Bloomingdale/ FishHawk
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January 2025 Volume 24, Issue 1
Ph: 813-657-2418
Y EIAN R REVIEW Pages 31-35
CELEBRATING 23 YEARS OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS
FORMER NEWSOME ATHLETE MAKES NFL GRANDFATHER’S TRADITION LIVES ON
DEBUT, KICKS GAME-WINNING FIELD GOAL WITH TAKE 5 TREE SIGN AFTER 20 YEARS
By Marie Gilmore
Former Newsome said Tim Tebow was one High School football of his role models and player Spencer Shrader wanted to have a platis living out many peoform like his to inspire ple’s dreams of playing others. He played for in the NFL. the Bulls for four years, Shrader went undraftearning a scholarship his ed in the recent NFL junior and senior seadraft but signed as a sons, before transferring free agent with the Into play at Notre Dame as dianapolis Colts on their a grad student. practice squad. He was The NFL wasn’t alelevated to the roster ways his main dream. Photos courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs. Shrader is an entreprefor the first game of the Spencer Schrader lines up to make a season, where he made neur and has an investkick against the Buffalo Bills. all three extra-point atment property in South tempts. Then he went Bend, Indiana. But he to the New York Jets, found himself in a posiwhere he played one tion that many people game, making both field would envy. goal attempts. He was “It’s kind of a unique then offered a roster experience because the spot by the Kansas City NFL wasn’t always my Chiefs when their startdream,” said Shrader. ing kicker, Harrison But“I know that sounds ker, got injured. crazy. I just really The kicker played in wanted to do my best two games with the at every level.” Kansas City Chiefs teammate Travis Chiefs and converted all Shrader said he is Kelce hugs Spencer Schrader after he three field goal attempts, makes the game-winning kick against grateful for the opportuthe Carolina Panthers. and six extra points. nity but doesn’t need the Shrader kicked the game-winning field goal NFL to feel fulfilled. for the Chiefs against the Carolina Panthers “When I did make it, it was a little bit of on November 24, 2024. a surreal feeling, but honestly how I feel “In that situation, you just really have is more like I have a responsibility to percompartmentalize and keep yourself calm,” form because of all the blessings I’ve had said Shrader. “When you think about the and all the people who have supported me game and the stage, it’s a big deal and there to get here.” is a lot going on. At the end of the day, my Schrader injured his hamstring in practice job is really simple. I just have to kick the and was put on injured reserve. With his inball through the uprights.” jury and Butker’s return, he said his future The Lithia resident played one year of with the team may be in doubt. football at Newsome High School, where “It’s such a crazy industry that anything he also starred in tennis and soccer. After can happen at any time,” he said. “In a graduation, he played a year of semipro soc- sense, it’s a blessing because tomorrow cer in Brazil and Canada in 2018. He was is not guaranteed, and you take that to offered several soccer scholarships but de- heart. For me, as an undrafted free-agent cided to take a risk by walking on at the Uni- rookie, it’s very much unknown what the versity of South Florida as a kicker. Shrader next steps will be.”
Have you ever journey by ship seen the Take 5 Tree back to the U.S. He along FishHawk Bouwas indeed statelevard? It was 20 side for the birth of years ago when local his daughter Lynn grandfather Dan Naand son, Lithia resgle Sr. and his grandident Dan Nagle Jr. sons, Keidan and and. Life changed Quinten, would make when Nagle Sr. had a routine stop at a a heart attack at favorite landmark 42 years old and — the Take 5 Tree open-heart surgery — during their bike at 50 years old. rides up FishHawk His doctor inBoulevard to grab a structed him to Slurpee. exercise or die, and “I do a lot of bikhe confirmed that ing myself, and when cycling was actualwe’d go out to get ly considered exersome exercise with cise. Nagle still cythe grandkids, they cles to this day and couldn’t quite make rides 7-10 miles it all the way up the every Wednesday, hill for a Slurpee,” and he even parexplained Nagle Sr., Dan Nagle Sr. stands with his grandsons 20 years af- ticipated in a ‘Tour ter they started riding bikes up FishHawk Boulevard now age 91, who de Nagle’ ride from to get a Slurpee, and the Take 5 Tree still stands today. added, “I’d say, ‘Hey Valdosta, Georgia, guys, let’s ‘take five’ all the way to Rivunder this tree.’” erview at age 72 Years ago, on a visyears old, 20 years it to Busch Gardens, ago. Nagle Sr. saw a ven“Age is just a dor offering custom number,” advised wood carvings and Nagle Sr., a retired had a sign made for lawyer, during a the ‘Take 5 Tree,’ and recent visit to Florin 2005 he got a ladida. “There is so der and mounted the much you can do to sign. overcome what you Now, two decades think you can’t do.” later, the sign is still The Take 5 Tree there and Nagle Sr. still stands on the who still rides, but south side of Fishnot all the way up the Hawk Boulevard road for a Slurpee, is right after the Circa proud of the lasting FishHawk sign. tribute to the perfect rest stop. “I’m glad the tree is still there,” said Nagle Sr. “It’s nice to know that something so HIGH 5 TALENT SHOW ....................PG 3 simple can still mean so much, even after all MOTORING FLORIDA ........................PG 5 these years.” Nagle Sr., an Army veteran, served in Ger- VETERAN OF THE YEAR ...............PG 09 many in the 10th Infantry division in 1956. EYE ON BUSINESS ...................... .PGS 25 He came home and missed his daughter YEAR IN REVIEW........ ........... PGS 31-35 Deb’s birth in 1959 because it was a 16-day
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