The 6th-grade girl tagged along with friends to Moncure’s Sprott Youth Center. Never mistaken for an athlete, she nonetheless participated in beginner drills organized by Jason Leonard as part of “Girls Basketball Training." Over the next few months, the girl began to regularly walk from her home in a nearby trailer park after school to hang out in the renovated gym at Sprott.

Tiny Moncure has a K–8 public school. It’s a struggle to assemble sports teams in this rural part of Chatham County. And until Mr. Leonard began offering basketball skill sessions for girls, pickup games for girls didn’t exist.

With her newly developed skills, the girl’s friends were able to convince her to go out for Moncure School basketball in 7th grade. The girl became the reliable “6th man” for the school team, right behind the starting lineup. Her grades improved and she made the honor roll. This fall, the 8th grader will be a starter.

Women of Fearrington’s grant to the Sprott Center underwrote gym rental and paid for new women’s basketballs. Mr. Leonard thanks everyone who donated to the Wonderful Options Fund or contributed time and talent to our fundraising efforts. Bravo!