LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Parents and young athletes are heartbroken after a place many considered a second home was heavily damaged after a fire at the Nevada Youth Sports Center in southwest Las Vegas.
Ash, debris and a massive hole in the roof now fill the facility after flames tore through the building early Sunday morning. According to the Clark County Fire Department, illegal fireworks are the suspected cause of the fire, which caused more than $250,000 in damage.
WATCH | Southwest Las Vegas reporter Shakeria Hawkins hears from families as they try to figure out what's next:
For many families, the loss goes far beyond a building.
Eleven-year-old volleyball player Adelynn Sligar walked through the damaged gym for the first time this week.
"I don't know... it's crazy," she said.
Her mother, Angela Sligar, who also coaches at the facility, became emotional seeing the destruction firsthand.
"Just walking into the gym makes me emotional," she said.
Angela said her family spends several days a week at the center.
"I had no idea what I was walking into today. Seeing it in person is so sad."
Another parent, Sina Seaaetasi, said her 6-year-old daughter Kalani plays volleyball at the center every week. Now, she's trying to figure out where her daughter will continue practicing.
"Where does she go next? Where does she play? It's very difficult to find indoor facilities," Seaaetasi said. "I don't know what's next for us."
The fire has also created challenges for the organization, which is now working to relocate practices and games.
Director and co-owner Scott Blackford said about 125 games involving roughly 250 teams must now be moved to other locations.
The closure is also affecting coaches who depend on the facility for work.
"This is my main income and something that I devoted my life to," volleyball coach Taylor De La Cruz said.
For many children, the hardest part is losing the place where they practiced, competed and spent time with friends.
While standing inside the damaged building, Seaaetasi asked her daughter about the gym.
"That's where you play with Coach Lexi," she told Kalani.
The 6-year-old quietly responded: "Now it's ruined."
The organization said repairs are expected to take six to eight months. During that time, practices and games will continue at its other courts while leaders work to minimize disruptions for hundreds of athletes and their families.
