Four-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) champion and three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sheryl Swoopes, made a personal appearance at the St. Louis Surge Women’s Semi-Professional Basketball Team March Madness Kickoff Party on Thursday, March 14, 2013, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel – St. Louis Downtown Convention Center.
The celebration featured an opportunity for fans to meet, greet and network with the new 2013 Surge players and coaching staff along with Swoopes. Fans had the opportunity to shoot a few hoops to win free tickets to the Surge Home Opener, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2013, at the University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL) Mark Twain Center. Swoopes took pictures with the entire Surge organization along with fans that attended the event to support the Surge. Fans also had the opportunity to purchase 2013 season passes, raffles, Surge t-shirts, tickets and much more. A fan also won an autographed ball from Swoopes.
Khalia Collier, Surge Owner and General Manager, introduced the entire 2013 roster to fans along with the Surge coaching staff. Collier asked fans to show their support this season to help bring professional basketball team to St. Louis.
“Building a professional basketball team has always been a passion of mine,” said Collier. “We were able to bring 2500 fans to UMSL in 2012 and I know we can bring more in 2013. We need your support because without you, the Surge will not exist.”
Collier also expressed her excitement to have the support of Swoopes, a WNBA legend.
“We are very excited to have the support of Sheryl Swoopes, who is comparatively the “Michael Jordan” of women’s basketball,” said Khalia Collier, Owner and General Manager of the St. Louis Surge. “To have someone of her caliber believe in our program, further solidifies why I know women’s basketball in St. Louis can thrive.”
Earlier this year, the Surge launched a new team logo, recruited and signed new players and hired a new head coach, Melissa Young; assistant coach, Petra Jackson; and conditioning coach, Tony Condra.. Young is currently the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Culver-Stockton University in Canton, Missouri. Jackson previously coached the women’s basketball team at St. Louis University. Condra is currently the owner and CEO of True Game, a youth basketball development company.
