SENIOR MUSINGS
little leaguer of today!
Kids today don’t know how good they have it. Where has the work ethic gone? Why do kids today have this sense of entitlement? Is it because so much has been handed to them without any sacrifice?
I grew up with this vision of my father walking up ten flights of stairs carrying a bag of coal over his shoulder like some Norman Rockwell painting. I would have that image pressed into my brain by my father every time I complained about getting up at 6am to do my paper route when it was 20 below and three feet of snow. Paper Route, now there is a foreign concept to the twelve year old
Of course, I dared not question the veracity of my father and his bag of coal, despite the fact that I remember other stories that referred to him living on the first floor! And then there was that block of ice for the ice box. How did he mange to get it up ten flights of stairs in the summer without it melting? But I digress, we are here to talk about the entitlement of the kids today.
Since when did providing a car to a child once they became old enough to get a license become a parent’s duty?
I bought my own first car with money I saved from... well, the aforementioned paper route! And paying one’s child for taking the trash cans to the curb? Whatever happened to kids just doing their part to help the family???
My dad had his bag of coal and I my paper route, but the years dim the truth. So whether it was ten flights or just a walk-up or my papers were delivered in 20 below or just a chilly morning, one thing was true, both of us took out the trash for free.
‘til next month, thenThe Senior Muser
YFSN
The Gulfcoast Youth Soccer Association (GYSA) held it’s annual Championship Cup this past February.
There was a packed field in the U12 Boys Division with 14 teams vying for the four lone spots in the playoffs.
In Bracket A, the Pinellas County United SC Azalea opened the tournament with back to back decisive wins, 8-0 zip over SYAA Seminole and 5-2 over Tarpon Springs. Needing a win or a tie to advance to the playoff round, Coach Phillip Obregon readied his squad for a match with a strong Seminole Santos team. In an epic defensive battle, the two teams played to a 1-1 draw, giving Azalea a spot in the semi-finals. In Bracket B, it was the Clearwater Chargers who would rise to the top, earning the second semi-final spot. The Chargers had to fight tooth and nail to get out of their bracket with two close victories. They beat Seminole Santos 2-1 and 1-zip over Pinellas County United.
In Bracket C, the St. Pete Raiders ran roughshod over their bracket, with wins over the Dunedin Stirling, 4-1, the West Florida Flames, 4-3 and Pinellas United 2-1.
It was from Bracket D that the eventual tournament champion would emerge. The Azalea Eagles opened the tournament with a with a 3-zip victory over Tarpon Springs. Up next, the Eagles edged out Oldsmar in a 1-nil nail bitter. Azalea make it three in a row with a 2-0 victory over the Seminole Shooting Stars to secure the last spot in the semi finals.
In the first semi final, the St. Pete Raiders traded goals with Pinellas County United before scoring the game winner late, en route to a 4-3 victory and a spot in the finals. The Azalea Eagles made short work of the Clearwater Changes in a 7-zip drubbing, setting up a match with the
Raiders for the championship.
In the championship game, two defensive minded teams dug in for a grind-them-out classic. It would be the Eagles that would break the scoring drought with a lone goal that would prove to be enough, as they held off a game Raiders team for a 1-nil victory and the GYSA Cup title.
The Eagles capped off a season in which they went 16-1. Their rock solid defense did not allow a single goal in the tournament. During the course of the year they scored an astounding 74 goals and allowed a mere five.
WHAT’S UP IN MARCH?
CLEARWATER PARKS AND RECREATION
(727) 562-4800
THE MARKET MARIE
Saturday, March 14th
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
710 Court Street, Downtown Clearwater
Shop local at The Market Marie with over 85 small business owners every second Saturday in Downtown Clearwater.
Enjoy live music, delicious food, art, clothing, jewelry, henna, handmade candles, soap, pet treats, home goods and more. Event is located next to the City of Clearwater Municipal Svcs Bldg,
SUMMER CAMP 2026 CAMP BY THE SEA
Parking is FREE and can be found throughout downtown. The closest parking garage is the city employee parking garage located diagonally from the field. The garage is FREE on the weekends.
FUNTASTIC FRIDAYS AT COUNTRYSIDE RECREATION CENTER
Morningside Camps are the place to be this summer, where children learn, grow, and make lifetime friends and memories. With our Camp by the Sea theme, each day is filled with creativity, adventure, and hands-on fun that keeps kids engaged and excited
It’s the perfect mix of learning and laughter, all wrapped up in a summer experience they’ll be talking about long after it ends.
For more information, call (727)562-4280 or email Kelsey.Mccray@myclearwater.com
SUMMER CAMP: JUNE 1 - AUGUST 7 GRADES 1-7; 7:30AM TO 6PM
$990 W/ REC CARD PLUS $1 125 W/ REC CARD
562-4280
Friday, March 27th| 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM Join Countryside Recreation Center for their monthly parent’s night out! Drop your kids off at Countryside for a fun night of pizza, games, and excitement! Cost $7 with recreation card, $8 without a recreation card. For More Info Call (727)-669-1914
DUNEDIN RECREATION (727) 812-4530
ART IN THE PARK Sunday, March 8th
| 10:00 AM to 04:00 PM John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park, 420 Main St.
use of an AED, and how to respond in the event of an emergency in and around aquatic environments. Participants are required to complete online course-work prior to attending. A swim assessment is required prior to the start of the course. Ages 15 and up Monday-Friday, 12:00pm-4:30pm / March 16 - 20
$50 Certification Fee
KIDS’ MAGIC ACADEMY
Learn about the world of magic and illusions through fun and interactive instruction. Learn specific tricks and how to develop performance skills for individual and group magic arts. Tuesdays, March 17-April 21 5:30pm - 6:30pm
$60 Members
$90 Non-Members
KIDS NIGHT OUT
The Rec turns up the fun each month that the kids won’t want to miss!
Friday, March 27th
Shamrock Shenanigans
6:00pm – 10:00pm Grades K – 5th Pizza is provided. Drinks and snacks available for purchase. Pre-registration is required.
$20.00 Members
$30.00 Non-Members
POW WOW FESTIVAL
The City of Seminole Recreation Department is proud to be hosting the 57th Annual Pow Wow Festival on Thursday, March 12 – Sunday, March 15, 2026. The festival will be held at the Seminole Recreation Center located at 9100 113th Street N, Seminole. This year’s Pow Wow Festival brings big fun for all ages. Enjoy live music and
nonstop entertainment, thrilling carnival rides, and a mouthwatering lineup of festival food favorites. A spectacular fireworks display will light up the night sky on Saturday.
Families can meet their favorite characters during the Character Meet & Greet, while wrestling fans can cheer on the hard-hitting action at the Pride of Wrestling Show. Show off your star power in our all-new Lip Sync Battle, a must-see event that’s sure to have the crowd cheering. The Lip Sync Battle entry fee is $10 per act. As space is limited, interested participants are encouraged to register at the Seminole Recreation Center prior to the battle.
Attendees can enjoy a delicious variety of food options from Zesty Tomato, Rita’s, Arnold’s Carnival Pizza, Memphis BBQ and Shane’s Suga Shack Sweets and WorldFamous Chicken Teriyaki
The Pow Wow Festival will run on: Thursday, March 12 from 5:00pm- 9:00pm Friday, March 13 from 5:00pm- 11:00pm Saturday, March 14 from 12:00pm- 11:00pm Sunday, March 15 from 12:00pm- 7:00pm
LARGO RECREATION
727-586-7455
LARGO CENTRAL PARK TRAIN RIDES
Saturday and Sunday March 7th & 8th
Ride Wristbands will be available for purchase at the Pow Wow Festival. Wristbands will NOT be sold beforehand. Interested in becoming a sponsor or vendor? Contact the City of Seminole Recreation Department at (727) 391-8345 for details.
Join us for a ride around beautiful Largo Central Park on our miniature railroad on the first full weekend of the month.. The accurately modeled scale locomotives pull you and your family along a mile-long loop through great scenery, the spooky tunnel, and our waterfall pond. Fun for all ages! There is no charge for this family-fun activity, but donations are welcome. Your contributions keep the trains running. Save some time and fill out the waiver online. (Note that this resets each day, so please only fill it out just before you arrive).
THE LARGO EVENING MARKET
Saturday March 28th
Join them on the 4th Saturday of the month and wander through different tents adorned with artisanal goods, from handmade jewelry to organic produce, all while enjoying the music from local musicians. There will be food trucks onsite for purchase.
Please email TheLargoEveningMarket@ gmail.com for vendor inquires for this market.
CONCERT SERIES ON THE BREEZEWAY
Friday, March 20th 6:00-9:00pm
MARCH CURTAIN CALLS
AMERICAN STAGE
RAYMOND JAMES THEATRE
163 3rd Street North in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg. (727) 823-PLAY (7529)
INTO THE WOODS
In the Park at Demers Landings Each Performance @ 7:30pm Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by James Lapine March 25th - April 26th
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening curtain is at 7:30pm
Friday and Saturday evening curtain is at 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday matinee curtain is at 3 pm
FREEFALL THEATRE
6099 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg 727-498-5205
HIMSELF AND NORA
Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Brielle Closes March 8th
Wednesdays and Sundays, 2:00 pm Thursdays, 7:00 pm
Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 pm
JOBSITE
THE SHARK IS BROKEN by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon
March 11 - April 5th
jobsitetheater.org
For tickets go to tickets@jobsitetheater.org or call the Straz Center Box Office at 813.229.STAR
STAGEWORKS
1120 E Kennedy Blvd Tampa 813-251-8984 MY
LEV March 6th - 22nd
EIGHT O’CLOCK THEATRE
Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo (727) 587-6793 MY FAIR LADY Book & lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner Music by Fredrick Loewe Closes March 8th
302 Seminole Street, Clearwater 727-446-1360
MIRACLE WORKER by William Gibson March 19th - 29th ST PETE
The Musical March 27th - April 5th
Gerry Schneggs | Food Truck: Westchase BBQ Mark your calendars for a night of live music, delicious bites, and good vibes at the Concert Series on the Breezeway! No memberships needed, everyone is welcome to groove to the tunes, indulge in great food from food trucks, and sip on refreshing drinks from the bar. For more information, please call 727-518-3024 .
GULFPORT RECREATION
(727)893-1068
TEEN NIGHT
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 6pm - 9pm at the Michael J. Yakes Recreation Complex and Gulfport Recreation Center 5730 Shore Blvd. S. The Teen Night Program is a great opportunity for teens in
grades 6-12 to enjoy recreational and social activities with peers their age. It offers field trips, cooking projects, guest speakers and service projects. There is a gymnasium, game room and outdoor area that the teens can use.
For Teen Night Community Service Project and Teen Night Registration Form contact, Jami Rowell, Recreation Coordinator at jrowell@ mygulfport.us Gymnasium and game room activities Monthly Field trips & Cooking Projects
For More Info Call (727) 893-1068
