Julia Coyne is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism Student assigned to cover Mountain Pointe High School for AZPreps365.com

As the Mountain Pointe Pride High School baseball team focuses on its season they spend time reminiscing on the offseason and the time they spend with their community.

“One of the biggest things here at Mountain Pointe is I want to try and make that community feel. I want the parents to be a part of it. I want the community members to be a part of it, obviously the players,” said coach Max Pincus.

The Pride focuses on community when it comes to fundraising for their team. With several events throughout the off season one of their favorites is the annual cornhole tournament. 

In February the team held its fourth annual cornhole tournament to raise funds for the baseball team. The tournament consists of teams with a $50 buy-in per before the tournament and a $60 fee if you pay at the door. 

Each year the tournament is held at Western Star Park in Phoenix, just a six minute drive from campus. At the tournament they sell pizza as well as $10 drink wristbands with the option to bring your own drink of choice. 

At the tournament there are cash prizes for the top three teams as well as a 50/50 longest shot competition to earn more cash prizes. There is also a silent auction held throughout the tournament that goes towards the teams fundraising. 

Senior starting shortstop Luke Mann looks back on how the community feel has brought such an important aspect to their team.

“We go out and eat after games and everyone’s asking how the season’s going and it’s just been fun, especially now with the community,” said Mann. 

The team raises about $5,000-7,000 from the tournament that goes towards helping the team get better equipment. The money goes towards new shirts, hats, backstops, and paddings. They also use the money for team dinners for the players when they travel. 

One of the main focal points that the money goes into is the field. On average through the booster club they raise $20,000-30,000 a year. They put on average $20,000 into the field each year. When it comes to clay, seeding the grass, and maintaining the field, a lot of their money is used on the upkeep.

Though this cornhole tournament is to raise money for the team, their main goal is to bring the community together.

“Kids at Mountain Pointe and this Mountain Pointe baseball team are doing good things in the community, so a lot of our fundraisers and we also do philanthropic work as far as helping kids around Christmas time and things like that,” said coach Max Pincus.

Each year the team also participates in community service outside of fundraising. The team participates in the Christmas Angels event where they shop and wrap gifts for underprivileged kids. They also go to Feed my Starving Children. 

“All those events that we do really brings us together and it’s really good for the community,” said assistant coach Evan Booth.

Mountain Pointe takes pride in not only the action it takes on the field but the good deeds it takes off the field, not only for their team but also the community.