Council Rock North will host its annual Athletes Helping Athletes Tournament beginning on Thursday night. Check back for a game story about Rock North’s opening round game against Central Bucks South.
Peter Brill has never scored a point for the Council Rock North basketball team, but he is as much a part of the program as just about anyone who has ever worn the Indians’ uniform.
The 31-year-old Brill has been part of the basketball program since 2000. It's true he's never worn a Council Rock uniform and he won’t be found holding a clipboard or keeping stats at a game, but those close to the program can’t imagine Council Rock North basketball without the team’s long-time manager as an integral part of it.
“It’s great to have him,” coach Derek Wright said. “He always has a smile on his face, he’s always concerned about how we’re doing. All the guys know him.
“He goes on the bus with us to a lot of games. He keeps us up to date on other teams’ records and our record, our statistics. The players really, really enjoy having him around.”
Brill is a walking encyclopedia for Council Rock North basketball.
“If I didn’t know what time a game was – Peter knew to the minute,” senior captain Matt McCloskey said. “Right after the schedule is printed, he’ll bring it in and say - did you guys know we’re playing this team on Dec. 12? I’ll be like, ‘Well, I know now, but I had no idea.’”
The Indians’ manager is equally informed about the football team, and his passion for Rock North sports – all sports – is unmistakable.
“It doesn’t matter which team it is - if it’s springtime, he can tell you if the tennis team is having a match,” said his mother, Linda Brill. “He knows the scores for the games, what their record is in the SOL, what their record is overall. Then he will kind of estimate if they will win or lose.”
Making Brill’s involvement especially unique is the fact that he is one of many special needs athletes who have connected with the Rock North athletes through the Athletes Helping Athletes program.
It has been, according to his mother, a life-changing experience.
“My background is in special education, and I really thought I was the expert,” Linda Brill said. “Given what I knew, his life would probably be totally different today – probably sheltered workshops and TV at night.
“Peter’s life is so much richer and fuller. The beauty is in bringing special needs athletes together with typical athletes and both of them gaining from the experience – there’s no question the special athletes gain so much and their families gain so much.”
Brill’s initial involvement the sports’ programs began in the fall of 1997 when he was a student of then Council Rock football coach Mike Ortman. He – along with Dan Gibson – became involved with the football team and the two were the program’s first honorary captains in 2002.
“The first time they were honorary captains there was a news article with a picture of them holding hands with the captains of the football team and walking onto the field,” Linda Brill recalled.
The foundation for something that would blossom and grow had been laid that night. With the formation of Athletes Helping Athletes in 2008 under the leadership of Rick Leonetti, special needs athletes became a fixture at Council Rock sporting events.
“When we started this, we had no idea, but what it does – and we hear it from the parents all the time and you see it in the kids – it raises their self-esteem, and they’re accepted and included,” Leonetti said. “Some become lifelong friends.”
Linda Brill credited Leonetti for understanding what was important for athletes on both sides.
“It was the quality of these experiences for both groups of athletes – the giving and receiving,” she said. “You see the mainstream athletes giving from their hearts – their hearts are in it.
“They’re excited because this is something that is a joy to participate in, and they (understand) how much fun the special athletes are and they actually have gifts to contribute. A lot of these mainstream athletes have gone on to study special education and do more volunteering, etc. They are turned on in a different way to life because of their interaction with these special athletes, so instead of the special athletes always being those who are receiving – which they do – they are now also giving because they have an opportunity to give.”
When Wright took over the helm of the boys’ basketball program 10 years ago, getting involved with AHA was a natural fit.
“When coach Ortman retired, I saw an opportunity for us to get involved with something that I thought would be good for our players and good for our program,” the Indians’ coach said. “It has really been a staple of what we do as a program.
“It gives our kids a chance to communicate and work with people that may not be as fortunate athletically to compete like they do but still are able to get something out of it.”
According to the Indians’ coach, the special needs athletes bring a refreshing perspective to the world of competitive high school sports.
“Sometimes we’re not as privileged emotionally as some of these special needs kids are in terms of their attitude and enjoyment of the game,” Wright said. “I think it’s as important for our guys to be around them as it is for them to be around us.
“When we think things aren’t going really well, Peter always has a smile on his face. We can only hope to be that positive and enthusiastic all the time.”
Brill’s positive attitude is not lost on the players.
“When we lose, I feel like he takes it tougher than I do sometimes,” McCloskey said. “He looks disappointed, but then he’ll say, ‘The next game is 7:30.’ He’s always trying to be positive, he’s always happy.”
Brill – who is employed in the school cafeteria – also crosses paths with the players during the course of the school day.
“Every day after lunch, he’ll be like – ‘Hey, Matt, did you know this team beat that team?’” McCloskey said. “He knows everything, and we’ll wind up talking for five minutes after lunch.”
On Thursday night, when the Indians face Central Bucks South at 7:30 p.m. in their opening game of the Athletes Helping Athletes Tournament, Brill – most appropriately - will be an honorary captain.
“We have honorary team captains at every game, and it starts the game off on a good note,” McCloskey said. “It makes you realize it’s (about) more than just a game.”
Just the Facts:
This year’s record: Council Rock North 1-1 SOL (2-3 overall), Central Bucks South 1-1 SOL (3-3 overall)
Last year’s record: Council Rock North 27-3, Central Bucks South 5-17
Last meeting: Dec. 30, 2010 - Council Rock North 70, Central Bucks South 45 (CR North: Arron Goodman – 19 points, Aaron Morgan – 15 points. CB South – Steve Schneider – 10 points)
Last game: Central Bucks South 45, Abington 44 (Chase Vonder Schmalz – 18 points, John Flaherty – 8 points, Dave Knox – 7 points); Council Rock North 64, La Salle 53 (Arron Goodman – 27 points, Aaron Morgan – 13 points, Rip Engel – 8 points, Alex Jordan – 8 points)
Council Rock North
Projected starters:
#2 – Matt McCloskey (6-1, Sr., Guard)
#5 – Aaron Morgan (5-11, Sr., Guard)
#22 – Arron Goodman (6-4, Sr., Guard/Forward)
#24 – Alex Jordan (6-3, Jr., Guard/Forward)
#32 – Kyle McCloskey (6-6, Jr. Guard/Forward)
The rest of the Indians:
#4 – Josh McWilliams (5-9, Soph., Guard)
#10 – Alex Corry (6-1, Sr., Guard/Forward)
#12 – Ross Wilson (5-10, Soph., Guard)
#14 – Brandon Knotts (5-10, Jr., Guard)
#15 – Chris Rowland (5-11, Soph., Guard)
#21 – Owen Rice (5-8, Sr., Guard)
#23 – Jason Cavell (5-8, Sr., Guard)
#31 – Rip Engel (5-10, Soph., Guard)
#40 – Ryan Baker (6-1, Jr., Forward)
#50 – Tyler Madison (6-4, Soph., Forward)
Central Bucks South
#3 – Kevin Raymond (5-6, Jr., Guard)
#5 – Brennan Rudnick (5-9, Jr., Guard)
#10 – Matt Scamuffo (5-11, Soph., Guard)
#13 – Kevin Doyle (6-1, Jr., Forward)
#15 – Adam Tamny (6-1, Jr., Forward)
#22 – Bryce Dobish (5-11, Soph., Guard)
#23 – Chase Vonder Schmalz (5-10, Jr., Guard)
#24 – Paul Zakrzewski (6-3, Sr., Forward)
#32 – Danny Giaquinto (5-10, Jr., Forward)
#33 – Dave Knox (6-3, Sr., Forward)
#34 – Kris Jonsson (6-5, Jr., Forward)
#45 – John Flaherty (6-3, Sr., Center)
#55 – T.J. Ohntrup (6-5, Jr., Center)
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