Swim teams raising funds through golf
August 14, 2010 11:48 PM
For Cibola, Gila Ridge, Kofa and the Yuma High swim teams, there are few opportunities to qualify for the state swim meet. After the district slashed funding for sports travel, outside-qualifying events in the Phoenix area were put on the chopping block.
Troy Maryniak is hoping he can provide those local teams an opportunity to make the drive up to Phoenix and it'll come with a drive from the golf club.
Maryniak is coordinating a high school swim team golf scramble, which will take place at the Las Barancas Golf Course on Aug. 28. Proceeds from the event will be used to send the Raiders, Hawks, Kings and Criminals to the Skyline Invitational in Phoenix to compete in the same pool that the state meet will be held at.
“It's something that's new, we've got all four schools involved,” Maryniak said. “Instead of having one school go out there and trying to fundraise, this will support all the schools.”
The event has proved successful in the past for the Yuma Heat, a travelling swim team. Maryniak said that he twice raised more than $5,000 with the funding going toward travel and heating Marcus Pool during the winter months. But the goal for the high school golf tournament is a bit more ambitious.
“We're hoping to raise $10,000,” Maryniak said. That's the amount needed to pay for buses, hotels and entry fees for each of the four prep swim teams.
In the past, funding for these types of invitationals would have been handled by the Yuma Union High School District, which allowed one trip to the Phoenix or Tucson area for each school, for each sport. But after a landmark budget shortfall, YUHSD Superintendent Toni Badone put a halt to travel outside of the Yuma area for prep sports. She said it was a decision between having travelling athletics or no athletics.
After the spring semester, Badone said that she met with the schools' athletic directors to consider allowing travel on a case-by-case basis and only if the team's booster clubs were funding the trip.
“What we kind on lined out, for this year, regular season travel is limited to the triangle (Yuma, El Centro, Calif. and Lake Havasu City),” Badone said. “When it came to invitationals, (teams) were encouraged as much as possible to have it in town. But it's different by sport. We haven't put anything in writing, it's on a sport-by-sport basis.”
Badone said that she didn't know the specifics of this golf tournament, but said she was happy to see the community support.
Amber Pacewic, the Kofa swim coach, said that getting the opportunity to participate in an invitational would be an invaluable experience for her team.
“It's the only place for our swimmers to qualify,” she said. “Otherwise we're stuck here in town swimming against the same teams over and over and over.”
Entry fees for the tournament are $60 for the 18-hole tournament. It'll be a shotgun-start format, beginning at 7 a.m. and will include lunch. Of the entry fee, $33 is tax deductible.
Those interested in entering or providing sponsorships may call Maryniak at 210-3661 or Paul White at 580-2888.
Matt Maxson can be reached at mmaxson@yumasun.com or 539-6880.
Troy Maryniak is hoping he can provide those local teams an opportunity to make the drive up to Phoenix and it'll come with a drive from the golf club.
Maryniak is coordinating a high school swim team golf scramble, which will take place at the Las Barancas Golf Course on Aug. 28. Proceeds from the event will be used to send the Raiders, Hawks, Kings and Criminals to the Skyline Invitational in Phoenix to compete in the same pool that the state meet will be held at.
“It's something that's new, we've got all four schools involved,” Maryniak said. “Instead of having one school go out there and trying to fundraise, this will support all the schools.”
The event has proved successful in the past for the Yuma Heat, a travelling swim team. Maryniak said that he twice raised more than $5,000 with the funding going toward travel and heating Marcus Pool during the winter months. But the goal for the high school golf tournament is a bit more ambitious.
“We're hoping to raise $10,000,” Maryniak said. That's the amount needed to pay for buses, hotels and entry fees for each of the four prep swim teams.
In the past, funding for these types of invitationals would have been handled by the Yuma Union High School District, which allowed one trip to the Phoenix or Tucson area for each school, for each sport. But after a landmark budget shortfall, YUHSD Superintendent Toni Badone put a halt to travel outside of the Yuma area for prep sports. She said it was a decision between having travelling athletics or no athletics.
After the spring semester, Badone said that she met with the schools' athletic directors to consider allowing travel on a case-by-case basis and only if the team's booster clubs were funding the trip.
“What we kind on lined out, for this year, regular season travel is limited to the triangle (Yuma, El Centro, Calif. and Lake Havasu City),” Badone said. “When it came to invitationals, (teams) were encouraged as much as possible to have it in town. But it's different by sport. We haven't put anything in writing, it's on a sport-by-sport basis.”
Badone said that she didn't know the specifics of this golf tournament, but said she was happy to see the community support.
Amber Pacewic, the Kofa swim coach, said that getting the opportunity to participate in an invitational would be an invaluable experience for her team.
“It's the only place for our swimmers to qualify,” she said. “Otherwise we're stuck here in town swimming against the same teams over and over and over.”
Entry fees for the tournament are $60 for the 18-hole tournament. It'll be a shotgun-start format, beginning at 7 a.m. and will include lunch. Of the entry fee, $33 is tax deductible.
Those interested in entering or providing sponsorships may call Maryniak at 210-3661 or Paul White at 580-2888.
Matt Maxson can be reached at mmaxson@yumasun.com or 539-6880.
