This Munro Day marks the second Dal holiday that the Tigers women's basketball team has dedicated their day-off of school to mentor young female basketball players in the community.
The Tigers gathered in the Studley gymnasium on Dalhousie campus to spend this Munro day, (Friday, February 7) with Caledonia Junior High School's female basketball team. The Tigers spent the day mentoring the girls in the gym doing drills, socializing and showing the girls around campus. After shooting games and a game of knock outs, the Tigers concluded their skills part of the day. The Tigers then took the girls to lunch in a Dalhousie residence meal hall and the Caledonia team was given a tour of Dalhousie campus by the varsity players. This is a way for the players to meet their biggest fans and to trigger their thoughts about what they want to do after high school. The day encourages the team to continue their education and athletics. The Caledonia team has attended various Tigers basketball games and considered the players some of their biggest and best role models.
It was rookie, Olamide Ojuawo's first Munro Day with the Tigers, the Rothesay, NB native said "It feels good to have young girls look up to us, it's rewarding to us as much as it's rewarding to them."
Korenda Colley is in her third year at Dalhousie and this is her second time spending the day with this team of young girls, the Dartmouth native explained, "We take the girls on the tour of the campus, showing them that if they continue to work hard they too can come to University or complete their own goals."
Hannah Day, of Dartmouth is in the seventh grade at Caledonia and it is her third year playing basketball. "I really like spending the day with the Tigers, I want to come play at Dalhousie someday," Day stated.
The team finds it extremely rewarding to meet and mingle with the Tigers team. The Tiger players motivate the girls, because they are prime examples that hard work in athletics and in academics truly pays off and that if you work hard that they can concur their goals. The girls were asked by their coach, Greg White, to write a reflection of what they learned during their day with the Tigers; though the girls are young their words were powerful: "I will get there if I stay in school and stay on the right path and do the right things in life." "I will get there through hard work, determination, setting goals, and persistence. As long as I want it enough I will keep my hope alive." "For me to make it to university, I will have to train really hard with basketball and I will have to get good grades, which means above an 80%. I will have to be a team player and balance my sports life with social and academics. I have to carry the book before carrying the ball." The words of these girls really express how much of an impact this day has on the young girls.
Last year Tiger varsity athletes put in approximately 900 hundred volunteer hours and they hope to increase that number each year. The women's basketball team hopes to make this day of leadership an annual Munro Day event or do it a couple of times a year. All in all, the day is extremely rewarding to both the youth and the mentors and showcases the community spirit held in the women's basketball team.