
HAMPTON — Thousands of sports fans from the state and the East Coast will ascend on the City of Hampton this month for a variety of sporting events.
Hampton's sports venues will host high school and summer-league baseball all-star games, AAU basketball tournaments and WWE wrestling.
Sallie DiVenuti, the executive director of the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau, said the month's events are typical for the Hampton Roads area. She credited the number of venues for the city's ability to host such an extensive array of events.
She said Hampton residents should not anticipate much excess in traffic flow and could expect normal traveling conditions, as long as they are aware of the events taking place.
In total, the expected economic impact of the July events is estimated at around $2 million for the city, which considers overnight lodging, meals and tourism expenses, according to a Hampton CVB report. DiVenuti said that July is typically considered one of the better tourism months for the area.
CPL All-Star weekend
The Peninsula Pilots will host the Coastal Plain League's All-Star Game on July 8 at War Memorial Stadium for the first time in the team's 13-year history. The summer league's top performing players and coaches will participate in the festivities starting Sunday.
The two-day event features a fan fest and the inaugural hitting challenge — rather than a home-run derby — Sunday afternoon. The all-star game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Monday.
All-Star coaches were announced Monday, with Asheboro coach Donnie Wilson leading the West division and Edenton's Bryan Hill leading the East. Pilots GM Hank Morgan is an assistant coach for the East squad. Player rosters are expected to be released Tuesday.
VHSCA All-Star week
The Virginia High School Coaches Association hosts the annual coaches' clinic and all-star games July 8-12.
The clinic features top high school and college coaches, including new Virginia Tech football offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler and new U.Va. OC and quarterbacks coach Steve Fairchild, who are slated to speak at the Hampton Roads Convention Center during the week to member coaches to share tips to help improve their work with young athletes.
A VHSCA representative said that around 150 coaches will attend the clinic from across the state, and almost 300 players and 60 coaches will participate in the week's all-star games.
All-star games begin Monday with girls and boys basketball games at CNU's Freeman Center and wrap up Friday, July 12 with the East-West game at Darling Stadium.
WWE SmackDown
WWE superstars Randy Orton, Sheamus and Chris Jericho are slated to be among the group of SmackDown wrestlers that will take the stage at Hampton Coliseum at 7 p.m. July 9. The coliseum has become a regular stop for the WWE, making its fourth stop in Hampton Roads in as many years.
AAU basketball
Some of the best young basketball talent in the country will visit the Boo Williams Sportsplex for national and invitational tournaments. Male and female athletes from ages 10-19 will participate in tournaments this month.
The Boo Williams Summer League Invitational will feature some of the top ninth-, 10th- and 11th-grade teams in the country July 12-14. A Nike-sponsored junior national girls tournament for ages 13-16 is scheduled for Friday-Sunday.