New AAU Ladies Basketball Teams Announced

NEWBURGH – The Newburgh Armory Unity Center announced the launch of two AAU Ladies Basketball teams for girls in 4th and 5th grades and 6th and 7th grades. Oneisha Staples, a Newburgh native who is the Youth Sports and Fitness Director for West Point Child Youth Services, will lead the program.

Tryouts for the teams began on Tuesday, June 15th followed by practices two times a week for the remainder of the summer. Coach Staples expects the teams will begin playing in tournaments by late July.

An educational program will be tied to the athletic programming so that each team member will also gain valuable educational skills. “Preparing our players to play and win is one part of the equation,” Coach Staples said. “We also recognize that interpersonal skills, confidence, and self-care are vitally important in creating healthy young people.”

The new teams and all associated expenses are completely free of any costs for families.

“We have started these teams because we know there is a need for more ladies sports teams in Newburgh,” said William Kaplan, founder and Chairman of the Newburgh Armory Unity Center. “There are only four girls AAU basketball teams in a 15-mile radius of Newburgh while there are 22 teams for boys. We are going to develop an outstanding program with the best coach and the best educational program available. Newburgh will be known for Ladies Basketball.”

Coach Staples, a 2005 graduate of Mount Saint Mary College, is an inaugural member of that institution’s Hall of Fame, holding the record as the all-time leading scorer at the Mount with 1,672 career points. She was named an ECAC Metro Region all-star and was named the Metro Region Player of the Year. On the national level, she earned an All-American honorable mention from D-III news while also being named a preseason All-American.

Coach Staples graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services in 2005. She went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from John Jay College. In her current position, she is responsible for the operation, integration, coordination, and oversight of a comprehensive Sports and Fitness Program, to include a variety of team and individual sports, age-appropriate fitness and health initiatives, skill-building clinics, and outreach opportunities.

For more information about the AAU teams or to register, please call 845-245-4035 or email info@newburgharmory.org.