Team Tampa Bay Celebrates at 14th Annual Sneaker Soiree

By Joey Johnston

The Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s 14th annual Sneaker Soiree, the celebration of excellence in Tampa Bay sports, featured a Hollywood theme Thursday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

The red carpet. Lights! Camera! Action! Glitz and glamour. Everywhere you looked, there were Team Tampa Bay stars on display.

And it was definitely a night when the stars perfectly aligned, providing the usual mix of sentiment, humor, inspiration, and raw emotion.

Another theme: Meeting the Gold Standard. That was symbolized by a giant pair of golden Nike sneakers, a TBSC sponsor. Sure enough, there were solid-gold vibes from this Sneaker Soiree.

“Pretty memorable night,’’ said Lanness Robinson, the TBSC’s new executive director, after overseeing his first Sneaker Soiree. “We love the opportunity to honor and recognize all the great things happening here in the Tampa Bay area.’’

The show-stopper occurred during the program’s final sequence, when USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins, the TBSC’s former executive director, and his father, Jack, were presented with the Freddie Solomon Moral Courage Award for their successful battles against cancer. Higgins, who arrived believing he would be recognized for his 21-year tenure at TBSC, didn’t expect an award. That was emotional enough.

“I’ve never been up on this stage and been speechless,’’ Higgins said. “This is really weird to be up here without words.’’

Higgins was further stunned when Robinson called him back to the stage for a “surprise.’’ Robinson announced that the event’s popular Community Hero Awards series, featuring inspirational stories from area athletes, would be renamed the Rob Higgins Community Hero Award.

“The Sneaker Soiree has been Rob’s baby,’’ Robinson said. “He took the opportunity to unite all of the Tampa sports community. Every single year, it got bigger and better.”

“However, if you ever talk to Rob, the thing he most appreciated about this event was the Community Hero Awards. Telling those stories, creating awareness, that’s where he really got the joy,’’

Robinson promptly called each winner of the Community Hero Award back to the stage. Their trophies had already been switched to read "Rob Higgins Community Hero Award."

Once again, the Rob Higgins Community Hero Award winners had stories that entertained, illuminated, and inspired.

Evangeline Iarossi — Iarossi, a student-athlete at Berkeley Prep, noticed some inequities at Palma Ceia Little League when she was an 8-year-old softball player. There were four fields for baseball and just one for softball. Her softball practice was canceled because a baseball team had priority to use the field.

When she was told “that’s just the way it has always been,’’ Iarossi wrote a letter to Tampa mayor Jane Castor and said there needed to be a more equitable system. As she wrote, “It’s not the 1800s anymore… girls are starting to play sports.’’

The response? The City of Tampa received a $40,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association in collaboration with the Walt Disney Company. It was used to create a multi-use field for softball and baseball teams.

The city has continued to build multi-use fields. The field availability for girls compared to boys has increased from 17 percent to 34 percent. Iarossi has appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show. A photo of her initial letter and a signed jersey hang in the World of Little League Museum at Williamsport, Pa. Iarossi has also formed a nonprofit organization (“Not the 1800s) that raises money for underfunded youth athletics.

Brody Turer — The Wharton High School community was rocked when Turer, a popular baseball player, was diagnosed with leukemia. Turer’s response was to work as hard as possible to return to the ball field. With the support of family and friends, Turer maintained a positive attitude and was determined to return to baseball.

“Brody is a reminder that our obstacles and our challenges don't define us … they do not make us or break us … they help shape us,’’ said Taryn Anello, Turer’s principal at Wharton. “He is a reminder that life is hard, but when you go at it with such a positive approach … and that laughter that he always has and that smile … that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.’’

Turer has successfully battled through the obstacles. He has committed to the University of Tampa, where he will reunite with his older brother, Jake, on UT’s baseball team.

Caddie Schelle — Schelle, a Bloomingdale High School golfer, has returned to the course after being diagnosed with a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare, life-threatening brain bleed that was caused by an entanglement of blood vessels in her brain. She let out a scream at a practice and was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital.

“When she went into surgery, they didn’t think she was going to make it,’’ said Schelle’s father, Rob. “She actually flatlined three different times during the procedure and had to be brought back. Her heart stopping the third time was what allowed him (the surgeon) to find where the bleed was. Basically, she had to die to live.’’

Schelle had to relearn how to walk, and she still has some physical challenges, such as being weaker on her left side. But Schelle continues to play with a goal of consistently shooting in the 80’s again. She can play effectively with one arm. In her mind, nothing has changed. The trajectory of her life simply changed, but it doesn’t alter her ultimate goal of attending college to become an anesthesiologist.

Other award-winners at the Sneaker Soiree included:

Mayor Jane Castor (Lee Roy Selmon Lifetime Achievement Award) — From her dominance at Chamberlain High School in the infancy of girls' basketball to becoming a 1,000-point scorer at the University of Tampa to serving as police chief and then twice being elected as Tampa’s mayor, few people have as much history and love for Tampa as Castor.

“She was a captain on the court, she was a captain on the police force, and she’s the captain of Team Tampa Bay,’’ Tampa Bay Lightning CEO Steve Griggs said.

“There’s no one who’s more welcoming to the City of Tampa than Mayor Jane Castor,’’ Robinson said. “Whether it’s from when you’re at the airport and you hear her voice in the cars going from the terminal to the main area of the airport, or on a given night, when she’s at several events a night, welcoming different groups to the city, talking about how special a place Tampa is.’’

“It has always been a team effort,’’ said Castor, who was presented her award by Claybra Selmon, widow of Lee Roy. “That’s something I learned in athletics my entire life. In receiving a full athletic scholarship (to UT), as many of you have heard me say, that was the key to opening up the door for everything in my life. I learned the discipline, the tenacity, and the importance of trusting your team. That’s what I have done my entire life.’’

Christina Unkel (WISE Beyond Barriers Award) — As president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Sun FC, the 2025 United Soccer League’s Super League champions, Unkel has helped to usher in a new era for women’s professional soccer in the Tampa Bay area.

Unkel has been a trailblazer and leader in sports, business, media, officiating, and advocacy. She’s also an accomplished attorney who has spent her career breaking barriers across industries traditionally dominated by men. With the success of the Tampa Bay Sun, Unkel has continued to blaze new trails.

Monica Quimby (NIKE Just Do It Award) — Quimby was 19 years old when she suffered an L-1 spinal-cord injury after a skiing accident. As Quimby put it, “You’re literally just starting your life, and then this huge traumatic thing happens, and in an instant, everything changes. I had everything laid out for what I was going to do and who I was going to be. Literally, I had to figure it all out again.’’

Quimby, ever the thrill-seeker, tried a series of adaptive sports before embracing sled hockey. She became a gold medalist at the inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship. “Never be afraid to try new things,’’ Quimby said. “You might be next with that gold medal.’’

Eric Hart (Tom McEwen Community Advocate Award) — Hart, the president/CEO of the Tampa Sports Authority, has been an important leader and integral part of all Team Tampa Bay events since joining the TSA in 2009.

“I cannot think of a more deserving person to receive this honor than Eric,’’ Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan said. “I think what made Tom McEwen so great was how he always put the community’s best interests first and how he had really strong relationships. Eric Hart really walks in those same footsteps. He always wants to help advance Team Tampa Bay, and then he utilizes his great relationships in order to do so.’’

With his trademark professionalism and team spirit, Hart has continued to make his mark.

“Team Tampa Bay is not a joke,’’ Hart said. “I’ve worked in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Lansing, Michigan … and there’s no place that has the kind of teamwork and passion that we have in Tampa Bay. I want to thank my team at the TSA — by far the best team I’ve ever had in all the buildings that I’ve run — and I’d also like to thank my family for their sacrifice.’’

The Sneaker Soiree also featured a pair of entertaining panel discussions.

Gene Deckerhoff, who served as the radio voice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 37 seasons, moderated the “Legends Lounge’’ as he spoke with former Bucs defensive lineman Booger McFarland, former Rays outfielder Brett Phillips, and former Lightning player Pat Maroon about their experiences.

Additionally, NFL Network commentator Sara Walsh, the Sneaker Soiree’s emcee, interviewed the three new high-profile coaches from USF — Kristy Curry (women’s basketball), Brian Hartline (football), and Chris Mack (men’s basketball).

As Robinson helped to close the program before ushering everyone into the post-event party, he encapsulated what made the evening so special.

“I think we’re reminded once again of what makes Team Tampa Bay so special,’’ Robinson said. “This was a golden evening.’’