Archives for September 2020

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Today’s In the Community check in is with Thunderbirds Big Chief Tim Woods and Elena Zee, President and CEO of Arizona Council on Economic Education (ACEE). Zee and Woods discussed the current challenges surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, what ACEE is doing to respond to current challenges and what immediate and essential needs they require to continue to provide educational services throughout the Valley and Arizona.

The Arizona Council on Economic Education is dedicated to teaching every Arizona student economic and financial literacy, and workforce development to help them in their adult lives. Through their strong, affiliated academic base with universities and community colleges, partnerships with the Arizona Department of Education and the Federal Reserve Bank, ACEE prepares teachers and students so they may learn personal finance, economics and entrepreneurship – all skills young people need as they grow older.

Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – has been a generous supporter of ACEE, providing monetary funds for operational and capital needs to empower thousands of students each year.

During the conversation, Zee spoke about how community involvement is essential to a thriving economic education program.

“The number-one key [around community involvement] is advocacy,” said Zee. “Advocate for the program to make sure schools continue to provide these personal finance and economics education opportunities to the students. The second-best way to get involved is volunteering because the schools are still trying to find their anchor and figure things out. And finally, financial support always helps. It’s nonstop every day.”

To learn more about ACEE or make a donation, visit their website.

To volunteer with ACEE, CLICK HERE.

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The Thunderbirds began nearly a century ago with the mission to promote the Valley of the Sun through sport. These days, the primary sport used to raise money for charity and create Scottsdale tourism interest from all over the world is golf, specifically the Waste Management Phoenix Open. But, as we see in this installment of In the Community Conversations, the impact of The Thunderbirds – and their charitable giving arm Thunderbirds Charities – is a positive impact on all kinds of sports, coaches and youth in our communities.

Scott Jenkins, 2021 WM Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman, recently sat down with Rich Tomey, Executive Director of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) to discuss the impact of the current health crisis on their organization and youth sports in general and how they’ve continued their mission of creating positive, character-building youth sports environments without direct, in-person contact.

“With no school, no sports, no nothing in a lot of states, we had to change the way we do things,” said Tomey. “A lot of kids and coaches are dealing with the disappointment of not playing and we’re trying to keep people together. We had to utilize a lot of technology through Zoom and other methods and become a leader in that aspect of training.”

Tomey then spoke about the importance of using sports to teach life lessons and how those lessons help children and young adults through their critical and formative years.

“Roughly 70 percent of kids typically drop out of sports right at that 13 or 14-year-old mark,” said Tomey. “That’s the tipping point of high school and middle school. So, someone who is coming from middle school going into high school loses out on great life lessons right when they need them the most.”

Like almost all nonprofits, Positive Coaching Alliance relies heavily on donations from the community.

“Without the support of Thunderbirds Charities and other donations over the years, we would definitely not be as impactful as we have been,” said Tomey. “Honestly, without the support of the community, we wouldn’t be able to be as impactful as we are. We’re extremely grateful to Thunderbirds Charities.”

To learn more about PCA, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE.

To donate to PCA, CLICK HERE.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

John Bridger, former executive director of The Thunderbirds who retired in May of 2020, has been elected to the 2020 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class by the Arizona Sports and Entertainment Commission.  John will be formally inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class on Friday, April 23, 2021 at The Phoenician Resort and will be joined by the rest of the 2020 class that includes three-time WM Phoenix Open champion Phil Mickelson and former Phoenix Suns head coach Paul Westphal.

“Congratulations to each member of this diverse, stellar Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class,” Crest Insurance Group President Cody Ritchie said. “These worthy honorees have made important contributions to Arizona sports, both on and off the field, and we are proud to recognize each of them.”

The Arizona Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes, coaches, administrators, and others who have made significant contributions to Arizona sports. The 2020 class was selected by a vote of trustees and the public, which elected Bridger in online balloting.

To be eligible for the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, an individual must meet one of three criteria:

1. A native of Arizona.
2. Immediately recognized as an Arizonan.
3. Have made at least two significant contributions to the athletics community in Arizona.

“Arizona has a rich sports tradition, and this Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class exemplifies that tradition perfectly,” ASEC Executive Director Nikki Balich-Cammarata said. “Each of these individuals has played an important role in shaping our state’s sports history.”

John took over as executive director of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – in 2002 with a goal to steward the group into worldwide success. After 18 years of exceptional leadership, loyal and unwavering community service, more than $100 million raised for Arizona charities under his watch, and recognition from the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, we can say – without a doubt – John accomplished that goal.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor John, and it’s only fitting that you will be in the same class as Phil Mickelson!