Sam Beskind (bottom row, far right) with Team USA. (College of the Canyons Photo)
As we first reported in August of 2016, University of Arizona softball standout Tamara Statman is representing Team USA (Maccabiah USA) at the 20th Maccabiah Games to be played in Israel (July 4-17) next week. The Maccabiah Games are held in Israel the year following the Olympic Games. Every four years, the best Jewish athletes from throughout the world gather to compete.
Statman became the first prep pitcher from Arizona to collect 1,000 strikeouts after the rubber was moved from 40 feet to 43 feet. Her high school coach (Horizon) was former Wildcat Jackie Coburn.
In addition, Catalina Foothills standout Sam Beskind will represent Team USA on the U18 Men’s Basketball team.
“I am really excited to have made the Maccabi USA basketball team,” Beskind said in a press release.
“The Maccabi Games are a celebration of Jewish unity, culture, and heritage through athletic competition – I am so honored to be a part of Team USA! Obviously, this will be a great experience for basketball, but I am even more excited about the opportunity to go to Israel. For the first five days of our trip we will be travelling around the country and seeing many of the amazing parts of Israel. Among many other locations, we will be visiting Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beit Guvrin, the Dead Sea and Masada.
“The past two summers I have participated in the JCC Maccabi Games in Dallas and St. Louis. This was a much smaller scale Maccabi Games, but I had such a great experience that I wanted to take part in the real deal. I am so excited to meet so many new friends from all over the world that all share a Jewish connection and hopefully build relationships that will last a lifetime.”
Tucsonan Joseph Schwartz made the Open Men’s Softball Team and Rachel Meyer made the Open Taekwondo Team. University of Arizona graduate and current professional soccer player David Schipper will be competing for the Open Men’s Futsal Team.
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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