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About KIDS Playing for KIDS

Kids Playing For Kids was created by coach Jan "Tav" Tavrytzky who saw that his players could learn more than how to just play the game but also about what really matters in life. These kids benefit from the camaraderie and inclusion on a team that their conditions may have previously kept them from. All the kids benefit and the results are a lifetime of amazing memories!

board of directors & volunteer staff

Coach Tav

Jan Tavrytzky

President

Coach Tav grew up in Washington State playing soccer, football, running track, and snow skiing. Tav graduated from the US Air Force Academy with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1986 where he also played football. He flew the F-16 in the Air Force, South Carolina Air National Guard, and Luke Reserves for 20 years, including flying in Desert Storm, and retired in 2006 as a Lt. Colonel. Jan is currently a Boeing 777 Captain flying internationally for FedEx. He is married to the lovely Venita, and has twin boys, Tyler & Tanner. They have lived in Phoenix since 2000. He has coached youth sports for over 12 years in soccer, football, and lacrosse. After coaching several teams to Championships, he realized the need to teach his players more about just winning on the field, but more importantly winning in life.

Venita Tavrytzky

Venita Tavrytzky

Secretary

Venita Tavrytzky is a wife and mother of twin athletes. Prior to being a taxi driver for her teenage boys who are now in the Air & Space Force, she graduated with a marketing degree from the University of Arizona in 1991. She went on to work in sales for one of the first cellular companies in the industry. Currently, working part time at Midwestern University.

Kevin C. Barrett, Esq.

Vice President

Kevin is a lawyer and founding shareholder of the Phoenix-based firm of Graif Barrett & Matura. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Arizona and his Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University. He specializes in insurance coverage and litigation and is admitted to practice law in Arizona, California and Nevada. Kevin grew up in Tucson, Arizona and is an avid fan of the Wildcats. In sharing his love of sports with his son, Kevin developed a deep appreciation for the character-building principals of team sports and how those lessons could be shared with all kids regardless of their physical limitations. The participants in the KPFK program continue to inspire Kevin and his family.

Tyler & Tanner Tavrytzky

Directors of Social Media

Tanner and Tyler are graduates of Yale University. Both enjoyed playing lacrosse and snow skiing. Tanner is now in the Air Force and training to become an F-35 pilot. Tyler is in the Space Force. They enjoy their free time with friends.

Tim Hart

Timothy S. Hart, CPA

Treasurer

Mr. Hart has over thirty years of vast accounting and finance experience to include 10 years with KPMG, one the worlds largest international public accounting firms. Most recently, Mr. Hart expanded his private practice to form R3 Accounting LLC. Mr. Hart holds a bachelors degree in Accountancy, Economics and Business Administration from Thomas More College, and has been a certified public accountant since 1984. Mr. Hart is a member (former treasurer) of the OPWM Rotary, treasurer and board member of OP Main Street and former Chairman (and current board member) of the Oakland Park/Wilton Manors council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.

Mark McNeece

Mark McNeece

Director of Golf Tournament

Graduated from Texas Tech in '91 with a BS in Restaurant, Hotel & Institutional Management. Married to Susan for over 30 years and have 2 kids; Emily and Jared, both graduates of NAU.

Nina Daily KPFK Marketing

Nina Daily

Director of Marketing

Nina is an experienced Consumer and Sports Marketing executive currently the CMO for the Professional Beauty Association, an organization created to advocate for and unite the beauty industry. Prior to her current role, Nina was a brand marketing executive for Munchkin, a leading baby products company based in Southern California. Her background also consists of roles including the VP Marketing for the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury Basketball teams, Director of Marketing for the Harlem Globetrotters, and she also worked in consumer products managing a range of brands including Dial, Tone, Right Guard. Nina has a passion for kids, and a passion for sports which is why she is excited to bring her expertise to Kids Playing for Kids.

Lisa Schaff

Lisa Schaff

Director of Photography

PG Photography provides the highest quality photographic services in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. Focusing on family portraiture and high school seniors, we specialize in distinctive portraiture for the home, unique products, and unparalleled service.

Josh Abel by the Spokane River at Riverside State Park.

Joshua Abel

Director of Technology

By day Josh is the owner of Imaginary Trout, a unique and personal managed web and IT consultancy with over a hundred domains under management ranging from small-to-mid sized businesses to Inc 5000 businesses. Imaginary Trout provides custom design and development of web-based sites and apps, managed hosting and support of CMS systems, particularly WordPress, SaaS PaaS, IaaS and email infrastructure. Imaginary Trout has achieved massive success designing, building, hosting and managing highly tuned and search engine optimized websites since 2008. Josh is currently the Board Chair & President of Spokane Riverkeeper, Immediate Past President and board member of the Spokane Falls Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He supports Luke Air Force Base via a life membership in the Blue Blazer Squadron and is a honorary commander alumnus at Fairchild Air Force Base.

Diane

Diane Monzelowsky-Olsen

Director of Outreach

I have worked Professionally as a Speech and Language Pathologist for over 20 years with children and adults. My focus was in the areas of developmental disabilities and head injuries. I am a certified coach specializing in ADHA coaching with teens and college students incorporating the use of my Pet Partner Certified Bernese Mountain Dog. I continue to expand my love of working with children and volunteer for Paws2Read and the DreamRoads Coaching program in middle school. I am a Seattle native who has returned to the NW after spending over 10 years in the Valley with my husband, Larry, and two of our five children, Don and Tori; Courtney, Connor, and Gretchen live in Seattle.