Galloway, N.J. – Members of the Stockton University men's and women's basketball teams spoke to students at Galloway Township Middle School earlier this week as part of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Stay in to Win program. The Osprey men's players appeared at the school for the third straight year while the Stockton women attended for the second year in a row.
Seniors
Steve Ferebee (Galloway/Absegami) and
Danny Moeller (Voorhees/Eastern), sophomore
Kyion Flanders (Wildwood/Wildwood) and freshman
DJ Campbell (Vineland/Vineland) were the men's players who participated along with head coach
Scott Bittner.
Ferebee, a Galloway resident, attended GTMS for his two years of junior high. The Ospreys spoke to the school's seventh graders, sharing the team's core values such as teamwork, self-discipline and accountability, and how those standards relate to staying in school.
Sophomores
Kiley Gelston (Washington Twp./Washington Twp.) and
Emily Donzanti (Toms River/TR South) plus freshmen
Armanee DeBarry (Millville/Millville) and
Brittina Bulli (Hackensack/Hackensack) represented the women's team along with head coach
Devin Jefferson.
The Stockton women's players addressed the school's eighth graders. They discussed the daily life of a college student-athlete, which combines academics and athletics. The message also encouraged the junior high students to stay in school.
"Going to Galloway Township Middle School was a great experience," said Gelston. "The students were really interested in learning about the life of a student-athlete and how playing on a team translates to life in the real world. I wish someone had come and talked to my middle school. I hope I get the chance to go back."
The NABC Stay in to Win program brings college coaches and player together with middle school and high school teachers and administrators to motivate and encourage students to stay in school. By delivering the message that success in education is fundamental to success in life, students will be enlightened as to the impact of decisions they make in school.
The Stockton men's and women's basketball teams got off to a 2-1 start in the first week of the 2019-20 season. Both teams will play on the road tomorrow, with the men visiting Swarthmore, ranked #1 in NCAA Division III, (6 p.m. start) while the women head to FDU-Florham (1 p.m. start).