Athlete Night brings ‘heroes’ to elementary school

It's a Thursday night. One might think that Brandywine Springs Elementary School would be dark and empty, but after following the squeaking of sneakers, shrieks of children's laughter and the smell of sweat to the gym, the case is quite the opposite.

Through hurling dodge balls, bouncing basketballs, swinging jump ropes and racing scooters, Delaware T-shirts stick out on a number of university athletes towering over younger children.

The occasion was the annual UD Athlete Night, which was set up three years ago between the university and Brandywine Springs.

Principal William "Buzzy" Cooke said the event is part of an open gym concept the school offers every week from January to March. UD Athlete Night is just one special feature of the series.

"It's something we wanted to have where families can come to the school and parents can play with their kids in the winter months when they can't partake in physical activity outside," Cooke said.

He said the open gym and Athlete Night are geared more towards the younger elementary students at the K-8 school.

"Our whole business is to help kids look toward teachers, adults in their lives and mentors that care about them," Cooke said. "With Athlete Night the kids see heroes  that are real people, and that's an important aspect which definitely has an impact on the children."

Taking a quick breather in the hallway, junior Aaron Mascoe said he and approximately 10 other players on the baseball team came out to play with the elementary students.

"We've done a lot in the community so far this year," Mascoe said. "Anytime we get a chance to give back, we take advantage of it. We've done some volunteering at retirement homes, and of course it's exciting to come and play around with the younger kids."

He said he wishes he had more of these opportunities in grade school.

"Athlete Night gives these younger kids a model to look up to," Mascoe said, with a young dodge ball player patiently waiting at his side to continue their play. "A lot of them so far tonight have been asking us about our sports and what position we play."

Also in attendance were juniors Katie Dennehy and Greta Gibboney of the women's volleyball team. Gibboney said four of them came out to the event.

"It's strictly voluntary, but it's nice to do this kind of stuff off campus and be involved," she said. "Why not, you know? I'd probably just be sitting at home tonight anyway."

Dennehy agreed.

"It's a little hectic, the kids have so much energy," she said. "They teamed up and attacked us with dodge balls, but it's definitely worth it seeing their huge smiles."

Standing along the wall lined with miniature sweatshirts and jackets, Christine Ogden and John Daly were two of the many parents who came to watch their respective children partake in the activities of the night.

"My kids love it, they're here every week," Daly said. "I wasn't planning on taking them this week, but I got an earful about how we couldn't miss the college athletes, so we had to come!"

Ogden said she feels it is important that the school has this option.   

"Every week, they somehow fit in a way to teach the kids about healthy eating and exercise," she said, referring to the table of cut up fresh fruit in the hallway.

As their respective daughters come running up to them, the girls have exciting news.

"We got to hit the Delaware people with dodge balls, " exclaimed Delaney, Daly's 9-year-old daughter.

"And I got to play basketball with a professional athlete," Elizabeth Ogden, also 9, said.

At the end of the night, Dennehy and Gibboney started a large game of jump rope, and some of the baseball players tried to join in with the younger jump ropers, a sight that got some chuckles from the adults.

"I'm very impressed with the university sports programs and the community service that the varsity sports teams take part in with their already busy schedules," Cooke said.