The Fiesta Bowl Parade is slated for Dec. 28 in central Phoenix and will feature five women as grand marshals. (File photo)
To recognize the theme of Women in Sports at the 2019 Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, presented by Cheez-It, the Fiesta Bowl will honor five female icons with Arizona ties.
A mix of world champions, Olympic gold medalists and trailblazers will serve as grand marshals for the parade at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 through central Phoenix, according to a press release.
Grand marshals for the 2019 Fiesta Bowl Parade are Special Olympics golfer Amy Bockerstette, U.S. Women’s Soccer standouts Julie Ertz and Jessica McDonald, U.S. Paralympic gold medalist Allysa Seely and Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi.
“Celebrating Women in Sports in Arizona is important to honor within our community,” Mike Nealy, executive director of the Fiesta Bowl, said in a prepared statement.
“This year’s Grand Marshals have amazed us with their athletic accomplishments and are an inspiration for the next generation of female athletes.”
The parade’s grand marshal honors an individual or group whose vision aligns with the Fiesta Bowl’s commitment to driving economic growth, champion charitable causes and executing innovative experiences.
These five women represent what the Fiesta Bowl stands for, on top of being talented athletes, a release states.
“Our sponsorship of the Fiesta Bowl Parade has been great. I think it brings the whole community together and we’re celebrating, really, the Valley,” Desert Financial President and CEO Jeff Meshey said in a prepared statement.
“We’re also celebrating the diversity of the people that live here and I think that says a lot for Phoenix, and it’s why I want to live here.”
Past females to serve as Fiesta Bowl Parade grand marshals include Janet Evans, Jennie Finch, Missy Franklin, Natalie Gulbis, Misty Hyman, Kerri Strug and Amy Van Dyken-Rouen.
Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Tauras (3) (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
Ms. Bockerstette is the first Special Olympics athlete to receive a full college athletic scholarship and plays golf for Paradise Valley Community College.
Earlier this year, she scored a par on the 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in front of thousands of cheering fans. She was the keynote speaker at the National Down Syndrome Congress and continues to be an example of what someone with a disability can accomplish.
A native of Mesa, Ms. Ertz last week was named to the 2019 FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11 and earned 2017 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year. She won two World Cup titles and has been on the National Team since 2013.
Not only is Ms. Ertz a role model on the field, but she’s a leader in her community as well. The Dobson High School graduate and her husband, Zach, a tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, co-founded the Ertz Family Foundation to create opportunities for children in sports and education.
Ms. McDonald made her first World Cup appearance this year at 31 and was the only mother on the Team USA at the 2019 World Cup. She has a 7-year-old son, Jeremiah, who motivates her to chase her dreams.
The Cactus High School graduate started her college career at Phoenix College, earned a scholarship to the University of North Carolina and spent a season playing in Australia.
“Celebrating women in sports is important and Arizona has a lot to be proud of,” Ms. McDonald said in a prepared statement.
“From Gold Medalists like us, all the way down to young girls just starting their journey. It’s fantastic that the Fiesta Bowl is recognizing the accomplishments of women from the state.”
Ms. Seely won an ESPY Award this summer for Best Female Athlete with a Disability. After graduating from Mountain Ridge High School, she competed for the club triathlon team at Arizona State University before she was diagnosed with brain, spine and connective tissue conditions in 2010.
She was told she might never walk unaided again and then overcame it all, winning gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games and became a three-time ITU Paratriathalon World Champion.
“The community here in Arizona has been very supportive of me in my athletic career and encouraging all along the way so it’s awesome to be able to be recognized in my home state at such a big event,” Ms. Seely said in a prepared statement.
“Women in sports is such an important focus for so many reasons. As an athlete at the elite level right now my most important role is to be somebody for young girls to look up to and I take that very seriously.”
Ms. Taurasi has a long list of accomplishments on her resume.
The first overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft for the Phoenix Mercury after earning three NCAA Championships at UConn, Ms. Taurasi is a four-time Olympic Gold Medalist for Team USA, three-time WNBA Champion and was the WNBA MVP in 2009.
Last year, she received the WNBA Cares Community Assist award for supporting a nonprofit organization helping single moms and for her support of the LGBTQ community, according to a release.
“I’ve been on a lot of teams but that’s a pretty strong starting five right there,” Ms. Taurasi said in a prepared statement.
“It’s a time for women in sports to be recognized and carry this torch into the future. I think what the Fiesta Bowl is doing this year says a lot about what they mean to the community, what they mean to the country as far as forward thinking and going in the right direction.”
The Fiesta Bowl Parade will feature various colored floats, giant balloons, equestrian units, charitable groups, local celebrities and marching bands that will make their way down the two-mile route through central Phoenix.
Admission is free to the public with premium and reserved seating available for $30. The event is broadcast live on Arizona’s Family 3TV. Every year, a combination of more than 2,500 men, women, children, floats, balloons and animals participate in the parade.
