Understanding Retail Metrics

I’ve seen many retailers over the years still running their business by the seat of their pants. While this management style may have worked in the past, it is quickly being replaced by more sophisticated operations using advanced technology to squeeze every penny out of the business.

As most of you have come to realize, running a successful retail business involves more than buying merchandise, marking it up and selling it. when you first got started, you probably had a good idea of what your store would look like, how your staff would present itself, how the merchandise would be displayed.and where you’d be opening up your next store like most CEOs, you were and probably still are the visionary. but as you later found out, even great visionaries need a little pragmatism to realize their dreams.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a statistician, mathematician or even a rocket scientist to manage your business in both a visionary and more scientific manner.
These days, using specially designed retail software products like Retail Pro and CounterPoint SQL, you can run a few reports on a weekly basis and get an excellent understanding of exactly what is going on with your business.
The information you get enables you to analyze your operation, identify problem areas, and take immediate corrective action before it costs you a bundle. these reports contain the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for your business.

How important are Key Performance Indicators? think of yourself as the pilot of an airplane. you decide to take a trip and create a flight plan – when you’re leaving and where you plan to go. you take off with your flight plan in hand. It’s a beautiful day, with no clouds in sight.
But how do you know if you’re flying in the direction you want to go, flying level, high enough not to run into any mountains, have enough fuel and flying fast enough to get to your final destination on time?
Well, a pilot uses instruments to systematically get to his/her final destination safely. a retailer is no different, and must have and use the equivalent instruments in order to fly his or her business on a daily basis in a profitable manner. Those instruments are closely monitored by KPI.

So start reading those KPI reports And don’t forget to set objectives for the merchandise you are buying.
Why is this important? when you run your KPI report you will know if the item is performing according to your expectations. If not, then you can take quick decisive actions to sell off that item before you get stuck with it and have to lose money on a mark down.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how analyzing your inventory performance on a regular basis can keep your business on track.

A retailer has five decisions to make on any given item in stock:
1. Mark up
2. Mark down
3. buy more
4. buy less
5. Don’t do anything

How does a retailer know what to do and when to do it? Well the answer to that million dollar question lies in KPI’s.

Let’s take a look at what I consider to be the five most important retail KPI’s that should be easily generated from your software program:

Days of Supply

Definition: Days of Supply is a key statistic which tells you how long it will take you to sell out of your present stock, assuming that sales continue at the same rate as recent past sales.

Days of Supply analyzes the last period of sales, and based upon that rate, gives you the amount of days of supply left on that style. it is based upon the numbers of days of selling that you tell your system to examine.

For non-seasonal merchandise which sells at a relatively steady rate, you could use a longer basis period, such as 30 or 60 days. for seasonal merchandise, the rate of sale changes rapidly, and you would want to use a shorter period.

Merchandising Goal: To reduce your days of supply to match lead times, without losing sales.

Turn

Definition: Turn is a measure of how many times your inventory turns over in the course of a year.

Example: If you have an average inventory of 100 jackets in a year and you sell 100 jackets every 4 months, your inventory turns over or is totally replaced, 3 times per year. therefore, your turn is 3.

Turn is often increased by reducing selling price. However, this obviously reduces profit. a balance needs to be reached between the proper turn, and the proper profit margin.

The formula for turn used by Retail Pro is: Annual Sales divided by Average Inventory

Merchandising Goal: Increase your turn as much as possible, without having to take markdowns.

Stock to Sales Ratio

Definition: The ratio of the inventory available for sale to the quantity sold. for every unit I sold, how many units did I have on hand?

Stock to Sales Ratio is the exact inverse of Sell thru Percentage.

Stock to Sales Ratio is a key statistic for measuring whether or not you are overstocked. If your Stock to Sales Ratio rises, and there is not an accompanying rise in sales, then you are adding more stock without increasing sales, which will reduce your profitability. If your Stock to Sales Ratio decreases, and your sales do not decrease, then you will have increased profitability.

The formula used for Stock to Sales Ratio is: Averaged Units of Inventory Available divided by Units Sold

Merchandising Goal: To reduce your Stock to Sales Ratio as low as possible, without losing sales.

Sell thru Percentage

Definition: The percentage of stock you had available for sale which was sold.

Sell thru Percentage is the exact inverse of Stock to Sales Ratio.

Sell thru Percentage is especially important for seasonal merchandise, since the goal is to be out of stock of seasonal merchandise by the end of the season. therefore, you can look at your year-to-date sales of seasonal merchandise, and be sure that you were out of stock by the end of the season.

The formula used to calculate Sell thru Percentage is: Average Units Sold divided by Averaged Units of Inventory Available

Merchandising Goal: On seasonal merchandise, plan out the percentages to be sold out of by month, so that you can ensure being out of stock by season end.

Gross Margin Return on Investment

Definition: for every dollar invested in this style, how many dollars did I get back? (Abbrev. GMROI).

Gross Margin Return on Investment calculates that return based on the gross margin from sales. for example, if you purchase $2000 of inventory, and sold it all in the same year for $6000, your profit would be $4000. The return on your investment of $2000 was $4000. The GMROI in this example is $4000/$2000 = 2.

GMROI is closely related to turn. If your turn increases, your average inventory cost will be lower (relative to your profit), and thus the greater the return on your investment.

The formula for GMROI is: Sales Margin Dollars divided by Months Passed X 12

Your merchandising goal is to increase the GMROI as high as you can, by keeping turn high, at high margins.

As an additional note, always remember to set objectives for the merchandise you are buying. for example, when buying a new style of jeans, set a target for how many pairs should be sold by some reasonable time frame like, sell 12 pairs in the first week.
This is important so when you run your KPI report you will know if the item is performing according to your expectations. If not, then you can take quick decisive actions to sell off that item before you get stuck with it and have to mark it down in an unprofitable fashion.

Understanding Retail Metrics

Online Golf Pro Shop Supplies – Find the Best Quality Golf Products

If you are new to the game of golf, or even a seasoned veteran, there comes a time you need accessories. When looking at online golf pro shop supplies you want to make sure that the site offers a full range of brands and a wide range of golfing equipment. the website should also include online auctions and informative videos on golfing too to aid in your purchase. Golfers are unlike one another and if you can find a wide variety of merchandise on one site you can be assured that the golf pro shop supplies are in wide demand.

If you are in the market for golfing equipment than pay close attention to what is going on in that online golf pro shop. Are the videos on the site current, or updated, are the products reviewed by customers and posted on the site under the products, these are tell tale signs of a great golfing website. One of the key differences between an online golf pro shop and an online outlet such as Nike or Top Flite is that they cater to their own brand, no variety. Online golf pro shop supplies range from many brands, styles and variations which is a great resource for any golfing customer.

Many visitors to golfing sites already know the brand and style they are comfortable with when they stop by the site. If the online golf pro shop offers that particular brand, and has customer reviews and posts to weigh the positive and negatives, then this site is of great value to the customer and will most likely be bookmarked for future considerations. You want to be able to access as much information as you can about the golfing world at one site, which makes time spent on that site much more productive. many times a great golfing site will have direct links to great sites like eBay and Amazon that also carry great products with many customer reviews.

If you are in the market for golf pro shop supplies you need to make a list of the items you are in the market for now and in the near future before you enter the web site. Reasons being many sites have many posts, pages, categories, links, and more, and if you go in without a game plan you are going to start at golf clubs and before you know it looking at the latest range finder or long distance driver that was just released. You can easily get distracted by the latest new toys and forget why you stopped by in the first place. so a clear list can help you minimize those high dollar impulse purchases and keep you and your game on track.

Online Golf Pro Shop Supplies – Find the Best Quality Golf Products

Bentwater Real Estate and Homes For Sale on Lake Conroe, Texas

Bentwater is a private, master planned 36 hole golf and boating community on the preferred north shore of Lake Conroe, north of Houston, Texas. Designed to appeal to a primary home, second home or retirement lifestyle, Bentwater offers homesites priced from the mid $20,000 to over $400,000 and homes from $180,000 to over $1,000,000. the entire community is served by central water and sewer facilities and streets are paved with concrete and include curbs and gutters.

Anyone for Golf?

The Weiskopf Course, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, is perhaps best exemplified by the picture postcard par four #12 with its split fairway and the breathtaking beauty of the par three #14. In addition to 36 holes of golf, the Bentwater Country Club includes the golf club, pro shop, men’s and women’s lockers, the Mixed Grill, the Crescent Dining Room, the Tennis Center and Swim Club. the Miller Course, designed by award-winner Scott Miller, provides a distinctly different golfing challenge from that of Bentwater’s Weiskopf Course. Lush, green fairways rise and fall through forests hardwood and pine, often partially surrounded by the broad, blue waters of Lake Conroe. this picturesque course is highlighted by Champion Bermuda greens and pine straw roughs.

Perched upon Bentwater’s highest ridge is the golf and country club, where members have dramatic views of the golf course and the lake. Fine dining is available in the elegant Crescent Room or there’s the Mixed Grill and an outdoor terrace for casual fare. Food and beverage service is also available in the men’s and women’s locker rooms which include card rooms, saunas and equipped fitness areas. A few steps down the archway is the fully-equipped golf pro shop.

Just west of the golf and country club is the tennis center and swimming pool. the tennis center includes lighted courts, a stadium court and the pro shop, where members will find everything they need for their game. There’s plenty of room for sunbathing around the pool and a snack bar for food and beverage service.

Boating Is our Business

The Bentwater Yacht Club, with its copper domes and graceful architecture, serves as a majestic landmark for Lake Conroe’s prestigious north shore. High atop the harbor master’s observation deck, members are treated to panoramic views and breathtaking sunsets.

At the Yacht Club, those who like to sunbathe will find plenty of space, as well as food and beverage service around the yacht club’s large pool near the lake. Immediately adjacent to the pool are men’s and women’s dressing rooms with lockers. the Bentwater Bay dining room is a delightful place for casual dining and lake-watching through large, palladian windows.

Next to the yacht club is the marina. both open and covered boat slips are arranged along a series of finger piers that extend from adjacent parking for members’ convenience. There’s also a ship’s store, a fueling station, launching facilities, and an open pier for quick stops at the yacht club and marina.

Candace Joyner has been helping people buy and sell Bentwater homes and real estate for years. In fact, she has probably handled more transaction in the Bentwater neighborhood on Lake Conroe than any other real estate agent. Bentwater is the premier subdivision with 3 golf courses, a country club, yacht club, marina, tennis center, and sports club. Homes are generally priced from $200,000 to over $3,000,000.

Bentwater Real Estate and Homes For Sale on Lake Conroe, Texas

Gingrich’s stimulus support benefited his consulting clients – Nation – The Boston Globe

WASHINGTON – Newt Gingrich seized the TV airwaves in 2009 to bash President Obama’s stimulus package, calling it “entirely a pork-barrel bill’’ that would do little to solve the recession.

Later, in a Web video, the former House speaker stepped back from his blanket criticism. he explained that he strongly supported spending $27 billion of stimulus funds to encourage doctors and hospitals to create electronic medical records for patients. Left unsaid was that the Gingrich Group, his consulting business in Washington, received large payments from medical technology companies that stand to profit from the federal money.

The contrast captures the contradictions Gingrich must grapple with as he seeks to maintain his position as front-runner in the GOP presidential primary contest. It also reinforced negative perceptions among some critics.

Continue reading below

In debates, on Fox News, and on the stump, he provides the potent, anti-Obama, anti-Washington rhetoric that conservatives crave. he is appealing to angry, libertarian-minded voters who seek less government influence in the lives of individuals and business. The result: he has soared in the polls.

But Gingrich also has spent the last decade using his clout and contacts to remain a major player in the culture he publicly reviles, plying the inside-the-Beltway influence trade at a high level.

One of his premier goals: encouraging doctors and hospitals to keep track of patients’ health and medications on computers, a step Gingrich has likened to federal support for building the railroad and interstate highway systems. for the former speaker, the $787 billion White House stimulus package provided a major opportunity.

“I applaud President Obama for insisting on that approach,’’ he said in his Web video, in which he also supports $100 billion in extra Medicaid stimulus money. The video does not appear alongside countless other images of him in his firm’s website archives, but it remains on YouTube. The Gingrich campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Though not registered as a lobbyist, Gingrich has amassed an extensive roster of consulting clients who seek to win the favor of federal government. his businesses have received approximately $55 million in client fees in the decade since he left the House, according to a statement from his consulting office.

That includes up to $1.8 million he was paid by the government-backed Freddie Mac mortgage company under a consulting contract, fees that have been seized upon by his chief rival, Mitt Romney, as evidence Gingrich is a creature of Washington. Gingrich and Freddie Mac have said he did not seek to influence members of Congress on specific policies.

“he was not a lobbyist,’’ said Freddie Mac spokesman Doug Duvall. “he was a consultant.’’

Gingrich was retained to help “build bridges’’ to Congress and helped Freddie Mac develop talking points that would win conservative support for its mission, according to Bloomberg, which first reported on the size of the payments.

For his advocacy on health care, Gingrich created the Center for Health Transformation as a division of his consulting firm. The center receives annual “membership’’ payments from its clients ranging from $20,000 to $200,000. Gingrich’s representatives have said he is not a lobbyist. Together with the Gingrich Group, the center has signed up about 300 clients. It will not reveal all of them, but a partial list it posted on the Internet shows payments from some of the biggest medical trade organizations, hospital groups, drug companies, insurers, and technology companies.

The Gingrich Group and Center for Health Transformation employ up to 30 people at offices in Washington, Atlanta, and St. Louis. The Washington office is housed on K Street along with the rest of the lobbying corps, near the White House. The Center for Health Transformation describes itself in the lofty language of a think-tank, even though it is a money-making business: a “non-partisan collaboration of leaders dedicated to the creation of a 21st Century intelligent health system.’’

However it is described, the arrangement puts Gingrich in the position of pursuing a variety of health care policies that benefit his clients. his support of stimulus funds irked some Tea Party critics yesterday.

“I’m really tired of seeing Washington insiders take care of their friends and themselves, when the American people are being taken to the cleaners because that stimulus money is coming from us,’’ said Jerry DeLemus, a new Hampshire Tea Party activist who backs Michele Bachmann in the primary.

But others said they are willing to accept Gingrich’s role as special-interest advocate.

“Newt has faults. They all have faults,’’ said Rick LeVasseur, a Gingrich supporter and member of the new Hampshire Republican State Committee. “Right now, I can’t find a candidate for the most part who hasn’t gotten somewhat involved in feathering their own nest.’’

in the Republican-controlled House, lawmakers have targeted the $27 billion for medical technology as part of proposals to repeal remaining stimulus funds.

“Newt Gingrich’s approach to health care has never been free market,’’ said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, a nonprofit center in Washington. “a colleague of mine has joked that Newt has been in favor of socialized medicine, as long as it uses computers.’’

The list of health care policies Gingrich backed includes greater use of Medicare HMOs, which generate profits for private insurance companies, and individual health savings accounts, which are managed by divisions of insurers.

A financial jump-start from the government for electronic records was essential, many economists contended, because the industry lacks incentives for physicians and hospitals to develop their systems. It is expected to benefit health care technology companies, including clients of Gingrich’s center such as GE Healthcare. GE Healthcare said it pays the center to act as a “collaborator and facilitator’’ among a diverse group of interests.

Part of the Gingrich method has been to work in bipartisan fashion. he co-wrote columns with Democratic senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts (calling for greater use of statistics to decide what treatments work best) and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island (lauding investment in health-care computers).

“he has been a strong, consistent supporter of health information technology as a foundational solution to our health care problems,’’ said Dr. David Blumenthal, a Harvard Medical School professor who served as Obama’s coordinator of health care information technology until returning to Boston this year. “on this particular issue, I think he has been a leader.’’

Try BostonGlobe.com today and get two weeks FREE. Christopher Rowland can be reached at .

Gingrich’s stimulus support benefited his consulting clients – Nation – The Boston Globe

Edwin Watts Golf hosts fitting day at Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation, Florida

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — South Florida golfers can test out, tune up and tee off as Edwin Watts Golf Shops (EWGS), one of the world’s largest specialty golf retailers with over 90 locations, announced it will be hosting a multi-vendor custom fitting day on Saturday, December 10, at Jacaranda Golf Club, located at 9200 West Broward Blvd., Plantation, FL. Golfers of all ages and skill levels are invited to experience the newest equipment innovations from golf’s leading brands from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

“The Watts Guys,” the Company’s trusted associates, who boast the highest technical IQ in golf, will be available to provide expert insight on selecting the perfect set of clubs to match each golfer’s unique swing. Representatives from top brands including TaylorMade, Cleveland, Mizuno, Adams, Cobra, Wilson, Tour Edge, Golf Buddy, and Bionic will also be onsite to participate in this one-day event.

Edwin Watts Golf offers the freshest assortment of golf equipment, apparel, electronics and related golf accessories from top brands such as TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Ping, Mizuno, FootJoy, Cleveland, Nike, Adams, Cobra, Wilson, Champions Tour and others. the Company has a stable of more than 90 domestic retail locations and an overall golf retail operation that features a popular eCommerce Internet business at edwinwattsgolf.com, along with the company’s direct catalog sales business.

About Edwin Watts GolfEdwin Watts Golf Shops, LLC (an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc.), headquartered in Fort Walton Beach, Florida is one of the world’s premier specialty golf retailers. the company operates as an integrated, multi-channel retailer, offering the freshest assortment of brand name golf equipment, apparel, and accessories through its 90+ domestic Retail Locations, eCommerce Internet site (edwinwattsgolf.com), Telephone/Catalog/Direct Mail sales (1.800.874.0146) and Digital Catalog (edwinwattsgolf.com/catalogs). Edwin Watts Golf touts a team of highly experienced and knowledgeable sales associates who can assist customers of all skill levels with lessons, performance fitting, special orders and repair services. the combination of the highest level of customer service, price match guarantee and reputation as the most trusted retailer in golf for over 42 years has earned the organization the right to be known as America’s Golf Club.

Contact:Michele Kruchkowski Cooper ()Ari Edelman ()Mastro Communications, Inc. @ 732-469-5700

Edwin Watts Golf hosts fitting day at Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation, Florida

Seeking a More Upscale Crowd

BY KRIS HUDSON

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic—Topping the wish list for hoteliers in this busy Caribbean destination during the holidays: more affluent visitors, preferably American. Especially those who will return to buy a vacation home.

the Punta Cana area on the Dominican Republic’s eastern shore has established itself as one of the Caribbean’s most popular tourism destinations, with its massive, all-inclusive resorts touting buffets, beer pong and boogie boarding to clientele often described in global tourism circles as the “drunk and sunburned” masses. Many Punta Cana hotels are near capacity this holiday season, and forecasts call for more visitors next year than in …

BY KRIS HUDSON

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic—Topping the wish list for hoteliers in this busy Caribbean destination during the holidays: more affluent visitors, preferably American. Especially those who will return to buy a vacation home.

the Punta Cana area on the Dominican Republic’s eastern shore has established itself as one of the Caribbean’s most popular tourism destinations, with its massive, all-inclusive resorts touting buffets, beer pong and boogie boarding to clientele often described in global tourism circles as the “drunk and sunburned” masses. Many Punta Cana hotels are near capacity this holiday season, and forecasts call for more visitors next year than in …

Seeking a More Upscale Crowd

Local father, son gain martial arts recognition – Tampa Bay Times

Jay Blanton, a 10th-degree black belt and grandmaster in mang ho jujitsu ryu, has been appointed by the European Jujitsu Union as a U.S. delegate. the union is in Madrid, Spain, and headed by Javier Galen.

Jay’s son, Robert Blanton, a fifth-degree black belt in mang ho jujitsu ryu, was awarded ni dai soke (heir to) in mang ho jujitsu ryu by Galen.

Both Jay and Robert also received Shinja Martial Arts University Hall of Honors awards as Christian grandmaster and master of the year.

Robert is currently looking into opening a facility in the Brooksville area. He is interested in holding his first cane kwon do ryu self-defense program for senior citizens. the discipline is meant to teach students how to use their canes and other everyday items to defend themselves in a street attack.

For information, call Robert at (352) 345-1292.

HIGH POINT LADIES GOLF: the High Point Ladies Golf League had its latest round of competition Dec. 19.

The nine-hole players dropped the two lowest holes. in Flight A, Helen Reynolds (34) took first place, with Lottie Ward (35) coming in a close second and Beverly Vauter (39) in third. Flight B featured a win by Colleen Thompson (41), who edged Joyce Sampson (41) in a tiebreaker. Peg Bankey (43) came in third.

Flight C also was tight at the top with Sandra Cairns (42) winning the tiebreaker over Gloria Corey (42). Jenny Mounce (43) was third.

The 18-hole players competed in a poker game, where each golfer’s best five hole scores equaled a poker hand. Flight A had a three-way tie with Dottie Mussatto, Elizabeth Bates and Brenda Bowley all finishing with five sevens. Flight B also had a three-way tie with Fran Lynch, Linda Roper and Irene Klausner having five sevens as well.

Nancy Reeves (Hole 13, 219-yard Par 3) and BiBi Arbona (Hole 3, 203-yard Par 4) had the only two birdies of the day.

SPRING HILL DIXIE BASEBALL: Spring Hill Dixie Baseball has scheduled registration at Anderson Snow Park for its spring season.

League officials will accept sign-ups in the office at the park. Volunteers will be present from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 14 and from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 12, 16 and 18.

The county has instituted a $3 player fee for park maintenance this year, and the league has gained control of little Red Schoolhouse field in Spring Hill. With Spring Hill Dixie handling all maintenance and costs for the field, there will be an increase in fees this season.

The cost is $105 for the first child and $100 for each additional child. On Jan. 12, a discounted rate of $95 per child will be available. A copy of the child’s birth certificate is necessary for registration. the fees cover all games, insurance and trophies. any sign-ups after Jan. 18 are subject to a $20 late fee.

Each family is also being asked to work three hours in the concession stand during the season. in lieu of working, a family may make a $30 donation to the league.

For information, call Joe Abbadessa at (352) 263-4488 or send e-mail shdixiebaseball@gmail.com.

DUNES WOMEN’S GOLF: The Dunes Women’s Golf League celebrated Christmas with a tournament Dec. 8.

Fifty-four members played a partner event using a best-ball format for both low gross and low net. Split into different flights based on handicaps, the winners included Joy Figueredo and Louise Bury (low gross) and Sophie Fenton and Dorothy Cleary and Colleen Seabrook and Carol Vandenberg (low net) in Flight A.

In Flight B, Arista Nolff and Kristy Myers won low gross, and Nancy Duckworth and Bev Pickens won low net. Barb Hancock and Maureen Sullivan (low gross) and Jackie MacDonald and Eileen Ball (low net) led Flight C.

Rita Ames and Carolynn Yablecki (low gross) and Ruby Foust and Pat Sodeman (low net) took the titles in Flight D, while Pam Atkinson and Marge Williams (low gross) and Pat Quick and Jean Berezuk (low net) did the same in Flight E.

The event began with a spread of baked treats and ended at Glen Lakes Country Club with lunch, prizes and Christmas gifts.

For information about league membership, call Karen Berch at (352) 382-2867.

PHCC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: the Pasco-Hernando Community College men’s basketball team will host the new Year’s Shootout tournament Monday through Jan. 5 in the Physical Fitness Center on the West Campus in new Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road.

All games are free and open to the public. in addition to PHCC, teams will be competing from: Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, N.Y.; Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, N.C.; Wytheville Community College in Wytheville, Va., and Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.

PHCC will play the opening game against Onondaga at 2 p.m. Monday. On Tuesday, Onondaga will play Guilford Tech at 2 p.m., and PHCC will take on Wytheville at 4 p.m. On Wednesday, Guilford Tech will play Indian River at 2 p.m., followed by a match-up between Onondaga and Wytheville at 4 p.m.

The tournament will conclude Jan. 5, with PHCC taking on Guilford Tech at 2 p.m. and Indian River playing Wytheville at 4 p.m.

For information, call Conquistadors coach James Johnson at (727) 816-3340 or send e-mail to johnsoj@phcc.edu.

UMPIRE CLINICS: the Hernando-Sumter Umpires Association has scheduled a set of baseball/softball umpiring clinics.

The clinics are designed to train anyone who wants to become an umpire, and the sessions also can help seasoned umpires improve. Local clinics will take place Jan. 8 and 22 at the Anderson Snow Sports Complex in Spring Hill and Jan. 29 at Ridge Manor Park in Ridge Manor.

The sessions are open to men and women age 16 and older. Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m., with the clinics starting at noon. there is a $20 charge for each participant, and everyone will receive a Major League Baseball rule book, along with other handouts.

Visit hernandosumterumpire.com to register. For information, call (352) 593-6998 or send e-mail to clinics@hernandosumterumpire.com.

HERNANDO HURRICANES BASEBALL: the Hernando Hurricanes will have an open tryout Jan. 15 for its 13-and-younger travel baseball team. the tryout will be from noon to 2 p.m. at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.

The Hurricanes are a select travel baseball organization with their own training facility. the team competes in the West Coast Florida League in the spring and in tournaments around the state sanctioned by United States Special Sports Association and Nations Baseball.

For information, call Jeff Lewis at (352) 442-2370 or send email to lewis104315@yahoo.com.

FIRST TEE GOLF: the Brooksville Parks and Recreation Department is holding its first Tee golf program starting Jan. 17 and running for six weeks at the Quarry Golf course, Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks and Silverthorn Country Club.

First Tee’s golf and life skills instruction differentiates it from other junior golf programs. the program strives to instill in participants the program’s nine core values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

The cost is $60 per child, with ages 5 to 17 eligible. Preregistration is required. the program is accepting up to 10 participants per class.

Volunteers are also needed. Donations are welcome, including youth golf clubs, bags and balls. For information, call Miles Groff at (352) 540-3835 or send email to .

Contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

Local father, son gain martial arts recognition – Tampa Bay Times

PAINTER: From Pujols to Chris Paul and everything in between, it was truly a wild day for L.A.

It was a great day to be a sports fan in Los Angeles.

Crazy day, but crazy good. there were thrills and spills and victory and disbelief and shenanigans. there weren’t even any games Thursday, but the Angels are winning.

Albert Pujols signed a 10-year deal for $254 million deal with the Angels, causing heartbreak in St. Louis and euphoria in Los Angeles.

St. Louis opened the Gateway to the West.

Hey, hey, hey. welcome, Phat Albert.

The Angels weren’t done flexing their muscle, as they signed Texas Rangers starter C.J. Wilson to a five-year, $77 million deal.

It seemed unfair. Like something out of George Steinbrenner’s playbook.

That was more than enough to keep a sports fan happy, but that was just the start of a head-spinning day.

The Lakers, never to be outdone in the city they rule, made you stop envisioning Pujols’ home runs dropping in the waterfall in center field at Angel Stadium as they made a three-team trade for Chris Paul.

They almost had their first superstar point guard since Magic Johnson.

Lakers fans had their bliss on, until hours later when the NBA rejected the deal for “basketball reasons,” according to a league spokesman, who said “the owners didn’t kill this deal.”

And if you believe that, Frank McCourt is good for any money you care to loan him.

NBA owners reportedly started crying about the unfairness of it all, so the NBA – which owns the New Orleans Hornets – squashed the deal. No Paul to Kobe alley-oop dunks on Christmas Day after all.

Where was the NBA when the Miami Heat signed Chris Bosh and LeBron James to join Dwyane Wade?

The Lakers were set to deal Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol for Paul.

Fans seemed fine with trading Gasol away – a splendid guy who does all kinds of good until his disappearing acts in the playoffs. and surely they were fine with Odom – better known as Mr. Kardashian now – being gone. He’s the best sixth man in the league and a wonderful rebounder, but he became too Hollywood, even in Hollywood.

Somehow, Paul got away.

Lakers fans weren’t all sold on the Paul deal anyway, only because it left them high-and-dry in the frontcourt. the Lakers still were hoping to find a way to land Dwight Howard, and now, maybe Superman comes to Los Angeles after all.

Handcuffed by the McCourt escapades and impending sale to a celebrity-fronted group to be named later, the Dodgers sat back and watched all these antics. They’ll be sold to Magic Johnson or Larry King or the Garvey-

Hershiser Group or Mark Cuban or Peter O’Malley, making this a dramatic race to see who buys the Dodgers for about $1 billion.

Garvey was on his way to a Christmas charity event Thursday night, and he was prepared for a side of Pujols with his eggnog. Garvey said his group would’ve aggressively pursued Pujols if they owned the team. Visions of Pujols were dancing in his head. Imagine the kind of day prospective owners like Peter O’Malley and Cuban had, watching as the other team in L.A. landed the biggest free agent in the market.

“Sounds like a great move. I know a good first baseman when I see one,” Garvey said. “He’ll be productive. We would’ve bid on him. If it would’ve gotten down to two teams, it would’ve been fun. Say you go after him and lose him, then you sign (Prince) Fielder as a way to counterpunch.”

The only punch for the Dodgers is the kind served at Christmas parties. more Dodgers fun is on the way next month, when the bids are made.

The Dodgers countered with Aaron Harang – a nice little signing as he won 14 games as a starter with hapless San Diego last year. But it’s not even in the same ballpark as Pujols.

And, the Dodgers traded lefty Dana Eveland to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers.

Yawn.

The only real dramatic Dodgers news was relayed via TMZ – never a good sign – which reported James Loney had been arrested for a DUI last month. the usually mild-mannered Loney reportedly sideswiped three cars in his Maserati, then parked it in the fast lane on the 101 Freeway, a no-no even when it doubles as a parking lot.

Los Angeles has been the center of the sports universe this week as it hosted Tiger Woods and his victory dance of fist pumps at Sherwood Country Club on Sunday. it was the first time Woods won in two years, and the Chevron World Challenge had record-breaking numbers for attendance.

He made news for his golf game for a change.

But Thursday was crazy. Thursday was crazy good.

So if your head is spinning with Pujols and Paul and Pau, don’t fret.

Thank goodness it’s Friday.

PAINTER: From Pujols to Chris Paul and everything in between, it was truly a wild day for L.A.

Pal2Pal Forum

awesome Ping K15 fairway wood

Absolutely the very best fairway wood which i have ever used. this Ping K15 fairway wood is DEAD STRAIGHT exactly like his Your government the K15 Driver. this is one of the better items that Ping is doing since introducing the square groove to golf. it has a great feel with it of course, if you are making good solid contact you may think that you simply hit a ‘NON PING DRIVER” from a tee… it is that looooong. my Golf partners have seen the main difference within my game since i have started with your K15 woods. do not take my word for this, go and test a set of these woods by yourself. you will love them.

_________________________________discount golf clubsTitleist 910 D3 Driver Titleist MB 710 Forged Irons Mizuno MP-68 Irons

Pal2Pal Forum

Badgers Fans Head To California For Rose Bowl

Sports: L.a. ready for more than the Rose Bowl | bowl, one, game, rose, college, year, football, play, bowls, don.

1 with a 10-3 victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. meanwhile, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., the No. 6-ranked Minnesota Gophers redeemed themselves from the previous year's 17-7 loss to Washington by churning out 222 yards on the ground and

The 28th annual Rose Bowl hotline is open for business. the Tournament of Roses Royal court made it official at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Pasadena Convention Center.

The 28th annual Rose Bowl hotline is open for business. the Tournament of Roses Royal court made it official at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Pasadena Convention Center.

LOS ANGELES — with the Rose Bowl only hours away, many University of Wisconsin football fan are heading west for the experience of a lifetime. Officials said that about 2500 fans were taking charter flights for Wisconsin's fifth Rose Bowl appearance

Badgers Fans Head To California For Rose Bowl

Next Page »