Angels Camp, CA…Don’t miss the AMA Annual Crab Feed. This year the festivities are on February 10th at Mark Twain Hall at Frogtown. The fun starts at 6:00pm with the No Host Bar. There will be Music, Door Raffle, Silent Auction & 50/50 Prizes. Dinner is at 7:00pm and the All You Can Eat Dinner is only $40 per person.

AMA stands for Angels – Murphys – Arnold, and has been a strong force supporting kids sports programs since 1971. Much of AMA’s success should be credited to the original founders. Around the end of 1969, a few men, Larry Ziehlke, Millard Smallin and Dan Miller, were trying to put a football team together for the kids in the community. In moving forward with their ideas, these men were joined by Ray Shires, Terry Erickson, Don Peirano and Bob Sanders to form the AMA Booster’s Club in 1971. After a great deal of hard work and dedication, the first Pop Warner Football Teams were fielded. These men inspired the local community to donate to their youth sport program. For the community, it was a matter of pride to be able to contribute to AMA. One contributor, Dave Copello, took interest in AMA and offered to help this organization. Subsequently, Dave Copello donated six acres to build softball fields for the girls, since little league already had a place to play. In order to begin development on Copello Park, many volunteers came forward to donate their time and equipment. Mother Lode Engineering, Fletcher Construction, Sutton Construction, Hydrox Inc., George Reed Inc., Baileys Masonry, Wayne Segale General Contractor and Ray Shires Excavating were the pioneers of contributions that helped build Copello Park. In 1974, Dave Copello passed away, but not before he saw most of Copello Park completed. His legacy is still with us as he left AMA 5/7 of his estate.

Along with donations to the Club, AMA has maintained many types of fundraisers throughout the years. In the mid-70’s, AMA began the tradition of parking cars at the Fair as well as other events such as the Mountain Aire Concerts, the Camel Races, the Harvest Festival, the Renaissance Fair and Ironstone Vineyard Concerts. AMA continues to carry on the tradition of parking cars at the Fair as well as the Bret Harte FFA Oysters ‘n Oinkers. Our Annual Crab Feed held in February continues to be one of our biggest fundraisers. These, among other fundraisers, support AMA in the maintenance and improvements for Copello Park, as well as purchasing insurance, sports equipment, uniforms and other necessary operational items.

As the Club evolved over the years, AMA has sponsored and hosted the annual Boys and Girls Basketball Tournament organized by Dave Cosgrave, the AMA Wrestling Tournament under the direction of Mike Burke, and the Girls Ponytail Softball League under the direction of Bill Fish, with significant help from Darlene Sanders and Sharon Canepa.

AMA benefits youth of ages between 7 to 15 years old. These activities have included such sports as basketball, cheerleading, football, ponytail softball, snow sports, soccer, summer softball, swimming, volleyball and wrestling. Over the years, AMA has supported many youth activities such as High School – Middle School – Grammar School Sports Programs, the Jr. Livestock Auction at the Fair, local Jr. Olympics, Special Olympics, Academic Decathlon’s, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, FFA, 4-H, Little League and more. AMA also has a Scholarship Program that benefits past AMA participants for college; (8) $500.00 scholarships yearly.

What is so remarkable about AMA is that it operates solely on volunteers. Not only are there nine directors, (3) from the Mark Twain School District – (3) from the Vallecito School District – (3) At-Large, there are also commissioners, coaches, spouses and other volunteers that make these programs possible. Copello Park was built by and has been maintained by volunteers since 1971.

AMA’s mission is to involve youth in sports related recreational activities. Through our sports programs, we have seen many lives change for the better. Our youth learn respect, safety, sportsmanship, team play, fundamentals and skills needed to become a successful athlete. With the help of donations, fundraising and volunteers, we will continue to see improvement in our youth programs.

* Current Directors

o Shawna Davis / President / Director of Ponytail Softball

o Monica Parker / Vice President / Director of Events

o Darren Diebold / Treasurer / Director of Concessions

o Todd Sherrow / Secretary / Director of Wrestling

o Bob Barnett / Historian / Director of Copello Park

o Jeremy Wood / Sergeant at Arms / Director of Parking

o Ronnie Davis / Director of Basketball

o Nic Valente / Director of Football

​o Nicole Bain, Director

o Melissa Walraven / Executive Secretary

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* Current Commissioners

o Jon Bernasconi / Commissioner of Ponytail Softball

o Suzzi O’Flinn / Commissioner of Cheer

o AC Barnes / Commissioner of Wrestling

o Becca Bales/ Commissioner of Youth Basketball

o Nick Shawkey / Commissioner of Snow Sports

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* Past Directors

Larry Ziehlke, Dan Miller, Millard Smallin, Terry Erickson, Ray Shires, Bob Sanders, Don Peirano, Bill Fish, Myron Jones, Don Fitzgerald, Paul Sherrow, Mike Bradford, John Franklin, Kay Wallace, Bob McReynolds, Mina Peirano, Nick Lucero, Jack Johnson, Bob Owen, John Rice, Doug Brown, Rick Soracco, Ward Redman, Pete Daniels, Mike Croshaw, Mike Ziehlke, Jon Kitchell, Jody Brunz – Exec. Sec., Gary McGeorge, Bob Monsen, Don Dorsey, Tom Tuthill, Fred Artiaga, Rick Darby, Ralph Emerson, Shawna Davis – Exec. Sec., Harry Williams, Tina Croshaw – Exec. Sec., Darla Rehling – Exec. Sec., Doug Dryer, Jim Sherrow, Clayton Carpenter, Mike Ziehlke, Dave Barnes, Steve Ziehlke, Bryan Gross, Rob Dunn

Contact Information:

AMA Booster’s Club, Inc., PO Box 664, 700 Copello Drive, Altaville, CA 95221

www.amayouthsports.com