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| Jack Cruz-Dumont - 2017 Lower Mainland First Team All Star |
John loved that all 3 of the boys embraced basketball as much as he did. When they were little he coached their Friday night basketball skills sessions at a local elementary school and he was often with them at the park or in our yard running them through ball handling drills or working with them on their shooting. John knew how to keep basketball fun and challenging all at the same time, he had the right balance of pushing the boys to work hard and be better players without losing sight of the fact that having fun and enjoying playing was as important.
Jack is 16 and he is exactly the same age that John was
when the two of us first met in high school all those many years ago; in fact
it was because of basketball that our paths actually crossed in the first place
and quite frankly it was also because of basketball that our paths circled back together again at UBC.
I can actually remember watching John play basketball in high school like it was
yesterday. I was impressed by his
tenacity on the court and his competitive drive. I distinctly remember sitting
in the stands at BCIT 24 years ago and watching John play in the finals of the Lower
Mainland tournament. Vancouver College
was playing against Richmond High, (my high school alma mater) and both teams
were considered to not only be two of the best teams in the Province, but they were also "old school rivals". John at the time was in his grade 12
year and it was extremely evident that he had what it took to play basketball at the next
level. His on court presence and unstoppable scoring ability lead Vancouver
College to a Lower Mainland Championship and John was named the Tournament’s MVP.
Today it is Jack who is the one playing for the Varsity team at Vancouver College. His focus and determination this season has been nothing short of
inspiring, despite the unfairness of losing his dad during such an important time of his life. However, Jack continues to
shine brightly and proved game after game, especially in this past week, that playing with heart and soul can sometimes be the best skills to relay on. He helped lead the Fighting Irish to a 1st place Lower Mainland Championship and was recognized and awarded with a First Team All Star. Jack is proud knowing that now he too will be forever remembered in the record books just like his dad.
Next week Jack will have the chance
to compete in the BC 4A Basketball Provincials where he hopes that by some combination of luck and preparedness, his team might just come away with the coveted prize his dad so longingly wished he had won. But, regardless of the outcome, there would have been no greater joy for John then to get to experience Jack, at the same age that he was, excelling in the same sport, and wearing
his #10 jersey. I know John is as proud of Jack as I am and I hope
some how, some way, he is watching and loving every minute of this!
It has now been 6 months since John's passing and the boys have shown that their inner strength has allowed them to flourish, despite the magnitude of the quake that has shaken our lives apart. Both Hunter and Cole are also having fantastic basketball seasons, with Hunter and his team competing in the Grade 9 Provincials beginning today. He too has been instrumental in his team's success and they are favoured to win it all.
We are all doing our best to enjoy life as it is, to laugh, to work hard, to have fun, and to cherish all that we loved and often miss about John's presence. We take comfort that he is with us through all the good stuff but that he is also with us when we miss him so much that our hearts hurt.
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| Vancouver College - 2017 Lower Mainland Champions |
