Greater Reading Chamber Commerce Quarterly Summer 2017 - 15

GreaterReadingChamber.org

ith one minute left on the clock, the energy swelled
inside Hershey Arena during the PIAA-Class 6A
Championship game in late March. Nearly 10,000 Red
Knight fans, including basketball legends Donyell Marshall and
Stu Jackson, created a sea of red and black, and the booms of their
chants nearly shook the building.

The pure joy, positive vibes and camaraderie that flowed in the
days following the game united both the city and Greater Reading
community, including local businesses, which flooded their social
media timelines with congratulatory messages and filled the Reading
Eagle's special commemorative issue with more than 80 pages worth
of we-are-proud-of-you advertisements. "The City of Reading
As the last seconds ticked down in what seemed like slow motion, and Berks County could not have been more supportive. They
the Reading High School basketball players somehow remained kept our accomplishment in the forefront, here and throughout
composed despite being on the cusp of making history. With a the state," says RHS Basketball Coach Rick Perez. "Media outlets,
balance of passion and power, they executed their closing plays on restaurants, banks and so many businesses stepped up and showed
the court below as the crowded bleachers shouted "3...2...1" and love for our team. For example, Queen City Restaurant and Savage
61 (car dealership) played a vital role in providing our basketball
the final buzzer blared.
players with game-day meals and scholarship opportunities. Other
The winning moment - more than 100 years in the making - was businesses have also made donations to our Squires' Club to support
surely a night to remember, sort of like Hoosiers, Rudy and the feel- us and help with the team's day-to-day operations."
good ending of every Disney movie all rolled into one. Led by an
The basketball team's momentous season put a spotlight on the
all-star lineup, Reading High had seized a long-coveted basketball
community
support that Reading School District and its students
state championship title, and there was no stopping the celebration.
have
long
received
from area business leaders - often without fanfare,
Lifetime fans embraced in the stands, students stormed the court
press
release
announcements
or grip-and-grin photos, even when
and players piled onto each other, clutching their shimmering
those
leaders
more
than
deserved
the recognition. "The success of
gold medals. Following the game and an hour-long drive back to
our
team,
and
our
school
district
overall,
is based on our network of
Reading, a crowd of hundreds surrounded the RHS Geigle Complex
relationships,
particularly
with
the
business
community," Perez adds.
to welcome the team home for a post-game celebration! Despite it
"These
networks
help
support
our
growth,
provide
mentorship and
being past midnight, the party continued on in the gym with the
resources,
and
show
our
team
members,
as
well
as
students,
various
community, players, and Coach Rick Perez doing the Electric Slide.
ways they can be successful."
Continued on page 16
Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, Superintendent of Reading School District, and
RHS super fan Bobby Weitzel ride in one of the jeeps sponsored by Tim
Profit and Savage 61 during the parade that celebrated the RHS basketball
team's championship win. Weitzel served as parade grand marshal.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Greater Reading Chamber Commerce Quarterly Summer 2017