My Town Rocks: Sahuarita, Arizona

For anyone not aware, there is a new Bleacher Report contest started by Chris Radez.

In this contest, you are supposed to make a case for your town. You are supposed to tell why it rocks, and what it contributes to the sporting world.

My town is Sahuarita, Arizona.

At least now it is. I moved here a few weeks ago and absolutely love it.

Do I know anybody yet? Not really. Am I totally familiar with it yet? Not a chance. Can I correctly say the town's name? Sometimes. Do I love it? You bet.

When most people think of Arizona, they think of the picture above. Desert. Heat. Thirst!

For the most part, they are correct. For about three months of the year the temperature is regularly over 100 degrees. But the rest, which I have yet to really experience, is absolutely perfect.

Seventy-five degrees at mid-day, every day throughout the fall, winter, and spring is why most Arizonians choose to endure the summer heat.

But even in this heat there is a strong sense of community that is very evident.

Every Saturday night there is a "movie night", located outdoors under the stars in the middle of town. It is free to watch the giant screen project the movie, and complementary popcorn is provided. Just bring your own lawn chairs.

I would guess that about 300 people attended the 8:00 pm movie.

There was chatting, playing in playgrounds, and general mingling going on before the movie. The sense of community was incredible.

Sahuarita is located just south of Tucson, Arizona. The Arizona Diamondbacks are a quick two-hour hop to the north in Phoenix, along with the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State college, and the Phoenix Coyotes.

Hockey in Arizona? On ice? Really?

Down in Tucson, though, there is the great University of Arizona. The Arizona/Arizona State rivalry is fierce everywhere around and near both Tucson and Sahuarita.

Also in Tucson are the Tucson Sidewinders, the Diamondbacks' Triple A affiliate.

As chance would have it, I am actually going to a Diamondbacks game tomorrow night. My dad and I will leave at 1:30 and slowly make our way up to the 6:40 game, with fun detours along the way.

There is also a huge variety of sporting fans here in Sahuarita.

Like me, a lot of people have relocated here from somewhere else in the country. There is a kid at my church who is a huge Green Bay Packers fan. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I am a newly displaced Vikings fan. Enough said.

Sahuarita could be the best town in the world, and I've only been here for a few weeks. I have never seen a place display as much community as I have in this town.

So feel free to escape the winter snow or the spring heat by coming down and visiting the beautiful town of Sahuarita, Arizona!

Oh, yeah. We also have had two national softball players of the year and Manuel Barreda, who was drafted by the Yankees in 2007. That counts for something.