April 13, 2011 • Vol. 09, No. 20
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem • Black Canyon City • Carefree • Cave Creek • Desert Hills • New River • N. Phoenix • Tramonto
Spears S. Ranch Trail dedicated in New River MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Another step in linking a Valley-wide trail system around Maricopa County took place Saturday morning in New River. In a ceremony led by R.J. Cardin, the Director of Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department, the Spears S. Ranch Trailhead, located at 41799 N. New River Road, was dedicated. “This is the third trail in the area we’ve opened in the last couple years,” Cardin said. “We hope in the next 3 or 4 years to have the entire trail system finished.”
When complete the Maricopa Trail will be 240 miles long, part of a system of trails that exceed 1,500 miles, that will be open to hikers, cyclists and equestrian riders. The trails will take outdoor enthusiasts as far west as Buckeye, east to Apache Junction, south to Queen Creek and as far north as Lake Pleasant. In the North Valley the system is nearing completion. Cardin said that within a couple weeks adventurers will be able to go from Spur Cross Ranch west all the way to Lake Pleasant. Beginning in 2000, the County
TRAIL
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Caption: Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
Virgil Keeto, of the Navajo Nation, provided a trail blessing during a ceremony Saturday in New River. The event was a celebration of Spear S. Ranch Trailhead, located at 41799 N. New River Road. The new trail is 3.5 miles and open to all non-motorized outdoor enthusiasts. The trail also is part of the Maricopa Trail. The yet to be completed trail system will cover 240 miles taking hikers, cyclists and equestrian riders as far west as Buckeye, as far east as Apache Junction, south to Queen Creek and as far north as Lake Pleasant.
Anthem based WNBA stars start athletic training business MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
For the first time since they entered the WNBA 10 years ago Kelly and Coco Miller had what amounted to an offseason. Since being drafted in the first round of the 2001 WNBA draft the twin sisters, who live in Anthem, have shuttled back and forth from the United States to Europe making a living by playing basketball professionally year round in the WNBA as well as in Europe. It’s a reality for many professional women’s basketball players borne out of the meager wages paid in the WNBA. After one of the most rewarding season of their
Inside:
careers the two decided to spend their offseason here in Anthem, looking to get a long-standing business idea off the ground. “Fitness has always been a passion for both of us,” Coco said. “We got our business going after the first of the year. It’s something we’ve talked about wanting to do for quite a while. We know we need a plan in place for when we stop playing.” The plan for the 32-year-old sisters is Kelly and Coco Miller’s Sports Performance Training. Having played nearly yearround for the past decade the two know more than a little bit about how to stay in shape. “You have to be somewhat fortunate to avoid injuries considering how long we’ve
played, but we keep ourselves in good physical condition,” Kelly said. “I think our commitment to strength training has enabled us to play as long as we have.” The focus of their business isn’t to simply train rising basketball stars. Instead the two believe they can help athletes from any sport and of any age achieve a variety of goals whether it’s speed, agility and quickness or strength and power. The duo additionally have tips on nutrition as well as understanding how best to navigate the college recruiting process for those looking to play beyond the prep ranks. “So far we’ve primarily
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Anthem honors Earth Day with recycling event
Cave Cree Trail Run aids effort to purchase open space
Cactus Shadows softball pounds Apache Junction
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WNBA STARS
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Submitted photo
Anthem residents Kelly and Coco Miller play for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA. The 10-year veterans have recently started a business offering sports performance training advice to both males and females. The training programs aren’t exclusively designed for basketball players as the sisters are working with all ages regardless of their sport of choice.
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