Southern Raptor
Page 4 But on the court, he’s 100 percent man. Gerald should be able to dominate at the 2 in the SEC; he is strong, quick, has a good work ethic and a soft touch. More importantly, he can live without the limelight and operates well within a team. The 'Bama squad looks promising, with returning players Kenny Walker, Erwin Dudley, Terrance Meade and Rod Grizzard, Gerald’s high school friend. The Tide will have Gerald for at least one year, although he said that he plans on staying all four depending on how well the squad does. If Gerald, Childersburg’s first D-I scholarship baller, does leave early, he still plans on graduating. "I promised my mom that no matter what I will get my degree," says Gerald. "No matter how long it takes." Alice has lived in this small town since she was a little girl and refuses to move, regardless of how much bank Gerald will one day earn in the League. There are just too many memories here, she says. "They will just have to build a new house right here," Alice says. "I am never leaving Childersburg; this is where I am from." Mention Gerald’s name to any youngster in Childersburg and watch his or her face light up while describing one of Wallace’s nasty dunks. They will tell you how people of Pleasant Valley got to meet reporters from ESPN and Sports Illustrated. Or even how just about every home game at Childersburg High sold out and for the first time in school history they sold season tickets. Gerald realizes the impact that he has had on this sleepy Alabama town, although it seemingly pains him to admit it. "God blessed me with a gift and I won’t waste it," Gerald says. "Every game I play, a little bit of it is for the people here who will never get out."
|
