Connection happens in the everyday moments—on the court, in the park, and when we show up for one another. SOMA Basketball teamed up with the Memorial Park Trash Pandas for a post-Halloween park clean-up.
Young SOMA Hoopsters and families gathered to pick up candy wrappers and care for the space we all share. Thank you to every volunteer who rolled up their sleeves to keep Memorial Park beautiful and our community strong.
This program is:
Signup is available now via South Orange Recreation in “Sports Leagues” category.
Columbia High School junior and budding journalist Esme Krais interviewed league founder Taylor Valentine as well as South Orange director of recreation and cultural affairs Matt Gray, wonderfully highlighting the league’s mission to bring basketball to all kids in our area, as well as ambitious plans for the future.
You can check out the article here, “Basketball League Fills Void, Builds Community”.
On Sunday, May 19, SOMA Basketball posted up at Maplewood’s Mayfest for our first-ever Scoops for Hoops.
Reps from a wide range of our local basketball programs—including SOMA Hoops, MAPSO Basketball, South Orange Rec, the YMCA, MAPSO Legends, and Columbia High School Basketball—gathered under the SOMA Basketball tents on Springfield Avenue to talk hoops with with veteran ballers and interested new families alike, helping them learn more about opportunities to play in South Orange and Maplewood.
The added bonus? Free Nona’s Homemade Ice Cream to drive the message home.If you missed us at Mayfest, SOMABasketball.org is your one-stop resource for all things basketball in our two towns (sorry, no ice cream available online). Special shout out to our volunteers, as well as our friends at Nona’s, the General Store, and Union Square Pretzels for being so generous with their resources, time and space. Nothing beats bringing basketball to the community we love!
On Thursday, February 20, 25 of our SOMA Hoops 5th grade girls gathered after a clinic for an hourlong pilot peer-to-peer program at the Baird: “What’s Middle School All About?” Led by facilitators Kate Pfeifer and Delia O’Donnell and four young leaders currently in 6th and 7th grade—Leah Klein, Tina Ohemeng, Sylvie Charles, and Charlotte Naylor—the group opened up to ask and answer questions covering the academic, social, and emotional transition to middle school while munching on french fries from The Players Academy. Thanks to all who participated!
On Sunday, February 23, SOMA Hoops once again teamed up with SOMA Kids Feed Kids, a local organization fighting food insecurity while teaching kids the value of serving their community. Our group of fifteen 3rd and 4th grade girls learned about the crisis of food insecurity in our community, especially during the winter months. SOMA Hoops coaches and local high school students led the group in packing over 90 bags for families in need, which were delivered in partnership with Toni’s Kitchen. Go team!