Thunderbird Boys Basketball

The Thunderbird Boys Basketball program has gotten off to an awesome start for the 2022-23 season! Varsity, Junior Varsity and the Freshman teams have been practicing since October with Varsity participating in two tournaments in November and December.

The basketball program is led by new head coach, Jesus Flores. Jamie Heath and Rick Dunn are the assistant coaches for the Varsity team. Coach Flores, a Spanish teacher at Thunderbird, has brought unity and a strong sense of community to his program. He has reached out to the feeder schools, held a Youth Titan Camp, and has Future Titan Nights to encourage the incoming athletes to attend games. The boys have been introduced to a wide range of trainings in addition to their skill training, such as yoga and strength training.

Marshall Kerley, Yanni Rosales and Jackson Howell are the three senior leaders on the team! Many of the players have had the unique opportunity to play together since elementary school.

The team is lucky to be supported by the Thunderbird Basketball Booster Club who has been able to help them purchase new uniforms, gear, pay for tournaments, and provide travel meals. All of the money has been raised through various fundraising efforts and generous sponsors.

The Junior Varsity team is led by Chris Walls and Assistant Coach Mike Francis. They have some very talented players and focus on skill development at this level. The Freshman team’s coaches are Darryl Little and Jim Acevedo. These coaches start the boys out strong in the program and help them develop a love for the game.

If you or your future Thunderbird basketball player have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact Coach Flores at Jesus.Flores@guhsdaz.org or the booster club at tbirdbbc@gmail.com

Go Titans!

Do the Application

The Write Stuff By Gerry Johnson

The very first rule I supposedly learned when I first entered the residential mortgage business was – “don’t quote a rate without first taking an application.” I started with Mike Aldridge at Copperstate Lending many moons ago, and he drilled that into my head. Guess what I did the other day, I speculated on a rate, and guess what else, I didn’t get the deal.

It’s kind of like when one runs into their doctor at a cocktail party, tells him that they have a pain and asks what it could be. Normally he would say that he cannot diagnose without an examination. Good answer. But the person persists and the doctor finally says that it could be nothing or it could be cancer. The reaction – “Oh my god, I have cancer.” In reality, a proper diagnosis requires an examination.

Same with a mortgage, there are so many variables, that a reasonable quote cannot be given without an application.

I had the opportunity to explore Proprietary Reverse Mortgages in conjunction with this aforementioned debacle. I have often touted the HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage), which is FHA’s version of the reverse mortgage, to the exclusion of other versions. It turns out that the HECM is not a “one size fits all” solution.

The proprietary version at which I looked, has come a long way from the previous versions that I had explored. Under the right circumstances, this is a good deal. One instance to consider is that the home is worth several million dollars and there is a mortgage balance of say $800,000. A HECM simply doesn’t work here, because this loan cannot advance enough to even pay off the mortgage. The owner would have to come to the table with big bucks just to do this version.

With a proprietary reverse mortgage (a lender’s version not guaranteed by FHA) it may be possible to pay off the indebtedness, take an extra sum of cash or have an open line of credit, and eliminate a monthly mortgage payment. The rate structure can be highly flexible depending on which iteration of the mortgage suits the needs of the borrower.

Another instance may be a condo that does not fit FHA’s profile. Condo approval can be like pulling hen’s teeth through FHA.

The point that I am trying to make is that there are lots of possibilities, but we never know without taking that application. It is not a big deal. It usually takes less than one-half hour. There is no cost or obligation to do so. One really does themselves a disservice by not completing an application. And, mortgage loan officers have a fiduciary duty to keep the information secure.

I suggest that if you have a dilemma that may be solved by a mortgage transaction, take the time to do the application and allow the mortgage loan officer to show you your options. You will be glad you did.

Just Ask Julie!

That’s right, just ask me! In the coming issues I will share questions (and answers) I’ve received from Tattler readers. So, if you have a burning question about real estate and related topics, send me your question(s) at juliepek@cox.net or call me at (602) 316-1875. Look for the answers in the March issue.

Crash!

BY LEON TRY ME BIKE SHOP

Working at the shop a big thump and scraping sound interrupted talking to the customer. Going outside a man was laying in the parking lot his e bike laying on its side. He was ok so was the bike. Truck was not as lucky, starting at the back was a long scratch ending at the door with a big dent. The bike had made the scratch his helmet the dent. Looked like about 3 thousand dollars of damage .He had no insurance, said he was sorry. Lesson to learn most bike riders have no insurance.

Who else has no insurance most bike makers. I thought if you made it you would be libel wrong. E bikes have suffered from poor design and defective parts. Fires seem to be the biggest problem. The cheaper the price your chances of a failure are greater. There are lots of e bikes on line choose wisely.

E bikes are here to stay be careful.

3 Minutes a day

BY NICHOLAS WARNER, DC

If you struggle to find time and/or inspiration to reach your daily, weekly – and plain old anytime – physical activity goals, listen up: It doesn’t have to take as much time and effort as you think to make a big difference. The difference we’re talking about: living longer and healthier. The time and effort required: as few as three minutes a day.

New research suggests short bursts of activity throughout the day matter; in fact, as few as three minutes daily can reduce mortality risk by a whopping 40 percent, even if that’s the extent of your physical exertion. Researchers tracked 25,000+ adults (average age: 62 years at the start of the study) for approximately seven years, using wearable sensors to assess how “brief bursts of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity” correlated with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. All participants were classified as “non-exercisers,” meaning they did not get any leisure-time physical activity outside of the short bursts (three 1-2 minute bouts daily) dictated by the study.

Compared with people who did not participate in any activity bursts, those who did (average time spent daily: 4.4 minutes) reduced their risk of all-cause and cancer mortality risk by 38-40 percent, with a 48-49 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality risk. Findings appear in Nature Medicine. A separate sample of “exercisers” achieved similar results in terms of mortality / disease risk, suggesting the benefits apply to everyone, regardless of their physical activity habits.

It’s important to point out that study participants’ activity wasn’t what you might think (and dread doing yourself), such as slaving away on a treadmill or hitting the gym to lift weights. They performed “brief bursts of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity” – things like walking fast from the parking lot to work; or jogging up stairs instead of just walking. Talk to your doctor for more ways you can incorporate physical activity into your day – as few as three minutes – and reap the profound health benefits.

Pickleball With Purpose

Pickleball With Purpose is coming to Moon Valley Country Club! The doubles tournament will be held on Friday afternoon, March 3rd as a fundraiser for the Children’s Treehouse Foundation.

The Children’s Treehouse Foundation, provides educational support for children and teens who have a parent or caregiver who has been diagnosed with cancer. Their art-centered program is called CLIMB® which stands for Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery. For nearly 20 years the program has helped to demystify cancer and teach positive coping strategies to the entire family. Over the course of six weeks, communication improves as the family develops a common language with which to discuss complicated feelings like fear and anxiety. CLIMB® is used in cancer programs throughout the United States as well as in countries like Ireland and Japan. The Foundation is an Arizona and Colorado based 501c3 organization, and the executive director was born and raised right here in Moon Valley. You can find more information about the program at www. childrenstreehousefdn.org

The pickleball tournament is open to 64 players. The tax-deductible entry fee is $50 per person for basic entry or $100 per person with additional benefits. There will be a silent auction, multiple raffle prizes and, of course, prizes for the winning team.

Sponsors at the time of this printing include Valley Luna, Wellness in Motion, Mushkatel, Robbins and Becker Law, Watland and Allen Law, Moon Valley Pest Control, Western Alliance Bank, Serafina Coffee Roasters, OnPointe Dentistry, Vegan and Vine and Daou Vineyards. Sponsorship opportunities are still available at $250 and $500.

To sign up, simply go to www.children’streehousefdn.org/pickleball

Pickleba With Purpose

for a friendly pickleball tournament benefiting the Children’s Treehouse Foundation

Players of all levels welcome! Prizes, Raffle, Silent Auction, Refreshments

For more information and to sign up, scan the QR code below, or visit www.childrenstreehousefdn.org/pickleball

Tournament Admission $50-$100 Event Sponsorship $250-$500

Children’s Treehouse Foundation

*Members and non-members welcome

The Children’s Treehouse Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to providing evidence-based programming for children and teens who have a loved one diagnosed with cancer. Our program, CLIMB®, has helped thousands of children and families around the world develop socio-emotional tools to navigate challenging times.