TAMPA, Fla. — Thousands of local elementary school children will get the ultimate field trip when they attend the annual Education Day game at the Yuengling Center as the USF women's basketball team hosts Merrimack College.
It's a celebration of the importance of academics and athletics, and the Bulls want to do their part both on and off the court. USF players stuffed gift bags with pom poms and academic activity books that will be distributed to kids from 85 area schools who'll be on hand for some hoops action.
"They can see how far we came because of basketball," said USF guard Romi Levy. "We got a free education. We got a scholarship here at USF. Kids just need to understand that sports can take you really, really far in life."
The event is so popular that there's a rush by schools to get their hands on tickets, and there's even a waiting list to be part of a true student-athlete activity.
"It makes me feel really good to know that people want to be here. They want to be a part of the madness, and just the sheer fun that all the students have and all the student-athletes have as well," USF assistant director of marketing Shalyce Caban said during the team's gift bag-making party. "The biggest thing is that we’re creating future fans, future Bulls. Whether that’s coming in the stands and being a student or somebody who’s like, 'I want to play for this team.'
The Education Day game also allows the USF players to draw inspiration from the very children they want to inspire.
"I think it just gives us a drive— to play in front of so many people, kids. It’s just fun," Levy smiled. "This is what we do it for. It’s just our stage, and we’re just there to perform."
"This is amazing for them," Caban added. "They want to be part of the creation of this, and it’s going to be amazing for them to be able to hear it on Thursday."
Like almost everything within the locker room, the Bulls want to win at everything they do— even if it means keeping a tally of whose group could pack the most gift bags.
"Everything is a competition," Levy added. "Everything is a competition. We definitely killed it. We won. There’s no doubt about it."
The Bulls and Warriors will tip off tomorrow at 11 a.m. Last year's attendance of 9,574 set a program record. USF expects to approach that mark again for this year's Education Day game.
