Brookhaven basketball champions plan 40/40 Gala
Published 4:30 pm Thursday, February 22, 2024
- X/TWITTER Ruthie Bolton
A championship basketball team from 1984 plans to celebrate its anniversary in style, and invites others to join in.
The 40-0 Lady Panthers of Brookhaven High School were the 1983-1984 girls’ basketball Class AA State champions, and ended the season ranked No. 3 in the nation, according to USA Today.
“After losing in the 1983 finals, this championship had the town of Brookhaven beaming with pride,” team member Ann Wilson said.
The 40th anniversary of the championship will be celebrated with a 40/40 Gala on Saturday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the Brookhaven Building on Industrial Park Road. This will be a black tie and sneakers affair, with award presentations and updates of team members in the years since. The keynote speaker is two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA Hall-of-Famer Ruthie Bolton.
The event is spearheaded by Athletics and Enrichment, a community-focused non-profit organization where athletics and education meet passion and possibility. A&E was founded by 1984 Lady Panthers Devine and Ann Wilson.
Its athletic goals are to teach, develop, organize, manage and offer youth players the opportunity to learn the fundamental skills of sports, while also instilling life lessons and values such as character, teamwork, discipline, respect and sportsmanship.
Its enrichment aims are to offer tutoring to help students close the gap in subjects where they have difficulty; job skills training to enable the unemployed to secure jobs and the already-employed to advance in their careers; and basic computer skills training for the elderly, as well as others who may need it.
“We are seeking sponsors to help with the cost of the celebration, and initiate a fund for future A&E endeavors,” said Devine. “This is an excellent opportunity to not only celebrate this great past accomplishment, but to also invest in the phenomenal passion and possibility of future young athletes.”
Six sponsor levels are available, each including 2-16 tickets and rewards or “swag” — from the $125 Player level to the $5,000 G.O.A.T.
Tickets are available electronically on Eventbrite and the Athletics & Enrichment Facebook page. Physical tickets can be purchased by calling 901-603-5803 or visiting the Brookhaven School District office.
For more information, email athleticsandenrichment@gmail.com.