Next Friday will be a special Friday Shout Out that will feature the Phoenix Co-Curricular Programs. Students will be honored for Soccer and Volleyball and Esports. Additionally, we will introduce our winter sports, Mock Trial, Boys and Girls Basketball, and Cheerleading!
Varsity Esports starts season with big wins!
The Varsity Phoenix Mario Kart 8 team beat Timothy Christian to kickoff its inaugural season! Ryley Watts-Joiner led the team to a 3-0 cup win in their first match last Tuesday. In competition, two teams of 4 players race 4 different tracks to earn points. The points are given based upon where each racer finishes in the race (1st place 15pts, 2nd place 11pts, etc.). At the end of 4 tracks the team with the highest point total wins that cup. The first team to win 3 cups wins the match.
The team followed up that win with another big 3-0 win this week against Amundsen HS. The team also streamed their match live for the first time.
Tune in next Tuesday when UCA takes on Delavan HS!
Off-Season Basketball Training Opportunities
Phoenix Basketball Families!
We are so excited about the success of our Boys Basketball program last year. In our first year of varsity IHSA competition, we had a winning record and showed tremendous grit and determination. UCA is looking forward to this year. While the high school season begins in the winter, we encourage all of our student athletes to pursue year round fitness and performance improvements.
To that end, we encourage all current boys basketball players, and any UCA student who might be interested in boys basketball, to find opportunities for growth this fall. Please reach out to Coach Brian Mazique who can provide information about opportunities available for those who are looking to improve. Remember, commitment and dedication is key to individual growth and success in all areas of life. Working out in the off-season is optional at UCA and many of our student athletes participate in multiple sports. However, IF you choose to workout in the off-season, we strongly encourage you to be committed to whatever off-season program you choose to join.
Phoenix Baseball Takes Flight
Prospective Baseball Families!
We are adding baseball at UCA this year! The plan is to build the program by laying a foundation throughout the school year. We will have up to 5 workouts in the fall to see interested players, particularly pitchers and catchers. In the winter, we will focus on weight training and physical conditioning. Finally, in the spring we will have practices and a handful of scrimmages and simulated games. The goal is to prepare our players for our varsity baseball team to officially compete in IHSA in the spring of next school year.
To that end, we will have a meeting before school on Wednesday August 16th at 8:30am. We will gather right across the parking lot at the little league field next to the school.
Please feel free to let Mr. John Purnell (jpurnell@weareuca.org) know in advance if your child is interested in playing, so we will have an idea of how many families to expect for our first meeting. You can also reach out if you have any questions.
See you next week and let’s PLAY BALL!
Mandatory Parents' Athletics Meeting 8/22 or 8/24
All student athletes must have a parent/guardian attend one parents’ athletic meeting and pay their athletic fee before they can compete. We will hold two opportunities for parents/guardians to attend next week on Tuesday August 22nd and Thursday August 24th. Both meetings begin at 6pm and parents only need to attend one meeting for their student athlete to participate.
Parents should expect to learn about The Phoenix Way, sign the Parent - Student Contract, and pay their athletic fee of $150. Finally, if the student has yet to turn in a Sports Physical/Pre-Participation Exam, that will need to be turned asap. Once again, students will not be able to participate until all of these items are in place.
If you have any questions, please contact our athletic director, Mr. John Purnell at jpurnell@weareuca.org.
Girls Volleyball welcomes Coach Robinson
Phoenix athletics welcomes Coach Dawn Robinson as the new varsity girls volleyball coach at UCA! Coach Robinson has high school and middle school coaching experience and brings a wealth of knowledge, a will to teach, and a drive to build a winning program! Coach Robinson has added Assistant Coach Charlotte Purnell to round out her staff and has already hit the ground running with tryouts and preparing the young ladies for their first game next week. Let’s support Coach Robinson and Phoenix Volleyball!
Coach Dawn Robinson
Experience:
Freshmen Girls Volleyball at Hillcrest High School
8th Grade Boys Volleyball at Calvary Academy
8th Grade Girls Volleyball at Calvary Academy
Fun Fact:
Has a career in Fashion & Business and owns her own fashion and screen printing company!