Severn Lady Lightning
Today’s edition of Program Profiles with ZG features Severn Lady Lightning out of Maryland. Chad Jackson ~ Director of the program took the time to thoughtfully answer these questions so that we all can learn more about this competitive group of young ladies!
When did your program start?
Severn Lady Lightning is going into their 7th season.
How big was it when it was first established? What’s the biggest difference from your program now, to 5 years ago?
We’re a unique organization, with only one team, we look for those players who need that 100% attention/teaching environment to learn the game. The Biggest difference between now vs 5 years ago is that our program has become a staple within our community.
Where is the program based out of?
Severn Lady Lightning has been based out of 2 locations, we originated out of Severn, Maryland, moved to North Augusta, South Carolina, and returned back to Severn, Maryland.
What is your favorite memory with your program?
My favorite memory would have to be the honor and joy of coaching two of my daughter’s, Kiara and Destiny throughout their entire travel careers!
What is the hardest part about having your own program?
The hardest part of having your own program is making sure you have a good, balanced schedule, and having to remind parents that the team is about their child and their growth, not about their own lust for glory.
What do you think your program excels in?
We excel in showing young ladies how to become leaders, doing things out of their comfort zones, and teaching life lessons through basketball.
How can you elevate your program to the next level?
I think we would elevate to the next level by obtaining possible sponsorships to help alleviate some of the costs and overhead that comes with a travel season.
Where do you see your program in 2 years?
Two years from now I see myself completing my tenure coaching girls, then I’ll start coaching boys starting at age 12.
What is your favorite ZG tournament?
My favorite ZG tournament, well there’s actually 2 of them, the one tournament hosted in Alexandria, VA and the other one we attended in Richmond, VA.
What would you say is your program’s mission statement?
Our mission statement is to teach, inspire, motivate, and coach young people in game of basketball. Our hopes are to assist young players to fulfill their dreams of becoming scholar-athletes and playing collegiate basketball.
What are you looking forward to most about the Spring 2020 ZG season?
We’re looking forward to the good balanced competition ZG tournaments offer, and they tend to be well-ran tournaments.
What’s been your proudest moment as Director?
My proudest moment of being Director is having a total of 16 players and counting that have come through our doors and went on to compete at the collegiate level. Another satisfying moment is having players that other organizations didn’t value and making it with Severn Lady Lightning.
What impact has your program had in your local community?
Our impact on our community has been very positive through the years, doing Toys for Tots, feeding the homeless, Prayer Breakfasts, and Holiday Food Drives at our local Safeway grocery store are a few of the things we’ve done within our community. We also provide and alternate program for those players who want a new, more personable experience.
What is your favorite aspect of being a program director?
Seeing players happy, improvements in their game, and having a greater self-confidence in what they do, both on and off the court.
What made you start the program?
What made me start the program was twofold. One, I had a vision of having my own program and running it the way that I saw fit. Second, my youngest daughter had quit and gave up on basketball when she was 10-11 years old. This was due to previous coaches she had, and their inability to motivate and teach her, so I formed Severn Lady Lightning.
What role model do you have your players look up to?
I would say, as for role models for them to look up to, 2 NBA players come to mind, the Late Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry. I’m always talking about Kobe’s quest for perfection, and how you need the Mamba Mentality to help you achieve anything you want to be great at in life. As for Curry, he was told he was too small, went to a small college, and he used those doubters to fuel his motivation, now he might be the greatest shooter we’ve ever seen. Also, I, along with my 2 assistant coaches, act as role models for them as well. Teaching them the importance of never quitting, hard work, being on time, and staying humble throughout is a good recipe for success.
