The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 12 No. 8 - December 7, 2011

sports

Back-to-back champions

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

PHOTO/SCOTT DELL
2011 A.M.I.C.C adult soccer champions –
the Sato Real Estate team.

The Sun Sports game of the week was the Center Cup Soccer Tournament finals in the Adult Co-Ed division. The number one ranked team, Ross Built Construction, battled the number two seeded team, Sato Real Estate, for the coveted title.

The game started off like a good championship game should. Both teams played tough, fast-paced soccer to see who could back their opponent down and show dominance. Neither team gave an inch. The Ross Built team had been known all season for its precise passing offense and the Sato Real Estate team for its aggressive tough defense. It was a perfect matchup for the season's final game.

Five minutes into the game, Ross Built Construction struck first. Eric Howe made a nice lead pass to the left wing Toby Wicklund who found the back of the net on a hard shot to the lower corner, 1-0. Two minutes later, Sato Real Estate had a takedown penalty in the box which gave Ross Built a Penalty Kick. Guy Virgilio took the P.K for Ross Built and scored, 2-0. With four minutes left in the half, Emily Ageros sent a perfect pass down the right sideline to Christine Rice, who finished it with a perfect crossing shot to the lower left corner and past the goalie's diving outstretched hands, 3-0. It looked like that would be the halftime score, but with less than a minute left, Stephen Perry put Sato Real Estate on the scoreboard. Perry's long high shot tipped off the goalie's hand, but after a big scrum in front of the net for the loose ball, it was determined that the ball had crossed the goal line and in. This made the score 3 to 1 at the half.

Ross Built continued its push on offense by using great ball movement and getting all players involved, but Sato's defense, led by Richie Bell, Josh Sato and Jason Sato in goal, held strong. Six minutes into the half, Ross Built got a penalty in the box for pushing, which gave Sato's team a penalty kick. Josh Sato took the P.K., but goalie Josh Bernett came up with a huge diving save. Two minutes later, Josh Sato ripped a direct kick from 40 feet away, which scored, 3-2.

The momentum started to shift in desperation to tie the game, and it seemed as if Sato Real Estate was the more aggressive on offense. With only six minutes left in the game, Jesse Brisson dribbled down the right side and sneaked past a defender. Brisson shot a great low ball to the opposite left corner that went off the post and in for the tying goal, 3-3. One minute later, Sato Real Estate took the lead for the first time with a very well executed corner kick. Stephen Perry took the corner and sent a perfect pass to Matt Plummer in front of the net. Plummer didn't fail and nailed it into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.

The Sato Real Estate team came back and scored four unanswered goals in a matter of 25minutes to once again gain the Center Cup. It wasn't easy for them, but they are now back-to-back champions and still on-top of the Island soccer scene.

Adult Flag Football registration

After much debate and public input, the Community Center has reopened registration for its upcoming adult co-ed flag football season. Due to popular demand, the Center has decided to add Wednesday night games to the schedule. This opens the door for more participants to play. Currently there are 28 people on a waiting list, but that does not secure their spots.

Registration is now open on a first come, first served basis to all those that pay first. The tryouts and draft for the league are Thursday Dec. 15. Anyone who has not played in the league must tryout or will not be placed on a team. For more information, to contact Athletic Director Troy Shonk.

So you wanted the glamorous life of an author?

I am still reeling that Eat Vegan on $4 a Day is listed at # 6 on Amazon's "The Best Vegan Books of 2011." It is one of only two on that list that was published this year, and it was only in print half the year. If my book at been in print since last January, it would have been #1. In this top 10 list, it was competing with classic books that have been in my library forever, such as "The Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook," published in 1994! Really?! And this is just Amazon. It doesn't include books sold by other vendors, including directly from my publisher.

Before you think I've made a lot of money, I'll share with you that I don't get my first paycheck or residual until February, nine months after publication. I'll get paid pennies on the book and if I'm lucky, I'll earn enough to pay for redesigning my website. Maybe. Ah, the price of fame.

My publisher, Book Publishing Company, asked me to do a book signing this past weekend at the SOHO Expo at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee near Orlando. The annual expo is produced by the Southeast Natural Products Association and the natural products industry. It is not open to the general public, but open to retailers. In short, almost every health food storeowner in the Southeast was there, along with any imaginable business that wants to sell to health food stores. I asked my publisher if it was OK to wear my marathon and 5K award medals to show eating vegan makes you strong. He laughed, "Wait till you see what people wear. You'll be the conservative one." I saw scantily clad women with testosterone-protein-induced muscles, and holiday costumes of all kinds.

I actually did the book signing at the Nutri-Books booth. Nutri-Books is the largest distributor of books to health food stores, including Whole Foods. Whole Foods doesn't carry my book yet. Each region decides which books to carry. So if anyone knows anyone at Whole Foods, please put in a good word for me. Remind them that I taught cooking classes free for years at the store in Sarasota, and have supported them for years with purchases.

The expo was at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center near Orlando. Gazella Bear, the owner of Anna Maria Island's health food store, VitaminSeas, looked shocked as she saw me signing books and realizing I was the featured author. It's one thing for me to go obnoxiously bragging (I'm sorry, but how else as an unpaid author do you get the word out?) into the Island stores and say "I've got this great book!" But for someone like Gazella to see me there gave me instant credibility. You know, "The prophet is without honor in her own land." She immediately asked me to do a book signing at VitaminSeas' (near Walgreens) open house this Thursday from 4 to 7p.m. I agreed.

Storeowners like Gazella who registered at the Nutri-books booth got my book for free. My publisher donated books to Nutri-books. "Eat Vegan" is not only my publisher's #1, but it is also Nutri-books #1. They had a convention give-away and the photograph of "Eat Vegan's" book cover was the only one on their flier. The owner of Nutri-Books told me I was the only author chosen by them to do a signing. He told me years ago, Nutri-Books was the only vendor who did author signings, and they would have 4-5 authors do signings. But now other vendors have copied the idea, with authors writing books on behalf of supplement or appliance companies such as Vega and VitaMix.

Apparently, I am one of the few authors who can still claim the title, journalist – someone who was taught ethics in journalism school about fair, balanced and unbribed. As a result of the dilution of authors at expos, vendors now choose just one author. I heard an earful about publishing, enough for another book. But I'm told I'll probably get to go to the largest one in the country this spring in Anaheim. Cool! C'mon books, hang in there!

You can follow Island resident Ellen Jaffe Jones on her Facebook page and keep up with her just released book:,"Eat Vegan on $4 a Day," or her website: www.vegcoach.com. She is also a nationally certified personal trainer and running coach. For training in a gym or private hire, contact Ellen at ejones@vegcoach.com or 941-704-1025.


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