Memorial scholarship, basketball rec league honor late Revere grad
by Patty Reiman
Next spring, the legacy of Betsy Brock will again be recognized through a Revere High School scholarship that was first given in 2018.
Brock, a 1987 Revere student-athlete graduate and Bath resident who passed away in 2017, was remembered for her dedication to the Revere basketball program as a player, coach and parent.
Brock’s name is also attached to the Betsy Brock REC Basketball League, which she revamped about 12 years ago for girls in the Revere Local Schools District.
The league offers instructional play for girls in grades K-3 and competitive play for girls in grades 3-6. In addition, the older group has the option of trying out for a travel team.
Nearly 70 girls participated in the latest six-week REC session that included games and practices once a week and began in late October.
About 12 years ago, Brock approached Kevin Verde, Revere’s varsity coach, with a new vision for the youth basketball program. She hoped to raise the competition level and get more high school players involved in helping and mentoring the younger athletes.
Brock also initiated youth skills camps, clinics and travel teams. This year, three travel teams for girls in grades 3-6 will compete in Barberton and Tallmadge and in weekend tournaments during their season, which runs from October through February.
“Our goal has always been to have opportunities available for the younger basketball player to gain confidence, work on skills, build basketball fundamentals and to then compete with other area teams,” said Vickie Coffey, Brock’s sister, who joined the REC program 10 years ago to coach alongside her sister. She is current co-chair of the Revere Youth Basketball Association, along with Dan and Jen Tompkins.
Revere High basketball players help with the REC leagues, Coffey said.
“Varsity Head Coach Dan Brown has been instrumental in having the high school players be a part of youth basketball camps, clinics and the REC league,” she said.
High school assistant coach Julianna Pavicic leads the K-3 REC instructional league.
Coffey said Revere has graduated several notable athletes from its girls basketball team, including Casey Nance, class of 2008, who played Division I basketball for the University of Dayton and is now one of Revere’s varsity high school girls assistant coaches.
Two recent graduates from the class of 2019 are also playing collegiate basketball, Coffey said: Taylor Rinn at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, and Grace Hete at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus.
The Betsy Brock Memorial Scholarship is given annually to at least one male and one female graduating senior basketball athlete at Revere High School who plans to attend any college and is not receiving a collegiate athletic scholarship. Applicants submit an essay or video explaining how Revere basketball impacted their life and how it will affect their future.
In preparation for the class of 2020, the Betsy Brock Memorial Basketball Scholarship fund is seeking sponsors, who will be listed on a banner displayed in the RHS gymnasium for the 2019-2020 basketball season. The deadline is Nov. 25. Sponsorships will go directly to the scholarship fund.
“As Betsy fought hard to beat an aggressive form of cancer, she remained active in an activity that brought joy to her life,” said Coffey. “Although Betsy is no longer seen in the Revere High School gymnasiums, this scholarship allows her to continue to give to a program that brought so much joy to her life.”
For more information about the Betsy Brock Memorial Scholarship, email betsybrockscholarship@gmail.com or visit revereschools.org/cms/lib/OH01001097/Centricity/ModuleInstance/3333/Basketball%20Flyer%2010.1.19.pdf.
Featured image photo caption: Betsy Brock REC Basketball League players and instructors gather for practice in November. Photo courtesy Vickie Coffey