ABOVE: The NJCAA Division II top seeded Aztecs of Pima, AZ Community College pose with members of the “Post 210 Sons of the American Legion” after stopping at the Sunday morning American Legion Post 210 breakfast.
They arrived in Danville 32-0, top seeded and undefeated. And they’ve been here before. So before their first scheduled game, at 11 AM Tuesday, for this year’s NJCAA Tournament at DACC, Pima Community College out of Arizona made some stops around town on Sunday. In the morning it was at the Sons of the American Legion Post 210 breakfast. But in the afternoon it was time to return to a place that’s become the Pima Aztecs’ extended family.
Once again, the Pima team came to visit the residents at Liberty Estates. And as Coach Brian Peabody explains, it was the players that definitely said, “We want to stop by again this year.”
AUDIO: Actually, we just enjoyed it. Our guys enjoyed it. They’re the ones that asked if they wanted to come back. And they said, “Yes, let’s go.” So they wanted to do it.
(1st Picture) Pima starter Gabe Oldham introduces his teammates one by one. (3rd Picture) Pima Coach Brian Peabody addressed the Liberty Estates residents.
Liberty Estates Director of Marketing Amy Thompson says the first visit from Pima was seven tournaments ago.
AUDIO: The first year they came was 2018. And they’ve just been wonderful. I stay in contact with their coach, with their trainer; and follow their team every year. They remember coming here. They remember the residents. And of course, the residents remember them. We’re just so honored that they come here.
Starter Gabe Oldham, who served as spokesperson to introduce his teammates, said Pima is a team that has fun, enjoys winning, and loves coming to Danville.
AUDIO: Having a good time comes when you’re winning, right? And also vice-versa, you know; you’ve got to have fun to win. So I think just being a good group of guys, being close together; that’s what helps us to win games and to battle it out. It’s great here in Danville. It’s awesome.
Coach Peabody says this undefeated team is not hard to coach. They simply follow a routine.
ABOVE: It’s not. I’m a creature of habit. I do the same thing everyday; do the same thing at practice. I have a very mature team. The five guys that start for me are all second or third year guys. So it’s not hard at all.
Pima’s first game at DACC’s Mary Miller Gymnasium will be at 11 AM Tuesday (March 19th) morning, against the winner of Monday’s game between SUNY (State University of New York) Niagara and Oakland (MI) Community College
