Heartland Meets Harlem

AVON PARK - Bill Jarrett sat on the sidelines waiting for his turn to play in the first and probably only practice for the newly formed Highlands Hoppers at the South Florida Community College gym.

"I keep thinking to myself that this is for a good cause," Jarrett laughed as he jogged onto the court and nearly came up with a block.

The Highlands Hoppers are a menagerie of local hoopsters that have been assembled by local businesses to play the Harlem Ambassadors on Tuesday.

The Ambassadors are much like their famous counterparts - the Harlem Globetrotters - with a bit of a twist.

"They all must be either college graduates or working toward a college degree to be on the team," said Avon Park Noon Rotary Club president Alice Oldham. "They also have a very strong stay-in-school and anti-drug message for today's youth. That impressed me."

Oldham was turned on to the Ambassadors by a previous Rotarian after the Rotary Club needed a fundraising event to replace the annual Legends Race.

"I went online and found out that they do a lot of work with Rotary Clubs in other areas," Oldham said. "I asked around and everyone said they were a class act and a good fundraising event, so we brought them here."

After securing the Ambassadors, Oldham and event chairman Larry Shoeman enlisted the services of local businesses to recruit players for the opposing team.

"We needed our own version of the Washington Generals," Shoeman joked. "We had each business sponsor a quarter and they agreed to field a team. We encouraged them to not load up on star players, but to pick local players who are stars in the community."

Among the participants will be former Blue Streak all-state basketball selection Eric Zwayer, Highlands Hammock State Park manager Peter Anderson, new Avon Park head football coach Andy Bonjokian, and Dr. Ray Tangunan of Florida Hospital.

Zwayer was immediately on-board once he got the call to play.

"Chet [Brojak] asked me to play, and I know the Rotary does good things in the community, so I said let's do it," Zwayer said. "I think it'll be a lot of fun to play against [the Ambassadors]. I want to see how these old bones respond."

Knowing the showmanship of the Ambassadors, were any of the Hoppers practicing any special moves for the big event?

"My special move will be to not be carried off the court from exhaustion," joked Jarrett.

The mood was jovial during practice, but the play on the court was taken serious and many on the team were just trying to rid the rust from not playing in many years.

But the main reason for the event is to help the Rotary Club, who will use the money generated by the event for special projects in Highlands County.

"We assist multiple projects around the area," Shoeman said. "But the main thing is that the money stays in the community."

The Ambassadors are scheduled to visit Avon Park Elementary, along with Avon Park Middle School on Tuesday to put on basketball exhibitions and promote the stay-in-school and stay-off-drugs campaign.

The high-flying basketball show is set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Panther Gymnasium.

Tickets, which are $8 in advance or $10 at the door, are available at the Florida Hospital gift shop, Highlands Independent bank, Heartland National bank and Mid-Florida credit union.