BERKELEY – Practice had wrapped up early in the afternoon, but music, laughter, and the sound of bouncing basketballs could still be heard in Haas Pavilion late Monday evening. In a collaboration with African American Student Development, the Cal women's basketball team kicked off Reading, Review, and Recitation week with a 90-minute clinic called "Our Haas Is Your Haas," promoting wellness and collaboration across the UC Berkeley community.

"It was really special to partner with AASD and put on a terrific clinic that I think everyone enjoyed," said Cal head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. "We take quite seriously our role, as a women's basketball program, in connecting with all corners of this campus. The African American students here are valued, they are important, and we want to make sure that Haas is a place they feel a part of; whether it's to watch a game or engage with our players, coaches, and staff."

More than 20 members of African American Student Development, including staff, undergraduate, and graduate students, joined in stations and instructional drills run by the Golden Bears coaches and student-athletes.

"The goal of Monday's event was to build community, have fun, and promote the importance of exercise and wellness," said Takiyah Jackson, the interim director of African American Student Development and a former basketball player herself at UCLA. "We wanted to be intentional about creating opportunities for student-athletes and students who are not athletes to build community, partnerships and solidarity."

African American Student Development helps students pursue academic excellence, and assist them in building community on campus, with the goal of equipping students with the tools, skills and resources they need to successfully navigate life on and off campus. AASD creates programs and activities that facilitate the retention and graduation of African American students, encourages their matriculation to graduate and professional school, and enhances their undergraduate experiences.

Monday's clinic served as the kickoff Wellness Activity for RRR week, and AASD has continued to support students with wellness and community events throughout the week.

Amid the crunch of both studying for exams and preparing for competition, the student-athletes relished the opportunity to share the game they love with their peers – and of course, taking several dance breaks in between.

"I had a really good time and it was cool to see how into it the other students were," said junior guard Asha Thomas. "A lot of us have similar backgrounds but don't really interact on a regular basis. This lets us connect with different groups of people that we don't see day-to-day and to get to know those familiar faces."

The Cal women's basketball team has hosted clinics with other student organizations on campus in the past, collaborating with the International House the previous two years to teach the basics of the game to members of the Cal's international community.

"We want our student-athletes to get a well-rounded experience here at Berkley and that is not solely about Cal Athletics," said associate head coach Charmin Smith, who helped plan and organize the event with Jackson. "For our players to have that connection to another part of the UC Berkeley community and African-American Student Development is huge. This is something that's really a passion of mine and is really important to me.  I hope that we can continue to do more to foster these relationships."

For more information on African American Student Development, visit here or follow them on Twitter (@aasd_cal).

Keep up-to-date on the latest Cal women's basketball news by following the Bears on social media. View behind-the-scenes photos and videos and learn more about Cal and its student-athletes on Twitter (@CalWBball), Instagram (@CalWBball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalWBball).