CitC visitor celebrates the game beyond the hardwood
Assistant coach Andy Ault has the Fairland Dragons in the huddle during Classic in the Country. Ault praised head coach Jon Buchanan for creating an atmosphere that teaches the players to excel on the floor and off of it.
At this year’s Classic in the Country event at Hiland High School, the Proctorville Fairland Dragons were blessed to do something they hadn’t done in the lengthy time they’ve been playing at the CitC: play in two games.
Head coach Jon Buchanan was eager to let his players bask in that glow, as well as experience everything Classic in the Country represents.
However, life had a different plot in mind, and the day prior to his team’s first game, Buchanan’s mother passed away.
Devastated, Buchanan stayed behind while his heartbroken team carried on at the Classic.
In a pair of tight games that were played at a very fast pace, Fairland fell to Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame 55-47 before being edged out 50-44 versus Wadsworth on Monday.
Even in defeat, amid the agony in their hearts, the team exhibited the spirit and joy of playing for one another and especially for their head coach, for whom they all had JB written on their hands in his honor and in remembering his mother.
Longtime assistant head coach Adam Alt took over the reins for the weekend, and he shared a simple message that spelled out why this game has come to mean more than wins and losses for the Dragons.
Alt shared a story about NBA great Shaquille O’Neal, who was struggling in his game when he went home to visit his dad. Shaq told his dad he was struggling with the pressure and wasn’t enjoying the game.
His dad took him to a bridge near their home, where they got out and watched as a couple and their two children emerged from a tent in which they were living. His father told Shaq that what he was dealing with was simply a game. Living in a tent under a bridge — that was pressure.
Alt shared that same message with the Dragons during their time on the floor at the Classic.
“Jon’s fingerprints are all over this program; he casts a big shadow,” Alt said. “He just cares about people. What he’s going through right now is life; it is what real pressure looks like, and I kept reminding the girls on the floor that what they are facing isn’t real pressure.”
Alt said Buchanan’s work ethic is second to none, and while basketball is important, building relationships and teaching teenage girls how to become better people in preparation for their adult lives is what truly matters to Buchanan.
Buchanan’s program has become one of the most successful in the state, pounding out an inspiring 297-51 record since the 2012-13 season.
On the floor, whether in practice or during games, Buchanan’s teams work incredibly hard. They learn and play the game the right way.
But more importantly, Buchanan believes there is much more to the game of basketball than wins and losses and championships.
For this program it is about becoming a family, becoming one unit that dwells in unity, which is exactly what Classic in the Country is designed to promote.
“As I get older and older, I have learned to truly take the experience of the players to heart,” Buchanan said. “Whether they’re the best player on the team or that kid who won’t ever get off the bench, I want their experience to matter, and I’m more mindful of that every year. I want to make sure player 14 is getting just as much enjoyment out of being part of this program as our top kids.
“As a coach you have to understand that every kid comes from a different place and wants something different from the program. What I want is for every kid to come out of this program having grown as a person and experienced something special and memorable that makes them glad they were a part of something special.”
Senior Kamryn Barnitz has been through the program as she prepares to head to University of Western Florida to play collegiately next season.
Despite her success on the floor, Barnitz recognizes what Buchanan and the program has meant to her in her life, realizing it has helped prepare her for life far beyond the game.
“This was definitely different this weekend because we’ve never had to play without Coach,” Barnitz said. “This program has been so special to me and to all of us. It’s not like any other program. He starts all of the kids young and builds such an incredible relationship with each and every one of us. Even when we come (to CitC), it’s always more than basketball; it’s a bonding experience that we can use to grow closer together in our relationships. He’s such a great coach and person, and I’ll always be grateful to have the opportunity to play here.”
On that note Alt said Buchanan has an amazing ability to know the names of every kid in the program from varsity down through youth basketball, which makes every single one of them feel special.
“Coach is always thinking about life outside of basketball,” Barnitz said. “We all realize what this game means to us and what we’re taking away from it that goes beyond just basketball.”
She said it is going to be tough to leave the program, but she realizes the program has prepared her for life beyond the court.
For Buchanan, doing the job the right way is the ultimate prize and reward.
“This game, it speaks to how sports can positively affect people’s lives,” Buchanan said. “It’s what sports can do for people and what people can do to lift one another up. Too often we get caught up in wins and losses, but when you have a great culture with great people, ultimately it is going to be a great experience.”
That is part of the message Classic in the Country strives to represent, and it is the heart of the Dragons program, which stresses there is joy in winning, but winning comes in many facets that lead to growth as individuals, teammates and community.