Angels Camp, CA…AMA Football and Cheer teams consist of boys and girls in the area of the Highway 4 corridor from Copperopolis, Angels Camp, Murphys and Arnold areas. Boys and girls from the ages of 7 to 14 are eligible to play. Our Football and Cheer Staff are run by 100% volunteers who emphasize fundamentals, teamwork, safety and sportsmanship. AMA Football and Cheer generally practice three days a week from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Copello Park, 700 Copello Drive, in Angels Camp. Our season begins July 31st and runs through the middle of November. We travel to locations around the Mother Lode and AMA is affiliated with the Foothill Youth Football League.

Angels – Murphys – Arnold Booster’s Club (AMA) was developed and will continue to operate as a volunteer organization aimed at promoting and encouraging equal access to athletics for youth in the Angels, Murphys and Arnold vicinities. AMA athletic programs are designed to educate, encourage and enable youth of all backgrounds and abilities to develop athletic skills, sportsmanship, respect, and team camaraderie. AMA further strives to maintain a safe and disciplined environment for the personal development of each athlete. It is the goal of AMA to generate positive changes in the lives of youth and provide inspiration for both participants and volunteers as they work together toward these goals.

About AMA

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 most recently the Ironstone Vineyard Concerts. Currently, AMA carries on the tradition of parking cars at the Fair as well as the Bret Harte FFA Oysters ‘n Oinkers event. Fair Parking and our Annual Crab Feed are the principal fundraisers that benefit 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 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 6 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, MACTA Tennis 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, (three from the Mark Twain School District – three from the Vallecito School District – three 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 successful athletes, future leaders within our community, and upstanding individuals. With the help of donations, fundraising and volunteers, we can continue to support and improve our youth programs.

Current Directors

Shawna Davis – President

Monica Parker – Vice-President / Director of Events

Darren Diebold – Treasurer / Director of Concessions

Nicole Bain – Secretary / Director of Football & Cheer

Jeremy Wood – Sergeant at Arms / Director of Parking

Jon Bernasconi – Historian / Director of Ponytail Softball

Ronnie Davis – Director of Copello Park

Nic Valente – Director of Wrestling

Chelsie McDaniel – Director of Basketball

Melissa Walraven – Executive Secretary

Current Commissioners

Becca Kane – Commissioner of Youth Basketball

Kim Paulden – Commissioner of Cheer

Paul Paulden – Commissioner of Football

Jessica Day – Commissioner of Wrestling

Nichole Willis – Commissioner of Ponytail Softball

Bob Barnett – Commissioner of Copello Park

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 (2x), Dave Barnes, Steve Ziehlke, Bryan Gross, Rob Dunn, Todd Sherrow, Bob Barnett

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Contact Information:
AMA Booster’s Club, Inc., PO Box 664, Altaville, CA 95221
www.amayouthsports.com