted a corner kick to score his second goal. It was Freire’s fourth goal of the season and an indicator of a player that is catching fire—Freire scored both goals in the Paradise’s previous game, a 2-1 victory over Fort Lauderdale United, then the fifth ranked team in all of United Soccer League 2 (USL2).

“His first goal was world class. The second goal, like a real striker, his nose finds the ball and he finds a way to put it away,” said Head Coach Mirko Dakovic. “We had a very tough game (last) Wednesday night against the fifth ranked team in the country. They were 5-0 and we walked out with three points. I was happy with our performance, but felt we had some fatigue from that game. It took a lot out of us, but credit to our group, they found a way to dig deep and get three points here tonight.”

The Paradise’s next home game will be against Fort Lauderdale United on June 18 at 7:30pm, 5895 Post Blvd, Lakewood Ranch, 34211.

Sarasota Paradise forward Andres Freire signs autographs after his two goal night. Provided photo.

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It’s official: Sarasota is the mecca of rowing in North America. From June 12-15, Nathan Benderson Park will host the 2025 US Rowing Youth National Championships, a congregation of thousands of the nation’s top youth rowers battling it out for glory. The regatta, which is expected to draw around 10,000 athletes, coaches and spectators, is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is returning to Sarasota for the eighth time.

“Most people don’t realize that this park has become the hotbed of rowing in our country,” says Rick Brown, director of operations and development at Sarasota Crew. “We just take if for granted that there’s this course by UTC and it has rowing, but the fact that these types of events come here year after year is a pretty big deal.”

Nathan Benderson Park is ideal for rowing, because of how the 400-acre lake is constructed. The water is shallow and perfectly flat, with a length of 2,000 meters, the traditional length of a championship regatta. Think of the lake as an aquatic dragstrip—it is made for racing.

Over 200 clubs—including Sarasota Crew, which is sending 87 athletes across 13 boats—will compete in the Youth National Championships. Throughout May, clubs from across the country competed in qualifying regattas, with the hope of being some of the distinct few to earn a berth in the National Championships. For the rowers, who will compete in Youth, U16, U17 and U19 age brackets, the Youth National Championships are as big as it gets. Success at Nathan Benderson can not only lead to glory, but future opportunities in the sport.

“There are a lot of college coaches that are going to be in town. There’s not as much an aspect of a coach watching to see if this one person is going to be great within an eight person boat, but these coaches are in town to see the results and have a lot of conversations with athletes,” says Brown. “The majority of the top high school talent will all be in one place at the same time, so it’s definitely appealing for collegiate programs to be here. It’s not the end-all, be-all in terms of recruiting, but certainly the more positive the results are, the more conversations with college coaches you’ll have.”

US Rowing Youth Nationals, June 12-15, Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota, 34235 

Rowers compete in the 2024 US Rowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park. Provided photo.

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Forestar Group Inc. ("Forestar"), one of the largest residential community developers in the nation,  announces the grand opening of The Palm Bar, a new restaurant nestled in the resort campus of Star Farms at Lakewood Ranch. With multiple entertainment spaces, including a relaxing outdoor atmosphere with alfresco dining, this location offers the best of Florida-style living. Menu items include tasty foods served hot off the grill and freshly prepared salads paired with frozen and fruity beverages. The grand opening festivities of The Palm Bar were held June 5-7, serving nearly 800 residents and invited guests. 

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The Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Program is co-sponsoring a Juneteenth Celebration with local black service organizations. The event will include a food drive give-a-way, and a free lunch cookout. The event is open to the public and will be held 10am-2pm, June 21st at Mount Raymond Baptist Church, 2410 4th Ave East in Palmetto. Because Juneteenth falls on a Thursday this year, the event will be on Saturday, June 21st, giving attendees another chance to celebrate. Pi Beta Beta Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., and The Links, Incorporated, will be working in concert with The Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Program, to provide food donations at the Mount Raymond church food pantry. Donations can be dropped off prior to the event by contacting Executive Director, Scott Biehler, phone/text: 941-350-6075, e-mail: scott@mayorsfeedthehungry.org. Donations may also be dropped off on the day of the event from 10 am till 12 noon. The food drive give-a-way will begin at 11:00 AM with a drive-through. 

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Celebrate Independence Day at Selby Gardens’ annual Fourth of July All-American Cookout on Friday, July 4 from 5:30 – 9:30pm at the Downtown Sarasota campus. Savor All-American favorites (available for purchase) from the Michael’s on East Grill, Twisted Sugar Confectionary, and Kona Ice. Enjoy family-friendly activities and games on the Great Lawn, special performances of Spheres Bubble Show by Blaise Ryndes, and take in the spectacular fireworks display over Sarasota Bay. General Admission Ticket Pricing: Members $25 / Non-Members $35 / Children ages 5-17 $10 / Children 4 and Under Free. General admission guests are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and bug spray.  A limited number of Parking Passes for parking onsite in the Morganroth Family Living Energy Access Facility (LEAF) parking structure are available for purchase. You may also park off-site with complimentary trolley service at the Sarasota Art Museum. 

Tom Kirdahy is a Tony and Olivier Award-winning producer known for groundbreaking live theater. His current projects include the critically acclaimed Gypsy starring Audra McDonald, Just in Time with Jonathan Groff, and the UK premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Here We Are.  He debuts this year as a film producer with Kiss of the Spider Woman, directed by Bill Condon and starring Jennifer Lopez. Mr. Kirdahy serves on the Executive Board of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Broadway League Board of Governors, and the Harry Ransom Center Advisory Council. A former attorney, he spent nearly 20 years offering free legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS and held a leadership role at the NYC LGBT Center. He holds a BA in politics and dramatic literature and a JD from NYU School of Law. Mr. Kirdahy’s work bridges art and advocacy with a legacy that champions inclusion, creativity, and public service across the entertainment and legal fields.'

Zoom Program: July 2, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. 

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Nominations close tomorrow! Nominate outstanding physicians for SRQ Magazine’s Top Doctors 2025 by June 13. Help us celebrate the medical professionals making a difference across Sarasota, Manatee, and surrounding communities. Your peer nominations shape this trusted, specialty-spanning list. Click HERE to nominate!