Warren’s Brad Venham honored to coach Ohio girls in BACF
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VINCENT -- Cystic fibrosis hits close to home for Warren girls basketball coach Brad Venham.
Venham's cousin, Casey Jo Higgins, has CF, a disorder that severely affects the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. There currently is no cure for cystic fibrosis.
That's why Venham didn't hesitate when he was offered the chance to coach in today's Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis All-Star Basketball Classic.
"It was a quick and emphatic yes," said Venham, who guided the Warriors to 16 wins and a sectional championship this winter.
The Ohio squad will have two of Venham's former players -- Warren seniors Raylen Shotwell and Madison Lynn.
"It's one more time I get to coach two of my own, and it's for a great cause," said Venham, who competed in the BACF game as a football player in 2001. "(Higgins) came to our practice (Monday) and shared her story with the girls. She had to have a double-lung transplant. She's had quite the story. She'll be on the bench with us Friday night. I wanted the girls to know it's so much more than just an all-star game. What the BACF does for people battling cystic fibrosis is such an awesome thing."
This will be Venham's debut as a head coach in an all-star game, but he did assist in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference All-Star game last season. He said it's an honor to get to coach Shotwell and Lynn one last time.
"Maybe not for them, but for me," Venham laughed. "Hopefully we can have a good time on the floor. I told the girls there's a lot of people there to come and watch them, so try to go ahead and have fun and put on a good show."
Along with the two Warriors, Venham is actually quite familiar with a good chunk of the Buckeye State's personnel from having coached against them over the years.
"I told some of them last night that it's such a relief that I get to put you in the game rather than worry about trying to stop you," Venham laughed. "(Fort Frye's) Alyssa Duskey and Kianna O'Brien are two competitors who we know what they're going to be when they step on the floor. The two girls from Fairland -- Bree Allen and Kylee Bruce -- they ended our season this year (in the district semifinals). We've got to watch them the last couple years and know how special they are. It's going to be a fun time to go and play and be able to coach them. Morgan (Haught) and Grace (Knowlton) from Frontier are great kids as well."
Other girls on the Ohio roster include Caldwell's Katie Franklin, River's Kelsey Harlan, Union Local's Lauren Miller and Meigs' Keaghan Wolfe.
While having fun is always an important part of an all-star game, Venham and his players know there's bragging rights on the line. Ohio won last year's game 77-74, evening up the series with West Virginia at 10-apiece, making this year's matchup a big one.
"Don't think there's any part of those girls that aren't competitors," Venham said. "I know I don't have to worry about that as far as the competition aspect goes. These girls are going to get after it, man. That's what I love. They're not just going to run down and everybody takes turns chucking it up. They're playing defense and diving for loose balls.
"I have a feeling it's going to be an up-and-down game. If we can keep up the pace, get the ball out and run, I think we'll have a good chance. I want the girls to know what a great opportunity this is. You get to strap it up one more time and play for an awesome cause -- what more could you ask for?"