Pro league gives new role models to young girls

Dan Hoffman Arizona Summer Wildcat Coach Mark Soderburg explains technique at the Joan Bonvicini Hoop Camp. The campers develop their basketball skills through hours of daily practice, guest lectures and films.

When the WNBA's New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks tipped off last Saturday at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, they were doing more than just playing basketball - they were encouraging dreams.

The newly formed Women's National Basketball Association will offer young girls around the country high-profile female role models, said Pete Blankfield, a coach at this year's girls basketball camp being run by Joan Bonvicini, head coach of Arizona's w omen's basketball team.

"Television sexualizes women," said Suzanne Mooberry, whose daughter Amanda attended the camp. "It will be real healthy for there to be more female role models."

For Amanda and the 200 other girls who attended the individual portion of the Joan Bonvicini Hoop Camp Thursday through Monday, finding a female role model was not a problem.

On the first night of the camp, Phoenix Mercury star Tia Jackson spoke to the camp for half an hour about her influences and the determination necessary to be successful in professional basketball.

After her speech, Jackson stayed to sign autographs for any girl who wanted one.

In addition to Jackson, UA women's basketball players, including Monica Crank and Marty Alexander acted as role models by being camp counselors for the 7- to 18-year-old girls.

The campers spent more than 7 hours a day working on fundamentals such as defense and free throw shooting, along with attending lecturers and films designed to help them improve their skills.

The individual camp offered girls an opportunity to have specialized personal instruction, including private sessions with the coaches.

A second camp will run from August 7 through 10 and will be limited to players who are in high school and have above-average skills.

The elite camp will feature high school stars from around the country, coming from as far away as West Virginia and Georgia, including a number of All Americans, who may eventually play at the top-ranked college programs, said Bill Broderick, who coordi nates camp activities and is also an assistant coach for Arizona's women's basketball team.

At the elite camp, coaches will concentrate on the team aspects of basketball, something that is more prevalent in the women's game, Bonvicini said.

"There are some players who can take you off the dribble and create their own shot," she said, "but women rely more on setting screens and playing a strong team game."

Regardless of talent, girls who attend the camp know that there now may be a future for them in professional basketball.

When asked if she planned to watch the WNBA, 10-year-old camper Sybil Dosty replied, "Yes, and I plan on playing for the WNBA too."

The elite camp costs $250. For campers who chooses to commute, the price is $220.