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Dear Members, Families, Volunteers, Staff, and Community Partners,
As fall is upon us, there's so much to love about this season. We are thrilled to see our fall sports programs—tackle football, softball, and baseball—off to such a fantastic start! The enthusiasm and participation from our athletes, coaches, families, and volunteers have been inspiring. Your dedication and commitment continue to drive the success of our programs and create memorable experiences for everyone involved.
We are grateful for the strong sense of community that surrounds us. It’s your energy, passion, and support that help us provide opportunities for our youth to grow, learn, and excel both on and off the field. Whether you’re cheering from the sidelines, volunteering your time, or helping out behind the scenes, each of you plays a vital role in shaping the positive, inclusive environment we strive to maintain.
To all of our sponsors, THANK YOU! We are grateful for your continued support of our athletes, programs, and park.
As we continue through this season, let’s keep up the great work. Let’s support each other, celebrate our achievements, and, most importantly, make sure our young student-athletes have fun and build lasting memories. Together, we are not just playing sports; we are building a community.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Here’s to a fantastic fall season full of growth, teamwork, and success!
Warm regards,
Hazel Williams, Jr.
MARA Board President
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August has been a busy month as we finished up our summer projects and prepared the park for fall!
Here are a few of our summer projects:
- New LED lights have been added to Fields 9. 10, 1, and PF1
- Catherine Danner Batting Cage on Field 10 has been completed! The cage was rightfully named after the softball athlete that raised the most money during our Spring Softball Hit-A-Thon. Next up in our Batting Cage Renovations Project is Field 1.
- We performed some much needed upgrades and field renovations at the Pleasant Plains Baptist Church field. These upgrades allow us to grow our baseball program as well as our partnership with Pleasant Plains.
- Rip Rap Stone was added between Field 10 and PF1 to help promote drainage.
- We added gravel to walkways and the main parking lot and geogrids were strategically placed around the park grounds to help with erosion and prevent ruts.
- New sign structures have been added around the park. Updated signage will be added throughout the fall season.
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New poles and LED Lights (Field 1) | |
Catherine Danner Batting Cage (Field 10) | |
Pleasant Plains Baptist Church Field | |
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Concessions is OPEN and we are excited to be back filling your bellies with all of your concessions needs!
Schedule for our Main Concession Stand:
Monday - Friday: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday: TBD for scheduled events
Due to the recent storm damage, the small concession stand near field one is temporarily closed for repairs.
*Hours are subject to change based on field usage, staff availability and weather conditions.
**If concessions is closed, please grab a cold drink at the Coke machine in the breezeway or fill up your water bottle at the water fountains!
| If you want to skip the concession lines, scan the QR code on the signs around the park to access our online menu and order ahead. | |
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Fall Opening Day
Saturday, September 14
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Sam's Xpress Car Wash Fundraiser | |
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Friday, September 13 - Sunday September 15
9:00am - 9:00pm
Sam's Xpress, 10701 Monroe Rd., Matthews
Input code 4001 and MARA will get back a portion of each Top Wash purchased.
For more details, click here.
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Make sure to visit The Local Scoop in Ballantyne or Matthews Saturday, September 14 between 12pm and 10pm and get 20% off your scoop(s). | |
MARA Spirit Night at Cantina Louie
Thursday, September 26, 4pm - 10pm
Dine in or Carryout
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With baseball back in full swing and with games and tournaments scheduled, please tag MARA on social media. We would love to celebrate our players and their accomplishments by sharing with our community of fans and supporters.
If you would like your recreation, challenge, or travel team's accomplishments to be featured in our MARA Monthly Newsletter, please send pictures and tournament information to dana@marasports.net.
Good luck to all our baseball players! We can't wait to see what the season has in store!
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Riggins Easton is no stranger to our Home Run Hitter's Club. In April, while representing MARA in an "Under the Lights Tournament," he stunned the crowd by hitting an over the fence home run!
Riggins started playing baseball at MARA when he was 3 years old when his dad, Eric, coached his t-ball team the Indians. Riggins, 9 years old and in 4th grade, is now playing on the Minors Diamondbacks and on the MARA Mudcats Challenge team.
When Riggins is not on the baseball field, you can find him outside playing basketball and football, riding his bike, and fishing with his two younger brothers Beau (7) and Bentley (2). Riggins loves the Buffalo Bills (especially Josh Allen), vanilla ice-cream preferably in a root beer float, pizza, and math. He is always active and hates being late!
CONGRATULATIONS Riggins. Keep hitting those dingers!
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The Home Run Hitter's Club, sponsored by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, will be a monthly feature in our newsletter.
If you have a player that hits an "over the fence" home run, please dana@marasports.net.
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Charlotte Knights Girls in Sports Event
Truist Field | |
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Our MARA Colts Cheer team was invited to participate in the Charlotte Knights Girls in Sports event on Monday, August 27 at Truist Field. It was an honor to join other communities in the Charlotte area to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of women in the sports industry.
Thank you Charlotte Knights for inviting us to share in the celebration!
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Matthews Alive Labor Day Parade | |
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On Saturday, August 31 our Cheer team represented MARA in the Matthews Alive parade! What a fabulous time we had showcasing our young athletes to our community and expressing our gratitude for their support!
Thank you Town of Matthews for allowing us the opportunity to be part of your celebrations!
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MARA Colts Football and Cheer Golf Ball Drop Fundraiser
Sunday, October 6, 12pm
Click here to learn more about the fundraiser and to purchase your golf balls!
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Custom Mouth Guards w/
SP Orthodontics
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If you are interested in getting a custom mouth guard, it is not too late.
A few things to note:
- First mouth guard is $15
- Additional guards are $20 each
- If your player has braces, S/P will provide a standard non custom mouthguard.
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Payment for mouth guard(s) will be due at time of pick up or you can prepay online by clicking here.
- If your player needs an additional mouth guard throughout the season, S/P Orthodontics will be able to create a new one for you in a matter of a few days.
Give SP Orthodontics a call at (704) 594-7171 to set up a free consultation for your mold.
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With football games already underway, please make sure to tag MARA_Sports on social media. We would love to celebrate our players and their accomplishments.
If you would like your tackle football team's accomplishments to be featured in our MARA Monthly Newsletter, please send pictures and tournament information to dana@marasports.net.
Good luck to all our tackle football players! We can't wait to see what the season has in store!
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With practices already underway, please make sure to tag MARA on social media when posting your team's updates. We would love to share in the celebrating of our players and their accomplishments.
If you would like your recreation, challenge, or travel team's accomplishments to be featured in our MARA Monthly Newsletter, please send pictures and tournament information to dana@marasports.net.
Good luck to all our players! We can't wait to see what the season has in store!
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Matthews Chamber of Commerce
After Hours Event
Thursday, September 19, 5pm
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The Matthews Chamber of Commerce will be partnering with Pentagon Group Insurance for their September Business After Hours event on Thursday, September 18 at Moo & Brew Matthews.
Join us for live music by Firebyrd, food & drink, and a raffle! Raffle items will be donated by local businesses with all proceeds going to support MARA. If you are business owner and would like to donate to our raffle, please email dana@marasports.net.
If you would like to attend the event, click here to register!
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MARA Digital Sponsor Directory | |
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Do you need a plumber, an orthodontist, a realtor, a facial or a scoop of ice cream? Don't stress. We have all of your needs covered in one spot - our 2024 MARA Digital Sponsor Directory!
Click here to access our sponsor directory complete with their phone numbers and direct links to their website.
Thank you for supporting our sponsors!
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Refer a New Sponsor -
Get a FREE Banner!
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Are you a current sponsor and would like to have an additional banner for no additional cost?
Refer a new sponsor and when they sign up for a sponsorship, we will hang additional banner for your business at the park!
Please emails all referrals to Dana Bouque at dana@marasports.net.
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Are you looking for an additional opportunity to advertise your business? Our new banner wall located at Field 1 will give your business more visibility to our members and to the Matthews community. With different sizes and price points available, if you are interested, please contact Dana at (704) 491-6857 or at dana@marasports.net.
Thank you to Tony Huezo with Dimension Building Specialists for constructing our new banner wall.
If you are in need of his services and expertise, click here.
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Interested in sponsoring at MARA? | |
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Do you own a local business in the Matthews area and want to advertise with MARA? Are you interested in sponsoring your player's team or displaying your business' logo around the park?
To learn more about partnering with MARA, please contact Dana Bouque at (704) 491-6857 or dana@marasports.net.
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1020 Kemble St., Waxhaw | (704) 862-4942 | 2027 Currier Pl., Indian Trail | (704) 989 - 7570 | CJRA Rugby | (704) 277 - 7630 | |
10737 Independence Point Pkwy., Suite 102, Matthews
(704) 843 - 7465
| 15429 Catawba Circle S., Stallings | (980) 722 - 5184 | 301 E. John St., Matthews | (704) 222 - 0570 | 434 N. Trade St., Matthews | (704) 845 - 5538 | 2116 Crown Centre Dr., Charlotte | (704) 246 - 8402 | 10046-A E. Independence Blvd., Matthews | (704) 246 - 6445 | |
Academy Sports + Outdoors is your one-stop shop for the best sports and outdoors gear at the best prices in Charlotte! Academy has six convenient locations in Concord, Gastonia, Kannapolis, Matthews, Mooresville, and Rock Hill. Chase your next adventure with the new equipment and gear from Academy Sports + Outdoors. | |
If you are interested in attending "Try Rugby," click here to register. | |
It is easy to rush to urgent care or a hospital emergency room when a sudden sports injury occurs, but seeking same-day orthopedic care from Novant Health might be a better solution to get you back to your daily activities. Read more! | |
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Pleasant Plain Baptist Church
Trunk or Treat
Sunday, October 27, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
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Do you have something you would like add to our MARA Monthly Newsletter? Would you like to showcase your teams' accomplishments or promote an upcoming MARA event?
Please email Dana Bouque at dana@marasports.net with your newsletter additions and pictures before September 25.
We are happy spread your good news!
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