Sport Management to host beach blast event

By Bailey Toombs

Flagler College’s Sport Management program is hosting its third annual Beach Blast event on Saturday, April 1.

The all-day event, run entirely by Flagler students, will include a 5K run on the beach, a four-on-four volleyball tournament and a girls’ surf competition.

Along with the sporting events, there will be local bands playing live music, a “Kidz Korner” and food and drinks all day long.

The Beach Blast event is hosted annually by Assistant Professor Brian Pruegger’s event management class. Students, led by student director Ashley Gandolfo, are divided into four groups with different responsibilities.

Each group has to raise a specific amount of money, and have been doing fund raisers such as selling donuts, washing cars and hosting a golf tournament.

The class is also making money by having vendor booths open to the public for $10. Flagler students, clubs, groups or members of the community can buy the space for these booths and, once approved, can sell whatever they would like.

As April 1 approaches, members of the event management class will be outside Kenan Hall on campus to allow students to pre-register for the 5K race or the volleyball tournament.

Pre-registering for the race costs $12 and includes a free T-shirt. The tournament costs $40 with a free T-shirt. Registration on the day of Beach Blast is $15 for the race and $40 without the T-shirt for the tournament.

The students who have been diligently working on this project all semester are looking forward to their big day.

“This year is going to be bigger and better than the previous years. The Beach Blast will be a lot of fun for everyone, whether you’re coming to participate in a sport or just hang out at the beach,” senior Michael Niemann said.

Niemann is in charge of the event’s communications and marketing group. The class is hoping to improve on last year’s event and offer a day of fun and sun for both students and the St. Augustine community alike.