Anthem for competitive sports and older kids info please (Phoenix: theater, living in)

[dermjess]

Hi All, I am wondering if older kids can excel in their chosen paths while living in Anthem. I don't doubt its a great place to live and raise a family, but I wonder if you actually give up the chance to offer them first-rate instruction in extra-curricular activities-- compared to the Valley.

We currently live in Fountain Hills but want to move to a children friendly area. I am a nurse practitioner and have just taken on three new part time jobs (one is my own small practice) and I have the added opportunity for a fourth one-day a week job in Anthem. I am part time at all of these places because the nature of my job requires me to build my practice from scratch. Over the next year I will narrow the jobs down to the most successful one or two. I'm debating the job in Anthem because if it takes off, I will want to move my family to Anthem. But if I don't want to live there, there is no point in working there now.

The other jobs are in Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe. My top two communities for living in the valley right now would be Tempe, and Ahwatukee (and Gilbert too, if it were closer to one of my jobs). I worked with the Anthem folks in the past and its pretty much the perfect environment for me professionally. I LOVE the folks in Anthem and the co-workers. Personally, I LOVE Anthem, and the community feel and its important to me to be around salt-of-the-earth people and for my kids to be nurtured and supported and make lifetime friends.

I have four kids. They are taking lessons in mostly the arts-- music, ballet, hip hop (my boy), theater and my oldest just made a diving team. Everything I have read says why Anthem is such a great place to raise a young family. But no one talks about older kids. This is a big WHAT IF, but, what if my kid wants to dive competitively, or what if I end up with a junior olympian gymnast? Anthem folks-- please tell me I wouldn't regret moving there over, say, Tempe!!! Is there a perfect world where I can give my kids the nurturing environment and all of the opportunities for success? Or would I be sacrificing the latter? Am I stuck with with big world feel of the Valley because I want the best for my kids (and I also like to eat out?) Thank you for your help.