Local students involved with the “Run With The Herd” program stand on the sideline as Marshall basketball warms up for its game against Georgia Southern on Thursday at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington.
Local students involved with the “Run With The Herd” program stand on the sideline as Marshall basketball warms up for its game against Georgia Southern on Thursday at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON — Instead of the usual two dozen or so individuals on the court for pregame warmups, there were hundreds at the Cam Henderson Center on Thursday night.
About 500 students from across the region representing 15 schools completed the “Run With The Herd” challenge and were eligible to participate in the pregame festivities Thursday.
While not all of them were able to make the game, the ones that did were given an experience they won’t soon forget.
The “Run With The Herd” campaign was started by Kathy D’Antoni, the sister of Marshall coach Dan D’Antoni, and encouraged fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders to be good teammates to those around them.
They measured that using “SCORE” as an acronym — setting goals, committing to doing good deeds, optimizing opportunity, respecting others and themselves and excelling at being a good teammate to those around them.
“You don’t have to be seven foot; you don’t have to be a basketball star,” Kathy D’Antoni said. “If you live your life correctly and are a good person, you’re going to be successful. That is the message.”
To encourage the students’ participation, the Marshall men’s basketball team jumped in to help, she said.
“The guys did a video, and it was a fantastic video, and they gave examples of each of those (categories) in their lives, and then they challenged them,” D’Antoni said.
Participating students traveled from as far away as Webster Springs or Bluefield, while others came from Cabell County and several other school districts in between to be there Thursday.
To qualify, each student had to send in an essay explaining how they were using “SCORE” in their day-to-day lives. Some wrote vivid examples; other shared video proof of how they were living those principles out.
The results blew D’Antoni away, and on Thursday, she watched the culmination of her and others’ efforts unfold as a sold-out crowd piled into the Cam.
Some students were thrilled to just be on the court. Others giggled as they received high-fives from both Marshall and Georgia Southern players. All of them were living fully in that moment.
“If we change one child’s life, or impact one, it’s worth everything we’ve done. Some of these kids have never been to a ball game. It makes cold chills go all over me,” D’Antoni said. “They were thrilled. I got an email this morning from one of the schools saying it was the best field trip ever.”
Each participant on Thursday also received a T-shirt with an exclusive design, a McDonald’s gift certificate and personalized Certificate of Excellence signed by Dan D’Antoni.
Kathy D’Antoni said she wants the program to continue in future years, and can see it becoming even larger while serving as a mentorship and ambassador program for the Marshall basketball program.
“We want to continue this and are going to look and see how we can get more students involved,” D’Antoni said. “We’re going to debrief with the athletic department and see what it looks like for next year.”
Luke Creasy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
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