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 Name: Damu Cherry
Age:
28
Sport:
Track and Field; 100-meter hurdles
Accomplishments: 2nd place
Outdoor USA Championships; 2nd Place USA Indoor Championships;
World Championship Finalist, 2nd fastest time< in the world
in 2005. My personal best is 12.58.
How
long have you played your sport? 13 years
Occupation: Professional
Track and Field and gymnastics coach.
Where
do you live?
Clermont
Why do
you choose to play/compete in this sport and what makes it
special to you? I am a former gymnast and I have been
competing for years. I also just love to hurdle. I also plan
to compete in the 2008 Olympics and be one of the best
hurdlers ever.
 Name: David
Harper
Age:
42
Sport:
Ultra-running, Ultra-cycling, Triathlons Accomplishments: The
only Lake County resident to complete the Western States
100-mile Endurance Run (twice) and the Badwater 135 Mile
Ultramarathon. This year, I will attempt to be the 11th person
in the world, and the first person from Florida to complete
the Death Valley Cup, which is completing the Badwater 135
Mile Ultramarathon and the Furnace Creek 508 Mile Bicycle race
in the same year.
How
long have you played your sport? For the last 20 years. I have
competed in hundreds of bicycle races, triathlons (5 Ironman
races of 2.4- mile swim, 112-mile bicycle and 26.2-mile run)
and in running races of all distances.
Occupation: Owner of
Harper Financial Services
Where
do you live? Clermont (Sugarloaf Mountain area)
Why do
you choose to play/compete in this sport and what makes it
special to you?
I simply love to set a goal and see if I
can accomplish it. I enjoy pushing myself to the limit to find
out how< fast, how far and for how long I can continue to
go on. I hope to inspire and encourage my children and others
to do the same.
 Name: Ben Andrews
Age:
19
Sport:
Baseball. I’m a pitcher for Lake-Sumter Community
College.
Accomplishments: Posted an
8-1 record as a pitcher for Leesburg High School in 2005. That
same year he was named District 8 Player of the Year and was a
second team all-state selection. Selected as the Central
Florida Athlete of the Year by the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes (FCA).
How
long have you played your sport? Since childhood.
Occupation:
Student
Where
do you live? Leesburg
Why do
you choose to play/ compete in this sport and what makes it
special to you?
I’ve always loved
baseball. It’s a fun game to play. While enjoy playing
baseball at the collegiate level, my true focus is academics.
I realize that being a professional athlete isn’t always a
glamorous life like many portray it to be.
 Name: Kendall Smith
Age:
17
Sport:
Football. I’m a linebacker at South Sumter High
School.
Accomplishments: Helped
lead the Red Raiders to the Class 2A state championship game
last November against the Hollywood Chaminade Lions. My junior
season I recorded 146 tackles, three interceptions and two
fumble recoveries.
How
long have you played your sport? Since seventh
grade.
Occupation:
Student
Where
do you live? Bushnell
Why do
you choose to play/compete in this sport and what makes it
special to you? I’m a competitive person. I play each down as
if it’s my last. I work hard both on the football field and in
the classroom. That’s why I’m being recruited by schools such
as Miami, Florida, Florida State, Alabama and Tennessee. My
mom has always wanted me to earn a college degree and that’s
my goal.
 Name: Jon Veneziano
Age:
35
Sport:
Golf
Accomplishments: 2005
Florida State Mid-Amateur
Champion 2005 Florida State Pub
Links Runner-Up
Won 10 College events at the University of
Hartford
1993 3rd Team All-America Division I
1992 New
England Area Champion
How
long have you played your sport? 25 years
Occupation: Financial
Advisor Bank of America
Where
do you live? Mount Dora
Why do
you choose to play/compete in this sport and what makes it
special to you? I really enjoy competing no matter what the
event is. I like golf because it is an individual sport. One
of the great aspects of the game is that it can be enjoyed by
one or many individuals. | 
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