|
.........................................................................................................................................................
 THE NEW SEASON IS COMING UP QUICK! Check our Schedule Page and plan your dates for some exciting ABA basketball action and support your Blazers! And be sure to check back to verify game times on game times as weather and travel issues can cause schedule changes. SEE YOU AT THE GAME!
.........................................................................................................................................................
 West Virginia Blazers and BLAZE at the 2010 WV State Fair
(Visit the Blazers' Facebook page to see the pictures!)
In partnership with Community Connections of Mercer County, the WV Blazers and Blaze exibited at the WV State Fair in August. Blazers' players Joey Preast and DeNelle Hale (pictured left) took time out to talk to Hoppy Kercheval on-air and helped promote the Fair and the upcoming ABA season. Visitors who stopped to see the Blazers registered and won prizes and BLAZE made special appearances daily. A good time was had by all!
June 19, 2010 - Blazers Help IMPACT Raise Money
On Saturday night, the Blazers put away their aprons from the early morning pancake breakfast with the Alzheimers Association to hit the courts to help Tazewell's IMPACT group raise funds. The fundraiser was a community basketball game, WV Blazers vs Community All Stars. The evening was filled with basketball, youth and FUN! Tazewell Middle School was the host school in Tazewell, VA. WVVA's Greg Carter was the coordinator of the event. IMPACT is a community faithbased group that provides programs and services to community youth in the Tazewell County area.
Visit IMPACTS Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/IMPACT-Tazewell-County/115765265116353 to see more services they provide for area youth!! The Blazers were pleaed to participate with IMPACT to encourage youth to make positive life choices.
......................................................................................................................
June 19, 2010 - Blazers help WV Alzheimers Association Kick off Annual Memory Walk
While serving pancakes is not considered a 'sport', the Blazers were true community sports on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 at Applebees in Princeton, WV. They served up pancakes to attendees who were helping to kick off the 2010 Mercer County Memory Walk. The Blazers will be working with the Alzheimers Association to raise money and awareness for Alzheimers. Please visit their website to learn more about the work they do in WV at http://www.alz.org/wv/in_my_community_about.asp. The Blazers plan to attend the 2010 Memory Walk in Mercer and Raleigh Counties. The Blazers are proud to be associated with the WV Alzheimers Assocaition and the wonderful work they do in WV to serve WV families.
......................................................................................................................
June 18, 2010 - Blazers Join in Multicultural Event in Beckley, WV
The Blazers started their day at noon making an appearance at the Youth Museum of Beckley for the 2010 Juneteenth Multicultural Festival. The Blazers were invited to participate to help youth in attendance have fun while learning about different cultures. Many activities were planned for the day as part of the annual festival. The Blazers are please to have participated for a second year and hope to be back in 2011!
......................................................................................................................
June 17 & 18, 2010 - Blazers Help with GEAR UP Program Camp
The WV Blazers helped the WV Division of Higher Education with the GEAR UP program camp at Concord College in Athens, WV. As the website shows, the GEAR UP program in WV is a federally funded six year program designed for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The Blazers worked with camp attendees to show them basic basketball skills and mentored them to help them get excited about attending high school and college. Attendees begin participation in the program in 8th grade and are mentored through high school to plan for college (please visit GEAR UP's website at http://www.wvgearup.org/ to learn more about this awesome program!).
The Blazers were invited by the WV Division of Higher Education to participate in the GEAR UP camp because of their involvement in mentoring youth. The Blazers continue to encourage youth to make positive life choices, including planning for and attending college.
......................................................................................................................
June 15, 2010 -- Blazers Appear at Midland Trail Basketball Camp
The Blazers were invited for a second year to exhibit skills for Midland Trail Basketball Camp attendees. Blazers visited with attendees also to encourage them to make positive life choices. The Blazers will be back at Trail for an appearance at the next camp in July. Midland Trail High School is the alma mater of Chris Nichols, #14 for the WV Blazers
......................................................................................................................
June 14, 2010 -- Blazers Help With Boy Scout Camp
The Blazers were pleased to be part of the Fayette County Boy Scout Camp on Monday, June 14 at the Fayette County 4-H park. Outside basketball was planned for the day for the 60 plus boys attending camp. Rain caused plans to change, so the Blazers visited with scouts and helped kick off the first day of camp with fun and mentoring activities. Chris Nichols and Joey Preast, who helped campers along with DeNelle Hale, are life-long residents of Fayette County and were pleased to have the opportunity to participate in a program like Boy Scouts to mentor young men in the area.
......................................................................................................................
June 5, 2010 - Blazers Participate In Unicare Health Fair
The WV Blazers and "BLAZE" were at the Mercer Mall to participate in the UniCare Health Fair. The fair encouraged healthy lifestyles for families and children in southern WV. Blaze entertained youth while Blazers passed out tattoos. The Blazers are pleased to help promote positive lifestyle choices for WV families and youth.
......................................................................................................................
The WV BLazers helped the St. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Oak Hill, WV raise money for student activities during their Spring Carnival. This is the second year the Blazers have helped the school with the annual carnival. The Blazers did mini-clinics to teach basketball fundamentals, hoola-hooped with attendees, and had fund with children attending. Some of the Blazers volunteered for the dunking booth to help raise funds. The Blazers continue to work in communities in southern WV to help organizations that promote positive life choices for WV youth.
......................................................................................................................
May 26, 2010 - The WV Blazers were invited to Stratton Middle School in Raleigh County, WV to entertain the student body and promote positive life choices for youth. In the midst of games, dunks and an exhibition of basketball skills by the Blazers, youth were encouraged to make good choices and stay away from drugs, tobacco and crime. The Blazers enjoyed visiting and interacting with the students.
......................................................................................................................
 May 10, 2010 - Several members of the WV Blazers participated in United Way Celebrity Night at Hooter's in Beckley, WV. Celebrity Night raises money for United Way. The celebrities worked with servers in the restaurant for tips which, which were donated to United Way. This is the second year the Blazers have participated in United Way's Celebrity Night, we are pleased to help raise money and awareness for United Way.
......................................................................................................................
 The WV Blazers participated with Habitat for Humanity in Housing Day at the Legislature in March 2010 in Charleston, WV. Housing Day is held annually at the Capital to bring attention to the need for affordable housing in WV, and to showcase agencies which provide affordable housing to WV families. Participating for the Blazers (left to right) were Greg Puckett, DeNelle Hale, Jordan Carter, and Chris Nichols. The Blazers are proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity to promote the work that Habitat does in communities in WV.
......................................................................................................................
The WV Blazers have been helping the Jackson County Habitat for Humanity in building awareness of their cause, and now in building Habitat for Humanity's 6ooth house in West Virginia! In April 2010, the Blazers came out to the jobsite in Jackson County to lend their strong hands to the cause. They got a lot of work done and a great house really took shape. They had a great time helping out and below are some pictures of the day's work. Check out the photos here!
Volunteers and donations are still needed for the 600th house. For more information or to become involved, contact Donna DeHart at 304-372-1748 or Lora Pierce at 304-720-7636. You can learn more and follow the progress at 600thhouse.habitatwv.org
......................................................................................................................
 Corey Love has been named to the American Basketball Association (ABA) East All Star Team. The announcement was made on March 16, 2010 form Joe Newman, CEO of the ABA.
Love averaged 24.5 points per game in the 2009/2010 Blazers season, which ended March 11 with a tough last-minute loss to the number 3 ranked Kentucky Bisons. The Blazers came from a 20 point deficit in the first half to take the lead in the 3rd and 4th periods. With 2 minutes left in the game, the Bisons made a run the Blazers could not stop to win the game 106-93. The Bisons advanced to the final 8, to be held this week in various parts of the US. Love pulled down 9 rebounds against the Bisons, one short of his season average of 10 rebounds per game.
Joe Newman stated "I heard Corey is a very good player from several people. Great job (Corey). And I also heard about the game (against the Bisons); you could well have upset a tough team - so close..."
 At 6'8", Love is a 2nd year player, returning from the Blazes inagural season. Love is the Asssitant Mens Basketball Coach for Bluefield State College and works with the Wade Center, in addition to playing for the Blazers. He also works with many youth-related community programs as part of the Blazers program to promote positive life choices with local youth. "We are pleased to have Corey both on the court and off", said Cindy Preast, GM of the Blazers. "Besides being a great basketball player, he is a good role model for local youth - something our program strives to provide for WV and southern VA youth".
Love joins the following players on the ABA East All Star Team:
......................................................................................................................
 The Slam Dunk 600 with the Jackson County Habitat for Humanity was a great success! The Blazers helped raise money for Habitat for Humanity's 600th house in West Virginia. First Lady Gayle Manchin came out to speak to the crowd and 2009 Miss West Virginia Talia Markham was on hand to sing the National Anthem. Thanks to all the sponsors and the crowd for coming out and being part of a great event!
Check out our Slam Dunk 600 photo album here!
......................................................................................................................
 2010 ABA PLAYOFFS
March 11, 2010 - The Blazers made it to the 2nd round of the 2010 ABA Playoffs to take on the defending champion Kentucky Bisons. The Blazers gave the champs a great game, but came up just short Thursday night.
The Blazers would like to thank all the fans for the support in another great season! Check back here for updates and offseason news.
________________________________________________________________________________
 Welcome Home Blazers!
The Blazers played in Chengdu, China on Feb 6 and Feb 7, 2010 competing in an international ABA tournament. The Blazers proudly represented West Virginia and the USA as one of just 10 United States teams invited to compete in the tournament. The team departed Charleston, WV on Wednesday, Feb 3 and returned on Monday, Feb 8.
Click here for the Blazers' pictures from the games and get the stories and stats!
Click here for the Blazers' pictures from the Chengdu Panda Base and around town!
________________________________________________________________________________
1/24/10 - The Blazers and Appalachian Rapids Put On a Show and WOW the Crowd....
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the originally scheduled opponent, the Columbus Crush, forfeited the Sunday game against the Blazers. It was a special "Be True to Your School Day" game being played at Midland Trail High School for the good fans in Hico, WV and the Blazers weren't about to let them down. Another regional team, the Appalachian Rapids agreed to come in  and take on the Blazers and make sure the crowd got a show - and did they ever! The two teams put on a fast-paced and high-flying exhibition full of dunks, alley-oops and running up the score. The fans loved the big action and the 3D light scoring (a unique ABA scoring feature - check out how it works if you're not familiar), providing lots of "ooohs" and "aaaahs"! In the end, the Blazers came out on top 154 - 128, as the scorekeeper's hands were full!
It was a great success for "Be True to Your School Day" and for the crowd. Thanks to the Appalachian Rapids, Midland Trail High School, and all the great fans who came out!
|
|
Director of WV Blazers and BluefieldHousing Authority sits down with WOWK TV's Decision Makers
Check out the interview here.
|
January 15, 2009 ; The State Journal
|
A Bluefield-based housing authority is banking on a pro basketball team to help young people improve their lives.
Story by Mike Ruben
Email | Other Stories by Mike Ruben
It has been a unique drive to the professional basketball hoop for the West Virginia Blazers...
Read more...
|
|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The WV Blazers are owned and managed by Bluefield Housing Authority in Bluefield, West Virginia.
All net proceeds from the Blazers will be used to sponsor prevention programs which promote a drug, alcohol, tobacco and crime-free lifestyle. These programs will serve at-risk youth in southern WV communities. BluefieldHousing Authority is audited annually by an Independent Public Auditor. All funds are managed in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Get Your ABA Sports Ticker Here FREE!
(Good for PC or Mac)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
|
