Jul 28, 2002 By Rob Burchianti 5 min read

Annie Malkowiak has lifted the Uniontown girls basketball program steadily up the ladder in her three years as head coach, from downtrodden to respectable to serious contender. Now she wants to take the Lady Raiders to somewhere they’ve never been before.

And while the catchphrase “I’m going to Disney World” has become commonplace in sports, Malkowiak and her team will actually be able to utter those words truthfully this coming season.

The Lady Raiders are planning a trip to Orlando for the 2002 KSA Classic and Holiday Basketball Tournament from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31.

“We’re guaranteed to play at least three games,” Malkowiak said. “I was contemplating some sort of trip like this last year, obviously with the boys team going to Las Vegas.

“This is the first group of kids who’ve played solely under me. They’ve worked extremely hard, and, in my opinion, they deserve to go on a trip like this. It’ll get them some experience, they’ll play some great teams and play teams from different places.

“This is kind of a reward for everything they’ve done. These girls have good work ethic and are great all-around kids.”

Only a few years ago, such travel plans would’ve been unimaginable.

Just goes to show what great strides Malkowiak’s Lady Raiders have made.

Yes, under the shadow of the prestigious Red Raiders program, which claimed another WPIAL title and earned another PIAA state championship game appearance last season, the Uniontown girls basketball team has gradually come of age.

Malkowiak took over the reigns before the 1999-2000 season and the Lady Raiders went 11-12 overall and 2-10 in Section 2-AAAA, finishing in sixth place out of seven teams. While those numbers don’t look sparkling, consider that Uniontown was a combined 7-38 overall and 1-21 in the section in the two previous years combined.

The Lady Raiders improved to 13-10 and 6-6 in Malkowiak’s second season and finished in fourth place, one game out of a playoff spot.

Last year, sparked by star sophomore Jocelyn Chandler, Uniontown took another huge step, going 16-9 and 8-4. The Lady Raiders tied for second place in the section to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in 22 years.

Uniontown also won its first ever regular-season tournament last year, taking home the championship trophy in the Baldwin Holiday Tournament by winning three consecutive games.

Now, coming off a landmark season, Malkowiak is hoping for even more improvement in her fourth year at the helm, and believes the Orlando trip will have a positive impact on her team.

“I think the overall experience of being down there as a team, playing basketball, hanging out, going to all the theme parks, will be a true bonding experience,” Malkowiak said. “We’re going to be like a family for a whole week.

“It comes at a good time during the season, too. If we have any issues to be dealt with, we can hammer them out and get ready for the second half of the section schedule.

“I want to do well down there, and I think we have the capability to do that. Hey, I’m not the kind of person to go to a tournament like that if I didn’t think the team could compete. I know these kids will bust their butts until the end.”

The Lady Raiders need plenty of financial backing and support to make the trip a reality.

So far, so good.

“We held a spaghetti dinner last Friday and a tag day on Saturday, and both did really well,” Malkowiak said. “We’re relying on local business support and other donations to help us some more. We’re probably going to need to raise at least $12,000 to get everyone there, which is 10 players and three coaches.

“Obviously, we needed the school board’s blessing on this and we got it. They’ve been great. I think they understand the strides this program has made.

“A venture like this takes effort of not just the kids, but a lot of other people. I’ve coached a lot of different places, but I’ve never had the parental support and administrative support that I’ve gotten here at Uniontown. Everyone’s trying to do what it takes to make this trip happen.

“This is something these kids will remember for a very long time.”

For years the Lady Raiders were bottom dwellers in the section race.

Now they’re a playoff team, a program on the rise, one looking for even bigger and better things in the 2002-03 season.

And they’re also a team that will get to play basketball and hang out with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto right after Christmas this year.

It’s a wonderful team present, but it’s also one Malkowiak and her players have earned.

NOTE: Anyone wishing to lend their support to the Lady Raiders’ Orlando trip can do so by contacting Uniontown Girls Basketball Boosters President Clarence “Buff” Checton at 724-437-5856.

Rob Burchianti is assistant sports editor of the Herald-Standard and can be reached at rvburchianti@hotmail.com.