Copa Crew girls find support through basketball

The name of Copa Crew, a local 14-and-under girls basketball team, may seem like just a nod to the city of Maricopa. But Copa is also an acronym of “Characters of Positive Attitude,” which sums up the reason that spurred Diana and Jesus Estrada to create the team two years ago.

Estrada said she and her husband thought there wasn’t enough in Maricopa to keep the local children occupied, so they started Copa Crew as a way to help provide structure and togetherness.

“We just wanted to keep them out of trouble,” she said.

The traveling team, which operates year-round, was co-ed the first year, but several of the boys became too old to play for Copa Crew. “That’s when we decided to go with girls,” Estrada said. “All the kids that wanted to come on were girls, so we said, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’ “

While the couple stresses character and teamwork above winning, the girls of Copa Crew, who have been playing together since December, displayed their potential on the court quickly by winning the first game in their first tournament.

“I think it’s going to boost their self-esteem,” Estrada said. “We’ve talked to other traveling teams and you don’t really see them win any of the first few games together. These other girls have been playing together for years. For them to go in and get a win that first game was pretty awesome.”

Most of the time, Copa Crew practices at the Ak-Chin Indian Community recreation center gym. “We owe a lot to Ak-Chin,” Estrada said. “They’ve allowed us to use their gym twice a week and they’ve allowed us to fundraise out of their concession stand.”

The team has played in local tournaments around Maricopa and in the Valley, and Estrada said she wants to get enough money to allow Copa Crew to travel to tournaments in California. The team holds fundraisers and does have a few sponsors, including The Water Boy, but Estrada said she hopes to draw more support from the community and local businesses.

“We have had sponsors in the past year, but I don’t think a lot people know that we’re here,” she said.

With Copa Crew practicing three times a week, with up to three more optional sessions, the coaches make sure each girl is keeping up in school by conducting periodic grade checks. “If they want to be on the team, they have to prove to us that they can do it academically,” Estrada said.

Several of the girls said their favorite thing about Copa Crew was the camaraderie they felt for their teammates.

“We all feel like family more than a team,” Shaunna Richmond said.

Derona Mitchell echoed the sentiment, saying, “We stay a team no matter what.”

Estrada said while she wants Copa Crew to do well and experience success on the court, it was far more important to offer the girls an opportunity to grow and support each other.

“Our team stands for a good thing,” Richmond said. “It’s not for really winning or competition. It’s more for being able to do something good with yourself. That’s why we call it Characters of Positive Attitude.”

Photo by David Argabright