Juvenile Probation Board reviews robust youth programs

The Eureka County Commissioners convened a quarterly meeting of the Juvenile Probation Board (JPB) on May 15.

The agenda for recreation programs included:

Youth Basketball – The youth basketball program consisted of 45 participants in grades three through six who engaged in a six-week season of intramural play. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges in scheduling games with teams from surrounding areas due to a shortage of participants and coaches in those towns. Coaches for the season were Irma Davila, Steve Zimmerman, Travis Gallagher and Michael Nunn.

Youth Wrestling – There were 45 local participants this year. The President’s Day youth wrestling tournament was a resounding success, attracting over 125 participants from local areas including Tonopah, Indian Springs, Wells, Elko, Spring Creek, Battle Mountain, Crescent Valley, Lovelock and Battle Mountain. The event saw significant involvement from local high school students, who assisted with the tournament. Feedback from volunteers suggested that having at least one representative from Eureka on the mat during any match was essential to provide guidance during the tournament. 

Dance Program – This year, 91 participants were involved in the dance program. The recital took place on April 17, which was one week later than the previous year. The delayed timing received positive feedback from instructors, as it allowed for an additional week of practice. A new addition to the program was the inclusion of team pictures, which, although requiring improvement for future implementation, were well-received by parents. 

Elementary and High School Ski Trip – The elementary school ski trip took place on December 12 and 13, 2024, with a total of 69 participants, 16 chaperones and two bus drivers. A 12-passenger van was also utilized for transportation. During the trip, one injury was reported. The high school ski trip was March 13 and 14, 2025, with 44 participants and five chaperones. An unforeseen expense of approximately $1,000 arose due to the need for lessons for new participants, at a cost of $290 per person. Both the elementary and high school ski trips took place at Brianhead Ski Resort. Notably, the high school ski trip coincided with 20 inches of fresh snowfall, enhancing the skiing experience.

Youth Baseball/Softball/T-ball – The baseball teams encountered a few challenges this season. There was a schedule made in March for the 2025 season, but when it came time to play, the teams found themselves short by a few players. Contributing to this shortage was the existence of another baseball team in a town not affiliated with the JPB program. Another obstacle faced was that Tonopah did not have a team this season and Round Mountain went to a tournament in Fallon. There were no home games as a result of these two contributing factors. Eureka did secure a place in the Fallon tournament, where they borrowed players from other teams to complete their roster. 

Another factor contributing to the short baseball season is that the JPB programs fall under one insurance umbrella for the county recreation league. It doesn’t cover Little League tournaments or associations resembling Little League. This limited the games/tournaments the Eureka teams could participate in. 

Moving forward, it has been proposed to create a Recreation League comprised of Eureka, Tonopah, Round Mountain and potentially, Fallon. This league would follow one set of rules and open up the possibility of playing teams from Lovelock, Fernley and Spanish Springs. 

Softball saw three teams comprised of minors, majors and juniors. The minors team consisted of first-, second- and third-grade participants. It was necessary to combine the grades this year because the number of students able to play has grown smaller. The majors team had 14 participants, and the juniors team had 12. 

T-ball saw 13 participants this season. They practiced one day a week and had a game each Thursday. The team was too small to travel, so the participants broke into teams and played each other in Eureka.

Grad Night – The annual Grad Night celebration was held on Friday, May 30. The JPB event, held at the VAC, witnessed a record-breaking number of participants, marking the highest attendance ever recorded. Thanks to generous donations totaling over $7,000, the students were able to win exceptional prizes, making this sober event a resounding success. 

Basketball/Volleyball/Camps – Basketball camp was moved up by a few weeks to June 2 and 3 because the floors in all three gyms are scheduled to be redone. The event was a success. Future plans for the basketball camp include the possibility of hosting former D1 and NBA players in Eureka, who will serve as motivational speakers and role models for student athletes. 

The upcoming volleyball camp is scheduled to take place July 28-30 and is open to students in grades 5-12. Coaches will be brought in from different areas of the state, some having played on the collegiate level. The details are being finalized for soccer camp, which is scheduled for Aug. 4 and 5.

Crescent Valley Swim Program – The swim program is scheduled for July 21 through 24. The participants will travel to the pool in Battle Mountain each day. A pizza party is planned for them after they arrive back to Crescent Valley on the last day of camp.

Youth Enrichment Program – This program is available for children entering preschool through grade six. It includes Lego Robotics, Ag Week (assisted by the Diamond Mountain FFA chapter) and Science Week. These camps will occur in July and August.

Back to School Parties/Hangout Night – The party for preschool through second grade is scheduled for Aug. 12 at the county swimming pool, and third through sixth grade will have their party on Aug. 13. The hangout night for grades 7 through 12 will take place the evening of Aug. 13.

Beautiful Roots – This program occurs during the month of June. It focuses on preparing kids for kindergarten by teaching ABCs, colors, how to use scissors and a variety of other skills. There are two curriculums, one for one and a half- and two-year-olds and another for three- and four-year-olds. This is the second year Beautiful Roots has been offered to the community. The first year was a great success. 

The JPB is currently reviewing each program offered to the community. They are updating policies and procedures for each and will then present them to the county commissioners for approval. The goal is to provide continuity throughout each program.

Currently, there is one youth in detention and two others under Zimmerman’s supervision. He travels to Alamo, Pioche, Panaca and Caliente to assist with their caseload and also occasionally helps the Ely office with their cases. The Eureka JPB office assists in transporting individuals throughout the state between towns. They are also providing support to the county schools, with Davila starting a Girls Circle group in Crescent Valley to assist at the elementary school there.