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February 11, 2005/Adar 12 5765, Volume 57, No. 24
Teen team tryouts
JCC prepares for Maccabi Games
STEPHANIE N. HENSCHEL
Staff Writer
The 2005 Maccabi Games are fast approaching, and the local Jewish community is gearing up.
The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center has held two tryouts for its teen delegation, and more are scheduled in upcoming weeks.
The JCC team will include 85 Jewish teens, ages 13-16 by July 31, who will participate in basketball, baseball, soccer, dance, golf, bowling, swimming, tennis, table tennis and flag football. At last year's games in Austin, only 26 local teens participated.
Dee Scott, JCC sports, recreation and fitness administrative coordinator, and the 2005 JCC Maccabi Games delegation head for "Team Phoenix," says interest in the tryouts has been great - about 30 teens attended tryouts Jan. 30, and at least 15 showed up Feb. 6.
"Last year, we didn't have anybody show up for tryouts," Scott says. "I'm thrilled." Coaches will choose participants based on ability and enthusiasm, she says.
"I feel it's very important to participate in these games as a teen because it helps keep them in a linear mindset," she says. Not only are they learning about health and fitness, but "they're learning more about the world in this venue."
Additional tryouts are scheduled for swimming and tennis. Swimming tryouts will be held noon-2 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20, at the JCC's pool, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Tennis tryouts are scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20, at La Camarilla Tennis Facility, 5320 E. Shea Blvd., Phoenix. Tryouts for individual sports, such as dance, bowling and golf, are handled through a sign-up process. Scott also says there will be other tryouts for basketball, baseball and soccer. Call 480-483-7121, ext. 1282.
The first North American JCC Maccabi Games were held in 1982 with 300 athletes. Over the years, the event has grown into an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer. The Games are co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Center Association of North America, Maccabi World Union, Maccabi Canada and Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel. The VOSJCC is slated to host the 2006 Games.
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