El Barrio Sports Club

Here's a throwback #e1pWWW post from June 2015. For the first time #e1pStory shares the audio conversation with Coach Cruz that went down that day. I've also included a few photographs below. More are available at the Twitter and Facebook links below. Shout out to our Segundo Barrio families and the El Barrio Sports Club which is coming up on its 50 year anniversary.

Introducing El Barrio Sports Club in El Paso, Texas Cruz Morales, Jr. post every1plays.org web Archive June 28, 2015

Introducing Cruz Morales, Jr... born and raised in El Paso's South side, and Class of 88' Bowie Bear Alumni by way of Beall Elementary and Guillen Middle... he is also a proud Gulf War Veteran of the Air Force.  For the past 15 years, Cruz has been facilitating sporting events, including basketball tournaments on the corner of Raynor and Findley for children, youth, and adults.

Playoffs for the El Barrio men's basketball league are underway through June as fourteen teams compete to try and make it to the finals. Over the past couple years, my younger brothers have been participating in the adult men's b-ball league.

We got the chance to talk to Cruz about the sports club and its history.  For Cruz it goes back to the gang rivalries that disconnected youth from each other and the community.  Living in a historically under served and low-income area only added to the struggles of gang involved youth reconnecting to something positive in the community. This motivated Cruz, who understood their circumstances and today is the director for the El Barrio Sports Club.  For Cruz being able to bridge the gap through sports amongst a generation of kids who's parents were once gang rivals, is what Cruz is most proud of.  With support from city representatives such as Courtney Niland and neighborhood collaboration, the El Barrio Sports Club is about creating affordable and accessible opportunities for children, youth, and adults to play, compete, and connect with each other in a family friendly environment.

And it's not only basketball.  Cruz helps coordinate volleyball tournaments (currently planning for September) and soccer for both males and females, children to adults.  For more information you can email Cruz Morales, Jr. cmorales@dekko.com or call at (915) 858-1915 ext. 69132.

Got a few more photographs that we'll share on social media soon, check out twitter.com/every1plays and facebook.com/e1p44

Peace!

-Lee

Photograph and write up by Lee Rhyanes*

El Paso's Chapin Huskies 2021

This is what stamping your hard earned ticket into the Sweet 16 looks like…

Shout out to the Chapin Student Media click here…El Paso, stand up for The North!!

Stay tuned in as your El Paso Chapin Huskies make their way to the Sweet 16 visit chapinhuskiesathletics.com

As posted at every1plays.org click here

Isaiah Rhyanes #54

Big Man 54 aka Juice!

'Story of a Kid with a Dream to Play Hoop'

It was just yesterday is no way to tell it or remember it. We knew how long this took. The early mornings. The goal to just play city. All the folks asking if you hoop only to meet a man with a golden soul that was able to crack the door open for a one in a who knows how many opportunity. It’s best told in pieces and we love this piece by The Prospector on our baby bro Isaiah Rhyanes and a profile in perseverance.

You can read the full article by Michael Cuviello in the Prospector here: click here

You can catch up with Coach Zooey and his e1p activities at the following Instagram accounts:

Chef Zoo @every1eats915

Coach Zooey @every1trains

As posted at every1plays.org click here

Experience Fit Hop

Fit Hop

Experience Fit Hop! The soundscape for Hip Hop, health & fitness. The 10th Element of Hip Hop...Health & Wellness. For more information see below. Music for the pregame, for the halftimes, for the rink walk, for the triumph! rbgfitclub.com

As posted at every1plays.org click here

For Team Mamba

 For Team Mamba

Dedicated Kobe Bryant, Mambacita Gianna Bryant and those that passed on January 26, 2020. To Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, & Ara Zobayan. The Hoop world’s heart broke into pieces in 2020.

This article right here is how we’ll remember the squad. Sending our condolences to all the families effected and the lives that had to move on spirit in 2020. We won’t ever forget you. The impact Kobe had on Isaiah, our youngest bro is a long story we’ll have to reflect on over the course of our lives.

“Kobe Bryant is busy with his business. Busy with his books. Busy with his little Mambas.”

Mamba 101: Welcome to Kobe Bryant’s Next Chapter: click here

Thank you Tzvi Twersky for the article and Atiba Jefferson for the photography.

Thank you Slam. RIP to members of Team Mamba.

As posted at every1plays.org click here

Basketball in the Barrio!

Basketball in the Barrio El Paso Giving Day!
DONATE CLICK HERE

Please consider donating to the Basketball in the Barrio program!

To learn more about Basketball in the Barrio check out the videos posted at the El Paso Giving Day site and this documentary included below!

As posted at every1plays.org click here

Lanier Voks

Amazon: click here every1reads

Read all about it! The Forgotten History of the Mexican-American Team That Ruled Texas HS Basketball in the 1940s by Manuel Solis click here

"Although they faced discrimination on the road from hostile crowds and biased referees, Herrera encouraged his team to rise above the ignorance and let their play do the talking. On multiple occasions the team was refused service at road trip diners based on the color of their skin, once by police who escorted them out of town."

"You got used to it," says Bernal. "People were like 'goddamn Mexicans' or used bad language against us. Nemo was wise enough to tell us, "Don't pay attention to them. They're just trying to get you. You just keep on playing your game and you'll beat them. That's the way to get even with them. Beat them!"