Former WNBA player, Commack star Samantha Prahalis-Holmes holds girls basketball clinic in Hauppauge
Former WNBA player and Commack High School star Samantha Prahalis-Holmes, center, speaks to elementary school girls during a basketball camp in Hauppauge on Saturday. Credit: Thomas Hengge
As dozens of elementary school students worked on dribbling, conditioning, passing and shooting mechanics, former WNBA player and Commack High School star Samantha Prahalis-Holmes offered instruction and encouragement to Long Island’s next generation of players.
Prahalis-Holmes, who is the girls basketball coach at The Stony Brook School, hosted a free two-day basketball clinic on Saturday at the Premier Sports Multi-Sport Training Center in Hauppauge to help inspire youngsters to play basketball and teach the fundamentals of the game. The clinic continues Sunday with sessions for grades six, seven and eight.
“I just want to push the game forward,” Prahalis-Holmes said. “Girls basketball is on the rise, and I learned so much throughout my career. I want to pass it along and be that inspiration.”
Prahalis-Holmes is one of Long Island’s most decorated players. After starring for Commack, she had an outstanding career at Ohio State, becoming the Big Ten career assists leader with 901 until Caitlin Clark passed her. At the point that she was inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame in 2021, she was one of three players in NCAA women’s basketball history with at least 2,000 points and at least 900 assists, although the list has grown since then.
Prahalis-Holmes was the sixth overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She was in the WNBA for three seasons before playing overseas and beginning her coaching career in 2020 as an assistant at James Madison and then St. John’s.
Prahalis-Holmes said she was hesitant to start coaching.
“My college coach told me I was going to start coaching, and then I said, ‘No, I’m not doing that,’ ’’ she said. “I volunteered in between going overseas, and then I loved it . . . I loved the mental aspect of it and the leadership. I love building, so when the opportunity came to host the clinics, I knew I had to jump on it.”
In Saturday’s clinic, she went through stations emphasizing passing, shooting, dribbling and the three-man weave.
“It’s definitely a full-circle moment,” Prahalis-Holmes said. “I’m super-grateful that I was approached to do this.”
Parents said the clinics are beneficial for kids’ development, getting them off their phones and connecting with other children.
“I think it’s unbelievable Sam is doing this,” said Malverne athletic director Michael Pelan, whose daughter participated in the clinic. “Someone helped her along the way, and now she wants to give back to everyone else. The dedication, loyalty and traits she instills are great for the kids.’’
Prahalis-Holmes wants to continue the free clinics, saying it is her way of giving back to the community.
“Our turnout was great. We have around 30 kids attending,” she said. “It’s a testament to the girls’ game growing, so I’m going to try to push it forward and continue to grow it, especially here on Long Island.”
Jonathan Ruban covers high school sports for Newsday after graduating from St. John’s.
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