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Local Businesses Help Expose San Antonio Youth
to NCAA Championship Basketball

DE-FENSE!  DE-FENSE!  The shouts of middle school students adorned in the school colors of their adopted team echoed around Greehey Arena during the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship. The NCAA bused 650 students from middle schools in Edgewood ISD to the quarterfinal games.  These students, who were paired with the team from each region, also showed their spirit, giving the teams a sixth man.  But it didn’t stop there. Local businesses donated tickets which allowed more than 1,500 youth to come see the games.  “We always want these kinds of events to impact our community in positive ways.  Exposing youth to championship basketball gave them a chance to see some great student athletes in action,” said Susan Blackwood, San Antonio Sports executive director.

Most Spirited School Award Goes To…
Edgewood ISD middle schools enthusiastically embraced the eight teams competing in San Antonio for the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship.   The teams were paired with 7th and 8th grades at each of the middle schools.  First, the schools hosted the teams at their campuses for pep rallies.  Then, the middle school students attended “their team’s” game at Greehey Arena. 

The middle school judged to exhibit the most spirit for its team during the games was ET Wrenn Middle School whose students cheered on Franklin Pierce and California University (PA). Students painted their faces and led cheers and wore the universities’ school colors. “We put our ET Hornet pride out there!” said Wrenn PE Coach David Padilla.  “When the teams visited our school, the kids could identify who there were cheering for.  The teams were great and acknowledged us when we walked into the arena. It pumped us up.  The teams embraced us and we felt ownership of the teams.”  It was a win-win situation.  Many of the students hadn’t been to a collegiate game and embraced the experience.  David also said it helped hearing from a different voice the message of staying in school and doing your best.

Wrenn Middle School will receive a $500 donation and every participating middle school will get 50 Wilson basketballs donated by the NCAA.