Intro to the Blog

Hello fellow bloggers and sports enthusiasts,

My name is Patrick Clines or Pat as I'm normally called at times and this blog is about the sports that are happening during the spring semester at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU).

Bio about me: I'm originally from Chicago, Illinois, but now I reside in Bradenton, Florida, where I have lived since I was nine. I graduated from "THE" Manatee High School in 2010.

I am 25 years "young" (Yes when students see me, they say I look like I'm 20 and when I tell them my age, they would be shocked. I would be shocked too if I found out I was that age).

I have grown up around sports since I was a kid and my family played different sports. I played basketball mostly in high school, my sister played softball, my mother played volleyball and softball in high school and my father played professional baseball in the 1970's.

I currently go to FGCU as a journalism major, but prior to FGCU, I was enrolled at a junior college called State College of Florida (SCF) as a music performance major doing choir and musical theatre, where I graduated with my associates degree in liberal arts and sciences.

When I was enrolled at SCF, I went to all five of the sports that they had and have been a "good luck charm" for all the athletes.

After I graduated from SCF, I took a year off from school to get job experience, and after nine months of work experience at a department store, I was finally enrolled at FGCU as a junior.

Originally, when I came to FGCU, I was initially enrolled as an music performance major, but when I found out the classes I need to take, I found it overwhelming, so journalism was my backup plan and stuck with it.

During my time with FGCU for my first year, I signed up as a Dirty Bird and would always go to every sporting event on campus ranging from volleyball to tennis. No matter where I go, whether it is on my way to class or by the sport complexes, I will run into an athlete and pretty much all the athletes at FGCU know me by my first name.

Aside from going to all the sporting events, I also like writing poetry, singing in choir or solos and I know American Sign Language (ASL) on the side.

So as you read this blog introduction, you now get the idea of what these blogs are all about.

Each blog will talk about the following sporting events that will take place throughout the school year.

While the blogs talk about each sport, it does not necessarily mean it will just be game coverage. It can also talk about the athletes I talk with, and the experiences they have with their sports or in life itself.

In addition, all photo and video credits in any form can vary from either a website or from the individuals in person that took the photos.

I will be posting blogs on the sports at FGCU.

During winter and summer break, I will be taking a brief hiatus until school starts, but if FGCU has sports continuing through the summer like baseball or softball, then it will continue until their seasons are finished.

photos above: Top left: me with now senior Breana Stampfli of the women's tennis team, top middle: me with now senior Andres "Andy" Alfonzo, top right: me with last years women's tennis team, bottom left: me with the last years men's tennis team, bottom right: me with this years women's tennis team after their FGCU Tennis Spring Invite