NBA stars bring self-esteem message to Norfolk school

NORFOLK

Former NBA star Wali Jones asked a group of more than 100 Norview High School students Wednesday to tell him the last two words in American.

"I can," a young woman answered. Jones handed her a small gift.

"I can" was the message of the day at the self-esteem-pumping assembly.

It featured not only Jones, but others including host "Coach" Charlie Hatcher, a Norview High alum who said that in the 1960s he was the first African American to be voted Norfolk's most outstanding basketball player.

The sports luminaries are part of Champions4Champions, a 3-year-old nonprofit organization based in Springfield, Ill. Among other things, the group sends athletes to high schools encouraging students to set and achieve goals.

Made up of sports legends and celebrity athletes, Champions4Champions began bringing its message to South Hampton Roads schools in September.

At Norview, as at other schools, students were encouraged to fill out academic plans and follow them.

U.S. Army representatives, teachers, administrators, school staff, parents and others will help students throughout the year to accomplish the goals, Hatcher said.

In the spring, the non profit plans to come back to Norview and the other schools to check on students' progress.

At Wednesday's assembly, an anti-gang message also rang out.

Malcolm "Zeke" Avery, former basketball coach and former athletic director at Hampton University, told students that he was once pressured to join a gang, but he resisted.

Instead, he joined a college fraternity, what he called a "positive gang." He told the students they can also find positive groups.

Joshua Gay, a 15-year-old sophomore, said he plans to fill his action form with dreams of playing basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"I'm going to study more, be on time to classes and focus more," he said after the assembly ended.

Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com