Three Deserts was founded in 2024 by Cota sisters Dominique, Danielle, and Deserae who saw a need for increasing access to sports for the community’s youth when recognizing the significant increase in costs for sports participation and the considerable decrease in sports participation among youth. The loss of sports during COVID was detrimental to children’s mental and physical health and their social well-being. Our goal is to create more opportunities for young people to thrive through physical activity. We believe every child deserves access to quality coaching and a space to grow both mentally and physically—regardless of their financial circumstances. Three Deserts has covered the cost of registration fees, uniforms and travel, and provided equipment and scholarships to student-athletes of El Paso since our establishment last year.

The name Three Deserts Collective, or 3DC, was born out of the desire to pay tribute to our hometown of El Paso, Texas- the Paso del Norte region where the three sister cities, El Paso, Las Cruces, and Juarez, all meet, sharing borders, history, and culture. The name 3DC is a celebration of the place we grew up, where the interconnectedness of the tri-cities deeply influences the region’s family-oriented nature and community-based principles.