SPORTS

Clearwater is proud to have been selected as the Sports Illustrated Florida Sportstown in 2004. The selection, made by both Sports Illustrated and the National Recreation and Park Association, was based upon a variety of criteria, among which were the community’s commitment to parks and recreation resources and the scope of programming. Each year the city hosts hundreds of swimming, basketball, baseball and softball competitions, among others, bringing athletes to the area to compete but also to enjoy all Clearwater has to offer.

Major League Baseball is year-round in Clearwater. Clearwater is proud to host the Philadelphia Phillies spring training. The Phillies are the oldest, continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional sports and have been in Clearwater since 1947. In addition to the major league team, Clearwater is home to the Class-A Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League. The Toronto Blue Jays spend their spring in Dunedin and the New York Yankees in Tampa; in fact, six additional spring training teams are located within one hour of Pinellas County. The Major League Tampa Bay Devil Rays call St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field home the rest of the year.

Travel with your favorite team to cheer them on against football's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and hockey's Tampa Bay Lightning. The Outback Bowl, held annually on New Year's Day, features great college football. Each year Clearwater Beach hosts the Outback Bowl's Beach Bowl Day where fans meet the teams, bands and cheerleaders.

Use your skills at picking winners, as well as winning money. Greyhounds race on a rotating basis year around in three locations: St. Petersburg's Derby Lane, Tampa, and Sarasota. Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar hosts some of the finest horses in the country during its season. Cruise lines offer multi-hour cruises into the Gulf of Mexico where guests can enjoy casino gambling including blackjack, roulette and slot machines.

Dozens of public and semi-private courses challenge even the most experienced or amateur golfer. Professional and professional-amateur tournaments are held yearly at several of our fine courses including the Westin Innisbrook Resort, Saddlebrook, and Cheval Polo and Golf Club. Golf instruction from some of the best PGA professionals is available in the area at the Belleview Biltmore's 1925 Donald Ross-designed course.

If tennis is your game, Clearwater is the place to play. The United States Tennis Association (USTA), the national governing body of tennis, has named McMullen Tennis Complex one of the "Top Three Facilities" in the country.

The Long Center boasts the only 50-meter indoor aquatic facility on the west coast of Florida. The Long Center has hosted several Olympic swimming and pentathlon teams as well as numerous high school and college events. The center was an official 1996 Summer Olympic training facility for the Atlanta games.

The best in beach volleyball can be found on Clearwater Beach. The Miller Lite AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tournament visits Clearwater nearly every spring as do other major tournaments throughout the year. Numerous amateur tournaments are held between May and October. Clearwater Beach is so highly regarded for its sand it was one of only two United States sites for the FIVB World Beach Championships, the series that determined who played in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Clearwater is home to both the National and International Shuffleboard Halls Of Fame. The Clearwater Shuffleboard Club has hosted the world championships in 1989 and 1992 and the International Shuffleboard Association tournament in 2002.

Racing competitions of all types are common throughout the area. Numerous road races, bicycle races, triathlon events, swimming, canoe/kayak races and marathons are held throughout the year. International yacht racing is common off Clearwater's coast with the Clearwater Cup Regatta and the South Ocean Racing Conference. The Clearwater Sailing Center is the site of many exciting competitions.