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| The university's men's basketball team visited Lightfoot Elementary School in Rancho Cucamonga on Dec. 16 and participated in a reading program with first and second-grade students. |
The men's basketball team took a break from dribbling, shooting and rebounding and showed some elementary school children another important part of their program — education.
Cal Poly Pomona coaches and student-athletes visited Lightfoot Elementary School in Rancho Cucamonga on Dec. 16 and participated in a reading program with first and second-grade students. The Broncos read stories to the children that the youngsters picked out and then also stressed the importance of a good education.
The student-athletes also fielded questions from the classes about their experiences in college basketball. The Broncos, of course, have plenty of successes to talk about on the court, recording back-to-back NCAA Division II playoff appearances for the first time in the program's history, including the 2003 NCAA Division II West Region championship and the first trip to the national quarterfinals in 39 years.
“I know our student-athletes enjoy giving back to the community and spending time stressing to young kids the importance of an education,” says head coach Greg Kamansky. “I'm extremely proud of our student-athletes. They are terrific representatives of Cal Poly Pomona and they enjoy these types of events.”
Guard Jonathan Boyd agrees. “Since I'm from the Inland Empire, it's great for me to be able to give back to the communities I grew up in,” says Boyd, who graduated from Etiwanda High School. “I understand how kids look up to young adults like us. That's how I felt when I was little. It's important for us to show them the importance of reading and getting a good education.”
The Bronco men's basketball program just completed a successful fall quarter, compiling a 2.98 team grade point average, which is the highest in several years, according to Kamansky. Seven of the 14 members in the program achieved grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.