JULY 2025
FREE LEMOnade!
Out of close to 250 individual donors to the Chris Eaton Foundation over the past year and a half, we never imagined a donation would come from the proprietor of a free lemonade stand on a beach in Southern California…
It all started when a fantasy football league that Chris Eaton’s brother Michael was in decided that the loser at the end of the season would have to set up a lemonade stand somewhere in public as a further penalty for coming in last. In addition to Michael, league participants included his good friends Kyle and Bradley Zimmer and Jose Vizcaino, Jr., who all played pro baseball, and several other friends and sports fans. One of those was San Diego lawyer Ben Steigerwalt.
Ben didn’t do as well as anyone else in the league, so on July 19, he honorably set up a FREE LEMONADE stand on the boardwalk at Pacific Beach/San Diego, with a sign advising he had come in last in a fantasy football league. Ben gave away ice cold lemonade for free, but advertised that he was accepting donations from beachgoers for the Chris Eaton Foundation. One at a time, slowly but surely, people dropped coins and bills in a jar. When the lemonade ran out, Ben counted out $390 in donations, which he already has sent to the CEF through our website. Thank you, Ben, and thanks to all of our donors! Better luck in the next fantasy football season!
MAY 2025
Check out KRQE-TV’s interviewS with Michael Eaton and 2025 scholarship first-place winner Makayla Lovato!
Video courtesy KRQE-TV
Read the story on KRQE’s website here
Read James Yodice’s full article in the May 29, 2025 Albuquerque Journal about the scholarship winners.
May 2025
MEET THE 2025 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS!
MAKAYLA LOVATO
HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL
1ST PLACE
Highland High School multi-sport athlete, team captain and 2025 class valedictorian Makayla Lovato is the first-place winner of the second annual Coach Chris Eaton Memorial Scholarship. An all-district soccer selection who also captained Hornets teams in golf, basketball, track, powerlifting, cross-country and marksmanship, Makayla will attend the US Naval Academy and plans to be a pilot in the military. Among other things, she has organized food and clothing drives, volunteered at a home for developmentally disabled young people, and has a list of activities and accomplishments too long to post here. She says she “strives for excellence” in everything she does.
BENJAMIN MORGAN
ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY
2ND PLACE
Ben Morgan was recently named Academy’s male athlete of the year after a stellar career on both the soccer field and the basketball court. Ben’s Academy soccer team won state his senior year, and the basketball team, of which he was team captain, won district two consecutive years. He also played on the Academy golf team his junior year. He welcomes being trusted with leadership positions. Ben has been accepted to the Ocean Futures program at Arizona State University. Ben believes some of the most valuable and helpful tools in sports are belief and trust in teammates.
CHRISTABEL THIEL-HADJILAMBRINOS
LA CUEVA HIGH SCHOOL
TIE- 3RD PLACE
A member of all-district and all-state track and cross-country teams during her time at La Cueva, Christabel was team captain of both teams her senior year and also earned most valuable runner honors on the cross-country team her senior year. She was a member of the district 4x800 record-holding team. She also participated on the swim and dive team for four years and as a powerlifter for three years. A National Merit Scholar, Christabel will attend Dartmouth College where she plans to focus on a medical or research-related field of study.
OLIVIA MURPHY
SANDIA HIGH SCHOOL
TIE-3RD PLACE
Olivia Murphy has been admitted to the Honors Program at the University of Arizona, beginning a Bachelors degree program in medicine. Her volleyball and track and field activities at Sandia High were cut short by injuries and an ACL surgery that forced her to accept a new role “as a non-athlete,” she says. Her passion is to help and heal others. She was recognized by the College Board as a National Indigenous Scholar, as exemplified by her 4.2 GPA over the course of her high school career.
May 17, 2025
Congratulations Sandia High sCHOOL on winning the 2025
New Mexico Baseball State Championship!
During Chris Eaton’s four seasons as the head baseball coach at Sandia High School in Albuquerque (2018-2022, with a lost Covid season), the team reached the state championship game and the state semi-final game the last two consecutive years. However, the state championship trophy in New Mexico’s “big school” division remained as elusive for Sandia as it had since 1980.
That 45-year drought ended on a sparkling clear Saturday night, May 17, 2025, when the Matadors beat Eldorado High, a team that had swept Sandia all three times they had faced each other during the regular season.
This team was the last one with players who Chris had coached at Sandia. This year’s seniors were freshmen in 2022, Chris’s last year. As senior shortstop Adriel Figueroa-Brito told the Albuquerque Journal Saturday night, “we did it for Chris . . . it was so much bigger than baseball to him.” Adriel repeated Chris’s mantra to players to strive to be “1% better each day” in everything they do. “Chris was a big part of me…he was a big part of everyone at Sandia,” said winning pitcher Damon McRee. As someone observed after the win, Chris’s work as a coach is now complete.
* * * * *
Coincidentally, when Chris was a senior third baseman and MVP at Cibola High in 2006, Cibola beat Eldorado every time they met during the regular season, and Cibola captured the district title for the first time in something like 15 years. However, the Eagles then knocked Cibola out of the state tournament. This year, Eldorado beat Sandia all three times they met during the season….and then came Saturday night.
* * * * *
Congratulations to Sandia, Coach Marc Hilton and his team, and all the players, especially seniors Adriel Figuero-Brito, Levi Brooks, Damon McRee (Saturday’s winning pitcher), Anthony Condon, Jayden Jaramillo, Jeremiah Bustos, Alex Gonzales and Aiden Schwartz!
Chris Eaton, 2006
Photos by Mike Sandoval, Albuquerque Journal
“For Chris”
-Levi Brooks
“Coach Eaton, it was so much bigger than baseball to him…I loved that man...”
-Adriel Figueroa-Brito
“Chris was a big part of me…he was a big part of everyone at Sandia.”
-Damon McRee
Read James Yodice’s moving tribute to former Sandia baseball head coaches Chris Eaton and John Gunther in the May 19 Albuquerque Journal. James quotes Sandia players and the coach about what Chris meant to the players and the team. James, a Cibola High graduate who had known Chris for years, has been a pillar around here— as solid and insightful reporter of high school sports news as there possibly could be.
November 30, 2024
SECOND ANNUAL
Coach Chris Eaton Memorial 3v3 BasketBall Tournament
The gym was rocking for the second annual Coach Chris Eaton Memorial 3v3 Basketball Tournament on November 30, 2024! Watch the exciting new 8-minute movie about the tournament below:
Above: 2024 scholarship winner Ava Estes and her father, Doug, assist during the 3-point shooting competition, in which Ava also participated. Paul Huitt, former Sandia Prep baseball coach, crushed the much younger competition in the 3-point shooting contest.
Left: CEF board members Michael Eaton and Paul Huitt chat with KRQE-TV’s Jared Chester. Lower Left: Former Sandia High baseball players Matt Romero (pitcher, UNM), Aiden May (Miami Marlins) and Jacob Kmatz (Tampa Bay Rays).
July 14, 2024
NEWS RADIO KKOB’S TERRY TRAVIS INTERVIEWS CEF’S MICHAEL EATON
Albuquerque’s News Radio KKOB host Terry Travis interviewed Chris Eaton Foundation president Michael Eaton on her weekend show on Sunday morning, July 14. Terry and Michael covered topics ranging from CEF scholarship winner Ava Estes to the creation and goals of the CEF to Chris Eaton’s fascination with history and especially the rock band the Doors and Jim Morrison. Terry had communicated with Chris about his Doors project and had been planning to have him on her show. The audio recording of Terry’s complete interview with Michael on radio station 96.3 FM is posted below and on the station’s website at www.newsradiokkob.com. Terry is an experienced and insightful radio host and contributor to our community. Thank you, Terry and KKOB News Radio, for your interest and for allowing us to share the Foundation’s message. Click below left for short video clip of the beginning of the interview, or click below for audio recording of complete interview.
Click above for short video of the beginning of the interview.
July 2024
Congratulations to former Sandia High players jacob kmatz and aiden may for being selected in the 2024 MLB draft!!
Former Sandia High baseball players and longtime buddies Jacob Kmatz and Aiden May, both pitchers at Oregon State University, were selected in the MLB draft this week—Aiden by Miami and Jacob by Tampa Bay. See an interesting newspaper article about Aiden’s and Jacob’s long history together here.
July 11, 2024
CEF WELCOMES SCHOLARSHIP WINNER AVA ESTES AND HER PARENTS
The first CEF scholarship winner, Ava Estes, and her parents, Douglas and Holly Estes, joined CEF Board members Brook Laskey, Michael Eaton, Gail Eaton and Scott Eaton for lunch on July 11. (Apologies for the eyes-shut photo of Gail and Scott— everyone else looks good though!) This was our first time to meet Ava in person. Ava says she is looking forward to beginning her college/medical school journey at the University of Miami. We hope to see her at the second Chris Eaton Memorial 3v3 basketball tournament, which is scheduled for November 30, 2024, in Albuquerque.
June 2024
Cibola HIGH’s ava estes wins the
first-ever $10,000 CEF scholarship!
The winner of the 2024 Coach Chris Eaton Memorial Scholarship—the first ever awarded by the Chris Eaton Foundation—is Ava Lulu Estes of Cibola High School in Albuquerque.
Ava was Cibola High School women’s soccer team MVP, team captain, All-Star and All-State selection and one of two Cibola 2024 valedictorians. Ava was selected from a group of outstanding graduating student athletes from high schools all across Albuquerque. With the goal of becoming a neonatal surgeon, Ava will pursue a pre-medical school track at the University of Miami to obtain a bachelor of science degree in biology with a minor in chemistry.
In addition to her academic and athletic credentials, Ava volunteers in the Neonatal and Pediatric Care Units at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center. She also volunteers with Seed2Need, a nonprofit corporation created to reduce hunger by growing produce for local food pantries. Ava also was elected to various positions in student government at Hope Christian School and at Cibola High. She is the daughter of Douglas and Holly Estes of Albuquerque.
Before transferring to Cibola for her final two years of high school (as did Chris Eaton in 2004), Ava won a state soccer championship at Hope Christian in 2022 and was on the state runner-up team in 2021. She was named one of the Top 13 High School Players to Watch in 2023-24 by HQ Sports Magazine, and was nominated to the Academic All-American team, which will be announced in July. Her coach and AP calculus teacher, Heath Weihe, told the CEF that Ava was a great teammate and leader for soccer teammates from the varsity to the JV.
In early 2024, the CEF notified and later reminded administrators and college counselors at all 19 Albuquerque high schools, along with magnet schools, sports training organizations and coaches associations, of this brand new scholarship. Information was posted on social media and the CEF website. By the May 31 deadline, we had received 25 applications from graduating student athletes from high schools across the city. To qualify, applicants must have played a varsity sport at an Albuquerque high school, maintained at least a 3.2 GPA, and will attend a college or vocational school in the fall. As Chris stressed to his baseball players, education and learning are essential, as the odds of making a living playing a sport are small.
The application process was not easy. Applicants were required to submit a written application, including three essays, and a video presentation. Among other things, they focused on the four evaluation criteria—academic record, athletic performance and achievements, community involvement, and teamwork and leadership. Selecting a winner similarly was not easy. The CEF selection committee spent hours reviewing written submissions and videos, and then met in person for the daunting yet rewarding task of learning about these students and trying to narrow down an amazing group of young Albuquerqueans to one. Because there were so many great applicants, and thanks to the generosity of donors, the CEF will award three scholarships in 2025— $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500.
Applicants came from all of the traditional high school sports to newer activities such as cheer, powerlifting and pickleball. One finalist described the disappointing roadblocks to her goal of playing high school baseball, a struggle she faced with courage and strength, before switching to softball. She has accepted an offer to play college softball. Another discussed overcoming physical challenges at birth and an injury in high school to pursue wrestling and powerlifting with the strong support of her family, mentors and faith. Yet another described dealing with severe depression and efforts to obtain help. Most of the applicants have performed volunteer work in a variety of ways to help our community. The talent, drive, determination and accomplishments of this group of student athletes were inspiring and give us optimism for the future of this generation. There is an incredible pool of smart, talented, hard-working, goal-oriented young people across Albuquerque.
Congratulations, Ava! The CEF looks forward to following Ava’s career and enlisting her as an ambassador for the CEF.
April 2024
Sandia High baseball team presents outfield banner in honor and remembrance of Chris
On April 27, 2024, Sandia High Coach Marc Hilton, his staff and the SHS baseball team unveiled a banner in honor of Chris that will be placed under the scoreboard on the outfield fence. Chris’s parents and brother were present along with Chris’s aunts Elizabeth Eaton Doyle and Katie Eaton and uncle Bob Eaton. The Matadors went on to win both ends of a double-header that day. The family is grateful to the SHS baseball program for this special tribute. Click to watch video below.
March 2024
The CEF Welcomes Camilla Serrano
to the Board of Directors
Camilla Serrano is a Senior Vice President and Market Leader for the Wealth Management Department at New Mexico Bank & Trust. She has had a long association with all things baseball and softball, having served as the District 5 Administrator of Little League International for 19 years. Additionally Camilla was a member of the Little League International Advisory Board and the Little League International Board of Directors. A lifelong baseball fan, she remains an avid supporter of the game and has consistently followed the paths and careers of many local players. Camilla is honored to be a member of the Board of Directors of the CEF and looks forward to helping it grow and find its place in the Albuquerque community. She is married to her husband Eddie and they have three adult sons— Jose, Simon and Miguel, and one grandson, Lucas. Camilla joins Brook Laskey, Paul Huitt, Kara Kinney, Michael Eaton, Gail Eaton, and Scott Eaton on the 7-member Board of Directors of the CEF. (See the ABOUT US page on this website.)
NOVEMBER 2023
Chris Eaton Memorial 3V3 Basketball Tournament
Many thanks to the incredible athletes and their incredible fans who participated in the first Chris Eaton Memorial 3v3 Basketball Tournament on November 25, 2023! Hope to see you all again next year. Click below to see a video review of the inaugural tournament. The 2024 tournament is probably going to take place on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Stay tuned!
