Here we are, face to face with the challenges and promises of yet another year. The reminiscing of the year past isn’t quite over yet. We’ve seen the “Top Stories of 2012” everywhere we turned, but the temptation to turn this space into something quite similar was fleet in passing. Sure, we will draw from those accomplishments as the seasons of sport often don’t begin and end with the calendar year.

One of the fondest memories of local sports in 2012 has to be the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series coming to Bartow. The months of planning that went into the annual event brought the community together to truly show the world what Bartow, Florida, is all about. Win or lose on the field, the visitors from throughout the south left the area knowing that Bartow is committed to its youth sports by having nothing but the best available. The series will be played elsewhere this year (Laurel, Mississippi), but the momentum from the experience remains strong.