ZUNI, NM (July 11, 2025) — July is an exciting time at the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, and not only because of Summer Camp. This month, the community’s younger children get to enjoy real ZYEP sports leagues of their own, just like the big kids.
This week, the nonprofit youth organization launched its 3rd Annual T-Ball League for 27 children ages 4-5 and welcomed 29 children to the brand-new Mini-Basketball League for the same age group. These programs are made possible with support from Nike, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the New Mexico Department of Health.
According to Tyler Sice, ZYEP’s physical activity coordinator, the youth project’s team had been considering a second youth league for ages 4-5 for some time, inspired by the T-Ball League’s success. To decide what the second sport would be, they turned to the Zuni community.
“In our surveys and in feedback we received from our T-ball league, families requested basketball more than other sports,” Sice explained. “We’ve had our ZYEP Basketball League for children ages 7-12 for many years now — with 200 children each season — so we felt confident that the time was right for a new league that would engage the younger kids.”
The new Mini-Basketball League runs from July 8 to July 31, with practices on Tuesdays and games on Thursdays. The T-Ball League runs from July 9 to August 1, with practices on Wednesdays and games on Fridays.
To support the children throughout the month, ZYEP has enlisted the support of 16 community coaches, ages 17-63 — eight coaches for each league.
Families also are deeply involved in the leagues, so the season officially kicked off with a Family Info Night on June 26. Due to the success of the recent Summer Camp family night, the ZYEP team decided to use the same booth-style approach.
“The event was broken up into two half-hour segments, with T-Ball starting at 5:30 p.m. and Mini-Basketball at 6 p.m.,” Sice said. “We had a check-in table, and then families moved to four additional booths.”
The ZYEP physical activity team hosted a logistics booth, Program Manager Tara Wolfe shared information about resilience at the second booth, and the food sovereignty team talked about water policy at the third booth.
At the final booth, families had an opportunity to meet with the league coaches, who shared their contact information.
“The families’ feedback was positive,” Sice said. “They said they enjoyed the event and preferred the booth-style format to the PowerPoint presentations of the past. In all, it was a success, providing valuable information to our families and allowing them to build relationships with our coaches.”
Through its Youth Sport initiative, ZYEP connects with more than 500 youth annually. In addition to T-ball and basketball, young people also are able to take advantage of seasonal leagues in soccer and flag football. More importantly, they gain mentorship from ZYEP staff and coaches, build camaraderie with teammates and experience the powerful spirit of community.
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09)
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
