Leesburg High School golf tourney to benefit athletics, recognize local businesses

Athletic departments at high schools and colleges often hold golf tournaments to help raise money.

However, Leesburg High School’s upcoming Jacket Colony tournament serves an additional purpose.

To help unite the community by heaping on local businesses.

The inaugural event is set for March 6 at Plantation Golf Club. Individuals and teams can still sign up for $100 per player of $400 per four-player team, which includes 18 holes for each player along two mulligans.

Anyone interested can contact Spencer Hey, Leesburg athletic director at 407-401-4809 or through the school at 352-787-5047, extension 7160.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last spring we lost a large portion of our athletics budget going into this school year,” said Hey. “We hope this golf tournament is going to get us back to an even playing field financially. In addition, want to bring our community together by having a fun event that represents our local companies through their sponsorships. These businesses impact the lives of Leesburg residents every day.

“We’re all a part of the Leesburg family.”

Hey said he realized the impact local business have on communities and their residents as he sought out local sponsors for the tournament.

“That’s why chose Jacket Colony as the name for our tournament,” Hey said. “A colony is a group of bees that support one another. It’s important to us the city of Leesburg comes together to support each other, especially now while we’re still in this pandemic.”

The tournament is set to begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

In addition to playing, Hey said donation packages are available, at the Bronze ($500), Silver ($750), and Gold ($1,000) levels. Each level offers a specific number of mulligans, along with various other items, depending on the level purchased.

Players can also take part in a hole-in-one contest, a closest-to-the-pin competition, along with a longest drive.

While there almost certainly will be a level of competition in the tournament, Hey said his goal is for everyone to look back at a fun day, regardless of how they play. He also wants to take note of those who grind away each day to make the community a better place.

“There are so many good people who own local businesses and try to make Leesburg a better place to live,” Hey said. “Many of them have stepped up to support our tournament and we are so appreciative of their support of Leesburg High School athletics.”