The Sun Bowl Times

The wait is soon over...Soccer Time as only the Sun Bowl knows how

The Little Caesar's Sun Bowl Soccer Tournament is about three weeks away (June 7-8) and once again the largest youth soccer tourney in the history of El Paso will take center stage for thousands of youth not only from El Paso, but also surrounding states and Mexico.

Credit the hard work of the Joe Daubach, Bernie Olivas, Trenten Hilburn and Bruce Reichman and hundreds of other volunteers in making this a state of the art event in the sun city. Little Caesars has played an exceptional role as title sponsor for their efforts in making the tourney grow.

Impressions mean a lot and when many of the teams visit El Paso and see the hospitality the Sun Bowl is famous for along with the great athletic fields and weather it is a tourism event that brings major dollars to El Paso.

More than 200 teams will be here and if you would like to volunteer your support, call 533-4416.

Dancing with the Stars in El Paso

Ok, Ok I admit I love Dancing with the Stars, best show on television.

On a side note those that do watch the awesome dancers,  does it not seem a similarity between NFL star Jason Taylor and his dance partner Edita Sliwinska on the show to El Pasoan and basketball star himself, Greg Foster and his wife Victoria.

Well if you saw the first issue last year of Southwest Parent Magazine published by the El Paso Times that had the Foster family on the front cover you would be inclined to agree with me.

How easy would it be for me to put the photos side by side of all involved for a comparison.

Not going to do it, I'm just going to force you to watch the show and you will also become a fan and see the same comparison I do. 

Until next time.

Helen of Troy and Sun Bowl...A Dynamic Duo

They say Diamonds are a girl's best friend. Wrong...well maybe not all wrong.

If you are a young lady that is in the 8th, 9th or 10th grade in the city, believe me there is a special event upcoming that is truly spectacular by Helen of Troy, Sun Bowl Association and hosted by the 2007 Sun Bowl Court.

There is no event in the city for girls that particular age that is so special. So if you are a young lady in that age group, or you have a daughter or granddaughter..believe me, this an exceptional opportunity and it is free.

All you need to do is call Jay Pritchard at the Sun Bowl Office, the master mind behind this great experience at 533-4416. You will have a memory of a lifetime if you attend. Sun Bowl Queen Katherine Foust and her Court are going to have you forget that a diamond is a girls best friend after this camp.

Again a very special thanks to Gerald Rubin, CEO and President of Helen of Troy for hosting this great event.

No more details, just call Jay Pritchard now before the spots are all gone.

Terry Kelly...A Great Soccer Man has Died

Terry Kelly, a quiet, generous and all giving man passed away earlier tonight as reported to me in a phone call by Kelly's good friend Joe Montes.

Kelly has been a part of the High School Senior Soccer Showcase which provided one of the great stages in the city for High School Seniors to be seen by college coaches and also play their final game in front of family and friends. Since the event started in 1990, Kelly has always worked around his busy and harrowing schedule to show up on game day for the Senior Showcase. In talking to Bruce Reichman earlier, head coach of the Del Valle High School Soccer State champions in 4A at Del Valle High School, he was just speechless when told of the news.

If you knew Terry Kelly he was not about deep thought and grand ideas, he just wanted to get the job done with as little drama as possible. I never heard him say a distasteful word about someone else and he always projected a positive image.

Terry Kelly is gone and those that knew him in the soccer arena should all just pause for the cause and effect that Terry Kelly had on soccer for all in this city and around the state. I first met Terry through Bob Azar, El Paso's first guru of soccer and all other type of promotions.

Many talk of Jim Paul and his great promotions and rightly so, but to  me Bob Azar was not far behind with his Mayor's 5K Race from El Paso into Mexico and the famous International Games and of course who can forget all the hard work he did in bringing the Games of Texas to El Paso in 1992 with legendary singer "Selena" as the headliner for the opening ceremonies.

Since then Terry Kelly has been a good human being to know and a great listener and I will miss you my friend and condolences to your wife and family.

A New Sun Bowl Chief ......Congrats Mr. Valenzuela

Congrats to Joe Valenzuela, new Sun Bowl President for 2008. Mr. Valenzuela is a great communicator and team leader and should do quite well in taking over the one year title from the ultra-successful previous Sun Bowl President, Linda East. (By the way Joe Fan will love this, Mr. Valenzuela is a native of Alpine, Texas.)

This is the 75th year of the organization that started with a high school all-star football game and has now become one of the top Bowl Games in the United States, the second oldest bowl game and the #1 bowl game for hospitality.

Valenzuela is well - known in the community and will do a tremendous job in continuing the Sun Bowl Association's commitment to events that deal greatly with the Quality of Life in the city.

The President -elect by the way is Frank Bates, current interim leader of El Paso Electric, while Executive Vice-President is Amen Ayoub a top flight business man in the community. The board secretary is Mike Rogers, son of the legendary Jimmy Rogers Jr. and also a long e volunteer in the organization.

You can meet the new Sun Bowl board at a special reception to induct Mr. Valenzuela as president this Friday, April 25 at the Plaza Theater along with the board members. For more information call 533-4416.

The Sun Bowl Board of  Directors never wanes in having quality human beings and great citizens of the Sun City being represented on their committees, Congrats Mr. Valenzuela.

Del Valle State Champs...Bruce Reichman Stadium Next

Del Valle High School under the direction of Coach Bruce Reichman, his coaching staff and the players have captured the 4A State Championship once again and their second in 4 years today in Austin, Texas.

We talked earlier about building a coaching legacy in winning one state title, let it be known that Reichman should now go down in history as one of the greatest coaches of all time in high school sports in El Paso and the country for winning his second title.

14 district championships, 12 area titles, but more importantly, the real gold is not around his neck with a state championship medal for Reichman but what is in his heart. He is also a member of the Sun Bowl Association Board of Directors and has been very instrumental in the success of the Little Cesar's Pizza Sun Bowl Soccer Tournament that is one of the biggest soccer tourneys in the state.

Del Valle Principal Mr. Lopez of Del Valle along with interim YISD Superintendent Roger Parks should take charge and start the process of naming the stadium at Del Valle as Bruce Reichman Stadium. No more rhetoric about what can't be done and who you have to talk to , just get it done, just like Reichman's team got it done this year.

A second round of congratulations to TSRN Sports and Woody Van Dyke as he and his crew once again brought not only the soccer games, but volleyball, football and basketball games along with upcoming softball and baseball playoff games to the Sun City on their radio network.

Monday, give a call to Reichman, his staff and the school and hearty congratulations for this outstanding endeavor not only for the school, but also the entire city.

GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL Del Valle!!!

Del Valle...Bruce Reichman

What Bruce Reichman has done at Del Valle as boys soccer coach is simply unmeasurable. Good luck to him and his talented team of Conquistadores as they go for their second Texas State soccer title tonight.

Soccer is the definitive sport in excellence for high school sports in the city. What Reichman has been able to produce is unheard of in his twenty five years as the only soccer coach at the school. 4 Final Four Appearances and a state title.

One state title is about establishing your leagcy, two state titles is about establishing your immortality.

Bruce Reichman to me is all about the latter.

Go Del Valle!!!!

Speaking Engagements..Always Fun

Thanks to Principal Angelo Pokluda and his secretary Danna Sadler, for inviting me to speak at the Austin High School Spring parent Academy.

It is always special to speak in the Sun City for myself for any event and this was great as it once again gave me the chance to speak about my mom, dad, and brother..great people now up in heaven. They truly are the ingredients that have made my life possible along with my two children.

The Academy is  great opportunity for parents to come and meet the administration of the school and again my thanks to the Austin High School staff for including me into your proud and tradition rich school activity.

Natasha Lacy...on to the WNBA

A local product of El Paso gets drafted by the WNBA. Congrats to Lacy. In 1998 the City Parks and Recreation Department selected the greatest players of all time in high school girls basketball.

At that time six young ladies were selected and if the vote was again Lacy has been the greatest high school basketball player to graduate in the Sun City since 1985.

She can score obviously , but what people do  not realize is her ability to play defense and is a leader and a winner. She will be really missed at UTEP next year.

Congrats again on a job well done.

Remember Dennis Deloach and Union Furniture Basketball

How many of you can remember this team from the golden days of City League Basketball in El Paso. Union Furniture was some kind of special with their famous coach and one of the nicest men you could meet in Saul Kleinfield.(Is he in the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame.) This picture was taken just before they took on the Harlem Globetrotters in the Convention Center downtown. (Priceless)

Nolan Richardson, Bobby Joe Hill and do you see that guy with the giant afro, the famous Dennis De Loach from Irvin High School. He was one of the most famous high jumpers ever in El Paso. He supplied me with this particular photo along with the other one of him high jumping.

Simply the Best...Dennis Deloach. (1980)