By Kerry Sherman
kerrythesportsguy@gmail.com
By now, I'm sure that most of you are aware of the sad news
that came out of the Hi-Plains community last Thursday. For
those who are out of the loop, Evan Bancroft, the talented
senior-to-be at Hi-Plains High School passed away as a result
of the injuries he suffered in a work-related accident.
I had the honor of coaching against the Patriots a couple years
ago in basketball, when Evan was just a freshman. Even then, it
was apparent that he had the ability to be a game-changer. He
instantly became a key contributor to their state championship
winning team that season and this past season, he helped the
team back to the top of the mountain when he grabbed a steal
late in the title game with Caliche.
One of the first things that always struck me about Evan was
that he always seemed to have a smile on his face, no matter
what situation was facing the team. The other things I'll
remember about him on the field and on the floor is that he
played the game hard, but fair... the way it was supposed to be
played. After having watched his older siblings play during their
high school careers, that was no shock. As talented as each one
of them were, they were humble and always looking to pass the
praise on to their team mates. I only had one conversation with
Evan after a game and he was no different from his brother and
sister.
My quick chat with him came a little over a year ago after a
game in which he had struggled with his shooting, but the team
got the victory. The only time he said "I" was at the end, when he
stated, "I'm just part of a great team." Everything else was "we".
That's something that never gets old, especially for a former
coach.
I know that recently, we've had a staggering number of
youngsters from our area who have passed away too early.
However, this one has hit hard. I got the call from my niece and
the news had made its way to her through a series of kids from
about five different schools. Over 225 people on the social
networking site, Facebook.com, have joined a group
remembering and celebrating Evan's life. There are people from
all over Colorado, western Kansas and southwestern Nebraska
in the group. These people range from junior high students to
middle-age adults, all of whom have had their lives touched by
an amazing young man who packed way more than 17 years
worth of living in his 17 short years on Earth.
This is far from the most eloquent piece I've ever written, but I
needed to share some of my memories of an outstanding young
athlete and an even better young person. If anyone wants to
share their memories, please e-mail them to me at the address
listed above. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Bancroft
family, the entire Hi-Plains community and everyone hurting from
this tragic loss. God Bless!
kerrythesportsguy@gmail.com
By now, I'm sure that most of you are aware of the sad news
that came out of the Hi-Plains community last Thursday. For
those who are out of the loop, Evan Bancroft, the talented
senior-to-be at Hi-Plains High School passed away as a result
of the injuries he suffered in a work-related accident.
I had the honor of coaching against the Patriots a couple years
ago in basketball, when Evan was just a freshman. Even then, it
was apparent that he had the ability to be a game-changer. He
instantly became a key contributor to their state championship
winning team that season and this past season, he helped the
team back to the top of the mountain when he grabbed a steal
late in the title game with Caliche.
One of the first things that always struck me about Evan was
that he always seemed to have a smile on his face, no matter
what situation was facing the team. The other things I'll
remember about him on the field and on the floor is that he
played the game hard, but fair... the way it was supposed to be
played. After having watched his older siblings play during their
high school careers, that was no shock. As talented as each one
of them were, they were humble and always looking to pass the
praise on to their team mates. I only had one conversation with
Evan after a game and he was no different from his brother and
sister.
My quick chat with him came a little over a year ago after a
game in which he had struggled with his shooting, but the team
got the victory. The only time he said "I" was at the end, when he
stated, "I'm just part of a great team." Everything else was "we".
That's something that never gets old, especially for a former
coach.
I know that recently, we've had a staggering number of
youngsters from our area who have passed away too early.
However, this one has hit hard. I got the call from my niece and
the news had made its way to her through a series of kids from
about five different schools. Over 225 people on the social
networking site, Facebook.com, have joined a group
remembering and celebrating Evan's life. There are people from
all over Colorado, western Kansas and southwestern Nebraska
in the group. These people range from junior high students to
middle-age adults, all of whom have had their lives touched by
an amazing young man who packed way more than 17 years
worth of living in his 17 short years on Earth.
This is far from the most eloquent piece I've ever written, but I
needed to share some of my memories of an outstanding young
athlete and an even better young person. If anyone wants to
share their memories, please e-mail them to me at the address
listed above. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Bancroft
family, the entire Hi-Plains community and everyone hurting from
this tragic loss. God Bless!
| Mr. Three |
