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03/31/2019 12:00 AMAlex Eveland has always been passionate about sports. As a student at Guilford High School, Alex brings his love for athletics to both the Unified Sports program and the Indians’ boys’ basketball team. Alex has enjoyed many positive moments and formed a host of lifelong friendships throughout the experience.
Alex is in his junior year at Guilford. He played several sports while growing up, but gravitated toward basketball.
“I tried different sports when I was young. I tried soccer, lacrosse, and baseball, but my favorite sport is basketball,” Alex says. “I am tall, so it is easy for me to make a basket.”
Three years ago, Alex and his family moved to Guilford. Alex first got involved as a Unified Sports athlete at the high school, before taking on a new and exciting responsibility as the manager for the boys’ basketball squad.
Alex spoke to some people at the school about becoming the basketball team’s manager. They put him in touch with Head Coach Jeff DeMaio, who met with Alex. DeMaio asked him to join the program, and Alex immediately felt at home.
“I knew I was in for something special,” says Alex. “Coach DeMaio already made me feel like a part of the team.”
Unified Sports joins people with and without disabilities on the same team. The program was inspired by the principle that training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. Alex adheres to that philosophy at both the high school and as a coach in the Unified Sports program at Baldwin Middle School.
“I love Unified Sports. I like the teamwork and seeing everyone have fun,” Alex says. “It is fun to play with my basketball team and friends.”
Alex is also a counselor in the Skillz and Drillz Summer Camp that’s for boys and girls from the shoreline area who are aged 10 to 14. The camp is hosted by DeMaio, Bob Welsh, and Cliff Yerkes, as well as current players.
“It is rewarding for me to work with my team and coaches and to connect with many of the partners from the middle school,” says Alex.
Alex attends all of the practices and games with the Guilford boys’ basketball team. He sets up and cleans up equipment, runs the clock at practices, and does whatever he can to help out the club during games. Alex works closely with the coaches and captains to foster team spirit and camaraderie throughout the roster.
“Being a part of the basketball team is so awesome,” Alex says. “I like to warm up with the team, pour water at the games, go to the locker at halftime, and go to the pasta parties.”
Coach DeMaio expresses great gratitude for everything that Alex brings to his squad. DeMaio says that Alex is a valued member of the Indians’ family.
“We are so blessed to have Alex as part of our basketball program. He is truly valuable in everything we do. I don’t even like using the term ‘manager’ for Alex because, in reality, we consider him a team member as equal as any player in our program,” says DeMaio. “We love Alex and his family. We love everything he has done for our team. We are beyond blessed that he came to Guilford.”
The feeling is mutual for Alex, who appreciates how Coach DeMaio welcomed him to the Indians with open arms. Alex says that his experience with the Guilford boys’ basketball team has him thinking about taking on a similar role at the collegiate level.
“I like everything about Coach DeMaio. He always makes me feel so happy and part of the team. The team feels like a family,” Alex says. “I want to be a college basketball manager. It would fun to be a part of a team. I never say never.”