E3 Sports Complex hopes to change the game

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The E3 Sports Complex in North Rapid City is taking youth sports to the next level.

It’s been open full-time for a week, and is already attracting athletes from around the area. The facility is on the corner of North and Cambell, and plans on hosting basketball, volleyball and soccer practices and looks to expand to games and tournaments soon.

“It’s a really terrific location,” E3 Sports President Scott Zimmerman said. “It’s centrally located to all of the population in the Rapid City area. Very easy to access from Box Elder, the valley, West Rapid. It is even easy to access from the Blackhawk area, it’s just jump on the freeway, and you’re here.”

Zimmerman has noticed a need for local sports resources and decided to handle the issue himself. Now, teams in the area have a space to practice and play without having to jump around from school to school.

“We could get everything done and still get home in time to have dinner with your family,” Ted Standing Soldier Jr., FCA West River Representative said of the new complex. “When you have that many teams sharing practice space it’s definitely a challenge.”

E3 Sports and the local FCA and Iron Five basketball program recently hired a group of trainers to help man the courts full-time. One trainer has pro hoops experience, another has a love for working with kids but bother are excited to make an impact.

“The kids need help here, and they got this facility, amazing facility, that we could be pioneers of helping take off something big, I said ‘why not,’ E3 Sports trainer Kwe Falconer said.

“To be able to do that, be involved with basketball, be involved with kids and be involved with FCA and E3 is just awesome and so yeah we plan to be here for the long haul,” E3 Sports trainer Casey Frandsen added.

While FCA and Iron Five use the facilities, the complex is open to everyone no matter the sport or age.

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