Sophomore Jordan Felker has been working hard behind the scenes for the past two years as the manager for the boy’s varsity basketball team. His positive attitude and coaching skills have impressed coaches and players alike and have given him a second athletic family.
Felker has been coaching, assisting, encouraging, and uplifting the varsity basketball team since his first year of high school. Although he didn’t make the cut for the Freshman team last year, head coach David Chana knew that the team needed someone like Felker.
“We loved that [he] showed up every day, worked hard, and did everything we asked,” Chana said. “We saw that early, so we wanted him a part of our program, we offered him a spot [with the team], and the rest is history.”
Felker, who accepted the role of varsity team manager, fell in love with the game that he started playing more than a decade ago. Not only does he love the physical aspect of basketball, but he also loves how close he and his teammates are.
“Basketball has always been fun for me because I’ve met a lot of really cool people,” Felker said, “I have my basketball family and my family at home, so I have people I can lean on and ask for help.”
With the pandemic delaying basketball season, Felker played a vital role in getting his team in shape until the season started, filling in during drills, catching rebounds, and keeping players motivated. This responsibility inspired him.
“With COVID ending our season early last year and this [season] getting postponed, we’ve been working really hard. It inspired me in what I do in school and in life because if I don’t do well in school, then I’m definitely not putting in 100% of my effort into [the team],” Felker said.
Even with the postponement of the basketball season earlier this month, Felker kept up the positive attitude, even during the rough times.
“With the recent delay, the first person to message the team was Jordan. ‘Hey guys, get ready to go, we got this.’ It was all encouragement. Just little things like that, he has a knack for finding ways to insert himself,” Chana said. “I think that our team has really rallied around him. They treat him like a brother.”
Being part of the basketball team has helped Felker too.
“I think that giving Jordan those bigger, older brothers around him, has definitely given him confidence. It’s special to watch the group take him under their wing,” Chana said.
Chana has nothing but good things to say about Felker and his hardworking, caring qualities.
“That kid cares so much about us, whether we win or lose. He believes in Northview basketball and I’m not just saying that to say it. It really matters to him,” Coach Chana said. “Jordan is what Northview basketball is about. Caring, loving, hardworking, and most importantly, doing anything to help us win.”
