Via All-Star Basketball Classic Announces Players, Speaker and Clinic for Kids with Special Needs
February 20, 2010
BETHLEHEM, PA – The teams have been picked and the match-ups set for what promises to be a riveting day of end-to-end, high-spirited basketball for this year’s Via All-Star Classic. The best players in the greater Lehigh Valley have been chosen to represent their high schools in the 35th annual Via All-Star Basketball Classic which raises funds for Via of the Lehigh Valley’s programs for adults and children with disabilities. The Via All-Star Classic is presented by East Penn Bank.
Via Super Sunday will be held at Northampton Community College. Via Super Sunday is March 28 and games begin at 10:30am. Game format will follow the college model of 20 minute halves, 30 second shot clock for boys and 35 seconds for girls, and college 3-point line.
"Northampton Community College is thrilled to be hosting this prestigious event,” said Troy Tucker, NCC director of athletics & physical education and Via All-Star Classic committee chair.
“Not only does it afford us the opportunity to have some of the best high school basketball talent in the Lehigh Valley on our campus, it allows the college to support Via in their effort to enhance the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. As a parent of a child with a developmental disability and a former basketball coach, this event has an extra special meaning for me."
The Via All-Star Classic Banquet returns to Freedom High School on Wednesday, March 24 at 6pm to honor the Via All-Stars. The keynote speaker is Gerald Henderson, Sr., a shooting guard who had a 13-year career in the NBA from 1979 until 1992. In 1978, he was the third round, 64th overall draft pick. He played for the Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets. Henderson is most famous for his steal of a James Worthy pass to score a game-tying layup in game two of the 1984 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the L.A. Lakers. The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime.
The Via Teams of the Year, Players of the Year and Scholar Athletes will be announced at the banquet. The Lehigh Valley High School Basketball Hall of Fame will induct four new members at the Via All-Star Banquet. Hall of Fame inductees will be announced next week.
A new addition is the Via All-Star Clinic, an Event for Kids with Special Needs on Saturday, March 20 at Noon. The Via All-Star Basketball Clinic is an inclusive experience for all athletes. The free clinic is run by Traci Cyr, a member of the Lehigh Valley High School Basketball Hall of Fame. The clinic focuses on the fundamentals of basketball in a fun and inclusive setting.
Via Super Sunday will also feature the Via All-Star & Special Olympics Shoot Out sponsored by Coordinated Health. The Shoot Out is an exhibition game featuring celebrity players and Special Olympic athletes.
A media panel selected the Via All-Star teams, Players of the Year and Teams of the Year. The Via All-Star selection panel is made up of one representative from the Via All-Star Basketball Classic committee and invited representatives from each of the following sports departments: Blue Ridge Cable TV-13, East Penn Press, The Express Times, Lehighton Times News, The Morning Call, RCN, Service Electric TV 2, WFMZ and the Pocono Record.
Via Super Sunday | Sunday, March 28, 2010
Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA
Via All-Star Banquet
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 @ 6 pm, doors open @ 5 pm
Freedom High School Gymnasium, 3149 Chester Avenue, Bethlehem, PA
Via All-Star Clinic, an Event for Kids with Special Needs
Saturday, March 20, 2010 | Noon to 2pm
St. Anne Church Gymnasium, 375 Hickory Street, Bethlehem, PA
“The Via All-Star Classic raises money for Via’s employment programs which help people with developmental disabilities, like autism and Down syndrome, find successful employment in our community,” said Brent Peters, president of East Penn Bank.
“We at East Penn Bank are committed to promoting growth and development in our communities and work to preserve and enhance the quality of life in each of the communities we serve. We are proud to partner with Via for this great community event.”
Via of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit agency that provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities, like autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. Serving the community since 1954, Via helps individuals and families from birth through retirement focusing in Children’s Services, Community Connections and Employment.
Via works with children up to age three in their homes and daycares to address disabilities and delays. Via finds jobs in the community for adults and provides coaching and training for successful employment. And Via helps people, from teens to those at retirement age, connect and live in their community by volunteering, participating in leisure activities, and finding or purchasing affordable, accessible housing.
Via believes that personal satisfaction and dignity are achieved through individual success and independence and is committed to helping people live full and productive lives. Visit www.ViaNet.org to learn more about Via’s services.
Tickets, sponsor information and event details for the Via All-Star Basketball Classic, Clinic, Banquet and Hall of Fame are available online at www.ViaNet.org or by calling 484-893-5389.Via All-Star Teams are listed here.
For more information, contact:
Lisa Walkiewicz, Communications Director
L.Walkiewicz@vianet.org | 484-893-5390
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