10-YEAR-OLD BOY SIGNS SCHOLARSHIP WITH NCCU
FOOTBALL TEAM
Howell Brown III with members of the NCCU football team - Tre Smith,
Jordan Miles, C.J. Moore, Quinn Billerman and Carl Jones. — at North
Carolina Central University Student Union.
DURHAM, NC - When Howell Brown III, a
10-year-old boy who is recovering from a rare
brain tumor, left his Durham, NC home with
his mom Sue Brown on Sunday afternoon
August 10, he thought he was going to the
Alfonzo Elder Student Union on the campus
of North Carolina Central University to play
games and hang out with members of the
NCCU football team.
Well, before the fun and games, Howell was
greeted by reporters and TV cameras for a
press conference in his honor. NCCU football
head coach Jerry Mack called a surprise
press conference to have Howell sign a
mock scholarship certificate to make him an
official member of the team.
(Photos: Renaldo Jackson)
DURHAM BULLZ ALL-STARZ WIN NATIONAL TITLE
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC - Young athletes
of the Durham Bullz All-Starz (DBA) captured
another national basketball title for the City
of Medicine at the National Travel Basketball
Association (NTBA) 2014 Championship held
July 23-27 in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Durham Bullz All-Starz is a 501 (c) (3)
organization founded in 2007 by Andre
Jones, a long-time former coach for Durham
Parks and Recreation where he developed
the same group of young players, beginning
when they’re 5 and continuing as their coach
and mentor through age 15. Organized
sports allow the All-Starz program to mentor
young athletes through sportsmanship,
education and leadership development.
“There’s always an open door policy between
me and my players,” said Jones, who grew up
in Oxford, NC. “Think of it as big brother-little
brother. I’m putting myself in their shoes.
I understand the importance of having a
positive male role model because I’ve been
where they’re trying to go.”
The Bullz two teams, made up of 6th and 8th
graders, were among 300 teams to play in
the annual NTBA tournament. Teams were
divided into age groups and brackets. After
four days of pool play, the All-Starz were
named champions of the single-elimination
tournament’s 6th-grade Silver bracket.
After losing the first two games, the
Durham team bounced back with four
consecutive wins. That was followed by two
tournament wins, a forfeit win and the 46-43
championship win against Tri-County Impact
of Charleston, SC.
The Bullz were originally members of
the Durham Parks and Recreation youth
league but decided to expose the team to
competition outside of Durham. This year
the team has participated in tournaments
in South Carolina, Virginia, and in North
Carolina in Oxford, Raleigh and Greensboro.
Travel is kept to within two to three hours.
“The championship was a total team effort
with big play from Derek Ortiz, Jaaron Warren
and Torry Truelock,” lauded Jones. “The team
is battle-tested, and it showed at the NBTA
national championship event.”
For information on how you can make a tax
deductible donation to the Durham Bullz AllStarz call 919.685.5454
SPECTACULAR MAGAZINE
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