University of Richmond Athletics
Men's Basketball Visits Manchester Middle School
06/10/2008 | Men's Basketball
June 10, 2008
RICHMOND, Va. - Six members of the Richmond men's basketball team visited with a group of students at Manchester Middle School on Tuesday, talking about the importance of education and taking advantage of opportunities.
The group of Manchester students had watched the Spiders defeat eventual Atlantic 10 Champion Temple in the Robins Center on Feb. 6 as part of the Mooney's Kids Program. Before the game on Feb. 6 the group of 60 took guided tours of campus and were promised that if they were on their best behavior, members of the team would visit Manchester Middle School.
With the players on campus for summer school, Ryan Butler, Dan Geriot, Jarhon Giddings, David Gonzalvez, Kevin Hovde and Kevin Smith took the time Tuesday afternoon to head over to Hull Street and speak to the students.
The student-athletes talked about the importance of education, taking advantage of opportunities, treating people right and not hanging out with the wrong people.
"You have to take advantage of your opportunities, this right here, being in school, is an opportunity," Smith said. "You can't waste it. And if you are having trouble, or you get an F, it's how you respond to that, that's what is important."
David Gonzalvez talked about what the students might see in the movies or in music video does not translate to real life.
"It's not about being hard, being tough," Gonzalvez said. "You have to treat people right, because you can't do anything in this world without the help of other people."
The players answered questions, signed autographs and shot around with the students in the school's gym.
The Spider men's basketball team has participated in several community events this year, including a charity basketball game at Tuckahoe Middle School this spring that raised nearly $3,000 for the Arthritis Foundation.
