Patch Whiz Kids of the Week: St. Anastasia JV Girls Basketball Team

Each week, Marple Newtown Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. This week, we highlight the hardworking St. Anastasia School JV girls basketball team.

Patch Whiz Kids of the Week: St. Anastasia School JV Girls Basketball Team

Whiz Kids’ Ages: Ages 11-12, three fifth graders and 10 sixth graders.

Whiz Kids’ School:

Whiz Kids’ Accomplishment: St. Anastasia's JV girls basketball team has just completed an undefeated season finishing 30-0 and won the Region 25 CYO championship on Feb. 12 at Archbishop Prendergast High School. St. Annies defeated St. Bernadette's of Drexel Hill.

Whiz Kids’ Key to Awesomeness: Only in its second year as a program, the JV girls basketball team of St. Annies came out on top in the CYO league.

According to Tom Rocio, assistant coach to the team, it's been about 22 years since St. Annies has won the CYO championship–let alone even coming close to going undefeated in the season.

Roccio coaches with two other assistant coaches, Tom Young and Fran Burbich, and head coach Chris Gardler, a Division I hoops player from St. Joseph's University.

Though the team has been gifted with several girls with natural talent, Roccio said all the coaches and, especially, Gardler have a lot to do with how talented the young basketball players are.

"It's very evident that they're a very talented group. But we try to help keep them modest and to work hard at practice," said Roccio. "They are working hard as a team and doing the little things correctly to get better together as a team."

Roccio who helped start the young basketball program last year for the fifth and sixth grade girls last year simply noted a lot of talent was seen and a program was needed to really help the girls nurture their talents.

Although they lost in the championship game last year against powerhouse basketball team St. Bernadette's, the team worked hard over the past year and faced off the team again in this year's championship. This year, the team's hard work paid off and defeated the "team to beat" in the league.

According to Roccio, the girls practiced for approximately an hour and half for three days a week but "they love it–the girls just love it."

"This group is a little unusual in that they love working hard. They mean business when they're in the gym," shared Roccio. "They just really tune in for an hour and half of those practices."

But it's not to say that the team doesn't have fun. Roccio shared sometimes the team will have shooting contests and other fun activities during practice.

"They're a pretty tight-knit group," said Roccio.

Though they already accomplished their first goal of wining the CYO championship, the team already has their sights on state championships.

"They really are hoop heads," laughed Roccio. "Every single one of them has gotten better since the beginning and that's really the most important thing, especially when you're dedicating that much time. Just seeing them taking what we said in practice and see them in fruition in the game...we're really proud of that."

A motto that the team carries: "We're a team, we're not one person, we're all together as one group. The only way we can succeed is that everyone gets better together."

Editor's note: Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Ki