When Skilladelphia’s co-founder, Mac, started coaching his 6 year-old daughter in late 2022, he had one goal: to make basketball fun for her and her teammates. And it worked! By the end of the season, she wanted to keep playing, but Mac couldn’t find the 8-foot nets they needed for a young player like her to shoot on and build confidence.

Enter Mark Atwood, Executive Director of Old Pine Community Center. Mac and Mark struck a deal to bring 8-foot rims to the Center and begin offering clinics to neighborhood girls at an affordable price.

Since the first official Skilladelphia clinic in the fall of 2023, over 400 girls and non-binary players have participated, making Skilladelphia a fast-growing and beloved part of the community.

Meet Our Team

  • 1991 LaSalle College Summer Camp 3-Point Champ

    Coach Mac is probably the only player in college basketball history to register significantly more personal fouls than points.  When he wasn't hacking Centennial Conference opponents for a year, he spent countless hours working on shooting mechanics and coaching kids at places like North Penn High School, Perkiomen Valley School District, and even Villanova Summer Camp during Jay Wright's early years. After taking a 19 year hiatus during which he spent time learning how to function as an adult, in 2023 Mac became a commissioner and coach in the Philadelphia Dragon's Girls League . He started Skilladelphia in September of 2023 with the goal of bringing fun and affordable basketball to kids in his neighborhood.

  • Pure Hooper | Volunteer Coach

    Coach Pat probably scored 2,000 points at Fleetwood High School.  He went on to be a 4-year First-Team-All-Ursinus Intermural staple, winning four straight championships from 2001 to 2005, playing alongside Coach Mac for three of those seasons. As a youth coach, Pat is a force to be reckoned with in the widely respected Narberth Summer League, where he led multiple middle school teams to tens of wins. He returns to the game with equal parts grey hair and enthusiasm.  

  • Technically Had A Basketball Net As A Child

    Liz is a writer and a teacher. She sometimes attends basketball games with her husband Mac, and seems to genuinely enjoy them! Her children once took a picture with a very large man who had passed by on the sidewalk. Liz texted that picture to Mac and asked “Is this Charles Barkley?” It was, in fact, him.

    Liz is excited to help make Skilladelphia a success, and to support Old Pine Community Center.  

  • No offense, but Coach Val is way more positive than you.  After a standout career at North Penn High School, she went on to play four years of college basketball right here in the Keystone State (two for Bloomsburg and two for the West Chester Golden Rams).  The 2x PSAC Scholar Athlete is currently a Masters Student at West Chester University, focusing on Clinical Mental Health and pursuing a path in Children's Mental Health.  Her rebounding drills are catching on throughout the city, and we are lucky to have her on board (pun intended)!

  • Nicole recently signed on to support Skilladelphia, and probably regrets it. Luckily she’s way to nice to admit that. Since then though, she’s helped us get better every day by improving how we operate so we can meet the demands of our growing programming. We are beyond lucky to have her!

Meet Our Board

Emily Foote-Williams
Chief Strategy Officer at Saxby’s |

Stefanie Christmas
Executive Culture Strategist

James Nam
Entrepreneur and First Tee Board Member

Ramin Mohajer
Director | Alliance for Decision Education

Marla Axelrod
VP and General Counsel |
Philadelphia Eagles

Adrienne Reese Feinour
HR Leader at Canon | Jefferson University Hall of Fame Inductee

Ilysa Raphael
Board Member & Secretary of The Raphael Foundation

Rachel G Rempell
CHOP Pediatric Emergency Medicine

ABOUT OLD PINE COMMUNITY CENTER

Since 1977, Old Pine Community Center’s mission is to enrich the lives of their neighbors through programs and services focused on addressing food insecurity, supporting children and families, and building community engagement. Their work is responsive to and informed by their community, addressing unmet or under-met needs.

Learn more about OPCC