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NEW YORK, NY – July 7, 2015 – The New York Liberty and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) today announced a grassroots partnership to co-sponsor three women’s recreation basketball leagues in New York City this summer and fall. In an effort to bolster and support women’s participation in basketball, the Liberty and HSS will be the official sponsors of the Dyckman Basketball Tournament Women’s College/Pro Division, Bobbito Garcia’s Full Court 21 Women’s Division and the 14^th Street Y Fall Women’s League.

Through this partnership, the Liberty and HSS will support local recreation opportunities for women, while providing vital health and wellness information. Additionally, competitors from the Dyckman Basketball Tournament and Full Court 21 will have the opportunity to compete at Madison Square Garden, and participants from all three leagues will receive on-court recognition at a Liberty game later this season.

“A primary focus for the Liberty this season has been to strengthen our bond with the New York City community, and with our partner in the Hospital for Special Surgery, this is an exciting chance to positively impact new and established recreational opportunities for female athletes,” said team President Isiah Thomas.

“Basketball is a physically demanding sport that requires speed, agility, and power,” said Lisa Callahan, M.D., co-director of the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery and Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Player Care at Madison Square Garden. “Female athletes move differently and are built differently than males which can contribute to injury. It is important for young female athletes to build a foundation of movement patterns to prevent injury, which is why we are partnering with the New York Liberty to support women’s leagues that give women of New York City the opportunity to play basketball.”

The official kickoff event for this partnership will be Tuesday, July 7, when the Liberty and HSS host a girl’s basketball clinic at Dyckman Park, serving 75 local participants.

The clinic will feature Liberty player appearances by Tina Charles, Swin Cash, Epiphanny Prince, Brittany Boyd and Sugar Rodgers, who will teach basketball fundamentals, sign autographs and take photos. HSS physicians will be on site to demonstrate tips about how to stay injury free. All clinic participants will receive tickets to an upcoming New York Liberty home game at Madison Square Garden.

The Dyckman Basketball Tournament and Full Court 21 will hold showcase events at The Garden, prior to the Liberty’s games against the Atlanta Dream on Friday, August 21, and the Minnesota Lynx on Friday, August 28, respectively.

The New York Liberty and HSS will provide branding for all league uniforms, in addition to on-site signage. Liberty players and alumni will participate in clinics, hold questions and answer sessions and sign autographs at all three locations.

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