The Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County scored a big win last Wednesday afternoon when members of the Yale University women’s basketball team dropped by for a little fun on the courts.
And while the girls are real “Bulldogs” on the court, they demonstrated a genuine love of the game as they ran drills and worked out with nearly 150 B&GC members from the Vero Beach and Sebastian clubs. The Bulldogs made the stop in Vero Beach after capturing the FAU Holiday Classic in Boca Raton.
One of the players, Megan Gorman, is the daughter of Pat Gorman, the longtime head golf professional at Bent Pine Golf Club. Gorman graduated from Vero Beach High School, where she was a four-year varsity basketball starter and three-year team captain. She also played lacrosse for four years, captaining the team her senior year, and volunteered at the B&GC.
“Sports have always been huge to me,” said Gorman, an economics major at Yale. “It’s a great way to help other people. The Boys and Girls Club is the perfect marriage of that. I get to help kids in my community through sports, something I believe really does help kids with many skills in life.”
She added that in addition to teaching the youngsters basketball skills, the clinic was an opportunity to show them “if you work hard and you work well with a team, you’re going to do well in life.”
The team’s afternoon at the B&GC was the icing on the cake, after having spent some time enjoying the sunny disposition of Vero Beach and its residents.
“We stayed with Megan’s family, went to the beach and worked out at Vero Beach High School,” said Allison Guth, the team’s head coach. “I don’t think anybody wants to leave at this point. Vero Beach might have gotten 22 more residents.”
“We have a very strong athletic program,” said Elizabeth Thomason, B&GC executive director. “This was an opportunity for the children to see wonderful role models – a group of very intelligent young ladies with the skills to play basketball at an Ivy League school.”
Gorman said that for her, the visit was bittersweet, adding “it was great to show the team my community and introduce the kids to exceptional role models.”
After club members had spent more than an hour passing, shooting, dribbling and garnering defense tips with the Yale players, coach Guth opened the floor up for a Q&A session.
One student even challenged junior guard Roxy Barahman to a one-on-one and, while the Yalie took the win, all the boys and girls walked off the court as winners after the experience.
The Boys and Girls Clubs’ Angel Dinner will be held March 6. For information, visit bgcirc.org.
Photos by: Stephanie LaBaff
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