By Ken Jarvis, Area Media Specialist
The buzzer sounds as the ball goes into play. Both teams scramble for control but instead of shoes squeaking on the hardwood, the crowd hears the sound of metal creaking and straining under the stress of players grappling and colliding.
This isn’t your average basketball game. It’s a match between the San Antonio Para Sports athletes including wounded veterans and the O’Conner High School varsity basketball team. Everybody is in a wheelchair.
O’Conner varsity player, Jackson Vaughn, organized this game in order to raise money to buy a sports wheelchair for another teenager who loves basketball. The wheelchair will be a gift for Izaiah Merritte, a 14-year-old basketball player who outgrew his old sports wheelchair. Vaughn said he loves playing basketball and wants other kids to have an opportunity to play as well, no matter how they get around.
He needed a project to become an Eagle Scout so with the help of his basketball coach, Brett Jewasko, he organized the event with ticket and concession sales going toward a sports wheelchair. “When I was younger,” Vaughn said, “I would go to Spurs games with my dad. During the halftime show, they had veterans come out in wheelchairs and start playing each other—that sprung the idea.”
Jewasko said he was blown away by his young player’s willingness to help someone he had never met. “I mean, this is a 15-year-old kid. It was kind of a role-reversal. I just listened to Jackson; he was telling me what to do!”
Merritte’s father, retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Nakia Merritte is also the coach for San Antonio Para Sports. “I was injured in Iraq. I was in the military for 17 1/2 years, and I’d still be in it I hadn’t been injured. I love the Army, and I don’t regret a moment of it, and I would do it again.” He added, “My son wanted to come today but he couldn’t. He’s home recovering from surgery.”
Troy Hopkins, a Physical Therapy Tech that works with the team said, “It was a great idea for Jackson to come up with this project. I work with all the amputees, so I get to see them reaching their goals and going to the next level.”
Jackson’s parents both remarked about the impact this has had on him as well as their family. “I have seen him grow in more compassion, more empathy, and most of all humility,” said his Mom, Alyson Vaughn. “We’ve had a lot of family discussion. You always grow closer when you serve.”
His Dad, Aaron Vaughn, agreed and added, “It’s been extremely rewarding. I’ve tried to help mentor and shape the experience while not taking over and making it my project.”
By the way, the final score was 36 for the varsity and 91 for the San Antonio Para Sports team. The high school score included 20 points given to them by the SA Para team. One wonders which team was disadvantaged.