ARLINGTON — The newly formed Arlington Girls Amateur Athletic Union Basketball program recently received $1,000 from the Rotary Club of Arlington to help fund the purchase of the one thing no basketball player can do without.

“We got 40 practice balls and four nicer quality game balls out of the deal from Action Sports,” said Dave Kraski, one of the two coaches of the fifth-grade Arlington Girls AAU team. “With 34 girls between our four teams of fifth- through eighth-graders, that helps out a lot.”

Kraski explained that, although Arlington Boys AAU teams have been around for years, the 2012-13 Arlington Girls AAU Basketball represents a first for the community.

The program’s tryouts in late October of 2012 paved the way for practices from November through its first games in December, in the Wesco league. With the estimated cost ranging between $250 to $300 for each young athlete in the Arlington School District, Kraski noted that the financial savings afforded by the Rotary’s donation were needed and appreciated.

“Rotary’s response was very quick,” Kraski said. “Within a week or two of talking to them about this, we had the balls. [Arlington Rotary President] Linda Byrnes was especially instrumental.”