PirateCrew: Seton Hall Pirates Football & Basketball Recruiting
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By Zack Cziryak
With his college career finally concluded, Cale has turned his sights on the next steps in his basketball career, but also on giving back to the youth community of his home state of Delaware, an initiative he began three years ago.
Cale gives the majority of the credit for the charity’s success to his mother, a high school principal in Wilmington, Del., who came up with the original idea and is instrumental in the planning and execution of the event.
The first iteration of Cale Cares in 2019 included a 45-minute panel discussion featuring college basketball players as well as tours of a courthouse and prison and the basketball clinic, according to Cale, who noted the tour events had roughly 20 to 25 participants, ranging from elementary to high school-aged children.
"We took like two buses over to the courthouse and they showed us what happens in there, how it works, what kind of people go in, what kinds they have to deal with every day,” Cale said, adding the prison tour followed a similar structure.
His work with Cale Cares saw him named the initial recipient of Seton Hall’s Walter Dukes Integrity and Impact Award in June 2021.
"Our goal was to bridge the gap between police officers and my community," said Cale, whose father is a retired police officer.
This year’s basketball clinic will also follow a similar structure, with a paid breakfast for the campers to be followed by skill work on one of six courts in a rotation with area coaches and some of Cale’s own friends, to be followed by a paid lunch during which they will watch Cale himself run through a workout with his own trainer. The day wraps up with a three-on-three tournament that awards winners from the 4th and 5th grade, middle school and high school levels.
This year’s theme is "Control the Controllable,” where participants will learn key basketball skills in addition to hearing from experienced basketball players as they talk about the importance of controlling attitude and emotions while having a positive work ethic, a will to win, and understanding what it means to be a great teammate.
Donations for the event are being accepted via a GoFundMe here.
Feedback has been positive for Cale, who has roughly 30 students signed up for this year’s clinic, many of which are returning campers.
"Usually, the feedback is really good. 'Oh, we love it. This is what more people need to do ... You're a great inspiration for my kids. My kids look up to you all the time.' stuff like that. All positive stuff,” he noted.
