CLERMONT, Fla. – When News 6 hits the road, we ask viewers what makes their community so special.
Cristina Smy, a local fitness instructor and triathlete, shared her thoughts:
“As a local fitness instructor/triathlete, our fitness community offers great opportunities for all levels and activities! I find a sense of camaraderie participating in Sommer Sports races throughout the year! I met many of my friends and fitness members right here. Running, racing, walking or biking, Clermont Waterfront Park is something everyone can experience and feel a sense of accomplishment!”
The city of Clermont proudly carries the motto “Choice of Champions,” a tribute to its unique landscape and commitment to sports tourism. News 6’s Lisa Bell takes a closer look at how this motto came about and how the city is capitalizing on athletics.
A hub for athletes
From the National Training Center, which opened in 2001 with a 70-meter heated outdoor pool, to the 400-meter outdoor track and field complex added a year later, Clermont has become a magnet for professional and amateur athletes from around the world. The new indoor AAU 100,000 square foot Olympus Event Center and triathlons along beautiful Lake Minneola further enhance the city’s appeal.
“We did a workshop with over 1,000 people back in 2013, and it became the motto in 2014. We noticed that we have a lot of Olympians here and people that have trained from all over the world,” Interim City Manager Rick Van Wagner, who was on city council at the time, explained. “We have bowlers that are in the Hall of Fame, former ballplayers, motorcycle people, rowing, we have so many that are champions in their selected areas of athletes, but we also did that model because we believe citizens can be champions in any area they choose to be in.”
The logo and community impact
The logo, featuring blue and green to represent the hills and lakes, encapsulates the essence of Clermont. The iconic “M” is for the Choice of Champions and the circle is red for the heart of a champion.
Amanda Nethero is a boardmember on Clermont Mainstreet, an organization focused on supporting local small businesses.
“Every Saturday morning, they do a park run out of Lake Hiawatha so we see a ton people just coming from that and then we have a lot of the endurance sports that are hosted out of Waterfront Park,” Nethero said. “So you’ll have some triathlons that go out of there and different races throughout the year too. So we get a lot people that come into the community just for those specifically and then just to train because we have the hills out here so we’ll see a lot cyclists out here every weekend.”