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A public forum to review the youth baseball tournament facility and
Major League Baseball Youth Academy as proposed by the Chicago White
Sox will take place in Tucson on Tuesday.

A discussion of the related Economic Impact Report prepared by
Elliott D. Pollack & Company will also be part of the evening’s
agenda.

The White Sox want to move their spring training headquarters to
Glendale, and are trying to get the youth tournament to be their
replacement here.

The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center.

Citizen Staff Report

Citizen Staff Writer
The blog

For nearly 25 years, Henry Ortega taught many Tucson kids the game of baseball. It seems only fitting that former players and parents will hold a pickup game Tuesday at Freedom Park to honor the Little League coach who died last month of cancer.

Mr. Ortega, 51, coached 9- to 12-year-olds in the Major division – first for Sunnyside Little League, then Old Pueblo and finally Freedom. He also usually helped manage each league’s All-Star teams.

In his final year of coaching, his grandson was able to play for him.

“Henry was only sick the last six months, and came out to coach whenever he was up to it,” said Freedom president Cindy Snow. “He would even come if all he could do was sit and watch.”

That type of dedication endeared him to many – and Snow’s league will have a pickup game at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Field No. 2 at Freedom Park, on East 29th Street (west of South Craycroft Road).

The league will sell Diamondbacks T-shirts and donate the proceeds to Ortega’s family. The snack bar will be open.

Mr. Ortega died Sept. 15. He is survived by his wife, Vickie; daughter, Celina Ortega and step-daughter, Tiffany Lawson; sisters Maria (Ernesto) Banuelos, Erminia (Guillermo) Jayme, Erlinda (Oscar) Rodriguez and Stella Ortega; brothers Greg (Artemisa), John (Frances), Joe (Nadine) and Ruben (Corie); and three grandchildren.

Citizen Staff Writer

Heads up! There could be a ball – or young athlete – headed in your direction this fall – especially on the weekend.

It means only one thing: Kids sports are in session all over Pima County.

“It’s the time of year, when if you time things right, you can stand in the middle of a park and get hit by either a baseball, a football or a soccer ball,” said Pat Dunham, president of the Pima County Junior Soccer League.

She jokes, but the point is young athletes are dotting the Tucson landscape more and more these days.

Consider the numbers. More than 20,000 Tucson-area children – ages 6 to 18 – are playing a fall sport near you. Roughly, 12,000 of them are soccer players in various leagues around town.

There are more than 2,600 high school students playing in Tucson Unified School District alone, according to Sheila Baize, director of TUSD Interscholastics.

Then there’s club and youth football, softball, baseball, golf and hockey. Yes, hockey, in which the Tucson Stampede hockey organization often has to practice on concrete to prepare for games because of the lack of practice time on ice at the Tucson Convention Center.

“If we’re not at the TCC we drive to Phoenix and practice up there,” said Patricia Moreno, vice president of the league. “If there is no ice (to practice), we go to Catalina High, where the kids play in an outdoor roller rink with their tennis shoes and just practice.”

Any day of the week, you’re bound to see parks and schoolyards full of kids playing something on the more than 90 county fields.

Have GPS will travel. The parents are the ones who know the drill and perhaps know the parks by heart. Just ask Julia and Alan Huslig, who have two boys, Cooper, 13, and Trey, 10 – who play AYSO soccer. Alan coaches two teams. Cooper, 13, also plays junior high football.

“It is hectic, but it is also a lot of fun,” said Julia, a former AYSO administrator. “It takes a toll on (Alan) more than it does me.”

Kathy Davis knows how the Husligs feel. She has two young boys – Zack, 9, and Jackson, 7 – playing football. They are coming off a hectic practice schedule that’s now been reduced from five days to three days a week in preparation for the weekly Saturday game.

“I love it and my boys love it,” Davis said, knowing time is the key. “They do their homework and we do reading up until the time of practice (5:30 p.m.). They know they need to get things done before they (play football). Things are working.”

And apparently thriving.

According to Jerry Dini, longtime president of the Tucson Youth Football Association, participation in the local youth football program is up 35 percent from last year, to about 3,000.

There are 30 flag football teams and 85 tackle teams. Add 70 cheer and dance squads and “we’re a big force now.”

“Football is fast becoming America’s sport,” Dini said. “There is interest in football year-round. We get calls all time time about it. If we could have football all year-round, we would. But we need a break.”

STEVE RIVERA

srivera@tucsoncitizen.com

NEW KIDS BLOG

Parents, coaches and youth-sports league officials: We need your help. Send scores, photos and stories – of any sport – to sports@tucsoncitizen.com and we’ll publish them in our new kids sports blog on www.tucsoncitizen.com/blog.

Citizen Staff Writer

Zack Hartje dreams of hitting a home run, even though he knows it may never happen.

The Tucson 15-year-old also fantasizes about playing in South Williamsport, Pa., the site of the Little League World Series.

In this case, dreams do come true.

Hartje, and 12 other Tucson Challenger Little League teammates with physical and mental disabilities will face Houston in an 8 a.m. game Saturday before 3,000 to 4,000 fans in Williamsport.

“My first thought was, ‘Wow, I’m going to the World Series,’ ” Hartje said. “It’s a dream come true. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it.”

It’s a game that’s been nearly 10 months in the making for Tucson’s Challenger Division, a league composed of disabled players. Tucson has taken a 13-person roster of youths from 8 to 18 to Williamsport. A total of 26 people are in the official party.

According to Little League, the Challenger Division became a component of the league in 1989. More than 28,000 children with physical or mental disabilities play in the league worldwide.

Bill Fields, District 5′s assistant director, persuaded Little League officials to invite a local team. Tucson and Houston traveled the farthest for the game.

“I just asked how can we get there, and they said, ‘Pay your way,’ ” Fields said.

And voilà, he and others raised $43,000 with the help of the Tucson Conquistadores and the community – and Tucson players will be there, wearing new uniforms and new jackets.

“They’re going to look good when they get there,” Fields said.

And they’ll feel even better when they step on the field.

“Gosh, the kids are so excited,” Tucson coach Richard Ferber said. “My son (Justin) has already put on his clothes once. This is a big-time dream.”

Said Hartje: “I’m excited; very excited. I can’t wait.”

Fields has been told by many of the parents that the players the past week have watched the Little League World Series on television and have asked, “We’re going there?”

“They’ve been real excited,” Fields said.

After their game, which won’t be televised, they will stick around to watch the Little League World Series semifinals featuring Japan vs. Mexico and Hawaii vs. Lake Charles, La.. They also will watch the championship game Sunday.

Tucson joined Houston for a pregame practice and barbecue with families Friday. On Thursday, Tucson players watched Mexico beat Venezuela 5-2.

“It was fabulous,” Fields said. “The field was even more spectacular than we ever imagined.”

The Tucson players worked hard in practice last week at Field of Dreams, near South Kino Boulevard and 36th Street.

Assistant coach Matt Fields, 26, and a former player in the league, told Philip Glembin in warm-ups to throw the ball straight.

“Coach,” said Glembin, a 16-year-old, “that’s just something I just can’t do.”

The affable Glembin, wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates jersey, smiled every time the ball landed safely in his glove.

All the players were giddy, including 17-year-old Seth “Maverick” Frank, who was hitting sharp line drives and hard ground balls in preparation.

When asked about Williamsport, Frank wondered about the field and the “bright lights.”

But his biggest question wasn’t about baseball but about . . .

“The hotel!”

Bill Fields and Ferber weren’t surprised. Tucson’s Challenger Little League has played in tournaments in Florida, California and West Virginia.

But this was the first chance for most of these kids to travel far and play in a high-profile game, even though it is an exhibition.

“They grow; they learn,” Fields said about his players. “It’s a great experience for them. I get out of it the same things every Little Leaguer gets out of it – it’s just fun.”

And they want to win.

“I think we’re a pretty good team,” said Hartje, a huge sports fan. “We have Maverick, Nick (Meyerowitz) and Philip (Glembin). All are good players.

“Whenever your team wins that’s even bigger. And if you have the game-winning run? Man, I know I can score. I run fast. When I get my feet pumping, I’m fast.”

He and his teammates hope to show that Saturday.

“When you watch, you can’t help but appreciate what these children have to struggle with and overcome and do it to play,” said Scott Rosenberg of Little League Baseball. “It kind of lifts your spirit and puts into perspective your situation. Makes you appreciate your circumstances.”

Steve Rivera’s e-mail: srivera@tucsoncitizen.com

Citizen Staff Report
RealFAST SCORES AND MORE

Tucson Realtors group will sponsor Fort Lowell event

The Tucson Association of Realtors has taken over as the sponsor for the annual Fort Lowell youth soccer tournament.

The 2009 event will run from Jan. 16-18. More than 5,000 soccer players compete in the event.

Citizen Staff Report

Citizen Staff Writer
TEAM OF THE WEEK

The Tucson Tigers 14-and-Under Pony League team won the Arizona Regional July 14 in Scottsdale, advancing to the Super Regional (West Zone) Tournament in Fullerton, Calif., on Saturday. In Scottsdale, the Tigers beat teams from Chandler, Phoenix and the host city. Teams in the Fullerton tourney, through Wednesday, are from California, Utah, Washington and Hawaii. The tournament winner advances to the Pony World Series in Pennsylvania.

This year eight teams competed in the league for 13 year olds and six teams competed in the 14 year olds league. The Tigers are “all-stars” from those 14 teams.

Anyone interested in helping the Tigers pay for the trip may contact Joe Drake at 742-2051 or drake@comcast.net.

GIVE US YOUR NOMINEES

Teams from all sports are welcome. With your nomination, include contact information for coaches and all players’ proper identifications. Send to familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com or Tucson Citizen, 4850 S. Park Ave., Tucson AZ 85714. Please include your name, phone number and age.

Citizen Staff Photographer

Citizen Staff Writer
TEAM OF THE WEEK

The Santa Rita Little League Majors Division Dodgers are defending league champions. The team is 9-1 this season, outscoring opponents 125-30. Winston Welch and Josh Hawks have hit home runs and pitcher Jordan Lane has pitched 13 innings, struck out 18 batters and hasn’t given up an earned run. Front row (from left): Rylie McCarty, Tanner Doughty and Jordan Lane. Middle row: Josh Hawks, Robby Wilson, Michael Dobiecki and Aaron Downey. Back row: Coaches Robert Wilson, Gene Doughty and John Lane. Not pictured are Wil Welch, Winston Welch, Christopher Bryson, Miguel Andrade and Michael Bradford. Team moms are Shelly Doughty, Laurie Welch and Mari Downey.

GIVE US YOUR NOMINEES

Teams from all sports are welcome. With your nomination, include contact information for coaches and all players’ proper identifications. Send to familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com or Tucson Citizen, 4850 S. Park Ave., Tucson AZ 85714. Please include your name, phone number and age.

Citizen Staff Writer
At play

ALEX SANDERSON

familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com

Throughout the country, tennis has been in a bit of a slump.

That’s according to Gary Engelbrecht, head tennis pro at the Tucson Racquet Club, who says the nation has seen a decline in the number of youth and adult tennis players in the past 15 years.

But in Tucson, the sport is alive and well, he said.

“Tennis is a sport you can play and enjoy for a lifetime, unlike other sports,” Engelbrecht said.

Engelbrecht has run the Junior Excellence Program for children ages 9-16 for about 30 years. The program is geared toward young tournament players.

Some of the kids in the program are among the best in the city.

Hailey Rochin, 13, was the top player in the 12-and-under group and was a finalist in last year’s highly competitive Copper Ball tournament in Tucson.

Rochin started about three years ago. She plays six days a week and has played in 25 national tournaments. She hopes to keep improving.

“I hope to make the top 50 in the (nation) for players under 14,” Rochin said.

Most kids at the tournament playing level play five to six days a week, according to Engelbrecht. He said most commit to tennis as their only sport so they have enough time to improve. They take part in competitive weekend tournaments, with most in other cities in the Southwest.

Not only is tennis a fun and competitive sport, it also can be a teaching tool for kids, Engelbrecht said.

Rich Foitlik, 44 the father of Richie, 13, who is in the Junior Excellence Program, says tennis is good for his child on and off the court.

“This program has a structured environment,” Foitlik said. “It’s good for time management and gives him mental toughness and good fitness.”

Engelbrecht said that while the odds of kids making money or becoming pros are slim, playing tennis helps build skills they will use throughout their lives. Kids make lifetime friendships and build a sense of accomplishment, he said.

“Skills that are needed to become a good tennis player are skills that are needed to become good in anything,” he said.

Guillermo Flores, 11, enjoys playing with his friends and brother and sister every day. He has played in a few tournaments, saying the program helps him improve his net play and footwork.

Kari Emery, 15, has played serious tennis since she was 10. She played singles for Flowing Wells High School this spring. Emery also plays in two tournaments a month and hopes to get a college tennis scholarship.

She said battling the sun is the most grueling part of the game because it tends to ruin her skin.

“I enjoy tennis, as it’s important to be active and I really like the excitement,” Emery said.

Youth tennis camps

Is your child interested in learning to play tennis? There are several summer opportunities. Among them:

• The National Junior Tennis League Summer Camp, through the city of Tucson, provides a five-week instructional program for ages 5-17, geared to all skill levels. Twelve Tucson sites offer the camps. Sites compete in team tennis matches on Saturday nights at Randolph Tennis Center. The program runs Mondays through Thursdays from May 27 through June 28. Beginners class is 7:30-8:15 a.m., advanced beginners is 8:15-9:15 a.m. and intermediate is 9:15-10:30 a.m. Cost is $38 per child for the session. Call 791-4896 for information.

• Fort Lowell Tennis Center, 2900 N. Craycroft Road, has a variety of classes available. Go to www.tucson tennis.com or call 791-2584.

• Junior Summer Camp at the Tucson Racquet Club, 4001 N. Country Club Road, offers sessions May 27 through Aug. 8. Camp is open to ages 7-17. Cost is $165 per week, or up to $465 for a three-week session. Hours are 9 a.m.-2 p.m., with extended hours available for a fee. Call 795-6960.

Citizen Staff Writer
TEAM OF THE WEEK

GABRIELLE FIMBRES

gfimbres @ tucsoncitizen.com

A team of 12-year-old soccer players “with a lot of heart” is headed for Honolulu after qualifying for the U.S.Youth Soccer Association’s Western regionals.

The Tucson Soccer Academy 96 Girls Red team, which will compete in Hawaii June 16-22, is among a handful of Tucson teams to ever qualify for the tournament, the coaches said.

“Everybody picked us to lose two games and go home,” associate head coach Steven Jackson said of State Cup competition that won the girls a ticket to regionals.

The team was initially coached by Michael Emenalo, who played in the 1994 World Cup for Nigeria. He left early in the season after he was hired to be the chief scout for the Chelsea Football Club, a premier English soccer club.

Taking over was Charlie MacCabe. But in December, MacCabe was diagnosed with tonsil cancer, and sat out much of the season while undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Stepping in was Jackson.

The team finished second to last during the state tournament. But after an amazing run, the team finished second in the State Cup in April, qualifying as a wildcard.

“It’s really a Cinderella story,” said MacCabe, who has returned to coaching.

The team is now focused on training and raising about $30,000 needed for the trip.

“The girls play so hard and with so much heart,” MacCabe said. “No matter how we do in Hawaii, we’ll benefit from the experience.”

To help send the team to Honolulu, send checks to:

TSA 96 Girls Red

Tucson Soccer Academy

P.O. Box 2190

Tucson, AZ 85702

GIVE US YOUR NOMINEES

Teams from all sports are welcome. With your nomination, include contact information for coaches and all players’ proper identifications. Send to familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com or Tucson Citizen, 4850 S. Park Ave., Tucson AZ 85714. Please include your name, phone number and age.

Citizen Staff Writer

GARRY DUFFY

gduffy@tucsoncitizen.com

A $30,000 grant to study using Tucson Electric Park for a year-round youth baseball tournament will be considered by the Pima County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The grant has been conditionally approved by the state Commerce Department. The money would be used by the county to hire an outside consultant to examine the practicality of hosting such a tournament and its economic effects.

County officials have been looking for new summer uses for the South Side baseball stadium since the Tucson Sidewinders AAA baseball club announced plans to move to a new facility in Reno, Nev., for the 2009 Pacific Coast League season.

The county will hire Scottsdale-based Elliott D. Pollack and Co. to conduct the analysis.

The grant money would be limited to hiring the consultant.

The Sidewinders move is only one worry facing county officials about the future of the ballpark and its surrounding Major League Baseball spring training facilities.

The Chicago White Sox have announced their intention to abandon Tucson and move to a Maricopa County taxpayer-funded spring training facility in Glendale, possibly in 2010.

Such a move would contractually free the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies to look for new spring homes, possibly leaving TEP and Hi Corbett Field, respectively.

County and city deals with all three teams stipulate that at least three teams must conduct spring training here or all can opt out.

A business community-led committee is exploring ways to retain spring training in the city and possibly entice additional teams to the metro area.

If you go

• What: Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting

• When: 9 a.m Tuesday.

• Where: Pima County Administration Building, 130 W. Congress St.

Citizen Staff Writer
TEAM OF THE WEEK

The Tucson Monsoon varsity ice hockey team finished its season third in the state, having gone 20-1-1 during the regular season. Back row (from left): Patrick Byrne, Nikita Sasunkevich, Jake Cole, David Aaron, Eric DeWeese, Ryan Clapp and Chris Jankowski. Middle row: Chance Fribbs, Anthony Brozek, Ted Powers, Chris Civitella, David Sarich and Andrew Cassano. Front row: goalie Wyatt Fournier.

GIVE US YOUR NOMINEES

Teams from all sports are welcome. With your nomination, include contact information for coaches and all players’ proper identifications. Send to family plus@tucson citizen.com or Tucson Citizen, 4850 S. Park Ave., Tucson AZ 85714.

Please include your name, phone number and age.

Citizen Staff Writer
TEAM OF THE WEEK

The Tucson Monsoon junior varsity ice hockey team finished its regular season with a record of 14-7-1, and took fifth place at state competition in Phoenix earlier this month. The JV Monsoon include (back row from left): Head coach Brad Fribbs, Chance Fribbs, Alex Ward, Tim Nelson, Benjamin Nolting, Anton Cihak III and assistant coach Anton Cihak II. Middle row: Manager Darla Fribbs, Cody King, Michael Heslinga, Erin Boldt, Carl McKenna, Matthew Jewell and assistant coach Kayla Fribbs. Front row: Michael Cooper, Quinn Heydt, Dylan Broome, Terrance Place III, Tyler McMains, Bryan Zittlosen and Maxwell Smith. Not pictured are Peter Girnus, Kathryn Girnus and Austin Dail.

GIVE US YOUR NOMINEES

Teams from all sports are welcome. With your nomination, include contact information for coaches and all players’ proper identifications. Send to familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com or Tucson Citizen, 4850 S. Park Ave., Tucson AZ 85714.Please include your name, phone number and age.

Citizen Staff Writer
At play

GABRIELLE FIMBRES

gfimbres@tucsoncitizen.com

As boys and girls in the Tucson Mountain Little League work on hitting, pitching and fielding, league volunteers are scrambling to get the snack bar open.

The concession stand, which generates most of the league’s income, was vandalized in November. The masonry building in Kennedy Park was broken into and set ablaze, said Brian Beulke, league president. Damage was estimated at at least $10,000.

To make matters worse, the insurance company refused to cover the damage, he said.

“Little League insurance does not cover fire,” Beulke said.

The city agreed to repair the structure, and the league is racing to collect donations to purchase equipment. Tucson Mountain built the snack bar, and then turned it over to the city, said James Thornton, league vice president.

Volunteers hoped to restore the snack bar in time for opening day ceremonies April 5, one of the league’s biggest fundraisers.

“But it’s not looking good,” Beulke said.

He said there is still work to be done on the building, and items, including an ice machine, must be purchased. He said businesses have volunteered to help out, but the league is hoping individuals will contribute, as well.

Thornton said about 320 Southwest Side boys and girls ages 5-18 are on 26 teams in the league, based at Kennedy Park, 3700 S. Mission Road.

Despite the tough start to the season, the kids will be ready to play, Thornton said.

“Little League provides kids with a means of making new friends and families making new friends,” Thornton said.

“It keeps kids occupied. They get structure from coaches that they might not be getting at home.”

Thornton said coaches often build kids up and instill confidence in them.

While opening day ceremonies will not be in full swing this year because of the closed snack bar, the feeling of community will carry on, he said.

“It’s all about family for us,” Thornton said. “It’s all about seeing the kids smile.”

How to help

To help Tucson Mountain Little League restore its snack bar, tax-deductible donations can be made through Paypal on the league’s Web site, www.tmll.org. Or call James Thornton at 240-1317.

Citizen Staff Report
At play

Citizen Staff Report

The Tucson Monsoon ice hockey teams begin their run toward the state championships in the Phoenix area starting Sunday.

The varsity team goes into the tournament as the top seeded team (20-1-1), and the junior varsity enters the tournament as the fourth seed, with a record of 14-7-1 in its division, JV coach Brad Fribbs said.

“I think we will bring home one if not both state championship trophies to Tucson,” Fribbs said. “Considering our teams and players do not have an ice rink in Tucson this is huge for us.”

The teams have driven to Phoenix to practice and compete, with little ice time available at the Tucson Arena. The two Tucson Monsoon teams have a total of 36 players from 21 schools in the Tucson area.

The state championship games will be played April 6 at the Phoenix Coyote’s Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. Information on the games, dates, times, scores and stats can be found at www.tucson icesports.org.