Search result for Philip Athey

Student of the game: ASU junior Cris Valle working overtime as Hamilton boys basketball coach

CHANDLER – Former Hamilton basketball star Cris Valle had a dream of playing professional basketball. However, he found a true passion for coaching and giving back what he learned to the next generation of players.

Hamilton boys freshman assistant coach Cris Valle has successfully transitioned from player to coach, while balancing the demands of his school work at Arizona State University. (Photo by Hayden Cilley/Cronkite News)

At 20, Philip Studer is transforming North Canyon freshman basketball

PHOENIX – Philip Studer, 20, is in his second season as the freshman basketball head coach at North Canyon High School. As one of the youngest coaches at any high school in the country, Studer has used his youth to build relationships with his players and help turn the program around.

Philip Studer joined the North Canyon coaching staff as an assistant on the varsity team at 18 years old. After one season, the 20-year-old stepped in as the freshman coach. (Photo by Nikash Nath/Cronkite News)

Derrick Michael Xzavierro’s history-making odyssey lands him at GCU

PHOENIX – Derrick Michael Xzavierro’s journey to GCU has led him across the world from his home of Indonesia. Though he is taking a redshirt year this season, Xzavierro has already made an impact and history as Indonesia’s first Division I basketball scholarship player.

A long way from home, Derrick Michael Xzavierro has represented the country of Indonesia honorably on the basketball court and inside the Grand Canyon University locker room. (Photo courtesy of GCU athletics)

From NFL to high school sidelines, Conrad Hamilton has found success revitalizing Desert Mountain

SCOTTSDALE – In his fourth season at Desert Mountain, former NFL player Conrad Hamilton has reinstituted a winning culture as one of many former pro football players finding success in the high school coaching ranks.

Conrad Hamilton played six seasons for the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, equipping him with the tools to turn the Desert Mountain football program into a powerhouse as head coach. (Screen grab via Cronkite News video)

‘Like a home:’ Filipino American students join to raise visibility, preserve heritage

LOS ANGELES – Young Filipino people turn to cultural clubs and organizations for a sense of community at the Universities to educate themselves and others. The struggle to better understand their culture and heritage has led them out of their homes and into classrooms.

Children try out the swings in Unidad Park in Los Angeles' Unidad Park, situated in the Historic Filipinotown section of the city, in this photo taken Nov. 21, 2022. (Photo by Emeril Gordon/Cronkite News)

Filipinos in LA look to a gateway as their ‘guiding star’ to salvage a neglected history

LOS ANGELES – Historic Filipinotown, or HiFi, is supposed to be the center of the Filipino community in Los Angeles, but it lacks key identifying factors that many cultural communities have in their respective districts. The strides to make this a reality have been slow, but community members have been working to make the Filipino community’s presence known.

Los Angeles' Historic Filipinotown was given a grand gateway to a community that Filipino Americans say has been overlooked, as seen in this photo taken Nov. 17, 2022 (Photo by Emeril Gordon/Cronkite News)

Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet

LOS ANGELES – Some designers are becoming more sustainable by replacing traditional leather with such materials as pineapple, cactus and cork. They look great and are better for the environment.


Cornhole pros and weekend warriors meet in Mesa for national tournament

MESA – Bell Bank Park sports complex in Mesa recently hosted an American Cornhole League pro shootout and open tournament. Competitors came from across the country to join in the fun.


Coalition targets illegal tobacco trade, with Arizona among top states in contraband

PHOENIX – The Arizona Chamber of Commerce is joining Philip Morris International in a partnership called United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade, which aims to stop illicit trade through public-private partnerships.


COVID vaccine added to requirements for immigrants seeking permanent residency

PHOENIX – Immigrants seeking permanent residency now must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, along with polio, measles and other infectious diseases. But access to vaccines around the world is uneven.


Arizonans join hundreds of female athletes opposing strict abortion law

WASHINGTON - Nine Arizonans are among the more than 500 female athletes who signed on to a brief to the Supreme Court this week challenging Mississippi's restrictive new abortion law, which abortion opponents see as a vehicle for overturning Roe v. Wade.


After pandemic, renovations, road trip, Rattlers return to Phoenix Suns Arena

PHOENIX – When the Arizona Rattlers return to Phoenix Suns Arena for their 2021 home opener Saturday night, it will be their first game there in just under two years. Philip Rakoci, a Rattlers fan and self-described “wildlife comedian” from Casa Grande, knows exactly how long has passed.