Friendship Collegiate's Girls' Basketball Program Sends Six Seniors to Play at the Next Level
By: Allison Frick
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) -- Last week, Friendship Collegiate Academy's head girls' basketball coach, Tesha Nixon Cunningham, recognized the achievement of six seniors who will be playing at the college level next fall.
Friendship Collegiate Academy Girls' Basketball Signing Day: June 6, 2011. Photo courtesy of Bernadette Dare
"My sole purpose was to get kids money for college--period," said Cunningham, and with a lot of hard work on and off the court, she succeeded.
The athletes honored at this year's signing day event represent the largest group of female basketball players to receive college scholarships in Friendship's history. The Knights (25-9) won their fourth-consecutive Washington Charter School Athletic Association (WCSAA) title this year and had a team grade point average of 3.2.
"I think I really just got lucky, got a good group of kids that played with a lot of heart and they really, really work hard," said Cunningham.
Courtney Lucas and Alaysia Washington will be heading to Lincoln University and Shaneice Chandler wil be playing for Salem International. All three have been working with coach Cunningham since they were in eighth grade. Valencia Sanders will play for Frederick Community College and Briana Diggs and Jaquita Cherry will be attending Garett Community College. All six players received either full athletic scholarships or a combination of academic and athletic scholarships that will cover the cost of their college educations.
Cunningham and her assistant coaches, father, Darryl Nixon and Miesha Thompson, plan to continue the success of this year's program. Friendship's sports teams practice year-round and the junior varsity team would often hit the hardwood with the varsity squad. Cunningham says the girls already understand the system and are focussed for next year.
"We have a lot of youth with a lot of talent and I'm really looking for them to step up," said Cunningham. "The sky's the limit for our kids."
About Victor Long:
= = = Friendship Public Charter School is the District of Columbia’s largest community of public charter schools, serving nearly 4,000 students in grades pre-k to 12. Friendship succeeds in preparing a cross-section of children as scholars, workers and citizens on five school campuses. The mission of Friendship Public Charter School is to provide a world-class education that motivates students to achieve academic standards, enjoy learning and develop as ethical, literate, well-rounded and self-sufficient citizens that contribute actively to their communities. To learn more about Friendship Public Charter Schools go to:http://www.friendshipschools.org/home/content.asp?section=our%20schools
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