Inside Medford Sports

Shawnee Shows Medford Sports Prowess

By far, the biggest beneficiary of the athletic programs in the township of Medford is Shawnee High School. Over the past 20 years, Shawnee High School has been home to league, sectional and state champions in virtually every sport. Shawnee's boys' soccer program is one of the best in the state, winning another state sectional title this past fall. The field hockey program is one of the best in the nation, building its reputation under the legendary coach Bobbie Schultz. The school's boys' and girls' cross country and track programs are consistently among the best in the area. And the boys' basketball team put together a more-than-magical run in the early 1990s, becoming the first team from South Jersey to win the prestigious Tournament of Champions.

Bishop Eustace, Camden Catholic, Holy Cross and St. Joseph's Prep have also benefited from Medford sports programs, but it is Shawnee that has benefited most from the young athletes from Medford and Medford Lakes. For what was once a rural town, Medford has seen its fair share of big-time success. The town has produced Olympians (Kellie James, Liz Tchu), pro soccer players (Jeff Zaun), pro baseball players (Ron Walker), college and pro basketball players (Malik Allen, Kirk Luchman, Brian and Danny Earl), and standout football players (Jordan Caruso). The majority of these athletes were aided through the Medford Youth Athletic Association (MYAA), Medford Lakes Athletic Association (MLAA) and the Medford Recreation Department.

Associations In Cyber Space The MYAA website covers all the goings-on with Medford sports. Visit www.myaa.net for the most up-to-date information, registrations, and coaching clinics and positions. The MLAA can be found at http://members.tripod.com/mlaa. You can find out about what's going on in the Medford Lakes's various adult and youth sports in town as well as a voice your opinion on the site's message board.

MLAA Meetings The MYAA holds its monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the MYAA complex on Hartford Road, between Church Road and Route 70. If you are new to Medford or Medford youth sports, these public meetings are a good chance to introduce yourself to some of your neighbors.

Sportsmanship Handbook The Medford Recreation Advisory Board (RAB), in collaboration with the Medford Youth Athletic Association (MYAA), has recently adopted a Sportsmanship Guideline Handbook for use by local athletic programs. The purpose of these guidelines is to state the philosophy, objectives, codes of conduct, and a few basic rules that pertain to all participants of team sports in Medford Township.

Dan Hoyt, a member of the RAB and President of the MYAA, said "National trends have consistently shown that negative behavior among the participants in sports has over-shadowed the goals of team sports. Our goal in Medford Township is to raise the bar with honorable standards that keep sports a fun, positive learning experience for our youth."

Chuck Meyer, also a member of the RAB and chief architect of the handbook, continued, "In the spirit of sportsmanship as a moral behavior, we developed these guidelines. LetÕs stop, take a breath and understand what affect our behavior and teachings will have on our children." We do have a substantial impact on their future behavior. We truly hope that parents, coaches, officials, and most especially the young athletes find this effort valuable."

The guidelines will be given to all participants in MYAA programs as well the Township's Recreation Department athletic offerings. For more information about this sportsmanship initiative and/or to request a copy of the guidelines, please call the Medford Rec Department at (609) 654-2512.

Content provided by South Jersey Sports Club.

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Author: Keith Andrew-South Jersey Sports Club