FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- May 1, 2002
CONTACT: Jason Mucher,
Sports Information Director (716) 567-9559
 TRIP
TO RUSSIA IS MORE THAN A GAME FOR HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYERS
HOUGHTON, N.Y. — Playing seven games in six
days can be tough for any athlete. Add jetlag to the equation—after traveling
halfway around the world—and the physical effects can multiply.
That was the reality for a group of 11 area high school
basketball players who spent 11 days in Russia in April on a trip coordinated
by Houghton College. But a tired body was a small price to pay for the
educational, cultural and spiritual benefits these players gained.
The team, sponsored by Wesleyan World Missions (WWM),
included Alex Wright (11th grade), Jesse Coates (12th),
and Joel Lord (10th) from Houghton Academy; Jesse Teitsworth (11th),
Bryan Long (11th), and Bryan Little (11th) from Lima
Christian; brothers Josh Vanskiver (12th) and Jon Vanskiver (10th)
from Campbell-Savona; Jordan Snyder (12th) from Alfred-Almond; Giles
Churchman (10th) from Arkport; and Jon Palmieri (10th)
from Vernon High School, N.J.
Being able to display their skills on the court and
experience a new culture can make for a fun time, but it was the ministry
aspect that was the focus, said Houghton College athletics director Skip Lord,
one of six coaches who led the team. “The idea of taking a group of high
school athletes to Europe grew out of the missions trips that we usually take
with our college teams to the Czech Republic,” says Lord. “The object of
the trip was to build a sports ministry through the Wesleyan Church. The key is
to build relationships that we can use to share the Gospel with other
people.”
The team arrived in Moscow on April 11, and after a few
days of sightseeing, traveled on to Vladimir, their base for the rest of the
trip. The next six days included five wins and two losses against local high
school and university teams. Between games, the players and coaches conducted
clinics, played with kids at the ministry center’s playground, and spent time
building relationships with new Russian friends.
It was a new experience for the athletes, many of whom
had never been out of the United States before, but it was also new for the
citizens of Vladimir. The Houghton group was the first American basketball team
of any level to come to the city of 400,000, so the games were well attended,
and following the games, groups of children would gather around the athletes
for autographs. The team was also featured on local television and radio, and
in the newspaper.
Despite all the attention, the athletes were able to
keep level heads. “It was amazing to see the volume of interest. Our players
handled it well. They showed the proper level of humility,” says Lord. “It
was a good group of guys. I was impressed with their maturity, socially and
spiritually. They were very aware of the fact that basketball was a tool and
not the primary reason for them being there. They were there to help build
relationships and share Christ.”
Lord is pleased his group was able to assist the
Wesleyan church’s ministry efforts. “I think our presence created a group
of contacts that the missionaries couldn’t have established themselves.
It’s a new audience. It also gave the ministry some exposure to local
television and radio they wouldn’t have received otherwise.”
Lord hopes to offer a similar opportunity for a high
school girls’ team next year.
Houghton is a Christian liberal arts college of 1,300
students located in western New York. Houghton's 21st century vision is to be a
model in Christian liberal arts education, developing servant-leaders in a
world-class learning community, building people of Christian character to solve
real-world problems.
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