Ocean City Welcomes Back Veteran College Basketball Coach for Special Event

The rise in popularity of women's basketball at the college and professional levels has brought more attention to the sport at the youth levels. Young ladies who look up to WNBA stars like Caitlin Clark, A'ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese, need opportunities for training and skills development.

Even though travel basketball and youth circuits have been around for women's basketball players since the early 2000's, there has been a much greater focus on development for girl's basketball at the youth levels over the last 15 years.

This is why this South Jersey High School Graduate continues to come back to the area to support the local Youth Sports community

Raised in Ocean City, Stephanie Gaitley has been coaching women's college basketball for 40 years. The Head Women's Basketball Coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University since 2023, Gaitley has also served as Women's Basketball Coach at Fordham (2011-2022), Monmouth (2008-2011), LIU-Brooklyn (2002-2008), Saint Joseph's (1991-2001), and Richmond (1985-1991).

Coach Gaitley is bringing her annual Youth Basketball Clinic back to Ocean City as part of the FDU Women's Basketball Community Event and Clinic on Friday, September 25th. According to a press release sent to 973 ESPN, this special event hosted at Ocean City Intermediate School will feature:

*Youth Clinic is free and open for kindergarten through 8th grade boys and girls youth basketball players are invited to learn directly from Division I players and coaches from 3:30pm to 5pm (first-come clinic).

*FDU Intra-Squad Scrimmage open to the public to watch TEAM Reese (featuring Absegami High School Graduate Reese Downey) play against TEAM Jada (featuring Middle Township's Jada Elston) in a full-court, refereed game from 5:30pm-7pm.

*FDU Gear Raffle during the game with 100 percent of the proceeds will go to support “Coach H’s Helping Hands Memorial Garden” at the OC Primary School. (halftime)

FDU Head Women's Basketball Coach Stephanie Gaitley has hosted summer basketball clinics for 34 years in Ocean City, as she continues to give back to the area she has lived in for decades.

For more information, or if parents have any questions, they can contact Lelah Laws at l.laws@student.fdu.edu