Players from the New York Liberty and NJ/NY Gotham FC partnered with PowerPlay to host a joint soccer and basketball clinic for girls and young women in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day at M.S. 88 in South Slope on Saturday.
The event included basketball and soccer fundamental drills as well as a panel discussion with players from NY Liberty players Courtney Vandersloot and Betnijah Laney and Gotham FC players Abby Smith and Nealy Martin.
“It was really fun to be able to come out today to a community that supports us," Laney said. "Without them, we wouldn’t have the support that we do, so it’s only right for us to come back and be able to share a little bit of our expertise and our time with the people that support us. To show girls what they can be when they grow up, if they so choose."
(From left to right) Courtney Vandersloot (point guard for NY Liberty), Betnijah Laney (guard for NY Liberty), Nealy Martin (midfielder for Gotham FC), and Abby Smith (goalkeeper for Gotham FC) Photos: Brandon Todd/NY Liberty
“Today was a wonderful example of community building," where girls learn the fundamentals of basketball and soccer, develop their social-emotional learning skills and bond with strong female role models, said Nicole Mussenden, president of PowerPlay, a youth development designed to advance the lives of girls through sport.
