Top Team's New Name Symbolises Commitment To Youth

YOUTHTOWN

15 February 2007

Top Team's New Name Symbolises Commitment To Youth

The famed Auckland Stars are to commence their 2007 National Basketball League (NBL) season under a new name.

The hoop-shooting maestros, who have carried-off seven of the past eleven national championships, will now be known as the Youthtown Stars.

The name change follows the signing of a partnership agreement between the Stars and Youthtown, one of Auckland's leading youth organisations.

"We're honoured and delighted to have our name linked to the Auckland Stars and we're certainly looking forward to a closer relationship with them," says Youthtown's Executive Director, Keith Thorpe.

"In many ways, this development is a natural extension of our long standing association with the team and with basketball as a whole. In past years many a rep player learned or honed their skills on our full-sized court in Nelson Street, as, more recently, has Stars player and Tall Black, Lindsay Tait.

"Lindsay's mother, Tui Tait, a formidable former player in her own right, is our Youthtown's Basketball Co-ordinator and is deeply committed to making the sport more accessible to young Aucklanders. She is planning a number of new projects, which can only benefit from our association with New Zealand's leading regional basketball team," he adds.

Current Stars owner and former Tall Black coach, Tab Baldwin, describes Youthtown as both the spiritual home and the breeding ground of Auckland's top young basketball players.

"We hope our partnership with Youthtown will pave the way to basketball excellence for many young players seeking to make a career in our sport. We also believe this partnership will strengthen our links with the community and with the youth we represent and ultimately serve," he says. Youthtown exists to help young people express themselves, develop skills and build self-esteem, in safe, open and stimulating environments. Originally known as 'Boystown', the organisation will be celebrating its 75th anniversary later this year.

Current Youthtown basketball commitments include an extensive series of coaching 'clinics', many of which involve Auckland Stars players. In addition, Youthtown holds weekly informal 'run and shoot' evenings at Nelson Street, and fields teams in an Auckland intercity league.

The Youthtown Stars make their first appearance under their new name on March 8th, with a home game against the Wellington Saints at Kohimarama's ASB Stadium, commencing at 7.30 pm.

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