April 2026 S4EA Newsletter
Published monthly for athletes, families, friends, volunteers, coaches & other supporters of SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes.
Editor: Walter Jackson.
Message from S4EA Executive Director Walter Jackson
​
Congratulations to the Guacamole Kings team who won the coveted "Guacamole Bowl" Trophy as the best overall team at the Guacamole Bowl held March 21st at the Balboa Park Club. Click here for Results. Join S4EA at the Pancake Breakfast on Sat Apr 18 at S4EA office. S4EA is running our spring sports (basketball, bowling, cycling, pickleball, swimming & track). S4EA has received Vendor Approval from San Diego Regional Center for SPORTS Camp May 15-17 at Buckhorn Camp in Idyllwild. "A Taste 4 SPORTS" gala fundraiser takes place Sat June 27 from 6-9pm at the Balboa Park Club. Check out the rest of the Newsletter or call S4EA at 858-565-7432 for more information.​
S4EA Pancake Breakfast/Athlete Council Elections Sat April 18 at S4EA Office
The S4EA Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser is being held at the S4EA Office (8380 Vickers St. #E, San Diego 92111) on Saturday, April 18 from 8-10am for $10 per person. The breakfast includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, juice & coffee. A raffle will be held. The S4EA Athlete Council elections will be held at the Pancake Breakfast for the following S4EA Athlete Council Officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary & Sergeant-At-Arms. Bring family & friends to the delicious breakfast and support S4EA. For more info or tickets, call S4EA at 858-565-7432.
“A Taste 4 SPORTS” June 27 at Balboa Park Club
S4EA is hosting for our members the 19th Annual "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Gala Fundraiser on Saturday, June 27th from 6-9pm at the Balboa Park Club (2150 Pan American Road West, SD 92101) featuring food & wine from 15-20 restaurants, personal chefs, caterers & wineries. S4EA is honoring the 2026 'SPORTS Person of the Year'. Mingle with notable local & celebrity figures, including Mad Mike from MTVs “Pimp My Ride”, enjoy music from the band ‘Kenny & the Jets’ & bid on an exquisite array of auction items. Reservations are $60 per person.
​
Sponsorship opportunities available at following levels: Platinum-$10,000, Gold-$5,000, Silver-$1,000 & Bronze-$500. Please donate gift certificates, trips, autographed sports memorabilia to enhance the auction. For more info, call 858-565-7432 or visit www.s4ea.org.
Volunteer Appreciation Week April 19-25
Volunteers are the backbone of the SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes program. Our volunteer coaches organize practices and teach athletes various sports skills. At tournaments – volunteers are referees, scorekeepers, timers, help with set-up, take-down, Nerve Center, meals . . . and everything else that needs to be done. At SPORTS Camps – volunteers are chaperones, helping our athletes at sports and camp activities, as well as at meals and in the cabin. Our volunteers become friends of our athletes. Volunteers also help with office projects, fundraisers, as committee members, and as S4EA Board members.
​
Join S4EA in thanking our coaches and volunteers for all of their efforts in providing sports programs to our very special athletes during Volunteer Appreciation Week April 19-25.
S4EA Celebrates our 19th Anniversary
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes (S4EA) was founded in April 2007 by a group of coaches, parents, volunteers & community members who found a need for a community based inclusive sports program for athletes with & without disabilities in San Diego County. Thank you to all of our athletes, families, friends, volunteers, coaches & supporters for making our first 19 years a great success!
S4EA Board of Directors Elections
S4EA will be having elections for our new Board of Directors. If you are interested in helping run our non-profit sports organization by becoming a board member, then call S4EA at 858-565-7432 by April 30th.
SPORTS Camp May 15-17 at Buckhorn Camp in Idyllwild
S4EA SPORTS Camp Session #1 on May 15-17 at Buckhorn Camp in Idyllwild (24641 Hwy 243, Idyllwild 92549) offers sports (bocce, Ga-Ga, human foosball, swimming, and an indoor gymnasium to play basketball, floor hockey, soccer, and volleyball) and traditional camp activities (crafts, hiking, dance, talent show) at a camp in the mountains in Idyllwild. Campers spend 2 nights in cabins under the guidance of camp counselors/chaperones. Persons with developmental disabilities, families, friends, volunteers, coaches, and supporters are all welcome to join S4EA at SPORTS Camp.
​
The S4EA SPORTS Camp Registration Fee is $400 per person to help pay for lodging, meals, insurance, supplies, etc. Mail Fee & S4EA Camp Registration Form as soon as possible to S4EA (8380 Vickers St. #E, SD, CA 92111). $100 advance deposit guarantees a spot at camp. If camper needs 1-on-1 chaperone, a Supplemental Staffing Fee of $200 is charged. Transportation is available for $100 or campers may be brought directly to Buckhorn Camp in Idyllwild which is a little over a 2 hour drive from San Diego. S4EA has received Vendor Approval from Regional Center for SPORTS Camp. Please contact your Regional Center worker to apply & get approval for Registration Fee, Supplemental Staffing Fee &/or Transportation Fee.
For more information, call S4EA at 858-565-7432.
S4EA SPORTS Camp -Chaperones Needed
Volunteers ages 18 & over are needed to chaperone for SPORTS Camp May 15-17 at Buckhorn Camp in Idyllwild. Family and friends are welcome to chaperone. No experience needed.
​
Call S4EA at 858-565-7432 to chaperone.
​​
S4EA Spring Season Sports - Need Volunteer Coaches
​
S4EA needs volunteer coaches this spring & summer for the following:
​
-
S4EA needs volunteer coaches this spring in basketball, bowling, cycling, pickleball, swimming & track at various practice site locations
-
S4EA needs volunteer coaches this summer in bocce, soccer, softball & tennis at various practice site locations
If interested in volunteer coaching, to get a Volunteer Application, or for more information, please call S4EA at 858-565-7432.
SD Parks & Recreation - Therapeutic Rec. Services
San Diego Parks & Recreation (SDP&R) – Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) provides therapeutic recreation programs for children and adults with any type of disability. SDP&R-TRS is co-sponsoring S4EA activities at SD City Facilities so that S4EA athletes and volunteers also need to register with SDP&R-TRS. S4EA athletes need to either register on-line with SDRecConnect.com or register at the first practice with SDP&R-TRS. The facilities that S4EA uses in the spring are Park de la Cruz-Basketball/Pickleball Mon (Code: 129819) and Kearny Mesa Recreation Center-Junior Open Sports Thu (Code: 129820).
S4EA Summer Sports Festival Aug 15 at Park de la Cruz
​
S4EA is bringing back the popular Summer Sports Festival on Saturday, August 15th to be held at Park de la Cruz (3901 Landis St., San Diego 92105) from 10am-3pm. Play a variety of sports such as Basketball, Bocce, Flag Football, Floor Hockey, Futsal, Lacrosse, Pickleball, Quidditch, Soccer, Softball & Volleyball. The picnic will also include lunch, music, relay races, fun & games, party time & socializing with friends & family
.
The SPORTS Festival is sponsored by SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes and co-sponsored by San Diego Parks & Recreation – Therapeutic Recreation Services (code: ). Athletes with developmental disabilities, families, friends, coaches, volunteers, supporters, and others in the community are invited to play in our Sports Festival/Picnic. Join in the fun & games! Play as many sports as you want. There is no cost. To sign up or for more information, call SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes at 858-565-7432.
​
![5a47432119c47_thumb900[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b2634_23f72a84277444e9b8cf936426033237~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_838,h_471,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/3b2634_23f72a84277444e9b8cf936426033237~mv2.jpg)
.S4EA Spring Season
​
Sport Practices
​​​
Mon 6:00-8:00pm Park de la Cruz (3901 Landis St., SD 92105) Jan 5-Apr 6 [Winter League] (Code: 127432 )
Mon 6:00-8:30pm Park de la Cruz (3901 Landis St., SD 92105) Apr 13-May 4 [Spring League] (Code: 129819)
Thu 4:00-5:30pm Kearny Mesa Rec Ctr. (3170 Armstrong, SD 92111) Jan 15-Apr 9 not Apr 2 [Jr](Code: 127433)
Thu 4:00-5:30pm Kearny Mesa Rec Ctr (3170 Armstrong, SD 92111) Apr 16-May 7 [Spring Open Jr] (Code 129820)
Thu 6:00-7:30pm Bostonia Recreation Center (1049 Bostonia, El Cajon 92021) January 22-April 9
Thu 6:00-7:00pm Boys & Girls Club-Vista (410 W. California Ave, Vista 92083) January 15-April 9
Fri 5:30-7:00pm Parkway Community Center Gymnasium (373 Park Way, CV 91910) Jan 16-Apr 10
​​
​​​​​Bowling
Sat 11am-1pm Lucky Strike/Bowlero CV (845 Lazo Ct, CV 91910) Sep 6-Apr 25 - $9 for 2 games [League Play]
Sun Apr 12 & 26 10:45am-12:20pm Mira Mesa Lanes (8210 Mira Mesa Blvd, SD 92126) -$5 per bowler per hour+ (early bird special-new time), generally every other Sunday, Dates are subject to change. Please contact cathysturdivant@yahoo.com to confirm.
​​​​​
Sat Apr 11 1:15-3:30pm Tidelands Park, Coronado (Parking lot nearest bay) -Cycling season starts April 25.
[see calendar, S4EA website, coach or call S4EA at 858-565-7432 for more info]
​​​​
Mon 5:30-6:30pm Park de la Cruz (3901 Landis St., SD 92105) Mar 30-May 4 (Code: 129819)
​​​
Fri 7:00-8:00pm Copley YMCA (4300 El Cajon Blvd, SD 92105) Apr 10-Dec 18 [swimmers only]
​
​​​Track
Sat 10:00am-12noon Sweetwater High School (2900 Highland Ave, National City 91950) January 3-April 25
Sun 9:00-11:00am Helix High School (7323 University Ave., La Mesa 91941) January 11-April 19
​​
​​​​​​​​​​​Workout-Hikes/Exercise
Limitless Adventures is a volunteer-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides outdoor recreational experiences for people with disabilities. Their current programming consists of hikes and other activities & operates within the Greater San Diego Area. For more info, go to: https://www.limitless-adventures.org/ -Upcoming events: Torrey Pines Hike-Apr 18
​
Spring Sports - Call S4EA at 858-565-7432 to confirm or for more info.
S4EA Tournament & Event Dates
​​​
Apr 11 9am-5pm S4EA Basketball Tournament - Park de la Cruz, St. Augustine HS & Mid-City Gym
Apr 18 8-10am S4EA Pancake Breakfast/Athlete Council Elections - S4EA Office
Apr 25 9am-1pm S4EA Final Track Meet - Sweetwater High School
May 15-17 Fri 4pm-Sun 1pm S4EA SPORTS Camp - Buckhorn Camp-Idyllwild
May 30 3:30-5pm S4EA Bingo Bash - S4EA Office
Jun 27 6-9pm S4EA "A Taste 4 SPORTS" - Balboa Park Club
Jul 18 9am-3pm Windansea Day at the Beach - La Jolla Shores Beach
Aug 8 8am-1pm S4EA Swim Meet - St. Madeleine Sophie's Center
Aug 15 10am-3pm S4EA/TRS Summer Sports Festival - Park de la Cruz
Aug 30 9am-4pm S4EA Soccer Tournament - Morley Field, Balboa Park
Sep 13 9am-5pm S4EA Softball & Tennis Tournament - Morley Field, Balboa Park
