Mitsubishi Motors Southern California Dealers And the Los Angeles Clippers Team Up for Youth
2 January 2001
Mitsubishi Motors Southern California Dealers And the Los Angeles Clippers Team Up for Youth
New Youth Basketball Program to Work Exclusively With Inner City Children
WHO: Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., Southern California's
21 Mitsubishi Motors Dealers and the Los Angeles Clippers have
joined forces with Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks
(LACRP) to create the Mitsubishi Junior Clippers, a first-time
program designed to promote the fundamentals of basketball,
sportsmanship and athletics as an alternative to negative
influences. The Mitsubishi Junior Clippers will encompass more
than 700 inner-city participants, ages 5-16.
WHAT: To kick off the Mitsubishi Junior Clippers program, Mitsubishi
Motors and the Los Angeles Clippers will host a press
conference featuring Clippers Head Coach Alvin Gentry;
Mitsubishi Motors Vice President, Corporate Communications,
Gael O'Brien; LACRP General Manager Ellen Oppenheim; and LACRP
Board of Commissioners member Steve Soboroff.
Clippers players Darius Miles, Jeff McGinnis and Keyon Dooling,
with Clippers assistant coach Dennis Johnson, will distribute
team uniforms to 40 of the 800 youth participants in the
Mitsubishi Junior Clippers. Post distribution, members of the
California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Sheriff's
department will perform safety demonstrations for the children.
WHEN: Saturday, January 6 from 2-4 p.m.
(see below for schedule of events)
WHERE: Normandie Recreation Center, 1550 S. Normandie, Los Angeles
WHY: The newly-created Mitsubishi Junior Clippers will enable
inner-city youth to participate in the LACRP City Wide
Basketball program at a reduced rate. As part of the program,
participants will attend a clinic taught by Clippers players
and coaches, and will receive discounts on Clippers game
tickets.
In addition to the clinic, the winners of a sportsmanship and
safety essay contest will play in a special game held at
halftime during the Clippers game on Friday, April 6.
Sportsmanship and seat belt safety are two important lessons
taught in the Mitsubishi Junior Clippers program. Nominated by
their peers and coaches, and based on the NBA's criteria,
76 youths will be selected by Mitsubishi Motors and the
Clippers as the sportsmanship winners, while 24 children will
be selected as winners of the seat belt safety essay contest.
Mitsubishi Junior Clippers Press Conference
Schedule of Events
Normandie Recreation Center
1550 S. Normandie, Los Angeles
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001
2-4 p.m.
2:00 p.m. Welcome by Ed Bates, North District Supervisor
Los Angeles City Recreation & Parks
2:05 p.m. Ellen Oppenheim, General Manager
Los Angeles City Recreation & Parks
2:10 p.m. Steve Soboroff, Board of Commissioners
Los Angeles City Recreation & Parks
2:15 p.m. Gael O'Brien, Vice President, Corporate Communications
Mitsubishi Motors
2:20 p.m. Alvin Gentry, Head Coach
Los Angeles Clippers
2:25 p.m. Ceremonial distribution of Mitsubishi Junior Clippers
uniforms to youth participants by Clippers players
Keyon Dooling, Jeff McGinnis and Darius Miles, and
assistant coach Dennis Johnson.
2:30 p.m. Exhibition game between Shatto and Queen Ann recreation
centers.
Coach Gentry, LACRP's Ellen Oppenheim and Steve Soboroff,
and Mitsubishi Motors' Gael O'Brien are available for
interviews at this time.
2:40 p.m. Interactive fun zone for the youth participants, plus
safety belt demonstrations and vehicle displays by the
California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Sheriffs
department
Interview opportunities with Gael O'Brien of Mitsubishi Motors can be
scheduled by contacting Monica Miller at the Mitsubishi News Bureau at Stanton
Crenshaw Communications, 714-799-7272.
Interview requests for other event participants should be directed to
Denise Booth at 213-742-7514.
For further information, please contact Monica Lewis of Mitsubishi Motor
Sales of America, Inc., 714-372-6454, mlewis@mmsa.com; or Denise Booth,
Los Angeles Clippers, 213-742-7514, dbooth@clippers.com; or Monica Miller,
Mitsubishi News Bureau at Stanton Crenshaw Communications, 714-799-7272.