FBC Defenders

Franklin Basketball Club is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1999 and administered by John Stone.  FBC Defenders AAU Teams currently supports girls basketball players for the Spring and Summer AAU Seasons. Starting this season (2010) the program will launch a fall program to better minitor and guide the young lives as they prepare to be impact players on their high school team. Normally in the Fall all players are encourage to participate in a skills development program [Bballlife.com] to enhance their skill set.  That part of the program will definitely continue as it is the single most vital part of the whole program. What is going to be different this fall will be the necessary requirements written to ensure 100% PARTICIPANTION.  No exceptions, NONE. This web site was designed to present the FBC Defender AAU Club and provide information about events and opportunities for girls basketball. That is ALL girls not just Defenders girls. The way I see it the site is here so why not let others use it (if they chose to do so, Great). We are located in Somerset, New Jersey. Over the  years the program has developed many players enabling them to pursue their dream of playing basketball at the collegiate level (DI, DII, DIII, JUCO).

Battle Cry: THE CALL  by STONE

But unfortunately some who have past through the program it was not to be. I say to you now that I have not forgotten you. Your glory SHALL be restored. And so now RETURN, so others may KNOW OF YOU, join your class and fellowship true, become RENEWED so that YOU might once more RISE in order to fight the great war of life. RETURN and get RENEW, COME HOME, and spend time with the few. I CALL THOSE I THOUGHT KNEW, I THOUGHT THAT YOU ALL KNEW, BUT NOW THAT I KNOW, WHAT I THOUGHT IS NOT TRUE, I HAVE RETURN ONCE MORE, TO GIVE ALL THAT I HAVE, AND SO RETURN AND STAND WITH ME, COME ONE AND ALL, FEEL THE POWER OF WE, COME FROM AFAR, CAUSE THE CALL IS SO STRONG, COME HOME AND SEE THE PROGRAM DID NOT FALL, AND NOW THROUGH YOU, ALL WILL WHO WE ARE, WE ARE SOLDIERS, YES YES THATS WHO WE ARE, WE ARE SOLDIERS, PROUD AND TRUE, PROUD SOLDIERS, FORGED IN WHITE AND BLUE, WITH FLICKER OF GOLD, TO REMEMBER THE PAST, EYE ON THE NEW,  WE WHO WE ARE ONLY ABOUT YOU, COME ONE ALL, TO THE APPPOINT PLACE, AND TAKE MY HAND AND WE CONTINUE THE RACE, FORWARD AND ON, FOR A BETTER PLACE, IT SHALL BE DONE, JUST CAUSE THAT’S WHAT WE DO, 10 OUT OF 1o TIMES, WE SHOW UP, THAT’S WHO WE ARE, WE ARE THE DEFENDERS, AND WE ARE FIGHTING A WAR. Cause we are Soldiers in the army of STONE ………….     :)!

Founder and CEO of Franklin Basketball Club (FBC) Defenders

Coach John Stone - Administrator

John E. Stone, founded the FBC Defenders AAU Club in 1999 to provide opportunities to girls who were looking to develop their basketball skills in order to become an impact player on their high school teams.

A player himself in the late 70s and early 80s Coach Stone got his start in the game playing organized basketball for Harold Galloway (wheel chair bound since graduating high school) in a newly created recreational league in Bishopville, South Carolinna.Coach Galloway would guide Stone's basketball develop from grades 5-10. Joining the varsity team as a junior point guard, it was Coach Ennis R. Bryant that would mold this young lad into one the best point guards in the conference.

Whatever contributions to young lives Coach Stone has been able to make can be attributed to the values and principles instilled in him by the above mentioned mentors. They kept him off the streets and in the gym therefore allowing him to become the first high school graduate in his household! God Bless coaches Galloway and Bryant!

Education:

• Master of Science, Computer Science Technology, Steven Institute of Technology, 1985
• Bachelor of  Science, Mathematics, Fayetteville State University (cumlaude), 1982
• High School Diploma, Bishopville High School (2 in class of 158), 1978:

Collegiate Academic Honors Undergraduate:

• 100 OUTSTANDING YOUNG MEN OF AMERICA, 1982 [published in Ebony Magazine, 1981-1982]
• Who’s  who Among American Universities & Colleges, 1981-82
• FENG Scholarship Award, 1981-82
• Armour Food Academic Achievement Award, 1980
• Cambrigde, England World Honors, 1979-80
• National Dean’s List, 1978-79
• Dean List, 1978-81
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated Scholastic Award, 1980
• Observatory Res, Adv, Bd 1980-81
• Math Club President, 1980-81
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, Served President or Vice President, 1980 -82
• Pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, Spring 1980, #1 on the line, Line Name “Computer Games”
• Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society, 1981
• Distinguished  Service Award, Alpha Kappa Mu, 1981-82
• Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society, 1981

Achievements (Community Service NJ 1982-Present):

• Coach of Year - Franklin Recreational 6-8 Girls Travel Team 1999 - 2007
• Franklin Township Recreation Commendation  for Girls Basketball (1999 - 2008)
• Founding Father of the Franklin Young Girls Basketball Parents Club, better know as FYGB Parents Club  in 1999
• First WNBA Coach Of The Year New Jersey Nets market , inagural jr nba / jr wnba campaign 203,  nominated to committee anonymously by Franklin Recreation in order to reward for years of voluntary service to all the township community activities for the  children. (By the way, that same year a player on my team was select runner up to the finalist, that means second to national player, who is she you ask, non other than Alexis Scott. a part of one of the most dynamic duos ever to exist for the defenders.  DUO! Yes the other young lady is Jacinda Dunbar, FIRST two D1 players in Defenders HISTORY! Now, run tell THAT!)
• Founding Father of the Nationally Acclaimed, Franklin Therapeutic Basketball Program, otherwise know as the Franklin Thunder, so aptly name by John Stone in honor of his cousin, Darrelle Moses of Bishopville, SC who has a mental disability. Awarded Franklin Township 2 Proclamations in open session of council meeting by mayor John Clyde on November 13, 2001 for Thunder Program.
• Proclaimed Franklin Township “2003 HOMETOWN HERO” awarded a proclamation at UNITED WAY  OF CENTRAL JERSEY HOME TOWN HEROES  banquet by mayor Willis “RICKEY” Sumter.
• Proclaimed “Man Of Thunder” by the Franklin Township Recreational Department in recognition for his tireless dedication to the Therapeutic Thunder Basketball Program.
• Founding Father of the Franklin Defenders, so apply named in the honor of a women who influence my life more than she will EVER possibly know. God bless you MOM.
• Owner Operator of the FBC DEFENDERS a proud tradition of young lives being molded into bright, successful, productive young women. Players playing at such schools as Quinnipiac, LaSalle, Kean, Georgia Court, Spellman, College of NJ, Ramapo, RU Newark, NJCU, Montclaire State, William Patterson, etc. Yes ladies it was  me. The current group of ladies in the program are ready to SHOCK the world! All because they simply trusted and BELIVED. All will see just watch these SOLDIERS Of STONE.
• 2006 Youth Advocate Of The Year Award, Somerset County Youth Service Commission

High School Academic Honors:

• Bishopville High School Class of 1978 (graduated 2nd behind two of the most wonderful friends a high school guy could ever have in one Johnnie Slater and Kelvin Berry [tied for 1st] , love and miss you both!)
• American Legion National  School Award for Courage, Honor, Leadership, Patriotism, Scholaship, and Service Gold Medal
• American National Honor Society for High School Students Medal Of Honor Winner!
• National Beta Club Society of American
• President Senior Class of Bishopville High School “Mighty, Mighty, Dragons!”
• (A;ny classmate of John E Stone from Bishopville High please send me all data from yr book and or honors and awards night program on me please I did not get a yearbook, we were poor as most of us were back then and pay my graduation fees, I could not afford one. I also cannot find my program from awards night as it was with moms thing and has now been lost. Much appreciate help, photos to as my children have never seen them. Much love to you all, BHS Dragons, til the day I die, GO FIGHT WIN!)