Phoenix Mercury Guard Marta Xargay Teaches Elementary Students the Importance of Reading

Cindy G. Castillo/AZLatinos.com

The Phoenix Mercury team is known for their community involvement.

Most recently, the team visited Herrera Elementary school in Phoenix, where they held a reading assembly entirely in Spanish. Not only was the assembly aimed at teaching students the importance of reading, but also at promoting the importance of preserving the student’s native language.

As part of the event, Marta Xargay, guard for the Phoenix Mercury team, read “Cuckoo,” a book that touches on the subject of anti-bullying and discovering each of our unique strengths.

“I think this is a good thing,” Xargay said, “I never had that [where] someone that you admire visits your school, becomes a role model and gives you words of advice.”

After reading the book, Xargay hung out with the children for a quick Q&A session, where they were able to ask the player unique questions to get to know her better. Among those, the kids learned the fact that Xargay started playing basketball professionally at the age of 16, and arrived at the U.S. in July of this year.

They also learned that Xargay grew up reading Disney books, and her favorites include “Pocahontas” and “Cinderella.”

The kids were attentive in the lecture and were able to answer questions about the reading to perfection.

Cindy G. Castillo/AZLatinos.com

“I think specially with young children, you have to motivate them [to read],” she said. “now more than ever, since it seems that the most important thing to children now is being on the computer or on an iPad. I think reading is something that’s being lost, and it’s good that they see adults that are still reading, and learn that it’s something good for them.”

Mercury mascot Scorch and the team’s Hip Hop Squad members were also in the building to perform and interact with the kids.