Unlike what the scorebook might suggest, life is getting better for the boys and girls basketball teams at Mountain View Preparatory Academy.
Those are two of the three organized teams at the Verde Village school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. With a new coach on the boys side, unlike the first season for the Ocelots, travel and coaches’ salaries are funded by the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District — with enough left over to cover the cost of seven girls jerseys. Second-year girls head coach Paul Ventura made another run to a Prescott sporting goods megastore for white t-shirts, shorts and the rest.
“Now, I guess I’m actually considered a district employee,” said Ventura, who plans to apply his $1,500 stipend towards the program’s day-to-day operations expenses. “That was rough, having boosters pay for everything last year.”
While Ventura is looking for more fans to step up and come watch the games and run the concession stand that also helped fund the basketball program last season, what has not at all yet resulted for the Ocelots are wins. Big Park Community School delivered both teams their second loss in two games, 45-9 for the boys and 46-16 for the girls, Tuesday, Nov. 18.
For new boys head coach Sean Rutlidge, it has been like starting over. No players returned from last year’s A team, which went 11-4 in the Verde Valley Conference and made it all the way to the Small Schools State Basketball tournament under Ventura’s father, Jimmy.
For the full story and MVP basketball schedules, please see the Wednesday, Nov. 19, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
