Valley Viking Fan Boosts Team Spirit
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
AKRON - "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."
That's the motto of the Special Olympics and one that everyone involved with the Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team has become familiar with.
Gene Hughes, Valley's girls statistician, has been with the school in some capacity for 25 years with some Viking team either as a trainer, coach or in his current role. And over the years, his daughter, Terri, has assumed the role as sort of a team manager for the girls basketball squad.
But over time she's become more than that.
Terri has been dubbed the team's No. 1 fan and takes the distinction seriously.
Terri, who turned 37 last week, has cerebral palsy, a condition affecting body movement and coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain. She also is affected by mild hearing loss and some learning disabilities stemming from the cerebral palsy.
Don't feel sorry for her however. She won't have it. There's not enough time in the day.
Aside from her role with the team, Terri is involved in many Special Olympics events including the 400-meter walk, an event in which she has been beaten just a handful of times over a 15-year period. She has also done gymnastics, bowls and plays on a softball team of which Gene is the coach.
Her passion for life, sports and especially the Valley girls program is felt by everyone.
"She's like a ray of sunshine," said Valley head coach Gary Teel of Terri.
Her attitude is infectious and rubs off on everyone she meets.
She has a pregame ritual, which involves wearing a No.1 fan necklace and a shirt with her favorite player's number on it. This year that honor belongs to her neighbor, Kara Kramer.
The Kramers and Hugheses live three houses apart.
Former Viking and current Evansville Ace freshman Rebekah Parker held the honor for two straight years.
Part of Terri's pregame ritual is to talk to the team and fire them up.
"I give them a pep talk before the game and I give each player a high five," said Hughes.
Terri doesn't get caught up in game plan or scheme; her pep talks are simple but effective.
"Don't miss the little shots and don't foul," said seniors Holli Jackson, Lisa Moore, Heather Rathbun and Kramer in unison when asked what Terri's pep talks usually consist of.
The four upperclassmen have gotten to know Terri and her pep talks pretty well. Never absent from a game, whether home or away, Terri is there.
Every year the seniors do something special for Terri on her birthday.
This year's group honored her with presents after the team's Jan. 15 win over Rochester.
Birthdays are a big deal to Terri, but when it's game time, that's all she's concerned with.
While she may start out with her mother, Bea, in the stands, as the game progresses and it nears crunch time, Terri usually finds her way on to the bench.
"Terri's a big part of the team. She's always there at every game. She's always there for us, excited and happy and wanting us to do well," Kramer said.
The roles are reversed when Terri competes in the Special Olympics. Every year, current and former players come out to support her as she competes.
"She likes it. She can say, 'I know them.' It's like we're her personal fan club," said Kramer.
It's not just Terri who gets something out of the Special Olympics experience.
"I've long held the theory that every high school athlete ought to be required to attend one Special Olympics event of some sort," said Gene Hughes.
The senior Hughes, who coach Teel characterizes as an encourager, knows the effect it has on someone.
"He's great. He's always there when we get down on ourselves and tells us we're doing good," said Rathbun of Gene.
That attitude, developed through working with Special Olympians, has rubbed off at Valley.
In this age where sport, especially at the prep level, has been blown out of proportion in terms of the importance placed on it, the Hughes' commitment to the girls program through thick and thin is one that has created something greater than team.
"It's kind of a family thing," said Gene.
And perhaps the strongest branch on that family tree is Terri.
When asked what brings Terri back every year to the team, she lights up.
"Because they make me happy," said Terri.
For the players, coaches and fans who know Terri, that's a two-way street. [[In-content Ad]]
AKRON - "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."
That's the motto of the Special Olympics and one that everyone involved with the Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team has become familiar with.
Gene Hughes, Valley's girls statistician, has been with the school in some capacity for 25 years with some Viking team either as a trainer, coach or in his current role. And over the years, his daughter, Terri, has assumed the role as sort of a team manager for the girls basketball squad.
But over time she's become more than that.
Terri has been dubbed the team's No. 1 fan and takes the distinction seriously.
Terri, who turned 37 last week, has cerebral palsy, a condition affecting body movement and coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain. She also is affected by mild hearing loss and some learning disabilities stemming from the cerebral palsy.
Don't feel sorry for her however. She won't have it. There's not enough time in the day.
Aside from her role with the team, Terri is involved in many Special Olympics events including the 400-meter walk, an event in which she has been beaten just a handful of times over a 15-year period. She has also done gymnastics, bowls and plays on a softball team of which Gene is the coach.
Her passion for life, sports and especially the Valley girls program is felt by everyone.
"She's like a ray of sunshine," said Valley head coach Gary Teel of Terri.
Her attitude is infectious and rubs off on everyone she meets.
She has a pregame ritual, which involves wearing a No.1 fan necklace and a shirt with her favorite player's number on it. This year that honor belongs to her neighbor, Kara Kramer.
The Kramers and Hugheses live three houses apart.
Former Viking and current Evansville Ace freshman Rebekah Parker held the honor for two straight years.
Part of Terri's pregame ritual is to talk to the team and fire them up.
"I give them a pep talk before the game and I give each player a high five," said Hughes.
Terri doesn't get caught up in game plan or scheme; her pep talks are simple but effective.
"Don't miss the little shots and don't foul," said seniors Holli Jackson, Lisa Moore, Heather Rathbun and Kramer in unison when asked what Terri's pep talks usually consist of.
The four upperclassmen have gotten to know Terri and her pep talks pretty well. Never absent from a game, whether home or away, Terri is there.
Every year the seniors do something special for Terri on her birthday.
This year's group honored her with presents after the team's Jan. 15 win over Rochester.
Birthdays are a big deal to Terri, but when it's game time, that's all she's concerned with.
While she may start out with her mother, Bea, in the stands, as the game progresses and it nears crunch time, Terri usually finds her way on to the bench.
"Terri's a big part of the team. She's always there at every game. She's always there for us, excited and happy and wanting us to do well," Kramer said.
The roles are reversed when Terri competes in the Special Olympics. Every year, current and former players come out to support her as she competes.
"She likes it. She can say, 'I know them.' It's like we're her personal fan club," said Kramer.
It's not just Terri who gets something out of the Special Olympics experience.
"I've long held the theory that every high school athlete ought to be required to attend one Special Olympics event of some sort," said Gene Hughes.
The senior Hughes, who coach Teel characterizes as an encourager, knows the effect it has on someone.
"He's great. He's always there when we get down on ourselves and tells us we're doing good," said Rathbun of Gene.
That attitude, developed through working with Special Olympians, has rubbed off at Valley.
In this age where sport, especially at the prep level, has been blown out of proportion in terms of the importance placed on it, the Hughes' commitment to the girls program through thick and thin is one that has created something greater than team.
"It's kind of a family thing," said Gene.
And perhaps the strongest branch on that family tree is Terri.
When asked what brings Terri back every year to the team, she lights up.
"Because they make me happy," said Terri.
For the players, coaches and fans who know Terri, that's a two-way street. [[In-content Ad]]