Archive for Sports in General
The firing of Dennis Howard in March deeply disturbed the local tennis community. Howard, a revered coach at Yavapai Community College, was dismissed for reportedly breaching a College policy. He had gone to the College’s tennis complex on snow days to check its condition while the Campus was officially closed. As a result of this infraction, the dedicated coach was fired and also prohibited from accessing the College’s tennis courts for several months68 classes on Prescott Campus; 5 on Verde Campus; 3 on-line; and one at Chino Valley Center
Yavapai Community College is offering 77 courses in physical education this fall. Of that number, 68 classes are being held on the Prescott Campus. Five classes can be found on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale.
There are three classes on-line and one physical education course is being offered at the Chino Valley Center.
The large number of classes offered on the Prescott Campus when compared to the rest of the District suggests the College’s efforts over the past half century to develop those programs primarily in one location. One might also surmise that the large number of physical education classes may reflect the fact that the Community College has student athletes housed only on the Prescott Campus who are available to register for these classes from the baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball teams.
Moreover, unfortunately the Community College does not offer a bus program operating between the communities it serves and its various campuses and centers. The result is that most of these physical education classes are out of the reach of a large number of Yavapai County citizens who reside outside the Prescott area.
Nation’s Winningest Soccer Coach with .900 winning percentage and an average of 20 wins a season
Yavapai Community College’s Mike Pantalione retired in mid-January after a 32-year career as head soccer coach at Yavapai Community College. He started as head soccer coach in 1988.
Mr. Pantalione received his decree from the University of Montana. According to an article in the February 25, 2021 QUADCITIES by Mr. Ray Newton, “prior to that, Pantalione had been coaching and directing soccer programs in England and then the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Kenyon College in Ohio, Jesuit High School in Portland, and Archbishop Wood High School in Philadelphia. In all, he has been active in soccer for 40 years.”
Pantalione is considered an “ icon in the Quad Cities and even more so in the collegiate soccer world,” wrote Mr. Newton. He also wrote that: “No men’s soccer coach in the nation has a record that even comes close to Pantalione’s .900 winning percentage. He is the only coach in intercollegiate soccer to average more than 20 wins a season.”
“A Hall of Fame recipient, he coached the Roughriders to several National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) championships. His team won its first national championship in 1990 – two years after he founded the team. The Roughriders won national championships again in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2009.”
You may read the entire in-depth great article on Mr. Panalione’s life and contributions to soccer locally and nationally in Mr. Newton’s story in the QUADCITES. You can read the program on line by clicking here or going to https://www.quadcitiesbusinessnews.com/nations-winningest-soccer-coach-retires/?fbclid=IwAR0yOArsW9H9q-8olKamXY9Hnb2GqRGrshQYisaJTMMQAMxqtMPTL3ydkig.
No athletes in residence in the fall; Rooms occupied by only one student, not two, for those limited programs such as NARDA that are operating
Covid-19 will cause a loss of from $800,000 to $1 million dollars in revenue from the Yavapai Community College residence halls located on the Prescott Campus. One of the reasons for the loss is that there apparently will not be any athletes occupying the residence facilities in the fall. It is estimated that athletes take up about 60% of the residence hall space.
For those programs such as the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy (NARDA), that will have students, the Community College has reduced room occupancy from two students to one.
During the presentation by the College to the Governing Board, Third District Representative Paul Chevalier asked about student athletic scholarships and their impact on the revenue for residence halls. Although not entirely clear, it appears the loss may be somewhat less because a small portion of the scholarships might be returned to the College by payment of residence hall fees.
You may view the Governing Board discussion regarding residence hall fees in the video clip below.
All close contact fall sports to be held in spring semester; fall practice apparently possible
Following the recommendations from the NJCAA Presidential Advisory Council and the NJCAA Board of Regents, the NJCAA announced on Monday, July 13 its adjusted plan of action for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. Following the Board of Regents’ vote on Monday, a majority of competition will be moved to the spring semester.
The most recent plan of action shifts all close-contact fall sports to the spring semester. These sports include men’s soccer, and women’s court volleyball.
So far, spring sports competition remains intact with minor adjustments to dates. These sports include baseball and softball.
Along with the adjustments to competition season and championship dates, the NJCAA has provided Yavapai Community College information as it relates to scrimmage and practice dates and allowances in the fall. It is believed, although not confirmed by the Blog, that the NJCAA may allow fall practice sessions in close contact sports.
Source: NJCAA home page https://www.njcaa.org/general/2019-20/releases/20200713l9o7t8
Agrees to Adidas official apparel and footwear partnership in order to generate revenue for athletic department
The Yavapai Community College has made significant improvements to its baseball athletic facilities. It has added new stadium seating and a batting cage at Rough Rider Park/
Bill Valley field in Prescott. The park is adjacent to the Prescott Campus and is a part of the Prescott park system. The College has an agreement to use the facility at minimal charge.
The funds for the improved facilities, according to the College, came from its athletic boosters.
The College also announced that effective July 1 Adidas will be the official apparel and footwear provider for all College teams. The College says that this financial agreement will help the athletic department to become a revenue generator.
Photo from June 2020 Yavapai Community College Newsletter
395 students grades 7-12 at Prescott High School and Mile High Middle School received the hour-long training; No similar program known to be scheduled for east side of County
Yavapai Community College student-athletes and the Yavapai College Police Department recently partnered with MATFORCE to present an awareness program on the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes to Prescott area students in grades 7-12.
Community College student-athletes from all four Yavapai College athletic programs assisted in providing the training.
Yavapai College Athletic Director Brad Clifford said that “It has been our pleasure to partner with MATFORCE, YCPD, and the local schools in presenting this important information. Our student-athletes have enjoyed the experience. This is an important aspect of our role as collegiate student-athletes, to serve as role models to area youth.”
A total of 395 students grades 7-12 at Prescott High School and Mile High Middle School received the hour-long training. The training is intended to encourage young people to make safe decisions and healthy choices.
The Blog is unaware of a similar program being scheduled on the east side of the County (Verde Campus; Sedona Center, Camp Verde).
Source: Tim Diesch, Senior Public Information Officer, Yavapai College.
Federal lawsuit alleges that decision to end football program caused players to suffer damages that include “the indignity of discrimination” and “severe anxiety about their future.”
According to news reports, eleven African-American football players have filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Phoenix because of the decision by Maricopa Community College to eliminate its football program. In their lawsuit, the players allege that cutting the football program violates federal law because it disproportionately affects African-American students, who make up 62 percent of team rosters.
The lawsuit claims the 11 players accepted scholarships to play football with the hope of furthering their education and going on to get scholarships to four-year universities. However, because they are unable to play the sport at junior colleges after the 2018 season this may leave them unable to pursue four-year degrees.
A detailed analysis of the history of this dispute may be found on-line at azentral.com by clicking here.
Unfortunately, College operates soccer team so that it has little or no involvement with east side of County and its 70,000 residents
The Yavapai Community College soccer players Jose Perez Flores, Gabriel Claudio and Kevyn Lo were named to the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division I Men’s All-West Team on Friday, Dec. 7.
Perez Flores of McMinnville, Oregon, was a sophomore midfielder, Claudio of Yuma was a sophomore defender, and Lo of Portland, Oregon, was a freshman midfielder. Perez Flores, set the Yavapai Community College Roughriders’ all-time assists record with 38 this fall, earned All-America honors from United Soccer Coaches and second team All-America accolades from the NJCAA earlier in the week. He registered nine goals, including three game-winners, and 18 assists in 2018.
Unfortunately, the Community College operates its soccer team, as with the other three athletic teams based on the Prescott Campus, has little to nothing to do in terms of involvement with the east side of the County and its 70,000 residents.
Decision made because of flat enrollment, little state funding, sport uses up 20% of total athletic budget, and represents 50% of insurance costs
Football will no longer be a NJCAA sponsored sport at community colleges in Maricopa County after this fall season ends. The decision affects Phoenix College, Scottsdale Community College, Mesa Community College and Glendale Community College. Matt Hasson, district communications director, said in a statement that the district arrived at the decision because of financial issues caused by flat enrollment and a lack of state funding.
The District also said that capital improvements needed to maintain the football programs could exceed $20 million. Furthermore, the football program at the four schools takes up 20 percent of the total MCCCD athletic budget and represents more than 50 percent of the total insurance costs.
A task force that reviewed athletic programs in Maricopa County recommended cutting football programs last year because of funding issues. Maricopa is one of 65 of the 530 community colleges participating in the National Junior College Athletic Association that sponsored football programs.