11/26/2008
Lemon Bay players get boost from 'Si…
Just wanted to forward the article EricErnst wrote for our organization. Anyone interested in contributing to the young men involved with Lemon Bay High School Boy's
Basketball please let me know and I will forward more specific information on membership in the Sixth Man Club. Thanks again to everyone for making htis venture a
success!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Shanaka Weerasooriya
----- Original Message ----From: Ed Johnston
To: Dr. Shanaka
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 9:11 AM
Subject: Emailing: Lemon Bay players get boost from 'Sixth Man' HeraldTribune.com Southwest Florida's Information Leader.htm
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Lemon Bay players get boost from 'Sixth Man'
Published: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at 12:20 a.m.
They're calling it the Sixth Man Club. It's a new organization associated with Lemon Bay High School boys basketball, and the name fits.
In basketball, the sixth man comes off the bench to provide the team a boost -- in scoring, on defense or maybe just in pure hustle.
The Sixth Man Club, conceived by Englewood dentist Shanaka Weerasooriya (Class of '90), will perform that role off the court by donating money, augmenting
the fan base and providing a sense of connection between the players and the community.
Through membership dues and fundraisers, the organization hopes to raise $5,000 to $10,000 this year.
Most people don't understand the economics of playing high school basketball. The athletic program covers basics, such as uniforms and referees. Coaches and
players pay for the rest, including game shoes and food for away games.
Last summer's camp at Warner University in Lake Wales cost each Lemon Bay player $300. That's a big burden for many families. Although he wanted to enter
a second camp, coach Tom Catanzarite says, "No way was I going to ask for that."
The Sixth Man Club should relieve some of that pressure, and maybe even pay for new traveling warm-ups. The team has used the same sweat pants and tops
for five years.
Weerasooriya has modeled the Sixth Man Club after the booster association at Florida Southern College, where he played from 1991-1996.
"As I look back on my life, the early lessons as taught by Tom are what got me where I am today," he says. "Now it's time to give something back."
He has started recruiting members from the ranks of former Lemon Bay players. As the high school's career (1,314 points) and single-game (43 points) scoring
leader, Weerasooriya has instant credibility.
By design, the club's board of directors has no parents of current players. It's filled with people like Ed and Beth Johnston, who have no children of their own but
have helped others with their time and money.
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Ed Johnston, 416-3927, also will lead a recruitment drive that kicks off, appropriately enough, at the Englewood Optimist Showcase at 8 p.m. Friday at Lemon
Bay.
The Sixth Man Club provides a great example of how the community can get involved to help young lives through schools. Although sports seem to lend
themselves to booster clubs, one could just as easily use the same concept for theater or foreign languages or art.
Every worthwhile endeavor could use a Sixth Man Club.
Eric Ernst's column runs Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Contact him at [email protected] or (941) 486-3073.
This story appeared in print on page BS1
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