THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512210167
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
AT THE SEVENTH annual Paul Webb Basketball Clinic earlier this month, Justin Thatcher learned to keep his head up as he dribbled.
The lesson paled by comparison to one the 10-year-old learned six years ago.
``We noticed that Justin bruised easily,'' said his father and coach, Paul Thatcher.
Later, a checkup for kindergarten revealed blood abnormalities. Further tests confirmed his parents' worst fears - leukemia.
Justin underwent chemotherapy for a year.
``At first, he cried when he went for treatment,'' his father said. ``But he became a brave little guy before the year was over. He just walked in, sat down and stuck his arm out.''
Today, Justin plays basketball and baseball, attends Kingston Elementary School and leads a normal, active life.
His leukemia has been in remission for four years, according to his father as he watched his son - the Kings Grant Hawks point guard - going through drills.
The Thatchers were among the 250 players and coaches who attended the morning clinic. Webb held a second clinic that afternoon at Salem Middle School for about 125. First Colonial, Cape Henry Collegiate, Kempsville, Cox and Catholic High School players assisted the morning clinic; Kellam, Salem and Tallwood, the afternoon. The clinics were for kids 6-14.
Kai Spence, 9, ran through a rebounding drill run by Kellam High School basketball coach Rickey Hailey. At the time of the clinic, Spence had not been assigned to a team that will play in the Virginia Beach Department of Parks and Recreation league that begins play in January.
The slender fifth-grader is new to basketball, but not to sports.
``She swims for the Green Run Recreation Association,'' said a proud father, Glen Spence, as he watched Kai shooting layups. ``She won the regional division in the 25-meter freestyle in the 8-and-under.
Most of the young players who attended the Webb clinic will take their newly acquired skills to court when youth league play begins.
``We have about 320 players from 10-17 in the program we take care of,'' said Rich Sauls, a parks and recreation employee who supervises youth basketball. Youngsters below 10 participate in a farm league program administered by the recreation associations.
The clinic is one of many that Webb, former head coach at Old Dominion University, puts on.
``We hold these clinics for all the South Hampton Roads cities' recreation leagues,'' Webb said.
Webb retired from ODU after 10 years as head coach in 1985, but remained in athletic administration until his retirement in 1989.
None of that was very important to Thatcher as he concentrated on his skills at Webb's camp. All that mattered was that he was there, playing basketball after beating the odds. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by GARY EDWARDS
Justin Thatcher and his father Paul attended the Paul Webb
Basketball Clinic recently.
Kai Spence, 9, goes through a layup drill at the Webb clinic.
by CNB