Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507170016
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MARCUS THOMPSON
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Of all the teams in this class, ours is one that really means "under" when it registers in the 12-and-under class.
Two of our team members are just approaching 9 years of age. One member of our team would be "stretching it" if he said he was over 4 foot 3. If you could see our team, you'd see a lot of little guys with real big hearts.
These guys formed a team two months ago with the dream of being able to participate in the games. There are no grand designs to win the gold medal. Our guys want to have a good time and earn a little respect if that's possible.
The biggest problem we have is practicing. There are only nine members on the team so in order to scrimmage, a dad or coach has to jump in to even things out.
But when our team held one of its last practices Sunday at the Christiansburg Armory, for the first time ever, a parent didn't need to step in. The players had an Ace up their sleeves.
Ace Custis, Virginia Tech's star forward, came to work out with the team and the days of a dad being good enough for practice were over. Having Ace play with the team was a prize bigger than any old medal that will be given out at the Commonwealth Games.
Watching Ace cover our shortest player was a bit comical. If the little guy would have taken time to think about it, he could have walked through Ace's legs and been gone in a flash. But like the rest of our little team, he was working hard to show Ace his special moves and style.
Watching Ace work with this team gave everyone a good insight to the reason Virginia Tech won the NIT Tournament last season. Ace cares about the kids that look up to him. He took time to work "one-on-one" with every member of the team, instructing each player on the technique that would allow him to be a better basketball player than he was at the beginning of the practice.
The Commonwealth Games will be over in less than a week. But our team will carry a special memory of its 10th member.
Our little players planned to be at Patrick Henry High School Saturday as Custis played in the 20-to-25-year-old class. They planned to show Ace that being part of a their team has its own advantage; nine to be exact.
Marcus Thompson is a communication facilitator for Volvo GM Heavy Truck. He lives in Christiansburg with his family, including 12-year-old basketball player Cory and 10-year-old Carly.
by CNB