Wednesday, November 26, 2008

MC hoops standout Nelson gives football a go, but at at what cost?

By BRIAN VanderBEEK
bvanderbeek@modbee.com

last updated: September 17, 2008 07:58:48 AM

When you're Reeves Nelson, you just don't decide one afternoon you want to play high school football.

There are high school and college coaches to consult. Meetings must be called. Parents, siblings and potential teammates must be in on the decision -- no, more than anything they must be convinced it's OK for Modesto Christian High's 6-foot-8-inch, 240-pound, 16-year-old basketball prodigy with a full ride to UCLA in hand to pull on the pads.

The why of the matter is straightforward. Nelson, who played football at MC as a a freshman, didn't want to finish high school without experiencing the thrills of playing varsity football. And play football he will -- he's a starting receiver and outside linebacker.

"About three weeks before the start of school, I was with my dad at his best friend's house and we were talking about football," Nelson said. "He mentioned that, no matter what you do in high school, there's nothing like Friday nights under the lights. After that conversation, I started thinking seriously about it."

The first person Nelson consulted was his little brother Raymond Nelson, a 6-4, 210-pound sophomore tight end with six years of football experience.

"I didn't want him thinking that I was taking his spotlight," Reeves Nelson said.

That wouldn't be a problem.

"I thought he'd make a great addition to the team, and I'd make sure that he kept it in perspective with his future at UCLA," Raymond said. "I told him that high school football is as much fun as you can have in high school sports, especially after a victory. It's much more fun than blowing out a team by 40 points in basketball."

Reeves gained the endorsement of close friend and quarterback/point guard Isaiah Burse, then went about the task of convincing his parents.

"Apparently, there's no greater feeling in sports than hitting someone on the football field, and the camaraderie is great," Sheila Nelson said. "I am glad he's going to be able to partake of that, but I'm worried about the injuries. It was his decision, and he's going to be gone next year and he's going to have to make decisions on his own."

Basketball coach Gary Porter was in the mix, with Porter and Reeves Nelson consulting with the UCLA coaching staff.

"My thing was that he had been fighting tendinitis in his ankle, and the ankle also was UCLA's concern," Porter said. "They said they didn't want him to play, but they weren't going to tell him not to play. Let's face it. He has a career in basketball, probably beyond college."

NCAA rules prohibit coaches from talking about recruits before the signing of a national letter-of-intent. Nelson has a verbal commitment with UCLA but can't sign until November.

"Coach (Ben) Howland called and told me he was concerned because football is a violent sport," Nelson said. "But he also said that he couldn't blame me for wanting to play, since he knew what it felt like to be out there on a Friday night. He said he supported my decision, and that was a big deal for me."

With the support in his back pocket, Nelson finally approached MC football coach Mike Parsons in mid-August.

"I was like everybody else and didn't know if it was a good idea," Parsons said. "I told him that football was my passion and I didn't want him out here if football was just going to be hobby time for Reeves. There's a lot at stake out here. But he poured his heart out and told me he wanted to play, that it was important to him and he wanted to help us reach the state game."

Parsons asked Nelson if he had the blessing and support of the important people in his life and arranged a meeting of that group "to make sure everybody was on the same page."

Nelson came prepared with a letter -- a two-page statement outlining his reasons for wanting to play high school football that included an acknowledgment of the possibility of injury.

"It isn't really in my hands whether I get hurt or not," Nelson wrote. "If you think about it, it's in God's hands. What He wants to happen will happen, and I trust in that plan."

After the meeting, Reeves was on the team.

"Reeves said that just the fact that we were having a meeting about him playing football made him realize what the situation entails," Parsons said. "He said that if it had been anyone else, you'd just hand him pads."

But "anyone else" wouldn't have to deal with the possibility that a football injury could end a limitless basketball career.

"Even if I get hurt and can't play basketball again, I won't regret my decision to play football," Nelson said. "There are more important things in life than sports, like the memories you will carry with you the rest of your life. Doing what makes you happy is what life is all about."

Bee staff writer Brian VanderBeek can be reached at bvanderbeek@modbee.com or 578-2300.

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