University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
Lucas: A Worthy Goal
January 8, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Student-Athlete Development, Adam Lucas
The Tar Heels brought some good news to a lesser-known corner of Chapel Hill on Monday.
By Adam Lucas
As Carolina's basketball team walked through the Boys and Girls Club of Chapel Hill on Monday afternoon, it was hard for them not to be a distraction. It's not every school day afternoon that the seventh-ranked basketball team in America shows up at the small structure just a couple blocks down from Franklin Street.
"I need your focus right here," boomed Miss Charlotte, who was working with a few students on a math lesson. Even a couple of Tar Heels straightened up; Miss Charlotte has an imposing presence. "Keep your focus here, and then we'll go outside," she told her pupils.
Even to the team—which had just finished practice an hour earlier under a similarly demanding coaching staff—it was obvious there were no shortcuts at this particular organization.
Which just made them even happier that they were there for a very happy occasion. At the beginning of the school year, a small group of Tar Heels spearheaded by Creighton Lebo (and including Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau) connected with the Boys and Girls Club through one of Lebo's classes. Numerous players visited in September, and on that visit they noticed the Club's basketball goal was well-used.
Lebo, Trimble and Cadeau approached Eric Hoots with an idea—they wanted to use some of the program's funds earmarked for charitable endeavors to purchase a new, competition-grade goal and have it installed at the local club. Hubert Davis, of course, loved the idea, and the program eventually not only bought the goal. It also made an even larger financial contribution to the Boys and Girls Club.
But even the sizable dollars involved may have been outweighed by the time the entire team spent there on Monday afternoon. This year's team has now worked on charitable projects in the Bahamas and in Chapel Hill, among other endeavors. But whether abroad or less than two miles from the Smith Center, the results are the same. They quickly become part of the group, and it's hard to tell whether the players or the kids are having more fun.
Cadeau was guarding one club member in a one-on-one battle, and after getting a steal, announced, "OK, you have to guard me now," as though he was dealing with a peer rather than a nine-year-old. At one point, Paxson Wojcik sprinted by, engaged in a spirited game of tag. Rob Landry crawled all the way to the top of a play structure. Zayden High and Harrison Ingram commandeered a football and ran plays.
It simply felt very natural, like a group of friends hanging out on a school afternoon after—of course—finishing their homework. Head manager Ragan Copeland, a world champion with the famous Bouncing Bulldogs, taught several kids how to jump rope. Team photography ace Maggie Hobson shared her camera with a club member and watched as the entire team posed for a shot. There was something for everyone, including the group of kids who didn't want to leave the basketball court, where Jalen Washington, RJ Davis and Trimble lingered to play anyone who wanted in one-on-one or provide an assist for an open jumper.
"It's not often that you're going to find a nationally ranked men's basketball team that comes out and gives time to these students," said Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange County CEO Jerome Levisy. "Most of us grew up looking across the dinner table at our heroes. These kids didn't have that, and for a lot of them, their heroes are these players. And today, those heroes took time for them."
One wayward individual, who will remain anonymous for fear of retribution but suffice it to say he was old enough to know better, showed up wearing a Duke shirt. Miss Charlotte wasn't having it.
"Class, class!" she barked.
"Yes, yes!" they responded.
"Look at this," she said, pointing to the offending shirt. "Go ahead. Give it to him." He was then greeted with resounding boos.
She broke just the slightest smile. "He knew," she said quietly, "that he was wrong."
Miss Charlotte indicated the Club had been through five of the rolling, less permanent basketball goals in recent months. Even in the short time period since it was installed, the new goal has already been a hit. "It gets to nightfall," she said, "and I'm still trying to call them inside because it's dark. They don't want to stop playing."
Which is exactly what Lebo, Trimble and Cadeau had in mind. That's the experience they had growing up, and the one they wanted the local kids to enjoy.
"These kids don't get those types of resources," Trimble said. "We knew that as Carolina Basketball, we had the resources to help out. It's really nice to be able to set an example for these kids and pave the way for continuing to do the right thing."
"This is going to have an impact on these kids for a long time," Levisy said. "This is transformational for them."
As Carolina's basketball team walked through the Boys and Girls Club of Chapel Hill on Monday afternoon, it was hard for them not to be a distraction. It's not every school day afternoon that the seventh-ranked basketball team in America shows up at the small structure just a couple blocks down from Franklin Street.
"I need your focus right here," boomed Miss Charlotte, who was working with a few students on a math lesson. Even a couple of Tar Heels straightened up; Miss Charlotte has an imposing presence. "Keep your focus here, and then we'll go outside," she told her pupils.
Even to the team—which had just finished practice an hour earlier under a similarly demanding coaching staff—it was obvious there were no shortcuts at this particular organization.
Which just made them even happier that they were there for a very happy occasion. At the beginning of the school year, a small group of Tar Heels spearheaded by Creighton Lebo (and including Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau) connected with the Boys and Girls Club through one of Lebo's classes. Numerous players visited in September, and on that visit they noticed the Club's basketball goal was well-used.
Lebo, Trimble and Cadeau approached Eric Hoots with an idea—they wanted to use some of the program's funds earmarked for charitable endeavors to purchase a new, competition-grade goal and have it installed at the local club. Hubert Davis, of course, loved the idea, and the program eventually not only bought the goal. It also made an even larger financial contribution to the Boys and Girls Club.
But even the sizable dollars involved may have been outweighed by the time the entire team spent there on Monday afternoon. This year's team has now worked on charitable projects in the Bahamas and in Chapel Hill, among other endeavors. But whether abroad or less than two miles from the Smith Center, the results are the same. They quickly become part of the group, and it's hard to tell whether the players or the kids are having more fun.
Cadeau was guarding one club member in a one-on-one battle, and after getting a steal, announced, "OK, you have to guard me now," as though he was dealing with a peer rather than a nine-year-old. At one point, Paxson Wojcik sprinted by, engaged in a spirited game of tag. Rob Landry crawled all the way to the top of a play structure. Zayden High and Harrison Ingram commandeered a football and ran plays.
It simply felt very natural, like a group of friends hanging out on a school afternoon after—of course—finishing their homework. Head manager Ragan Copeland, a world champion with the famous Bouncing Bulldogs, taught several kids how to jump rope. Team photography ace Maggie Hobson shared her camera with a club member and watched as the entire team posed for a shot. There was something for everyone, including the group of kids who didn't want to leave the basketball court, where Jalen Washington, RJ Davis and Trimble lingered to play anyone who wanted in one-on-one or provide an assist for an open jumper.
"It's not often that you're going to find a nationally ranked men's basketball team that comes out and gives time to these students," said Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange County CEO Jerome Levisy. "Most of us grew up looking across the dinner table at our heroes. These kids didn't have that, and for a lot of them, their heroes are these players. And today, those heroes took time for them."
One wayward individual, who will remain anonymous for fear of retribution but suffice it to say he was old enough to know better, showed up wearing a Duke shirt. Miss Charlotte wasn't having it.
"Class, class!" she barked.
"Yes, yes!" they responded.
"Look at this," she said, pointing to the offending shirt. "Go ahead. Give it to him." He was then greeted with resounding boos.
She broke just the slightest smile. "He knew," she said quietly, "that he was wrong."
Miss Charlotte indicated the Club had been through five of the rolling, less permanent basketball goals in recent months. Even in the short time period since it was installed, the new goal has already been a hit. "It gets to nightfall," she said, "and I'm still trying to call them inside because it's dark. They don't want to stop playing."
Which is exactly what Lebo, Trimble and Cadeau had in mind. That's the experience they had growing up, and the one they wanted the local kids to enjoy.
"These kids don't get those types of resources," Trimble said. "We knew that as Carolina Basketball, we had the resources to help out. It's really nice to be able to set an example for these kids and pave the way for continuing to do the right thing."
"This is going to have an impact on these kids for a long time," Levisy said. "This is transformational for them."
Players Mentioned
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