SPRINGFIELD, N.J. --- The Moravian College women's basketball program participated in the 4th annual Pink Zone Clinic hosted by the Springfield Basketball Association at Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield, New Jersey this past Sunday afternoon to kickoff Moravian's 2015 Play 4Kay week.
The Springfield Basketball Association raised an estimated $3,000 and will be donating the money to the Moravian women's basketball Play 4Kay initiative.
A group of parents formed a Springfield Pink Zone Committee to organize and run the event several years ago. Volunteers from the Springfield Basketball Association and the local community also worked to put the event together, and enlist a few former Dayton players and current coaches to help.
"We are thrilled again to be an integral part of the Pink Zone fundraising efforts by Moravian College. From the onset, the ideas and effort of Moravian Coach (and former Springfield resident) Sara Steinman have enabled us to grow the event, and improve it each year. The Moravian coaches and players, along with JDHS's own coaches and players add an unparalleled opportunity for local players to spend 3 hours in intensive, incredible skill development, all in the name of raising funds to support Breast Cancer research," said SBA Vice President and Co-Founder, Lawrence Dvorchik. "The feedback we continue to receive from clinic participants and parents is that the Springfield Pink Zone is by far the best clinic they have ever participated in, and they can't wait to come back again next year. Nowhere else are they able to get success one-on-one access to high school and college coaches and players. All told, once again this was a home run for everyone involved, and we are already planning for 2016, and look forward to increasing our donation once again."
"The success of this clinic has to do with the key people who collaborated to make it happen," explained David Rennie, the Girls Basketball Coach at Jonathan Dayton High School. "They include all the volunteers, the Springfield Recreation Department, Coach Spirk, but most of all, Sara Steinman. Sara has worked tirelessly on the entire fundraiser. This clinic combined Sara's true passions: the game of basketball, coaching, the Moravian Women's Basketball Program, the Dayton Basketball Program, and, of course, a worthy cause. Sara is such a fantastic ambassador for the game and continues to bring her enthusiasm to the Springfield Youth Basketball Program and the Dayton High School Program.
"All the Springfield stakeholders embrace this clinic for what it gives back to the youth of the community and for the attention it brings and the funds it raises for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund." continued Rennie. "I am honored to be a part of it and proud to support Sara in her efforts."
Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk, Assistant Coach Sara Steinman and players juniors Emily MacDonnell and Samantha Caligiuri and freshmen Jen Cella and Taylor Freeman made the trip to Springfield, New Jersey to provide instruction on the court. Both Steinman and MacDonnell graduated from Jonathan Dayton.
"Returning to my hometown (Springfield, N.J.) to run the pink zone clinic is always special to me," commented Steinman. "I love being in my high school gym surrounded by my former coaches, family, friends, current Moravian and Dayton players, and so many others that volunteer their time to be a part of this amazing day. Each year it gets bigger and better and a huge thanks needs to go out to the Springfield Basketball Association and Springfield Rec Department for their tireless efforts. I am so proud to call Springfield my home and to have this opportunity to give back to my community means a lot to me."
The clinic was attended by over 80 boys and girls attending, high school players from Dayton High School helping and various coaches from Dayton.
Moravian will be hosting another clinic here in Bethlehem on Thursday, February 11. For more details, visit http://moraviansports.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/Play4Kay15/MoravianPinkZoneClinic.pdf.
