Every player in the Orinda Magic program will develop tools to help them succeed beyond the basketball court. Orinda Magic coaches strive to teach lessons of hard work, self-sacrifice and self-improvement, and strongly encourage creativity and critical thinking, with the hope that these values will help prepare the players in the program for whatever future they choose for themselves.

 

    "As much as basketball is a metaphor for life, life can be a metaphor for basketball."

 

1. Orinda Magic strives to proactively enforce the ideal that basketball is an avenue of expression for young people not impeded by cultural, racial or socioeconomic divisions. In a world where those divisions can cause members of society to set themselves apart from one another, passion for sports and the pursuit of excellence in one's sport transcend the barriers that often prevent talented young people from interacting with, and learning from one another. Orinda Magic players, whose diversity of backgrounds represents the entire Bay Area, share a mutual respect and love for the game of basketball, which gives them a common goal and the chance to learn together, as well as to learn from one another.

 

2. Orinda Magic works to create a learning environment which serves to bring the greater community together by involving business and community leaders as supporters and mentors. These caring individuals have the resources, priorities and passion to provide assistance for the young people in our program who are in need. Orinda Magic mentors and volunteers are committed to the idea of using basketball as a vehicle to learn lessons of leadership, teamwork and perseverance. They share the belief of the founders and coaches of Orinda Magic, that these qualities will be the foundation of success for girls in the program, both on and off the court, for the rest of their lives.

 

3. For many Orinda Magic players, earning a college scholarship is the pinnacle achievement of their high school basketball experience. For other Orinda Magic players, the pinnacle achievement of their high school basketball experience will be simply having fun playing a game they love, building trust with their teammates, and making lifelong friends. Orinda Magic coaches will do everything in their power to help the girls in the program to realize their dreams, and accomplish their goals, be it playing on a college basketball team or passing the S.A.T.s.

 

4. Orinda Magic players excel in the classroom as well as in the gym, and share the dream of earning a college degree whether or not they play basketball at the next level.

 

5. Orinda Magic coaches are committed to fostering a positive environment of mutual trust and dedication. Our program will always be a venue where female athletes can be themselves, improve by learning from others, and have fun.

 

CODE OF CONDUCT

 

Orinda Magic coaches seek to provide a consistently positive atmosphere where girls who participate can learn individual and team basketball concepts, meet new friends, and experience success as both an individual and as part of a team. OM coaches teach not only basketball skills, but also good sportsmanship, leadership, and working and succeeding in groups.

 

Moving on to the next level

 

    The ultimate dream of many, though not all, of the girls in Orinda Magic is to have their hard work rewarded with a college scholarship. Older OM teams play in "showcase events" throughout the country, that are attended by hundreds of college coaches. OM coaches have established excellent relationships with countless college coaches throughout the years, and have extensive experience in communicating with college coaches who may be interested in offering an OM player a college scholarship. This is a great advantage for any OM player interested in taking her game to the next level.

 

Orinda Magic also offers SAT TUTORING classes, free of charge, to any OM player or to any female basketball player in the area who wants to attend. The classes are run by an OM supporter who volunteers her time.

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