Basketball and Hope for Newtown School District @StagsMensBball

The Stags lost to the Niagara Purple Eagles from Buffalo, New York, yesterday at Webster Bank Arena with the final score of 67-64. The entire team, however, including Coach Sydney Johnson, Assistant Coaches Tony Newsom, Tyson Wheeler, and Martin Bahar, and Director of Basketball Operations, Kyle Koncz, should feel their play on Sunday was a tremendous success. With open arms (and these are basketball player arms), the team at Fairfield University provided an opportunity for the youth of Sandy Hook and Newtown to attend a Division I ballgame. Fledgling cheerleaders and athletes were welcomed to the game  with free admission, prizes, and a time to be recognized on the court. This energy - the joy of youth -  was felt all across the arena as the young people danced, laughed, and smiled, especially when the Stag-Cam captured their faces for the big screen, center court.

Yesterday, January 13, 2013, the Stags recognized 100s of young people in honor of the Sandy Hook youth and educators who lost their lives too soon.


Senior Desmond Wade, #11, almost tied the game in the last 3 seconds but fell a free-throw short. Wade was fouled when shooting a 3-pointer and, as a result, was given three chances at the line. He hit the first (sigh of relief), but missed the second - not a single person watching wished to be the guard from Linden, N.J. Wade should be commended because he handled the pressure well. After the second shot didn't succeed, he smiled a bit, and came back to hit the third.

I felt tremendous pride for Coach Johnson and his team at the event. I
was hired as new faculty as the Director of the Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield, but this was the first time I have attended a game. I have watched many competitions in the Syracuse Carrier Dome to support the Orangemen and even more at Freedom Hall withtotal admiration for the Louisville Cards. Yet, the game played yesterday by the Fairfield Stags will be one I will remember forever.

Sitting as a spectator and watching the sport I love, I focused on the evident healing that was occurring at the event. I've said many times on this site (and others) that I love to believe in hope. I've also shared my support of my cousin's international work, Hoops4Hope, and have collaborated most recently with author Trina Paulus on a Hope For the Flowers book project for teachers, students, and youth agencies in the region.

Hope was the real winner at yesterday's game. Coach Johnson, his team, and the Stags staff did a wonderful, remarkable thing.

Ubuntu. I will definitely be at the January 21st game against Loyola.