Youth sports participation booms in Maricopa; Challenger Jamboree set for Copper Sky

Youth sports are taking center stage in Maricopa as Little League sees a boon in players, a new soccer program hits the field and the city hosts the statewide Challenger Jamboree.

The growth is due to an intense effort by parents and volunteers who want to prepare Maricopa youth for scholarships and more advanced programs — and get local children to be more active.

“Most of the kids nowadays are all about technology, playing the Wii. It’s all about texting, it’s about being on the computer. Not many kids have the opportunity to go outside and play,” said Bill Gomez, a coach and parent with Maricopa Little League.

“Things are so different now. My oldest is 29, and would go outside and play. They used to go out and play tag, play foursquare or hopscotch, pick up a ball and bat and make up their own games. They would develop little bodies and would use muscles that would automatically make them a little athlete. But now, we’re just so inundated with computer systems.”

A Maricopa resident since September, that is what Gomez set out to change, with week-long volunteer physical education he was allowed to bring to Maricopa public schools students in kindergarten through sixth-grade.

Little League boom

Little league president and mom Heather Diamond said the effort has resulted in big growth in all divisions.

Current registrations for 2014 season are 732 students, ages 2 through 22, compared to 492 in 2013.

And that’s just a start, as Gomez plans to expand his offer of volunteer physical education to charter schools. In the week-long program, he shares with students the basics of the game, and every position and playing style the game offers. He taught students how to catch, field a ball, and hit a ball, he said.

“I would say a huge portion of all the players we got this year are newcomers,” Gomez said. Many students, he said, didn’t realize the sport could offer future scholarships, friendships and camaraderie as they advance their skills into high school. Others, he said, have gone to play at leagues in other communities, and he wants to recapture them as opportunities grow closer to home.

“We as a community just need to stick together, get all of our kids involved here in Maricopa. We have the best teams, we have the children,” he said. “If we get together as a community and build our children here, how awesome will Maricopa be? We will be the best place with the best teams.”

New soccer program

To connect local youth to top soccer training, Barcelona AZ Maricopa also is launching a new developmental program for boys and girls ages 6 years to sixth-grade.

“I’ve been coaching here for seven years. One common element I see is that our players are not at the level they need to be at to be college ready,” said Cortney Kellenaers, director of coaching.

The development program doesn’t involve leagues or playing games but developing skill. His goal is for recruiters to learn about Maricopa and seek out the growing base of skilled youth for scholarships. While students have the talent, they need more opportunities, he added.

“Most of our students need to research and find schools on their own.”

“There are kids who are athletic down here. There are kids who want to be good at sports,” he said. “The biggest problem we are having, soccerwise, is not a lot of knowledge. There are more kids than coaches.”

Registration is ongoing, as games begin in March. The first session can take about 60 students. Among experienced and successful coaches he is bringing to town is head trainer Etgar Wagner, who played professionally in Israel. Players will learn how to handle the ball and make decisions on the field.

“We want to help more kids achieve at a younger age,” Kellenaers said. “We want to get to the point that college coaches are contacting us.”

Challenger Jamboree

Maricopa Little League was selected this year to host Arizona’s Challenger Jamboree, which is open to players statewide. The Challenger division connects kids with special needs with other division players who can help them with morale support or even running to bases.

The event will include food and craft vendors, and there are already multiple Little League Challenger Leagues from across the state planning to attend, Diamond said.

***ADVERTISEMENT***To mother Zulema Avis, whose 6-year-old son plays with the Challengers, the event is an opportunity for her son to experience the thrill of performing in a tournament — as the event also raises awareness.

“It allows our children with disabilities to participate in activities like sports,” she said. “Gives them a chance they wouldn’t have on a typical team. With the needs they have, they have buddies who are helping them.

“It’s for them to have fun. It’s a learning experience to socialize, just engage with other kids.”

With two sons diagnosed with autism, that is priceless experience, she said. While the social engagement is more challenging — they have thrived at trying multiple positions, she said.

“The Challenger division has grown. We have a lot of new families that are coming in,” Avis said. “It opens your eyes that there are a lot of families with special needs.

“Most important, I think, is to raise the awareness of kids with special needs, that they’re just like you and I, and they want to be part of something,” Avis said. “If they don’t win, that’s OK. And if they lose that’s OK. It’s being part of a team, being part of a community, and having fun.”

The Challenger Jamboree will be held at Copper Sky Recreation Complex March 22.

MaricopaLittleLeague.com
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