Letter: New Tri-Cities AAU league is long overdue
The new Tri-Cities AAU league is a great addition to our community and a wonderful opportunity for local youth to develop their skills and passion for basketball.
For far too long (since we were kids), the youth in the Tri-Cities had to drive to the Yakima Valley to be able to play in a more competitive basketball league. This meant spending most of a Saturday traveling on winter roads to play an hour-long game. The new league will reduce driving time, but will also cut down on costs for families and give the opportunity to more kids to participate in AAU.
The Wirtzberger family, especially local school teacher Robert Wirtzberger, can be thanked for taking on this battle for the youth of the Tri-Cities who love basketball. The National AAU office’s decision to finally approve the league and the battle Robert fought will benefit kids for many years to come.
We look forward to watching our three kids grow in skill and love of the game. The two of us also are happy that these games will be local and we can build friendships and community ties with other individuals who love basketball. Now let’s play ball!
Joe and Kori Crowther, Kennewick
This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Letter: New Tri-Cities AAU league is long overdue."