Jared Cohen
The Rancho Solano Private Schools have had campuses all over the city of Phoenix since 1954. The four different campuses make up about 1500 students. But now the school with so much history and academic tradition is taking their brand to a whole new level, especially from an athletics stand point.
On the new Rancho Solano campus consisting of sixth through 12th graders located off the 101 freeway and Via de Ventura, there is a brand new state-of-the-art 25,000 square foot athletic complex and student center. The facility includes several fitness resources for the students including basketball and volleyball courts, soccer/football field, weight room, locker rooms, a dance room and more.
“It is something we are very excited about,” said Rancho Solano athletic director Matt Harris. “To add to what is already an unbelievable academic facility, now a new gymnasium and outdoor athletic complex. This really cumulates the experience for the Rancho Solano student to be able to do everything and maximize their overall educational experience.”
These new facilities now give Rancho Solano the opportunity to put their student athletes in great position to succeed. The middle school and high school athletic teams had to travel to Scottsdale Community College, Arizona Christian and various middle schools around the valley to compete and practice in the past. Now the coaches and players can stay on campus to do so.
“This is tremendous for the whole sports program to have this available for us,” stated assistant athletic director and head basketball coach Brian Smith. “It’s going to be tremendous for our kids from the middle school and the high school levels.”
Rancho Solano and the great basketball program Findlay Prep from Henderson, Nevada are sister schools and their head coach Todd Simon has already made multiple plans to come out to the new facility to host camps and play games. On top of being present at the Share the Health event Saturday, he will be putting on camps for local kids at Rancho this summer and will be bringing his 2013-14 team to the valley to play both Pinnacle high school and Corona del Sol high school at Rancho during a tournament in January.
“What this does overall for Rancho Solano though even though it’s on our middle school/high school campus, is it gives all of our students an opportunity to develop athletically, individually, with teams,” explained Harris. “It meets the needs that Rancho Solano needs to take it to the next level.”
The Grand Opening for the new facilities is Thursday where there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and guest speaker Suns owner Robert Sarver who is the Honorary Chairman for the Athletic Advisory Committee.
But the festivities only begin there. On Saturday, the new Rancho Solano campus is hosting the Share the Health event which is a day of family fitness entertainment. The event will break in the new facilities will guests which include the Suns Gorilla and Dancers, Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler Henry Cejudo, the great Findlay Preps basketball team, the Phoenix FC pro soccer team and more.
“It’s an opportunity for everyone in the community to come up and see the facilities for themselves here,” Harris mentioned. “It’s an opportunity for everyone in the family, parents, kids, to get in here and experience a fun filled day…But mostly an opportunity to come see what Rancho Solano is all about.”
