27132562
Carolyn Hayes is devoted to helping South Philadelphia’s young, up-and-coming girl basketball players learn the game.
The ’83 St. Maria Goretti grad spent 12 years coaching Catholic Youth Organization athletes at St. Charles Borromeo. When the program came to an end with the school’s closing in 2003, Hayes wasn’t about to give up. In 2004, she started Next Level Amateur Athletic Union basketball, which has South Philadelphia’s first girls’ program.
“I wanted to keep the girls active,” Hayes said. “Once they couldn’t play CYO anymore, I started a travel program.”
With the help of Neumann-Goretti grad Angie Baylock, who also coached at St. Charles, they started the first season small with a 14-and-under team.
Last year, the program grew by two: 10-and-under and 12-and-under. Amy Howlett, also a Goretti grad, joined the Next Level coaching ranks in the fall, running the younger team.
This season, the three have aged to 11-and-under, 13-and-under and 15-and-under.
Earlier in the summer, the younger squads won Winslow Township tournament titles. Next Level teams have competed in six tournaments this year in the Philadelphia area. Hayes said she would’ve liked taking the girls to away competitions in Baltimore or Virginia, but they were short on funding.
IDEALLY, HAYES WOULD like to enter Next Level in the AAU nationals.
“Our name is not out there yet because we are so new,” she said. “We are nowhere near ready to go to nationals. Hopefully, if the girls stick with the program [we’ll go.”]
Hayes, a Neumann-Goretti junior varsity assistant coach, has gotten full support from the school’s Athletic Director Chip Reitano, including full access to the Neumann-Goretti gym.
“[Next Level] is definitely a help for us,” Reitano said. “The program starts kids in South Philly at a young age and gets them acclimated with basketball right away.
“The coaches at Next Level do a tremendous job with the kids, and I can’t say enough about them.”
Several Neumann-Goretti athletes coming up the ranks have participated in Next Level to help prepare for the stiff Catholic League varsity competition. Sophomore Ashley White, Saedah Dallas, Syreta Fauntroy and Nica Meccariello are some current Saints who have spent time in Next Level.
As great as it would be for the Saints to win the school’s first Catholic League title since ’78, Hayes stresses much more than winning and losing.
“We didn’t just want girls to play the game, we wanted them to know the game,” Hayes said.
A lot of time is spent breaking down the fundamentals, making sure each athlete knows what the passing lane is, why they step off with their left foot on a right-handed lay-up, as well as what the post is.
“When I played, if you were a certain height, you played a certain position,” Hayes said. “Now there are 6-foot-3 point guards.”
With Next Level being almost year-round, commitment is key. After Catholic League or CYO season, some might need a break, but Hayes said her girls are willing to put in the time.
“A lot of players want to play,” she said. “They don’t want to get lost in the shuffle. We try to create a fun way to learn the game.
“Our main slogan is that it is about more than just basketball, it’s about life lessons,” Hayes, who also stresses the importance of sportsmanship, working hard and studying, said.
This season, each player paid $350, which included uniforms, equipment and fees for tournaments. Hopefully, Next Level will get some sponsorship in the near future and this fee will be eliminated. Hayes said she would also like to be able to provide the student-athletes with SAT prep classes, a homework and computer club, as well as possible college tours.
In the end, Next Level could provide the foundation for future Saints to end their Catholic League championship drought. Last year, Neumann-Goretti came extremely close, losing to Cardinal O’Hara in overtime.
Hayes and her fellow coaches plan to continue doing what they can to instill positive attitudes in each of their players.
“If things don’t go your way, like if you don’t make every basket, you just keep trying,” the coach said.
