Author: Jamie Griffin

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Memphis Preps Blog Sports

Memphis Preps: The Transformation of Marlon Hunter

Marlon Hunter

Marlon Hunter has committed to play college basketball at Western Kentucky. Some may say “Big deal.” Some may say “wrong Kentucky.” Actually, if you know Hunter, 1) it is a big deal and 2) it is the right Kentucky.

It wasn’t long ago when playing college basketball did not even appear to be an option for the 6′ 2” combo guard. Hunter, a senior at Houston High School, was a kid who lost his way in Panama City, Florida, six years ago.

His father was locked up. Hunter was developing into a good player on the court, but a not so good person off of it. “I would call his house looking for him and he would be out,” recalls Carlos Lambert, Hunter’s uncle. “And it was past 12 o’clock at night.”

Lambert lives in Memphis, but he took an interest in Hunter because he was his brother’s son. He spoke with him often over the phone, sent him basketball shoes. They talked about plenty of things, mainly basketball. He made Hunter feel wanted.

Carlos Lambert

As a seventh-grader, Hunter joined an AAU team in Panama City. As luck would have it, one of the tournaments his team was to participate in, the AAU Nationals, was being hosted by Wooddale High School in Memphis. It gave Lambert the opportunity to not only spend time with Hunter, but to critique his game.

Lambert was impressed with his nephew’s skills but concerned about the position he played. Hunter, 5′ 9” at the time, was his team’s center. So Lambert talked with his nephew about developing combo guard skills.

But when Hunter went back home to Panama City he got in trouble and had to do community time after being involved in a fight. Lambert knew it was time to get him to Memphis. “They had to agree to my terms,” Lambert says of Hunter’s parents. “We were going to have to do things my way.”

“I knew he was about what was best for me,” Hunter says of his uncle, but the transformation wasn’t easy. Looking back on it, Hunter admits his uncle’s talks alone were not getting it done. “It was the paddle,” says Hunter. “He put the paddle on me. That got my attention.” Lambert demanded discipline in the house first and foremost, which carried over to the hardwood.

“We spent hours working on getting him to lay the ball up with his left hand,” says Lambert. “He started crying and telling me he couldn’t do it.” But Hunter continued to put in the work, working on his ball-handling skills and his outside shot.

“It was hard,” says Hunter. “It was really tough. But I could see that my left hand was getting stronger.” His overall game was too. His biggest problem, basketball-wise, was that he continued to grow, a problem most young players would love to have. But Lambert just wasn’t sure how much more growing Hunter had left to do and didn’t think he could make it to the next level with the skills of a center but the height of a guard.

With a little luck and some convincing by Lambert, Hunter was able to play combo guard at Oakhaven Middle School, despite being the tallest person on team. Then the team’s starting point guard got injured, forcing the coach to play Hunter at guard even more.

After middle school, Hunter took his combo guard skills to Melrose and played his first two high school seasons there. Hunter decided to leave after coach Jermaine Johnson was fired as the team’s coach. Houston’s coach William Buford was more than happy to accept him. Hunter averaged 22 points, 3.6 steals, and 6.7 rebounds last year as a junior with the Mustangs.

He puts in a lot of time,” says Buford. “He’s the last leave. He comes at 5:30 a.m. for workouts.”

“I workout, take a shower, and then head to class,” says Hunter.

“Then he comes back to lift weights,” adds Buford.

They are both hoping the added muscle from the weight-lifting will pay off for Hunter, who has gone from 188 lbs. to 205 lbs. in two months. “It should help him play against bigger and stronger players, especially defensively.” says Buford. “Taller and bigger players won’t be able to just bump him off screens.”

If you asked Hunter what makes him one the best prep players in the area, he will not offer his size as an answer. “I’m an energy guy” says Hunter. “Plus I can play without the ball.”

But with the ball in his hands is how his coach prefers it. “Our offense runs through (Hunter),” says Buford. “He’s a leader and he’s not a selfish player. He knows to get the ball to the guy who has it going.”

The guy who had it going recently in Houston’s exhibition game against Hamilton, was Hunter. He scored 50 points by using an array of moves not found in most players’ repertoire. He realizes his days of playing in the post before making the move to guard really helped in diversifying his game. “It’s was kind of weird coming from center to guard,” he says, “but I can still use my big man moves along with my guard skills.”

For all of his improvements on the court, Hunter’s most important transformation came in the classroom. “He was making D’s and F’s before I got him to A’s and B’s now,” says Lambert. Because of Hunter’s dedication to his academic work, he will be a full qualifier at Western Kentucky after scoring 21 on the ACT.

Scholarship offers came in from Arkansas, UT Martin, and ETSU. Hunter says Memphis was never really on his radar. But there were several factors that made Western Kentucky the right school for him. “When I (visited the campus) it had a good atmosphere. I liked Coach (Ray) Harper. I liked his coaching style.”

But more importantly, as with his uncle Lambert, Western Kentucky made Hunter feel like no other school did — wanted.

You can follow Jamie Griffin on twitter @flyerpreps.

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: “Pinky”

Kuiana Butler’s voice is a soft monotone. She can’t pose for a photo because she’s too busy blushing and shying away from the camera. Finally she gets focused long enough to complete the assignment. Snap. Picture taken. That sums up the 14-year-old boxer to this point, reticent, yet all about business.

She loves to box. No one would know it, however, unless they saw her in action. Ashlee Frazier certainly didn’t think so when she first met Butler. Frazier is a boxer herself, and administrative assistant at Prize Fight Academy in Southaven, Mississippi. Frazier was the very first person Butler encountered when she entered the facility.

“I thought to myself, she will never make it,” Frazier said of her first impression of Butler. “Her demeanor was just … let’s just say she didn’t have a ‘go get it’ attitude. She was really shy and quiet.”

What Frazier didn’t know is that Butler had already won her first fight, which was convincing her dad to let her try boxing. She had watched boxing on television with him for years. It was their bonding time. She told him she wanted to give it a try. Hoping she was caught up in the moment he ignored her. But she came back again.

So Butler’s father suggested she play softball, a sport where she was less likely to get hurt. But his daughter was persistent. He finally made a deal with her. He wanted to know if her actions would speak louder than her soft words. He told her if she would find a gym then he would let her give it a try.

The DeSoto Central eighth-grader hopped online and found Prize Fight. Butler had some more convincing to do. When she and her father arrived at the gym, Frazier was not the only member of the staff not impressed with Butler, gym owner and boxing promoter Brian Young had concerns also.

Butler was 12, yet she weighed nearly 230 pounds. “I thought she would be a project,” said Young. “Most kids don’t stick with the program.” It is particularly true of ones with slow hands like Butler.

The experiment was awkward from the start. Butler wouldn’t talk unless she was asked to do so. Being one of a short supply of girls at the gym proved to be problematic as well. “She had to learn to take a punch,” said Frazier. “But the guys were afraid to hit her.” Frazier had to figure out a way to calm their fears of hurting Butler.

Although she was about 100 lbs lighter than Butler at the time, Frazier decided to get into the ring with the silent warrior. Butler took her share of lumps from Frazier, who is 15 years her senior. But more importantly, Butler began to learn to defend herself, and to throw punches as well, hard punches. No talking needed. Now the boys had to hit her back in self defense.

Still there was more work to be done. Losing weight took a lot of work: sit-ups, pushups, and running. She changed her eating habits, cutting out foods high in fat. During the process she also began to improve her fighting technique. “When she got her pivot and hip movements down, the hand speed came immediately,” said Frazier. Butler continued to quietly go about her business. The pounds began to disappear. Still something was missing. Unbeknownst to Young, he possessed the missing piece.

Young noticed that Butler’s favorite color was pink — pink shoes, pink boxing gloves, pink boxing trunks. So he started calling her “Pinky.” The nickname not only stuck, it was a game-changer. “When she got the name, that did it,” said Young. “It took a year for to feel comfortable with us. But it finally happened after she got the nickname.”

Butler began to open up. “They are like family to me,” Butler said of Young and Frazier. “I can talk to them about anything.” And that she did. She became more comfortable talking to others, too, and answering questions about her love for the sport of boxing.

Did you fight as a kid?

“I attended a Memphis School in elementary. Oakhaven. I got into several fights there.”

Did you get in trouble?

“No because we didn’t get caught. We would fight in the hideaway spot on the playgrounds near the swing sets.”

If you fought 10 times at Oakhaven, what would you say was your record?

“Probably 8-2, but I didn’t fight that much. Plus I fought kids older than me.”

Did you ever start these fights?

“No I never started them. But I always finished them.”

What were you all fighting about?

“I don’t even remember. Probably nothing. Just being bad kids, I guess.”

Did you fight at home?

“Yes. I have four sisters. I fought with the three that were older than me.”

Did they beat you down?

“(Laughter) Yeah they did.”

You pattern your boxing style after who?

“When I work on foot movement it’s (Muhammad) Ali. Strength it’s Mike Tyson. Defense it’s Floyd (Mayweather). Speed, again it’s Ali.”

She was more Tyson than anyone in her very first fight, which ended in victory before the first round was over. “I wasn’t nervous at all,” she said of the experience. The momentum of the win carried over into the summer. In June, Butler won the Title National Championship amateur series in Holly Springs, Arkansas, in the 178-lbs lightweight 15-and-under division. She followed that up with a title in Atlanta, winning the Paul Murphy Invitational in September.

Butler now weighs 175 lbs and has her eyes set on another championship. She will box in an amateur event in Jackson, Mississippi in November.

She understands she has a lot more work to go and more weight to lose to get achieve her ultimate goal as a boxer. “I plan on being in the Olympics,” she said.

“I’ve never been so happy in my life,” she said while smiling. And never as talkative either.

You can follow Jamie Griffin on Twitter at @FlyerPreps.

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: The Traditions of Orange Mound Football

There are a long set of lines outside of Melrose Stadium in the heart of Orange Mound on homecoming night for football. The first quarter is winding down. The home side of the field is not completely full yet, but only because several people are walking around mingling; some are still in line waiting to get in. Most programs would be happy with the turnout, but not the Golden Wildcats’ faithful. “It’s not bad,” says Joel Jackson (Melrose ’68). “But it’s not what it used to be.”

Not so long ago tailgating in Orange Mound was quite the scene. The games stopped traffic at David and Park, the stadium’s intersecting streets. David Street, in particular, felt like a one-way. There was grilling or some type of merchandise exchange, it seemed, at every other house, which made it nearly impossible for anyone walking up to the stadium gate to not purchase something, or at the minimum inquirer about what was for sale. The street looked like a mini-version of Barbecue Fest. Police officers were needed to direct traffic. The lines to enter games spilled over into the street. Drivers, who were only concerned with getting home, blew horns in frustration. Hands of fans, some young, some old, clutched the stadiums’ metal wired fence. Maybe they couldn’t afford a ticket, or maybe they just liked the outside view.

Inside the fence was also a spirited scene, with Melrose fans packing the home side of the field, and giving the visitors a run for their money on the other side as well. Even high school kids not interested in football attended, fulfilling their social obligation by walking around the field acknowledging classmates. The older fans, the alumni, they would run into someone they haven’t seen in some time and then into someone they hadn’t seen since the last home game. The weather had no effect on the tailgating or the attendance. It wasn’t so long ago. What changed?

Ask some Melrose supporters and they may tell you it was a conspiracy. Local government may disagree. Regardless of the motive, Shelby County Health Department and Memphis & Shelby County Code Enforcement started to enforce laws requiring permits for the street venders, effectively ending business for several moonlighters. “That took away a lot,” says Cedrick Wooten (Melrose ’87). The losing also hurt. The program that made several trips to the state finals in the ‘90s and early part of the new century fell on hard times by the end of the decade. There were no signs of it getting better either. The lowest point was going winless in 2012. It obviously chased away the casual fan, but not the Melrose faithful.

The faithful don’t just bleed gold, their bones crack it out. Homecoming night offers the proof. The game is part of the Melrose Class of 1981 reunion activities. Across the street from the field at the Orange Mound Community Center, Class of ’81 is having a ball prior to the game. To the theme of 70s music being played by former Melrose student and resident DJ Kenneth Benson, people are dancing. Vincent Burnett is giving away hot dogs and hamburgers to whoever wants them. “It’s all about donations,” Burnett (Melrose ’81) says. “Everyone donates. The grills, the food, the drinks, it’s all about giving back to the neighborhood.” He sums up the reunion as, “Nothing but love.”
Adolphis Shipp is one of the cooks. He is also a proud Melrose alum. His classmates called him Boney back in the day. And the name still fits. “Sausage, corn, turkey leg,” he offers. “What do you need?”

Not every tailgater attended Melrose. But those that did not are still somehow closely connected to the program. On the edge of the Community Center’s property near the sidewalk, Terry Wood has the grill going. It’s been his spot for nearly 20 years. If not for the size of his grill and all the onlookers with a fence-eyed view of the game, he would have the ideal position to cook and watch the game at the same time. His bologna, chicken, ribs, smoked sausages, and tamales come at a price. But for him it’s not about the extra money. “I’m a people person,” he claims. His game preparations begin at 6:00 am. He’s not a Melrose graduate, but his son Anthony is. “He played (football) at Melrose,” he proudly says of his son. “Number seven. Running back. He’s up there now,” he says pointing at the press box area. “He calls the game now.”

Adjacent to Wood is Alicia Smith, selling soul food. Like Wood, she did not attend Melrose, but her kids did. “All of my kids graduated from Melrose,” says Smith. “And all three graduated,” including Blarrington Ellis who is co-piloting his mother’s post on homecoming night. “There’s no better hood than Orange Mound,” Ellis (Melrose ’10) claims. Ellis reflects back on his teams making the “pride walk.” The pride walk starts at the school’s locker room, then through the park next to the school, crossing over Pendleton and then east on Enterprise to the stadium. The trip is nearly a half mile long. Residents will step out of their homes to wave, greet the team, share encouraging words prior to home games. “There’s not a better feeling than making that walk and seeing everybody waving at you going down the street, everybody loving on you, wanting you to do good,” Ellis says.

Fans, both inside and outside the stadium, show support for the team by wearing Melrose paraphernalia, mostly shirts and hats. Many of them can thank Joel Jackson, the “shirt man,” and his wife Algenner. They set up shop just a few feet away from the entrance of the stadium, catching spectator’s eyes on their way to their seats. The Jacksons’ shop, Melrose Place, is located on Park, directly north of the stadium and east of the community center. On game days they operate it from the trunk of an SUV. After 15 years they’ve finally decided to raise the price on t-shirts, from $10 to $12 to keep up with the cost of production. The hoodies are the most popular item.

The saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention.” Jackson can attest. “I wanted a Melrose shirt,” he says of how his side business started. “Me and three of my brothers went rolling around looking for a Melrose shirt but couldn’t find one. So we made three shirts and people would ask ‘where did you get that shirt?’” He knew he was on to something. Jackson, who makes his living in Real Estate, doesn’t make much of a profit selling the Melrose apparel. “We do it because we made a commitment to do it,” he says. Their merchandise is approved by the Shelby County Schools.

It also helps that Melrose principals have always encouraged the Jacksons. Years ago Jackson tried to get out of the shirt-making business because he was tired of the politics. There were too many forces trying to put an end to his little venture. Former Melrose Principal LaVaughn Bridges talked him out of giving it up. “He thought it was important for the kids to see it,” says Jackson. “He asked me to keep it going. He just wanted me to make sure I was true to the school colors.”

As Jackson is detailing the meeting, Bridges’ replacement, former Melrose principal Leviticus Pointer walks by Jackson’s make-shift shop wearing a Melrose letterman’s jacket. Jackson sells those too. “I had to be here” Pointer (Melrose ’89) says of his attendance at the homecoming game. “Even though I was done wrong,” he says of being ousted as principal last year after a school audit revealed financial inconsistencies and possibly fraud. His willingness to come out and support the program, under the circumstances, speaks volumes about the loyalty the alumni base has for the school.

Current and first year Melrose Principal Mark Neal used to witness it from afar, but now he’s experiencing it up close and personal. He did not attend Melrose but left Millington Central to come to Orange Mound. “They’ve been very supportive,” he says of Melrose graduates and the Melrose Alumni Association in particular. “It’s a model for what every alumni association should be about. It’s about helping students. It embodies the spirit of fellowship, neighborhood and networking.”

Neal is one of many with a car parked at Melrose Saturday morning. Vehicles are lined-up on both sides of Haynes Street in front of the school for the Scholarship Breakfast being held in the school’s cafeteria. Approximately 300 people attend the breakfast. The alumni association President Denise Williams Greene (Melrose ’83) is present. The Vice-President Cedrick Wooten is also there. Vladimir Bradley (Melrose’88), Alan Scruggs (Melrose ’64), and Jesse Wilburn (Melrose ’54) are an example as to the time span represented at the breakfast.

The gathering marks the end of a busy week for the alumni association and caps off two-years of fundraising. Thursday was the coronation. A prep rally was held Friday afternoon. Later there was the game and afterwards members of the alumni met up at Cynthia Place in Midtown. If the weekend’s outings were as successful as the previous one, Melrose Alumni Association Wooten estimates the organization would have netted nearly $5,000 in scholarship funds to be awarded to college bound students.

If anyone knows the importance of the scholarship fund it’s Wooten. He was a recipient after he graduated from Melrose. The fund helped him pay tuition at LeMoyne-Owen College. Wooten, who now practices family law in Memphis, says paying it forward is not the only reason he keeps close ties with his former school. “Everything I am starts here with this school and this community,” he explains. “It was and is such a nurturing environment. These people are like my parents, my family. It’s been like that all my life. Unconditional love. The only thing they ask is that we respect the people before us. See we want our young people to understand that someone paved the way for you.”

Those steps have taken former Melrose students all across the United States, to the point where they’ve formed alumni chapters in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Detroit, with Dallas in the works. “But home will always be here,” says Wooten, referring to Memphis.

Those still living in the city are put to work by the alumni association. “Every game a different class is responsible for feeding the (football) team,” says Wooten, “We feed the players, the coaches, and the cheerleaders before every game.”

This is nothing new for third year Melrose football coach Earl Woods. He played for the school from ’98 to ’02. That part has always remained consistent. What he would like to see change is the atmosphere at games. “Don’t get me wrong it’s great,” he says. “But it’s not what it used to be. But it’s getting back there. I had a guy walk up to me at the game the other night and tell me that.” The program is also getting back to winning regularly under Woods’ leadership. In 2013 the team finished the season 8-4 and made it to the second round of the playoffs. This year’s team is off to a 6-2 start.

Regardless of the success or lack of it on the field, something never changes. “The spirit never left,” says Jackson. “This school, this team is the unifying force in this community.” And on homecoming night it showed.

You can follow Jamie Griffin on twitter @flyerpreps.

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: A Full-Time Coach

Coach Rodney Saulsberry

Whitehaven Tigers fans watched their team come from behind and beat previously undefeated Ridgeway at Halle Stadium in East Memphis. The Tigers improved to 6-0 and would have an open week before meeting up with East. Let the extended celebration begin … for everyone except Whitehaven Head Coach Rodney Saulsberry.

He had film work to do, not just for East, but for his own players. Saulsberry can appreciate a win as much as the next coach, but he values getting his guys in college even more. He knows the dream of every kid playing football is to one day suit up with a big time college program.

But he is also well aware of the numbers. According to a 2013 report from the NCAA, 6.5 percent of all seniors playing high school football will play football in the NCAA.

He knows football is a game of inches, and not just on the field, but also a player’s measurements. Saulsberry offers Memphis Tigers defensive lineman Terry Redden as proof. Redden, a Whitehaven graduate, initially wanted to play at Tennessee. “UT didn’t offer him,” says Saulsberry. “Not because he wasn’t good, but because he measured at ‘6-3” instead of 6’-4. We can get kids stronger and faster. We can’t make them grow taller.”

Saulsberry can also help get them noticed. After a game he adds more “film” to a players’ portfolio. “Exposure,” he said. “The more people know the better (a players’) chances are.” So Saulsberry creates a prospect list for all of his seniors and for some of the younger players he puts together a future prospect list and sends them out to college coaches, members of the media, and anyone else he thinks could be of help. “We use email, Twitter, Facebook, the Hudl app to get the word out.”

Hudl, a video hosting service on the web that assists high school teams with collecting and analyzing game film, has made Saulsberry’s life easier. Saulsberry recalls the days of putting players highlights on tapes and DVDs. “It would take a month to get it all done on VHS,” said Saulsberry of the process of transferring a players’ highlights to tape. “On DVD it went from a month to about two or three weeks. Now with (Hudl) it almost instant.”

With the help of Hudl, Saulsberry has most of his college hopefuls’ midseason highlights completed. But that’s just the beginning. “The key is to talk to as many schools possible,” he added. “I communicate with everybody. Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports, ESPN.”

Still it’s no walk in a park for the coach of a team with 121 players this season alone. The Tigers are full of juniors and seniors looking to extend their football careers. So Saulsberry will take any edge he can get in getting his players notice. “Sometimes it helps to have a big fish,” admitted Saulsberry. “Everyone wants to come out and see that player and are able to get a look at some of our other players in the process.” The most recent “catch,” was senior linebacker Josh McMillon who committed to Alabama.

Most players won’t be as coveted as McMillon, resulting in more work for Saulsberry and his support staff. His efforts bleed over into the summer where he will travel with players and get them into off season camps, even coming out of his own pocket to help with the expenses. “Pretty much on my own dime,” he said the trips. “But I get some help from the school, boosters, and parents. It’s a group effort.” It is also the type of loyalty to players that does not go unnoticed by parents. It was one of the reasons former Whitehaven offensive lineman Thomas Burton choose the school. Well more like the reason Burton’s mother Toleda selected it for him.

“He was assigned to Westwood,” Toleda Burton said of her son. “And we considered White Station and Central. But I respected Coach Saulsberry for his discipline, his commitment to his players. (Thomas Burton) needed a strong role male model at school. He also needed a coach with good character and not someone who’s always cursing the boys out, but someone positive.”

The move paid dividends for Burton, who is now a red-shirt freshman at Tennessee State University. Burton’s mother said she was always confident her son would play college football regardless, but with Saulsberry’s assistance his options were more plentiful.

Saulsberry’s commitment to her son not only impressed Toleda, his words touched her. “He gave us a quote for Thomas’ scholarship application,” she said. “He said Thomas was the epitome of what an offensive lineman should be. He (wrote) he would teach other players at the position based on how Thomas played it. And that meant a lot to me.”

According to Saulsberry, every year during the start of the high school football signing period about 10-15 of his players sign with some college football team, which is much higher than the national average for a single school.

Still, despite Saulsberry’s efforts, some players will not get offers from Division I schools. It’s a reality he shares with players upon entering the Whitehaven program. “On day one (of practice) I talk to the older guys with the younger guys present,” he said. “We are not looking to crush dreams but tell them about the real world.”

Saulsberry also shares with them other options: Division II, NAIA, or junior/community college. The perception of junior/community colleges is that they are easy to get into. Saulsberry disagrees. “Because there are so many guys around the country with academic issues looking to play at a junior college and only a few junior college programs available, the competition is tough. The level of skill is high.”

Some community colleges, like Coahoma in Clarksdale, Mississippi, will only allow a certain number of kids from out of state on the team. Because Tennessee doesn’t have junior college football teams, several of Saulsberry’s players have signed at relatively nearby Coahoma.

Saulsberry will leave no stone unturned. For guys who will not play football in college, but want to remain in the sport, he will assist them in finding off the field scholarships. “I have several guys who work as trainers or members of the equipment staff at schools,” said Saulsberry. “Those guys are on scholarships too, some at (Middle Tennessee), Ole Miss, and Memphis.”

And when all else fails, “There’s always the academic scholarship,” said Saulsberry. “We tell (players) to use football as a means to an end, to get an education. It’s more important for (coaches) that kids get a college degree than get to the NFL.”

You can follow Jamie Griffin on twitter @flyerpreps.

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: Recruiting 101— The Starting Five

The recruiting of high school basketball players to Division I college programs is like a big live-theatre show, often with an unpredictable ending. Regardless of the production, the five principal characters are the same: The recruit; the high school coach; the parent/guardian; the college coach; and the summer league coach.

Josh Pastner

I interviewed five people, each representing one of the characters in the recruiting process. I asked each the same set of questions. Their answers represent their own experiences. Others in similar positions may agree or disagree with the positions they have taken. Here are my “starting five.”

Jordan Varnado

1) The recruit. Jordan Varnado is a senior at Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tennessee. He’s the brother of former Mississippi State center Jarvis Varnado, who played in the NBA last season. The younger Varnado is currently being recruited by numerous “mid-major” schools. He was also being recruited by Auburn, prior to the firing of former coach Tony Barbee, and Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy, who later cooled on Varnado. He played AAU basketball with Team Thad this past summer.

2) The college coach. Memphis Tigers coach Josh Pastner has the reputation of being one of the best recruiters in the nation. He has landed notable top-ranked recruits such as Will Barton, Joe Jackson, Shaq Goodwin, and Pookie Powell. By NCAA rules he can not talk specifically about a recruit who has not signed a national letter-of-intent.

3) The parent(s) or guardian. We interviewed Chris Chiozza, father of former White Station guard Chris Xavier Chiozza, who is now a freshman point guard at Florida. The former Spartan also played AAU basketball with Team Thad in 2013 before becoming a Gator.

4) The high school coach. Longtime Memphis high school coach Ted Anderson is currently coaching a big-time Division I prospect in LeGerald Vick at Douglass High. The former Hamilton coach has coached several players who have gone on to play in some of the top programs in the nation, including Todd Day (Arkansas), Billy Richmond (Vanderbilt, Memphis), and Shawne Williams (Memphis).

5) The summer coach. Norton Hurd coaches Team Thad 17 & under squad. His 2014 team went 7-0 in Panama City, Florida, winning the Gulf Coast Challenge. Varnado, Vick, & Chiozza have played for him.

Q&A

What do you like and dislike about the recruiting process?

Varnado: I like that (college) coaches get to know you and you get to know them. The bad, if you have a bad game they just move on to other players.

Pastner: Evaluating, finding out if someone is good enough to fit your program. Is he a good fit, on and off the court? Finding out who is part of the decision-making process. It is important to know when to get out and understand when you are wasting your time.

Chiozza: (College) coaches can not talk to players until after their sophomore year in school and that’s good. It keeps the kid hungry and working hard. But it wouldn’t be bad to have a limited number of times (college) coaches could talk with parents early in the process.

Anderson: Dislike about it at this point? I’ve seen it from a lot of angles. The colleges are recruiting the high school athletes more through the summer or AAU coaches and I think it’s a travesty. Sometimes that (summer) coach has his hand out to steer that kid to a particular school. The high school coach has nurtured the guy and then the AAU coach gets in and muddies the picture. Sometimes its counter to what the high school coach has done.

Hurd: I like that a kid who has worked all his life will have a chance. A lot of the kids will be the first in their family to go to college. Now some kids will have a lot of offers. It’s a lot of work trying to find the right fit for him. I don’t hate it, but it could be draining for a coach and a player.

How involved should the recruit’s (summer) AAU coach be?

Varnado: Very involved. He’s the one that helped you get exposure.

Pastner: All coaches are very important. Their input is part of the process, as long as the coach has the best interest of the kid.

Chiozza: Just depends on the player and what type of parental support he has.

Anderson: The biggest thing with AAU is travel and exposure. If (the recruit) is on an AAU team, he’s already a good player. The exposure is the key thing. That’s why I encourage my kids to play AAU. So the AAU coach should be involved, but a lot of them are young and not as experienced.. Now some college coaches recruit strictly through AAU. College coaches will seek whoever has the most influence on the player. If the player’s dog was involved and had the biggest influence, the coach would be hanging around the dog. They don’t give a damn.

Hurd: Depends on the situation. Depends on that family. Some parents lean more on an AAU coach. Some lean more on the high school coach. It depends on the relationship the kid has with the coach.

How involved should the recruit’s high school coach be?

Varnado: He’s the contact. The college coach will contact (high school coaches) and ask questions about how you are as a person, and a man. He’s been with you for four years. He’s the guy to get you to the next level, so he should be very involved.

Pastner: Same deal as the summer coach. High school coaches are crucial, a very important part of the process.

Chiozza: About the same as the AAU coach. But it seems like we (his son, Chris Chiozza) had a lot of support with our high school coach. But most AAU coaches seem to be stepping up.

Anderson: Really, really involved. (The high school coach) has experience. He knows NCAA rules. He has experience with college coaches. Parents and kids don’t always know NCAA rules. But he should be a facilitator and not a decision maker.

Hurd: There’s no right answer. I’ve worked hand-in-hand with (White Station coach) Jesus Patino, for example. These days a lot of offers come during the summer while the player is with the AAU team. But as long as it’s a positive experience and it’s all good for the kid, that’s the bottom line. At the end of the day, it’s about the kid. I don’t care if I have no say so in the matter, as long as the kid is happy.

How often should the recruit hear from the college coach?

Varnado: Once or twice a week.

Pastner: Depends on the individual. Some want to hear from you every day. And I’ll say this, you are only allowed so much time to see the recruit and you always want more time to evaluate him, get to know him.

Chiozza: I think it would be fine to hear from him once a day. I don’t think a (college) coach needs to text five, 10, 20 times a day.

Anderson: These college coaches are trying to keep their jobs. A college coach once told me he looks at a kid and then will ask himself, “Can he put food on my table?” Now there are guidelines for it. If I were a college coach, I’d call as much as possible, if you are looking at it from his vantage point. If I’m a parent I would say the (college) coach is calling too much. Listen, kids at first like all the attention. After a while it becomes a bore. All that sh*t starts to run together. It gets old.

Hurd: If (the recruit) is a senior in high school, I think it’s unlimited. The higher the grade the more access a coach should have as the kid tries to make a decision.

Do college coaches put too much pressure on the recruit?

Varnado: Not necessarily. Depends on how the recruit feels about the school. A (college) coach can’t make you do what you don’t want to do.

Pastner: No, I don’t think so at all. It’s just all part of the process.

Chiozza: Tough question. I know some want to tell you whatever you want to hear. I guess it depends on how much the kids’ parents are involved in helping them through the process.

Anderson: No, I don’t think so. Now if a (college coach) could move in next door to a player they would. But all they really want to do is show kids they are interested in them.

Hurd: Some (college) coaches do. It depends on the coach’s style. I understand it from both perspectives. Sometimes a kid commits too early. Some want to wait and that puts the (college) coach in a tough position if they have someone else they are looking at in the same position.

Whose opinion does a recruit value most?

Varnado: The parents. My parents have helped me out a lot, my family too, also the college coach because he’s the one that’s going to put you on the court.

Pastner: Each situation is different. It totally depends on the situation.

Chiozza: I think probably their AAU coach the majority of the time.

Anderson: I think a lot of them value their high school coach. The relationship between a high school coach and player is unique. Once you leave high school it becomes more and more of a business.

Hurd: Depends on the situation. Whoever the kid is more comfortable with. And the college coach will recognize this and go after the person who has the most influence on the kid.

What should a parent’s or guardian’s role be?

Varnado: Support their kids. Ask questions. Ask what he wants to major in. As him how will this or that school help him develop as a man.

Pastner: You want them to be involved. But sometimes they are not as experienced and will defer to the AAU or summer coach.

Chiozza: They should be there for every step. The more they are involved the better for the kid. The parents will always have the kids’ best interest.

Anderson: Parents should have some weight too. They should be the second voice. Players first. Third is the high school coach. The AAU coach next. Now the AAU coaches I deal with have been right on the spot, deferring college coaches to me.

Hurd: At the end of the day, it’s your kid and the parent should be very involved. But if they are not comfortable with the process ask for advice.

How important is academics in the process?

Varnado: Very important. You want to go to a school that will help you be successful after basketball. You’re going to have to hit the books hard in college. You can’t slack off.

Pastner: Very important since it’s about education.

Chiozza: If you are not a top 50 or 100 recruit it’s huge. I think it’s big because (college) coaches don’t want to deal with getting players eligible. They are more likely to recruit kids who make the grades.

Anderson: It’s the second biggest piece in the process. The first piece is if the kid can play, because if he can’t play they don’t care if he’s an honor student. It’s the second thing a college coach asks, “What are his grades like?” You short change a kid if you don’t concern yourself with his education.

Hurd: If he doesn’t qualify he doesn’t go to college. And after basketball you are going to need your education. Location is important too. Because sometimes the city where you attend college will give you more opportunities than any other place after you are done with college.

What is a recruit looking to find out during his campus visit?

Varnado: Looking to find out how loyal the coach will be. How will the school be able to help after basketball or whatever sport he players.

Chiozza: He’s looking to meet his possible teammates and find out how he will get along with them. He’s looking at the campus diversity, location and proximity to home, how he will get along with the coaches.

Anderson: He wants to know if the facilities are huge, if he has a nice house to play in. Is he eating good? They want to know how the team travel, by yellow bus or jetting in, and how many games are on t.v.

Hurd: How nice is the city? Will they have access to the facilities? What’s the coaching style like? They get to how coaches run practices and get an idea of what their role will be. They want to find out what they will major in.

So what would you like to see changed with recruiting?

Varnado: When you have a bad game, coaches stop recruiting you. They need to see you more. Ole Miss was interested in me at some point, but then suddenly nothing, after one bad game.

Pastner: There’s always going to be an evaluation of the rules. But the rules have gotten better. Things can be tweaked. But overall it’s better today than it has been.

Chiozza: I think it would probably be more beneficial if the college coaches could come out more. See the kid more. That puts a lot of pressure on a young man when you have to perform knowing a coach is watching you. If the (college) coach could come out and see the kid more often, it would put a lot less stress on (the recruit).

Anderson: Most recruits already know where they want to go. Not that it’s a problem, but if the number of visits were changed, that could be something. There could be fewer visits (from college coaches) but I’m not campaigning for it to be that way and it’s fine the way it is, but if I had to change something that would probably be it.

Hurd: I think it’s set up pretty fair. But maybe the college coaches could come out and see the kids more.

You can follow Jamie Griffin on twitter @flyerpreps

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: A Death Remembered

“They said he would be alright.”

August 21, 2012. The Millington Central Trojans were having a routine practice. They were scheduled to open the season at Kirby in three days. Hike. Sophomore receiver Dana Payne crossed the middle of the field looking to make a routine play. Senior Defense Back George Odum just so happened to break from his man he was guarding, putting him in Payne’s path. Odum said he tried to pull-up to lessen the impact. “He ran into my shoulder,” Odum said. “And he fell.”

George Odum

“He just tackled him,” Millington Central Coach Chris Michael said of the play.

Payne got up. But he fell again. He stopped breathing. He was given CPR and regained his breath. He was conscious as he was taken to Le Bonheur’s Children Hospital in Memphis.

“He was fine when he was going to the hospital,” remembers Odum. “They said he would be alright.” But he wasn’t.

Payne died before making it to the hospital. A report from the Shelby County Medical Examiner’s Office, days later, stated Payne died from bronchial asthma with the impact to his chest as a contributing factor.

When Odum got the news, he wanted to go to the hospital immediately. He didn’t know much about Payne other than he was a younger teammate, but he felt it he had to be there. He felt it was his fault. “Don’t go,” countless people advised him. They didn’t know how the family would take his presence.

“And don’t talk to anyone about it,” he was advised. “I didn’t say anything,” Odum recalls. “I kept quiet.”

He heard that people were threatening to get the guy who was “responsible” for Payne’s death. The next day, Odum and his teammates were isolated in their high school auditorium. “Security people were around us,” said Odum. To him, this move was to keep him safe, but the real purpose was to provide support to Odum and the rest of Trojans.

“There were grief counselors present, as is always the case in these type situations,” Coach Michael said. “He needed to be with his teammates. They needed to grieve together. The (school) administration did a great job of making sure (the team) got all the counseling and support they needed.”

Odum made a decision. “I told everyone I was going to quit football.”

“That’s understandable,” said Michael. “It’s hard to bounce back from something like that.”

Odum’s teammates tried to talk him out of it. So did his family, but he needed to hear it from someone else. He had to hear it from Payne’s mother Tameka Smith.

“She told me, ‘It wasn’t my fault,’” said Odum. “She told me to keep playing.” Odum listened, but he didn’t forget.

On August 30, 2014. Odum played his first game as a collegiate athlete. His University of Central Arkansas Bears played Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. He forgot something. He didn’t bring his rubber wristband with the letters DP, for Dana Payne, on it.

In a show of sportsmanship, the Bartlett Panthers’ football team had presented Millington Central with the wristbands when the two played during the second game of the 2012 season, two weeks after Payne’s death.

“I missed almost every tackle [in the Texas Tech game],” Odum said. He would make the mistake only once. He wore the wristband the next game against the University of Tennessee Martin, the Bears’ home opener. “Made every tackle,” he said.

Michael was there also. UCA won a close one 26-24. Odum and Michael spoke after the game. Odum did not mention Payne. “I didn’t want to dwell on it,” Odum said. But his play spoke volumes about how he honored his former teammate.

The Bears’ redshirt freshman will always remember. He remembers every time he puts on the wristband.

After redshirting in 2013, his freshman season at Central Arkansas, Odum was told by Bears coach Clint Conque that 2014 would be his year. But, during the off season, Conque left to take a job as Stephen F. Austin’s head coach. Odum wasn’t as bothered with Conque’s decision to leave as he was with how he announced his departure, via text.

It was only a minor setback. Odum worked his way into the starting line-up. And now Conque gets to see maybe more of Odum than he anticipated. Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin play Saturday, October 4, at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas.

“We talked about it,” he says of his Bears teammates. “When we make a tackle we’re just going to stare at (Conque).”

And Odum will be wearing his DP wristband while doing it.

Follow Jamie Griffin on twitter @flyerpreps.

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: Local Coaches Talk Domestic Violence

The video of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out his soon-to-be wife in an elevator has forever changed the rules in the NFL as it relates to domestic violence. Rice was suspended indefinitely by the league. His was just one of several incidents in the NFL recently.

The prevailing thought is that the NFL was not prepared to deal with these recent crises and, as a result, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s reputation and the league’s image have suffered severely.

Duron Sutton

Other major sports leagues have taken notice of what is going on with the NFL and are trying to be proactive in dealing with domestic violence. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he is looking at changing his league’s policy on domestic violence. Ditto for Commissioner Bud Selig and Major League Baseball.

College programs are wrestling with their own issues as it relates to DV. For example, Georgia football coach Mark Richt dismissed defensive tackle Jonathan Taylor over the summer after Taylor was arrested for allegedly choking his girlfriend. Tennessee Vols’ freshman running back Treyvon Paulk was kicked off the team after being accused of hitting his girlfriend, although she did not press charges.

High Schools coaches in the Shelby-Metro area are also now on high alert and for good reason.

A 2011 nationwide survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found 9.4 percent of high school students reported being hit or harmed by their boyfriend or girlfriend within a year of the survey. Their research found that 1 in 5 women, who had experienced sexual or physical violence by a partner, first experienced some form of violence from a dating partner between the age of 11 and 17.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, 247,069 incidents were reported across the state between 2011-2013. The City of Memphis reported 59,000 cases in 2012 alone. Juveniles accounted for 10 percent of the domestic violence victims in the state. Boyfriend/girlfriend relationships were noted in 43 percent of all reports, regardless of age.

Several area high school coaches are aware of these disheartening numbers which is why some coaches have used the Ray Rice incident as an opportunity to teach beyond the x’s and o’s in their respective sport. Although situations they deal with may not always be technically considered domestic violence by definition, they feel it is close enough.

Ridgeway football coach Duron Sutton addressed his team after watching the Rice video and reiterated a message he had shared with them in the past. “You’re an athlete,” he told them. “If you’re in a situation like that, run. They can’t outrun you. Your little push or shove could be worse than you think.”

Sutton, who also coached at Kingsbury as a head coach, and Craigmont as an assistant, recalled having to talk to a former player about being too aggressive with a girl. “I dealt with a situation with a guy holding a girl’s arm, holding her against a wall. Fortunately it did not escalate into anything more but I got on him hard because you can not put yourself in a situation where you are using physical force.”

“I have two daughters,” Sutton continued, “It’s not right for anyone to put their hands on my child or any child.”

Chris Michael

Yet domestic violence is a reality for many according to Millington Central football Coach Chris Michael. He believes several teens witness it in their households while growing up. Some have seen it while others have been victims of it. He says it is important for people in his position to understand they are more than just coaches. They are role models who can help counter those past volatile experiences.

“You hope you are a model of good behavior, a father figure, a good representative of what a man should be. Someone that helps combat (abusive) pasts.” said Michael.

Mitchell basketball coach Faragi Phillips can relate. Domestic violence is very personal for him. His parents are best friends and happily married now, but that was not always the case for Phillips while growing up. “I grew up in a home where my mom and dad were violent to one another,” he said. “And it motivated me to not do the same. Plus I didn’t ever want my kids to see me behave that way.”

Phillips said he not only broke the cycle of violence in his own life, but has tried to help others do the same. So when the Rice video was shown repeatedly on television and the internet, he knew he had an opening to drive home his message. He brought his team together to begin dialogue on the topic.

“I talked to them and told them it’s never ever okay to put your hands on a female,” said Phillips. “Never, even if you are pushed. It’s just never the right thing. Remove yourself from the situation. Remember Rice had a chance to leave. He didn’t have to go into the elevator with (his then fiancé).”

The message resonated with his players. Kylan Phillips, the coach’s son and Mitchell’s senior guard summarized the discussion. “As a man putting your hands on a woman is never okay. The strength of a woman doesn’t compare at all to a man’s. And there are so many consequences and trouble that could come from it.”

Sutton echoed Phillips’ thoughts. “Guys have girlfriends and they don’t always get along. I’ve been with my wife for 14 years and it’s never gotten physical despite our disagreements. You just have to agree to disagree.”

The Rice situation also offered other teaching opportunities for coaches with their players. “With so much geared toward social media, everything is magnified especially when you start to get a bit of celebrity,” noted Phillips. “And with (Mitchell) winning the state championship, my guys are more recognized in the community now. I told them people will record more video of you, take more photos, and tweet things about you.”

Michael agreed. “It’s probably something to consider in the future when it comes to off the field stuff. Awareness is always important. And it gives young people an avenue to talk a lot about how things should be handled going forward.”

As for the present, Sutton has advice for how young athletes should deal with situations to alleviate any physical confrontations. “Build your vocabulary. Let your words help make your point. Use your brains not your hands.”

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Preps: Three Kids With a Dream

Drew Richmond

Most Tennessee State University students traveling 40 West to Memphis during the second week of September were planning to attend the Southern Heritage Classic football game. Not Botti Denton. He was driving 200 plus miles from Nashville to Memphis for a different purpose.
 

Meanwhile Michael Howse, Sr. requested a half-day off work.
 

Howse, Sr. and Denton were headed to Memphis University School to hear Owls Senior lineman, Drew Richmond, considered the number one recruit in Tennessee, announce his decision to attend the University of Mississippi and play for the Rebels next fall. It was an event they could not miss.

“No matter how far I had to drive,” said Denton, who is a freshman at TSU.
 

“I had to be there,” said Howse, Sr. of attending Richmond’s media conference. “Drew is a special kid.” If only his son, Michael Howse, Jr. could have been there as well. But Howse Jr. passed away on September 7, 2009 with a lung illness. His best friends, Richmond and Denton, understandably took the news hard. Not only would they no longer be able to hangout and laugh and talk with Howse, Jr., they would not be able to live out their dreams of playing in the NFL together one day.
 

Richmond and the Owls ran out on to Hull-Dobbs field preparing to face Liberty Magnet three days after he made his announcement. The band began to play. Richmond, as he always does, lifted his hands to the sky. Two fingers on one, just one on the other. 21. The number House Jr. wore when he played. “Every time I run out to that field I throw up 21,” said Richmond. “I’m living his dream.”
 

The dream was nearly Howse, Jr’s. and Denton’s alone. The two developed a love of football at such a young age. Howse, Sr. played in high school and one day decided to take his little boy, who had no interest in football, to a game and expose him to football. The conversion was painless. “He said, ‘dad I can do that,’” recalled Howse, Sr. Not only could he do it, he could do it well. Running the ball was his forte. Like Howse, Jr. running back was also the position of choice for Denton.

The two decided to join a little league football team. Both were smart enough to realize their job would be much easier with a strong offensive line. So they took it upon themselves to add recruiting to their responsibilities. Richmond was their primary target. What they thought would be an easy task turned out to be difficult sale.

“I was like every other kid in Memphis and wanted to play basketball,” said Richmond. He was good at basketball. Taller and stockier than everyone else on the court, Richmond was hard to stop. Walking away from it all would be tough. But not being able to be with his friends would be tougher. “I knew if I wanted to hang around the guys I would at least have to give it a try, said Richmond.” So he did.

Denton and Howse, Jr. could not celebrate just yet. Although he was one of the bigger guys on the team, Richmond wanted to play one of the skill positions. “He wanted to be like us,” laughed Denton of Richmond’s attempt. “So he tried tight end. He tried it, but by the end of the season we told him that wasn’t going to work.” Richmond’s role as a lineman began.

Suddenly the job of running the ball for the little league Ellendale Bears SYS became a cushy one. “Running behind Drew is easy,” admitted Denton. “By the time we got to our fourth year he was really really good. He just continued to get better.” And so did their friendship.

And going to separate middle schools would not change that. Denton and Howse, Jr. attended White Station. Richmond enrolled at MUS. By this time they were brothers. Howse, Jr. and Richmond were side by side at church. The threesome talked about how things would be in the pros one day. Maybe Richmond would block for one of them or maybe both as he did in the little leagues.

In 2009 the two middle school programs, White Station and MUS, met up on the football field. Howse, Sr. recalled the game. “Michael (Jr.) scored two touchdowns. MUS won. And after the game he and Drew were congratulating one another.” It was his son’s last game.

Howse, Sr. remembers his son complaining of shortness of breath. “He was never sick, never missed days out of school.” But there was House, Jr. saying he was in no mood to go to class. “We thought it was strange and took him to visit a doctor,” Howse Sr. added. They came home but things did not get better. So he took his son to the hospital where Howse, Jr. spent his last four days on earth.

Richmond will never forget the day. September 7, 2009. “This is why I choose this day to announce where I will be attending college,” he said. “If not for (House, Jr.) I would not be in this position.” Plus the fact that he grew to reach ‘6-“5 in height and 320 pounds did not hurt.

Richmond and Denton will never forget the dream. “We all started something together, even though Michael (Jr.) wasn’t able to make it and my football career ended after high school, we carry the dream through (Richmond),” said Denton. “And I’m in school studying business so we’ll all make it one way or the other.”

“I carry the dream for (Howse, Jr.), Botti and a lot of other guys,” claimed Richmond. And if he’s fortunate enough to hear his named called at Radio City Music Hall in New York one day during the NFL Draft, he can expect at least two people to be in attendance.

“I’ll be there,” said Denton. “No matter how far.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” insisted Howse, Sr. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Jamie Griffin is a Memphis native. He attended the University of Memphis where he received his Masters in Journalism. He’s also a former Television Sports Director. He spends his spare time, you guessed it, watching sports.