INTERTRIBAL SPORTS: COYOTES LEAD FAITH, FAMILY FOOTBALL INITIATIVES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH

Posted on April 4, 2016

(ALPINE) – So what do SoCal Coyotes linebacker Gary Young and wide receiver Matt Arias do on their “day off” – only hours after leading the four-time champions to a hard-fought victory Saturday night in Los Angeles?

Arias, Young, and Cinthia Paiz, Coyotes director of operations, set out early Sunday for Alpine, just shy of the Cuyamaca Mountains, to lead sports initiatives for three divisions of at-risk native youth from tribes within San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties.

Hosted by InterTribal Sports, it was the first appearance for the SoCal Coyotes non-profit sports leadership organization. The Coyotes delivered a motivational morning of faith, family and football at the Viejas Recreation Center, including a clinic for ‘drills and skills,’ followed by a flag football tournament.

Both players shared personal stories of faith, hope and redemption. “The Coyotes believe love is a four-letter word spelled T-I-M-E,” said Young. “And we practice what we preach.”

ON THE FIELD, 70 PLAYERS EACH YEAR earn the distinction of ‘Defending the Shield’ in the uniform of the SoCal Coyotes. Many will earn a shot with NFL, CFL or AFL opportunities, or graduate into business careers. Off the field, more than 30,000 Coachella Valley youth annually participate in Coyote Leadership Training and receive published Coyote Leadership Curriculum.

THE SOCAL COYOTES affect every community they touch. Coyote programs reach thousands of youth through coordinated efforts with numerous local charitable and civic organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, the Desert Strength Academy, the Boys & Girl Scouts of America, and Rotary International.

Discover more at www.facebook.com/thesocalcoyotes.

-Ron DiGrandi, SVP & Community Outreach ([email protected], 760.285.7073)