On Thursday evening, the Mahanoy Area Boys Basketball team expressed gratitude to a group of generous donors who made their dream of a new locker room a reality.
Last week, the Mahanoy Area Boys Basketball squad underwent a transformative experience as their locker room received a makeover, courtesy of donors and the visionary efforts of Head Coach Teddy Styka.
Coach Styka, the driving force behind the initiative, collaborated with Jeff Bowers of Bowers Home Improvement to conceptualize and execute the locker room's new design. The objective was to cultivate an environment reflecting the values of hard work and dedication, particularly for the team's top 12 players.
Styka shared his motivation, stating, "We wanted to create a locker room where it's evident that you have to earn your place. This is for my top 12 kids who dedicate themselves and work hard. It's something for the kids to look forward to, maintaining the Bear Pride. Myself, the coaches, and the entire team sincerely appreciate everyone who contributed."
The upgraded locker room boasts personalized features, with each locker adorned with a nameplate and equipped with an individual area complete with an outlet and USB connection. A television will also be added to facilitate team film-watching sessions.
"We did this to help the program grow and eliminate the need to inconvenience other teachers for classroom space," Styka emphasized.
Notably, the girls' team will also benefit from the added television resource.
Prior to the Bears' game against Williams Valley, the donors received well-deserved recognition at center court. The list of contributors includes:
- Joe Shemanshek
- Coach Teddy Styka
- Joe and Mike Conley
- Ethan Eichorst
- Mark Wartman
- Ettore DiCasimirro
- Rob and Krystle Sendatch
- Gary Ryan
- Scott and Heather Alansky
- Mike and Natalie Zawada
- Francis and Michelle Bowman
- Corey Hanrahan (Shawn)
- Jeff Bowers
- Tom Ward
- Laura Price
- Suzanne Mayberry
The team won their game Thursday evening against Williams Valley and remain undefeated are now 20-0 on the season leading their Schuylkill League as well as the District XI Class 2A.
