The program has flourished over the years and now the team attracts players from all over Ventura County who aspire to be top-notch players.

In the past 16 years, the Stars have become a who's who in Ventura County basketball circles.

The Stars have grown from a team of 12 girls to 22 girls on two teams. In the early days, the Stars played 20-25 local games, and now they play 40-70 games as far away as Tennessee. The season starts in September and ends July 31.

"From the first team of the Stars over 16 years ago to this year's team, I enjoy watching each Stars player improve and grow to be young women," said Giordano. "I believe that basketball is the greatest game of life. It teaches perseverance, patience, team unity, tolerance, diligence and it is very important that each player enjoy the game."

For many years, Giordano footed all the team's expenses, but the increase in tournaments and travel and lodging costs, has forced the players to pay a $500 annual fee.

The program is primarily designed for girls in fifth through eighth grades. Many former Stars players are now standouts on county high school teams. The league also has a high school summer division.

"There's no question, He's helped girls' basketball," said Buena coach Joe Vaughan. "He loves basketball and he had three daughters play in the Buena program."

Rio Mesa High girls' basketball coach Mary Klemm played on the first Stars team in 1983. She credits Giordano for the program's success.

"He's done so much for basketball," she said. "We didn't understand tradition in those days, we just wanted to play basketball."

Klemm said it was an emotional experience playing with the Stars. When Gia Giordano, an original Stars player, died in 1996, the memorial service was very moving for all those who had been in the Stars program, Klemm said.

Simi Valley High girls' basketball coach Dave Murphy had two of his daughters play with the Stars last year. Joelle, now an eighth-grader and Leah, in the sixth grade, both enjoyed their time with the Stars.

"Mike's a great guy and we had to make a tough decision. The girls, of course, had to make the team, but I felt we needed a strong travel team to help my program in Simi Valley. So I started the Simi Valley Champions travel team."

Blair Galbreath, veteran youth coach from Simi Valley, said his daughter Kristen of Royal High had a lot of fun and developed strong friendships with the Stars players.

Galbreath said his daughter was fortunate to be surrounded by outstanding high school division Stars players like Moorpark's Damaris Hinojosa (Pepperdine University bound), Nordhoff's Christen Roper (University of Hawaii bound), Buena's Cory Lewis, Kelly Murray, Courtney LaVere and Kelly Greathouse and Ventura's Kristine Gleisberg and Alex Gientke.

"I maintain he recruits skill people who are committed and focused on being better basketball players," said Galbreath. "I coached against him on several occasion and my girls were on the short end of the stick."

Although many Stars players end up at powerhouse Buena, where girls in the program will play high school ball is irrevalent, Giordano said.

"The sad part is he's taken a lot of hits that he's only done it for us, but he's worked with a lot of kids," Vaughan said.

Ventura's Tom Lewis has watched three of his daughters play with the Stars. "Mike Giordano has done a lot for girls' basketball. They get the competition. He's done a great job with the kids," said Lewis. Cory Lewis plays for the Buena varsity. Emily plays on the Buena junior varsity team, and Maddie is a sixth-grade Stars players.

Lewis said, "The Stars have never been a Buena farm team and Joe Vaughan would never want it that way. Mike likes to support Buena basketball."

Giordano is the head coach of the Stars; the assistants are Roger Whitlock and Leonard Keep.

The Giordanos and daughters Tina and Gia moved to Ventura in 1972 so Mike could pursue his career of building and developing homes. His third daughter, Michelle "Mikko," was born in 1976 and now plays professionally in Europe.

Giordano said the purpose of the Stars is to teach basketball skills to any female athlete desirous and committed enough to make the team. He advertises tryouts to area girls and sends out fliers to all the middle schools.

Giordano pays for the use of local gyms such as Balboa Middle School or Buena High.

"The nice thing is, he (Giordano) doesn't have to do this," said Ventura's Randy Greathouse. "He loves to teach basketball.

"This is a blessing in disguise because we don't have a junior high program."

Greathouse has watched his daughters Nicole (now a UC Santa Barbara sophomore) and Kelly (a Buena High sophomore) hone their basketball skills with the Stars' travel-club program.
"He runs a really class program."
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Copyright Staronline 1999