This is Rodeo Week in Tucson, a long standing sporting event in our community. This week, we saw another long-standing sports event which involves fifth, sixth and seventh grade athletes.
Roskruge classic is a 39 year tradition in Tucson. It is a middle school basketball tournament that is free to all kids who participate.
It was started by Dale Lopez, who has worn several hats over the years: coach, official, journalist and educator. Dale graduated from Roskruge and later taught there.
This year the 7th grade game championship will feature Gridley (I have a bit of a rooting interest there) and Dodge Middle Schools. Even though it’s a 7th grade game, the two strongest players are 6th graders who are rivals in AAU. Gridley won the Middle School City Championship this year for varsity, and Dodge won the Junior Varsity division. The 6th grade championship features Dodge versus Desert Sky in a Tucson Unified vs. Vail district showdown.
It’s no secret that I love basketball, but this isn’t just about watching the game. I know it’s a cliché to talk about the lessons that can be learned about teamwork and perseverance, but those things are important later in life. I’m proud to see what these kids can do.
Dale has done a tremendous job helping organize this tournament and for our city’s youth in general. Andy Morales wrote a piece on his work with young athletes and in our schools for his website All Sports Tucson.
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We heard from long time community leader Tres English who wanted us to tell you about a project he’s involved in:
It’s Time! Time to get together with your neighbors for an outdoor party this Spring, and ask the question:
“What else do we want to do together to have fun, prepare to care for each other in an emergency, and make our neighborhood better?”
Resilient Tucson is recruiting Neighborhood Champions who want to get together with their neighbors to have fun, celebrate Spring and the (safe) reopening of …….
Source: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/ward-2/news/pauls-note-february-25-2022