Latest News
NBA legend Rick Mahorn to be inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame
The free Friday night event kicks off a weekend of small college basketball at Florida Southern College LAKELAND - NBA legend Rick Mahorn is just one of the inductees into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Friday night. The event will be followed by the Small...
Not forgotten, Banana George lives on this weekend
WINTER HAVEN – Gone – but surely not forgotten – the spirit of longtime Polk County fixture Banana George will be on display as the 2022 Banana George Blairfoot Bananza will hit the waters of Winter Haven’s Lake Silver this weekend. Funds raised from the weekend go to...
Winter Haven to host the world at IWWF World Water Ski Show Tournament
The largest competitive water ski event in decades will take over downtown Winter Haven from Oct. 20 to Oct. 23 as the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) World Water Ski Show Tournament, presented by Nautique, takes to Lake Silver. More than seven...
FHSAA Partners with Polk County for multiple State Championships
Polk County to host six high school state championship events annually, in multi-year deal AUBURNDALE – The state Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) championships for high school volleyball and weightlifting will join basketball in calling Polk County...
One of nation’s largest fastpitch events coming to Polk
AUBURNDALE – One of the largest events in fastpitch softball, the USA Softball Junior Olympic (JO) Cup, is coming to Polk County. The DiamondPlex Softball Complex in Winter Haven and the Auburndale Softball Complex will host a week-long competition July 6-12, 2023,...
Lightning to host Ball Hockey Clinic at Lakeland Ice Arena
The Tampa Bay Lightning professional hockey organization and the Lakeland Ice Arena will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on April 30 at the Lakeland Ice Arena, 3395 W. Memorial Blvd in Lakeland, to celebrate the new outdoor ball hockey rink at the...

History on-deck at Flying Tigers’ opening day
LAKELAND – Just like Jackie Robinson, history will be made when Rachel Balkovec steps on to the field. Opening night at the Lakeland Flying Tigers, April 8, will be Balkovec’s first game as manager of the visiting Tampa Tarpons, making her the first full-time female...
2022 Polk County Sports Hall of Fame Class Announced
A legend on the gridiron as both a player and a coach, the man at the helm of the nation’s hottest wrestling program and a broadcaster who has dedicated his life to local sports and information on the airways are just three of this year’s five inductees into the Polk...

Team USA to take on Team England in womens lacrosse Jan. 5 in Auburndale
AUBURNDALE – Three of the best women’s lacrosse teams in the world will take to Polk County fields during the first weeks of January. At the Lake Myrtle Sports Park in Auburndale, both the women’s national teams from the United States and England will participate in a...
Water tower art the first step to welcome international tournament
WINTER HAVEN – You might say that the new girl in town towers over the competition. What was once a beige water tower at the corner of Avenue B SW and Magnolia Avenue is now a beacon to the upcoming International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation’s World Water Ski...