Truitt Robinson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover North High School for AZPreps365.com.

The North Mustangs football and baseball teams are hosting a golf tournament fundraiser this summer at Legacy Golf Course that will help the football team to afford summer camp and help the baseball team acquire new gear and equipment. 

“We started a golf tournament two years ago. As I got to talking and knowing coach Liebau, we started connecting more and talking about different opportunities for our kids and how this can benefit both programs and his connections with golf. It turns out, one of my coaches and one of his guys that's tied to the program golf together,” said football coach Mark Mejia.  

“Last year, we were talking more and said ‘Hey, what if we join together moving forward?’ So last year we did it together kind of last minute to help support football and baseball. This year we are hosting it at a better venue. Definitely looking forward to moving forward,” Mejia added.

North’s goal with the fundraiser is to keep the fundraiser going for many years to come and keep to building it. Mejia and Liebau want to make sure that the athletes for both football and baseball have the best experience possible and they want to raise as much money as they can to help further their programs. 

"We’re just trying to do the most we can for the kids, we're trying to build culture. We’re trying to get baseball guys and football guys to know each other because we share athletes, so it’s kind of an all-encompassing event that we get guys together, we can raise a little bit of money, we can have a little bit of fun,” head baseball coach Allen Liebau added on.

Mejia says he wants the athletes to have a “first-class experience.” 

The Mustangs are advertising and promoting their fundraiser by reaching out to as many people as they can. This could be parents, golfers, alumni and any local contacts they may have.

“On baseball’s end, we’re trying to get parents involved, just trying to see what contacts we have. Most of the golfers we had last year were friends, family, alumni, stuff like that,” said Liebau. “That’s kind of what makes it the most fun is when you get alumni to come and bring their buddies, hopefully one day their kids come to play for us.”

“This year we created a link, so we have an actual website through Birdease, so sharing that link out, there’s a QR code from that so blasting it through our campus, through our different social media platforms," Mejia said. "Just trying to share it every way possible.”

North’s athletic director, Rebecca Vogel, says the fundraiser is a great way to help both football and baseball financially, as the money will help cover the cost of the camp the football team goes to in July to escape the Phoenix heat. The money will help the baseball team afford new gear and provide opportunities for students to join and attend.

“North High School is able to cover the cost of the bus for the team, but the tournament will pay their registration and camp fees. The baseball benefits as well, and are able to purchase gear and provide opportunities for their students to participate in extra events with the money,” said Vogel.