Archbishop McCarthy Hosts Free Girls Basketball Clinic

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Reagan McCray couldn't help but break into a wide grin when she walked through the gym doors at Archbishop McCarthy and saw all the young girls.

"I was so happy with the turnout," McCray said. "I saw all these girls and thought this is what we want. It's always been all about the boys and not normally the girls."

The Mavericks' co-captain and returning leading scorer joined her teammates and head coach Michael Wholey for the first-ever free girls' basketball skills clinic at the high school.

"They all wanted to come and play basketball, learn and get better," McCray said. "It was great. I remember when I was little I went to a couple free clinics before I moved to Florida. There are girls who don't have a lot of money to go to all these camps and they don't get the experience other kids do."

With a turnout of more than 40 kids from throughout South Florida, Wholey said he hopes that it will be the first of many free basketball clinics catering to girls up to and including eighth grade. The Mavericks players helped Wholey with instruction and drills.

"I want to help improve girls basketball in our area," Wholey said. "It's not exclusive to our school. Of course, I want to improve our basketball program at McCarthy, but it wasn't just us. We reached out to several programs out there."

Wholey contacted the Lady Jaguars of South Florida, Hollywood Eagles, Miami Suns, Doral, South Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Broward Catholic middle schools.

Some of the clinic attendees may go to Archbishop McCarthy in the near future, but also Boca Raton High School, Western and Flanagan, Wholey said.

Lexi Shinn started for Archbishop McCarthy as a freshman last season. She started playing in travel leagues in fourth grade and knows how important it is to learn skills at an early age.

"When I was little I played recreation ball and a lot of the older girls came out and volunteered as coaches," Shinn said. "I learned so much from them. I remember going to a camp at McCarthy when I was little. It was so much fun. We bonded with basketball. I used to be shy when I was little but basketball helped me. That's why it touched my heart to volunteer and help these kids. To be able to offer a free clinic made me feel good inside. It helped them improve their game and they had fun doing it."

Wholey said "fun" at the clinic was the key word during the clinic.

"There just isn't a whole lot of stuff for younger kids, especially girls," Wholey said. "I watched our boys program run a day camp and there were 55 kids, maybe only five or six girls. I am trying to build a good high school program at Archbishop McCarthy but also trying to create more opportunities for girls around South Florida to play. I wanted to do a clinic where we taught skills and learning basketball but also have fun while we're doing it."

"What I am seeing these days is it's getting too serious and competitive for the younger girls and they are beginning to turn away from sports, whether it's basketball or soccer or any sport. These girls had fun and we got them interested in basketball. They came out of the gym with big smiles on their faces."

Wholey, who enjoyed his first year of coaching the varsity girls program at Archbishop McCarthy, also runs camps and clinics for high school and college-age athletes and is Director of Scouting for SUTS Report, a source for women's college basketball coaches recruiting in South Florida. He has coached on every level including the WNBA.

Wholey said he was encouraged by his high school players serving as role models for the younger girls.

Alyssa Hallman, a second grader, was the Mavericks' water girl this past season while her dad coached with Wholey.

"She loves hanging around the big kids," Wholey said. "Sometimes we forget when we were younger what got us interested was watching and hanging around the big kids in the gym. Our high school kids loved it as much as the young ones did."

Wholey hopes to hold two more free clinics in July and August. The dates will be announced in the near future.