Chapter Thirty-Five

"So, Are You an All-Star?"

Shortly after the season ended, Guillermo and Emmett had been deservedly selected to play in the Bi-District All-Star Game for graduating seniors in El Paso. The all-star selections from 1-AAAA were scheduled to line up against the all-selections from the 2-AAAA district for charity game. Fittingly, Coach Goodwin had been selected to coach the 1-AAAA team in the game. Unsurprisingly, he declined, as he had been selected to coach the team in previous years and wanted to give other coaches the opportunity to participate.

Shortly after the selections were made, a practice had been scheduled by the head coaches of the two teams. Guillermo and Emmett asked me if I wanted to come see the practice. I reluctantly agreed and we all rode together to the practice. When we got there, it appeared that two of the members of the team had not bothered to show up, despite the honor bestowed upon them.

One of the coaches asked me if I would suit up and help them practice if they could find me some gym clothes that would fit. I agreed. I must have impressed them enough during practice that the coaches decided to punish the players who had not attended practice by replacing them with me and another player who had been called on to be a replacement player for the game.

On the day of the game, although I didn’t expect to get much playing time, I suited up and was announced as an All-Star. I got to play more than I expected, and it was an honor and a surprising blast to be chosen. I held my own against the best graduating senior players the city had to offer. I had played against most of them for years in pick-up games and in formal competition, but an all-star game took the challenge to another level. The game was a blur, so I don’t remember much of the game details, but I will never forget it.

What I do remember is that for much of the third quarter, Guillermo, Emmett and I were in the game at the same time. Fortunately, we worked together in such a fashion that we were able to synchronize on several plays where our teamwork flowed flawlessly. We were each able to score several times due to our ability to anticipate our movements and get easily makeable shots. I was especially grateful to have the opportunity to coordinate with my old teammates to play basketball the way it is meant to be played and way we had spent hours mastering together.

With two minutes left in the game, I was back on the bench when the coach motioned me to return to the court. I shook my head and held my hand up to signal that I did not want to return. Though I was concerned that I would appear to be disrespectful and ungrateful for the chance to play a little more, I was basking in the glow of having played so well with my teammates that I did not think anything could top that. I was more that satisfied with having been able to play and play well, that I felt no need for more. Fortunately, the coach seemed to understand my decision and nodded his approval.

Immediately after the game, a young boy, no older that ten or eleven years, came up to me and asked “So, are you an all-star?” and asked me to autograph his program. I was shocked and had never had that happen before.

I said, “no…I mean yes!” My initial reaction was embarrassment. But rather than reject his request because I didn’t feel worthy, I quickly said under my breath, “Oh, what the hell,” and signed it. The boy hopped away happy and got several other autographs from other players and I had signed my first autograph ever. Whoa!

Throughout my high school basketball career, I had not garnered much attention as a potential college recruit. I had certainly not received any scholarship offers to play college basketball, and did not expect any once the season ended. Though the game was not well attended, there were some college coaches and scouts there to evaluate the seniors.

Lately, there had been several rumors that Coach Goodwin was, once again, being courted by some colleges and universities to join their coaching staffs as head coach or assistant coach.

Typically, he turned all offers down. He often said that he was meant to coach basketball not recruit players, which he was aware was the most important role of a successful and winning college coach.

To my surprise, after the game, several of the coaches attending the game talked with me, congratulating me on my play. They also asked me about my plans for next year.

I told them that I had been accepted academically by several colleges but had not yet decided where to attend. I also told them that I had not been recruited by any college to play basketball.

Although, none of them looked particularly surprised, one of them encouraged me to attempt to walk-on or tryout for the freshman team of whatever college I chose.

I thanked him for the suggestion and walked away, still highly satisfied and grateful for the day.

As I walked back to the locker room, I looked back and saw many of the players, including Guillermo and Emmett, still talking animatedly to the coaches and scouts. I thought to myself, “You never know.”