Monday, June 14, 2021
PHOENIX – Michele McCann says she has “loud mom syndrome.”
At all of her three daughters’ games, she can be heard cheering for not only her children, but everyone on the team.
“I’m the loud mom in the crowd,” she said. “I’ve always been very determined to make sure that they know that they’re appreciated and there is at least one parent that’s extremely proud of them and loves watching them grow.”
Experts see value in her enthusiasm. A 2020 Women’s Sports Foundation study found that parental support has a significant impact on whether girls stay in sports in a way it doesn’t for boys. Additionally, by 14, girls drop out of sports at two times the rate of boys.
McCann and her husband, Tye, live with their daughters in Cordes Lakes, just an hour north on the I-17 from Phoenix. Senior Kylie, sophomore Danielle and eighth-grader Taylor play volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter and softball and track in the spring. The high schoolers also play basketball over the summer.
McCann attends every practice and game she can. If she can’t travel to away games, she calls often to check in. She quit playing sports in high school because she wasn’t supported.
“My parents didn’t back me,” McCann said. “They weren’t there when I played sports, and it broke my heart. So I determined that I was not going to do that for my daughters. I was going to be everywhere they needed me.”
Nicole Zarrett, an associate professor of psychology at the University of South Carolina who co-authored the Women’s Sports Foundation study, said more girls drop out because playing sports are inherent in the way boys are raised. If parental support is minimal they have media celebrating boys in sports, supportive peer groups, role models on TV, and video games designed to show them they belong. For girls, those external resources are fewer.
“We’re looking at parenting being particularly important for girls because it may be the only resource they have in supporting their entrance and continuation,” Zarrett said.
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Friday, June 11, 2021
Are you a tween or teen, or do you know one, who enjoys writing? Pima County Public Library has the perfect events to check out! These programs, conducted via Zoom, are for middle and high school-age youth and they are facilitated by award-winning local writers.
365 Days: A Short Story
Thursday, June 17
2–3:30 p.m.
In this workshop, we’ll use 365 days as inspiration for creating our own fictional stories. Includes writing exercises, discussion, and tips for writing stories that sing.
Traci Moore is a writing coach whose friendly and creative programs have inspired writers of all ages since 2015. Read more about Traci at www.traci-moore.com.
Personal Narrative - My Story, Our Future
Thursday, June 24
2-4 p.m.
Autobiography, memoir and personal narrative is an account of your experience written by you. Writer Norah Booth will lead you through some exercises to get you started writing a story about a time or event in your life and what it meant to you, and how your experience fits into the larger story of your friends, your family, and your community.
You will leave this two-hour session with a draft and the skills you need to finish writing your story!
That Year, Next Year, Now: A Poetry Workshop
Thursday, July 1
2–3:30 p.m.
In any given year, we change. But last year? We likely have a lot to say. How do your priorities look different now? What matters to you these days that didn’t matter before? In this workshop, we’ll let 2020 inspire us as we write our own poems. Includes exercises, discussion, and tips for writing poetry that sings.
Some local COVID vaccination sites are changing operating hours because of expected increasing temperatures.
Starting Saturday, the two sites - Rillito Race Track, 4502 N. 1st Avenue, and Curtis Park, 2110 W. Curtis Road - will operate 7 to 11 a.m. and 7 to 10 p.m.
The Tucson area is expected to reach temperatures higher than 105 degrees during the next several days and precautions are being taken to keep clients, workers and volunteers safe, according to a news release from Pima County.
Some area vaccination sites are still offering lottery tickets* as incentives for those who have not yet been vaccinated.
June 11
- *Coronado Elementary School, 3401 E. Wilds Road, 4-7 p.m.
June 12 - 14
- Rillito Race Track, 4502 N. First Ave., 7 – 11 a.m.; 7 - 10 p.m.
- Curtis Park, 2110 W. Curtis Road, 7 – 11 a.m.; 7 - 10 p.m.
June 12
- Our Lady of Fatima Church, 1950 Irvington Place, 8 a.m.-noon
June 13
- Sacred Heart Church, 601 E. Fort Lowell Rd., 8 a.m.-noon
- St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Ave., 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
June 14
- *Palo Verde High School, 1302 S. Avenida Vega, 2-7 p.m.
- Cienega High School, 12775 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, Vail, 6:15 a.m.-noon
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
- *El Pueblo Library, 101 W. Irvington Road, 4 – 8 p.m.
- Tucson Medical Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road (Morris K. Udall Center), 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Monday-Saturday
- *Kino Event Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
Monday-Friday
- Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave., 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Tucson Mall — in the former Justice store, 2nd floor between Dillards and Sears, 4500 N. Oracle Road, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- University of Arizona, Gittings, 1737 E. University, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Second doses only, Last day: June 25
Monday-Saturday
- State POD-University of Arizona, Indoors: Gittings, 1737 E. University Blvd., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed May 29-31)
- Tuesday-Friday
- Tucson Mall — in the former Justice store, 2nd floor between Dillards and Sears, 4500 N. Oracle Road, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
*Incentives being offered to those getting first doses of vaccine.
The FEMA mobile units are scheduled to continue through June 26, although future locations are being moved to air-conditioned indoor buildings. Check pima.gov/covid19vaccine for updates on the FEMA units and all vaccination sites.
