Basketball fundraiser on track

With the wrapping of a basketball camp Thursday, the South Whidbey High School girls’ basketball passed the halfway point of their summer-long fundraising campaign.

John Pyrtek, the high school girl’s basketball coach, said the team has raised $2,700 of the $5,000 needed to buy new varsity uniforms.

The team targeted early September as the deadline to meet the final goal.

The new uniforms will replace an undersized stock of uniforms, many of which date back more than 15 years, Pyrtek said.

A uniform shortage causes problems as well.

The girls must play in mismatched and ill-fitting uniforms and wear different numbers on their home and away uniforms, he said.

So the first-year coach decided to make it his goal to outfit next year’s varsity players in new uniforms.

“I took it upon myself to fundraise to replace the uniforms,” Pyrtek said.

The campaign began with a Memorial Day garage sale. Since then, the team approached businesses in the community for donations and held the three-day camp for girls entering third to eighth grade. Pyrtek said 22 girls attended the skills camp between Tuesday and Thursday.

Businesses and individuals may still donate money for uniforms and park vehicles at the Choochokam Festival July 9-10.

The high school girls basketball team is already seeing success on the hardwood this year.

The Falcons won the team camp finals at the University of Portland High School team tournament in Portland, Oregon.

Between June 24 and June 25, the team went 3-0 in pool play and 3-0 in the championship round. In the semi finals, the Falcons defeated the 2A Newport, Oregon Grizzlies. The Falcons then defeated the 3A Skyview Storm of Vancouver.

Team members are Marcella Litwiller, Destiny Burnett, Erica Johnson, Natasha Roberts, Ruby Jones, Jessi Eaton, Caitie Newman, Lindsey Newman and Britta Madison.

The squad has been competing in a metro Seattle summer league and next travels to Gonzaga University on July 5 through July 8 for another team tournament.

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