GOODYEAR, AZ — The death of the head of a youth football organization in the Valley comes as a sad ending in an unraveling season for thousands of young athletes.
Meanwhile, families associated with the program are organizing their own games to try and finish the season.
Troy Gastineau and Ashley McLaughlin have taken a lesson commonly taught on the gridiron and applied it to the challenge they and many other Valley parents are facing this football season.
“We’re getting calls weekly,” said Gastineau.
Hundreds of parents around the Valley paid for their kids to play in the NYS Youth Valley football program. But when schedules didn’t come out on time followed by communication coming from legal representatives, many parents wanted answers for what they paid for.
That led ABC15 to learn the top organizer for NYS in the Valley for more than two decades, James Vieth was looking to file for bankruptcy.
That was the case until Monday, when his family confirmed, that Vieth died after an ongoing battle with his health over the weekend.
Vieth’s daughter Sarah Little tells ABC15, that the 55-year-old, worked in youth sports his whole life, always looking to serve the underserved through years of relationships. She said he was “in the business of serving others.”
The national NYS organization shared a statement saying “National Youth Sports is heartbroken to learn of the passing of James Vieth. James was a friend, a colleague, and an ambassador for youth sports, here in Arizona, for the past 23 years. James will be remembered for his storytelling, his jovial spirit and his dedication to his family, friends, and work. Our hearts are heaviest for his wife and children. James will be deeply missed by NYS and the greater youth sports community.”
Gastineau and McLaughlin are calling on any youth football programs, looking for games to reach out to Estrella Mountain Ranch sports in Goodyear.
”We’re just doing the best we can in the football community to make sure we can play,” said Gastineau
They tell ABC15 they have a place to play, willing teams and various age groups. The only added fees would be for refs and the field.
The lesson of never giving up is on display off the field this season.
“You got to keep going, and keep trucking, where there’s a will there’s a way,” said McLaughlin.
ABC15 was told by his attorney that Vieth planned to file for bankruptcy this week.
To contact EMR Sports, contact Ashley@emrsports.com or Troy@emrsports.com
