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TSS Host: This is The Sweet Spot where we take a closer look at the week’s biggest sports stories in Arizona. I’m Alex Chenevey and thank you for tuning into the show.
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TSS Host: On today’s show we’ll tell you how business has been booming due to the Diamondbacks’ success in the MLB Playoffs. Then we’ll talk about state records being broken in high school football and the ever-growing sport of Pickelball in the Valley. Lastly, a look at high school marching band, and how 23 bands gathered in Flagstaff for a competition.
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That boom you hear is downtown businesses, as Diamondbacks return to postseason
HOST: The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2007. With the Diamondbacks having a real shot at getting to the World Series, businesses in downtown Phoenix have been seeing an uptick in revenue. I went down to the Just Sports store in downtown Phoenix, and talked with the manager about what he has seen throughout the season.
CHENEVEY: The Arizona Diamondbacks made the NLCS for the first time in 16 years. Anytime a team does well in the postseason, the city benefits from a surging interest in the team. Businesses in downtown Phoenix are reaping the rewards of people getting more and more interested in the Diamondbacks. Enzo Daggett, the manager of Just Sports located in downtown Phoenix.
<<Enzo Daggett: “Business is really booming right now, especially for the merchandise for the Diamondbacks. We’ve seen it in the other teams, but that just shows how much more support that the Diamondbacks are getting right now. >>
CHENEVEY: While some might believe that the Diamondbacks run is a flash in the pan, there are encouraging signs that their run in the playoffs isn’t a fluke. The DBacks have a great blend of youth and veterans, with their younger players becoming superstars.
<<Enzo Daggett: “So they have the opportunity to just grow what they have. I think what they’ve found in Corbin Carroll and some of their young guys like Perdomo and their catcher as well, Moreno, I think they have a good core that they can build on for the future, and that core will end up making the team good for years to come and build business down here as well.” >>
CHENEVEY: With the Diamondbacks postseason run energizing the city of Phoenix, it appears that as long as they are contenders in the MLB, the local businesses around them will continue to benefit as a result. For Cronkite News, I’m Alex Chenevey.
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Catch this: UArizona commit caps senior season by breaking state receiving records
HOST: Another Arizona high school record is broken by the senior wide receiver at American Leadership Academy of Gilbert North. Cronkite news reporter Brandon Tran has more in Gilbert about the records.
TRAN: The Eagles seniors Brandon Phelps was coming off the last two weeks breaking three Arizona high school records. Phelps started off that week breaking the receiving touchdowns and yards record against Higley as it was previously set by Saguaro alum and current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk.
<<Brandon Phelps: “It means a lot to me. I started out was a measly little freshman like two days ago but now I’m a senior leading team and it just feels great I got the opportunity to come play every day and some kids don’t get to play every day.” >>
TRAN: Phelps came into last week’s matchup against Cactus Shadows five receptions away from breaking another record that was set previously by Desert Mountain alumni Kade Warner.
<<Brandon Phelps: “I had no idea that was a thing until a couple week ago. It was never a thought of my head but I’m glad I was put in a position to go and do it. ” >>
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TRAN: Heading into game day with the game being on senior night. Phelps looks to get the Eagles back in the win column and break Kade Warner’s reception record…..
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TRAN: Three quarters into the game, Phelps had been held to one reception. Eagles head coach Randy Ricedorff says Phelps loves a good challenge.
<<Randy Ricedorff: “And he doesn’t shy away from competition at any level which is gonna be good for him in his future when he gets to U of A and maybe even past U of A.” >>
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TRAN:Phelps had four receptions in the fourth quarterm breaking Kade Warner reception record as Phelps finished the night with five receptions, 109 yards and two touchdowns. Phelps now has sole procession in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
<<Brandon Phelps: I just got the Triple Crown now a lot of weight is off my shoulder and that feels great now we can focus on Desert Mountain.” >>
TRAN: After the timeout was called Phelps got the opportunity to celebrate with his teammate and family including with his father Randy Phelps on the sideline.
<<Randy Phelps: “I was nervous. I said to all these people coming out here, we’re gonna break the record tonight and it was like second half, I said, trust the process there going on. I always said to my son record are meant to be broken and I wish that young man the best of luck.” >>
TRAN: American Leadership Academy of Gilbert North won 49-21 over Cactus Shadows. The Eagles will go on the road on Friday to face the undefeated Desert Mountain Wolves. For Cronkite Sports in Gilbert, I’m Brandon Tran reporting.
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Arizona hosts first championship of new, 50+ National Pickleball League
HOST: The National Pickleball League, established just last year, held its inaugural championship weekend at Chicken N Pickle in Glendale. The league is the first professional pickleball league for the 50+ age group, and it is composed of six teams. Cronkite Sports’ Austin Hepola attended day one of the three-day championship weekend to learn more about the newly founded league.
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HEPOLA: What would you do for $100,000? Now, hold your answers, because the National Pickleball League awarded that amount to its league championship winner, the Indy Drivers, this past weekend. The league began its first season this past June in Grapevine, Texas, and recently culminated the season in Glendale. According to Rick Witsken, one of four co-founder’s of the NPL, there couldn’t have been a better location to cap off the league’s first year.
<<Rick Witsken: Being the last event where the $100,000 was on the line, a lot of more kids are here. A lot more spouses are here so, what a perfect area than Glendale, Arizona to finish off.>>
HEPOLA: What makes this league even more interesting is the fact that all four co-founders are active players. It’s not every day that you see the founder of a sports league mixing it up with their own players, but Witsken views it as a great opportunity to build relationships and trust.
<<Rick Witsken: I actually think it gives us a leg up on our relationships with them, because they know they can trust us. If you’ve got a John Doe business man, that may have 7 different ulterior motives, then it’s hard as a player to trust exactly what their motivations are. And quite frankly, it’s what’s giving us a huge leg up on our competition.” >>
HEPOLA: The NPL has not even had its first birthday but has already left its mark on the pickleball world. The championship weekend brought in huge crowds, and it was even broadcast on Amazon Prime. One of the league’s main goals was to shine light on some of the country’s best players, and allow them to pursue their passion.
<<Stefan Andren: What it means to play in the league? I mean, it’s super fun. The main difference is, when you play a tournament it’s just you and your partner. And it’s kind of, a little bit more fragmented and scattered… how the event runs. >>
HEPOLA: This is Stefan Andren from Sweden, one of the NPL’s top players, who is amazed to see how quickly the league has grown in its short time.
<<Stefan Andren: Here when you’re on a team, and you have teammates and you’re playing against another team, it creates, you know, more kind of camaraderie that you support each other.>>
HEPOLA: The rapid growth of the NPL shouldn’t be too surprising. The sport of pickleball in general has grown tremendously over the last decade, factor that in with the league valuing player trust and you have one of the top major pickleball leagues in the country. Co-founder Beth Bellamy believes that pickleball is one of the easier sports to pick up and play, making it fun for all demographics.
<<Beth Bellamy: The other thing that’s really interesting about pickleball is it’s a little bit less technical to begin. So the very first day you get out there, you can almost be playing a game; whereas you know, something like tennis it’s a little harder. It’s a little more difficult to master.>>
HEPOLA: The NPL is providing opportunities for players over the age of 50, believing that age shouldn’t limit someone from pursuing their goals. The league allows these champions-level players to showcase their pickleball skills in a proper league format, something that was difficult for them to demonstrate just last year. The National Pickleball League now has its sights set on 2024, where it expects to make vast improvements as a league in its second season. With how successful their championship weekend was, it won’t be a surprise if they look to return to the valley next year. From Cronkite Sports in Glendale, Austin Hepola reporting.
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When halftime is prime time: Marching bands face off at NAU competition
HOST: During a football game, you see the field, the quarterback, the cheerleaders, and riotous student sections. but there’s another entity at these games that often go unnoticed, the marching band. who dedicate their fall semester to creating a show. Benjamin Yates has more from the J. Lawerence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff.
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YATES: At football games we are witnesses to not only a game, but also a halftime show. These halftime shows are practice for a larger goal, as the Bands of America competition at Northern Arizona University hosted 23 high school bands from across the southwest this past Saturday. Bands have only a few minutes to put on a show in front of judges that grade on the sound, the visual aspects, and the overall effect of the show. After a band finishes their performance, the job is not finished. The bands must rush off the field before the next show comes on. And take all of their props and instruments back to where they were started. in the parking lot. Bands like Corona del Sol have massive props to move on and off the field, with their show revolving around a giant button?
Let’s talk to the guy who pushes the button, in Corona del Sol’s field show, L.J. Howard. and hear what’s going through his mind as a performer.
<< L.J. Howard: “Get everyone’s attention. make sure they’re looking at me. And then at the same time, tell a little story with it, if that makes sense. Oh i’m doing this, that means this.”>>
YATES: The competition featured bands from six different states,.Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, New Mexico and California. Most of the bands hailed from Arizona. The band from American Fork, Utah, would take all of the awards within their division, including first place, advancing to the finals. The finals take the top 12 teams from the previous preliminary rounds, and allow all the bands to play their show one last time, and then rank them all from first to 12th place. American Fork would run away in this competition too, taking all the major awards for best sound, visual, and overall effect. Just take a listen to some of this award-winning show
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YATES: Head Drum Majors stand on podiums in order to direct the band’s tempo across the field. Jaden Rajaratnam is the head drum major of the 1st place American Fork marching band.
<<Jaden Rajaratnam: “We’ve been working super hard this season. Even though we’re like only half way done, it’s incredible how far these students have come. I’m super proud of them. Our performance was absolutely electric. ” >>
YATES: You can look for more marching band competitions happening near you and more information at A-Z-M-B-A DOT ORG. As other high schools across the Valley will be hosting invitationals building up into the state finals in November.
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YATES: For the sweet spot, I’m Benjamin Yates.
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TSS HOST: And this was The Sweet Spot. This show was produced by Benjamin Yates. Special thanks to Austin, Brandon, and Ben for their contributions to this week’s show. I’m your host Alex Chenevy. Until next time, thanks for swinging by the Sweet Spot!
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