Kids & Family

Basketball Coach a Mentor as Team Wins 'Godly Character Award'

Patch readers told us who the "Everyday Inspirations" in their communities are, and we're sharing their stories and the work they've done locally.

Everyday Inspirations is a series that features people in Patch communities who inspire others through their work, or people who have faced extraordinary situations and grown from them. They have been featured by other people in the community that have been inspired by the nominees.

Name: Jerry Cuffee
Town: Bristow, VA
Nominated by: Lori Henry

Why is this person an "Everyday Inspiration?" 
Jerry Cuffee is an everyday inspiration to a local Centreville school, Ad Fontes Academy, as well as all of the school families. Jerry is the head boys varsity basketball coach and director of the basketball programs.

He enjoys all aspects of basketball and is at his best when coaching and mentoring young basketball players into winning team players both on the court and off the court. Anyone that knows and has any contact with Jerry will tell you that he is an everyday inspiration to them through the life he lives mentoring to others.

Has the nominee's life been changed in an extraordinary way? 

Jerry has been an assistant varsity coach at two local public high schools and a recreational league travel team coach for many years. When he took the job of coaching at a small, private classical school he knew there would be challenges in establishing a quality, winning basketball program. However, after the first summer of conditioning with the boys that would be his varsity players, he found they had an immense work ethic and truly cared for him as well as each other.

The end of the first season came and tournament time arrived. The first game went into overtime and the team emerged victorious. What followed was the life changer.

The team received the athletic league's prestigious, "Godly Character Award." This award is given to the team whose coaches, players and fans have the best attitude represented on and off the court as voted by member teams. Jerry will tell you that this honor meant more to him, the team, the fans and school families than words could ever express.

How does this person work to make others' lives better?

Through Jerry's efforts of skill drills, repetition and raising basketball IQ awareness, Jerry is able to take boys that are attending a classical school for the quality education, and equip them with the skills to be able to work together as "one body." Winning doesn't come easy in basketball.

One of Jerry's favorite quotes, "cheat the drill, cheat the skill." In working together, the boys accomplish the goal of playing to win the game of basketball, as well as being successful in life.  


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