Potter’s House basketball More than just a game

  • By Dave Mast
  • January 21, 2010
  • 647
                        
Seventeen hours on a bus to Amish Country is nothing for the fans of Potter’s House Christian Academy of Florida. What would be agonizing is not being there for their players when they hit the road on one of their arduous road trips to Ohio, California, Oregon or wherever they may head on any given weekend as one of the premier girls basketball teams in the nation. For Potter’s House, win, lose or draw, their fans are going to be there every step of the way. “We’ll pretty much go anywhere to support our kids,” said Catrilla Stringfield, one of about 25 Lions fans who made the trip from Jacksonville, Fla., to Holmes County for the Classic to support their team. The Lions defeated Hiland 77-54 Friday night before dropping a tough 61-58 game to Toledo Start — widely considered the best girls team in Ohio — in what had to be one of the most entertaining games in the 2010 Classic. The core group of loyal supporters travel well together, and they have traversed the nation this year with their team, which gets invitations from all over the country to play in huge tournaments. During the Classic, they took a bus together, stayed at the same hotel together, toured downtown Berlin together and rooted for their beloved Lions together, in a most passionate fashion. “We’re here to support the kids,” said Stringfield. “Some of the fans don’t even have kids on the team. We just love seeing the girls play. They are a huge part of our lives, and we have become a big part of each others’ lives in the process of supporting them. We’ve gotten to know each other quite well.” Seventeen-hour bus rides will do that, but the group never complains, knowing that their support is important to the girls. Stringfield said they travel so much that they have become like one, big happy family, between coaches, players and fans. “We do have a good time wherever we go,” said Carolyn Henry. “We make it like a little vacation, and we get along great. We have truly enjoyed our time here in Berlin and at the Classic in the Country. We’ve been treated with great respect, and have enjoyed every opportunity we get to travel and watch the girls play.” That special support does not go unnoticed by coach Tony Bannister, his staff or his players. Seeing those fans in the stands thousands of miles from home means players play a little bit harder because they don’t want to disappoint their fans. “You love that as a coach,” said Bannister, of the fans who came to support the Lions. “It means the world to the kids to see them here. They were willing to get on that bus, pay a large price to come here and support these kids. It gives us energy. It unites us. It makes them part of our family. It says a lot about what kind of special people they are when they make that kind of commitment.” Basketball, life and faith Bannister is not afraid to wear his faith on his sleeve, or to talk about what kind of an influence his faith in God has on him, his players and the people of Potter’s House. He spoke freely about how playing the game of basketball, with all of its discipline, teamwork, commitment and time spent together, intertwines with faith. He said it promotes patience, understanding, togetherness, and how to deal with adversity. Would his team have loved to have won a pair at the Classic? Undoubtedly. But he said they will learn and grow from losses just like they do from victories. The game of basketball is much like life to Bannister, his players and the fans who follow... a game of growing as people, as players, and a way of growing closer to God. “Sometimes we get caught up in trying to do things ourself,” said Bannister. “We gave God the glory after our loss just like we did after our win this weekend. It always goes back to Him. One of the things we have learned through our travels and basketball is that we need Him and we need each other. We have to rely on others at times to succeed. I have always felt that God put the passion and desire in my heart to coach basketball so that I could help build character in these young women. I tell my kids that we never want to get to the point where we are OK with losing, but we can grow through those experiences, and become better people by evaluating and learning from mistakes and losses.” Bannister said it is not unusual for him to serve as a coach, mentor and pastor to his team, noting that growth in both basketball and in their spiritual life is an important part of why they are there. It is together that they win, or lose, and they do it knowing that they will be there for one another, picking each other up, encouraging one another and getting through whatever may come as one. “It’s a great group of kids,” said Bannister. “They’re good players. They’re great people. This game is just a process of gaining character. We live by our motto: One team. One family. One heartbeat. It’s a great lesson for life, and for our faith.”


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