Sellers' plea to fight inspired Truckers

Editor's note: This is the third in a three-part series in lessons learned from sports in the midst of a pandemic. Part 3: Keep fighting, no matter the odds. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. NORWALK — Everything about the sounds fit the typical description. There was the stomping of a foot. There was a strong, commanding tone in a loud voice. As the clock ticked under three minutes in Norwalk's 64-44 loss to Shelby in a Division II district championship game on March 6 at Ashland High School, one voice stood out near the Norwalk bench. The voice pleaded for the Truckers to box out and get back on defense. And most importantly, to keep playing hard. The yells continued to implore they mount a comeback — even if the game had long ago been out of reach. Except it wasn't coming from a coach, or any adult for that matter. "At the end of the game, Brynn didn't want season to end," Norwalk assistant coach Wes Sellers said of his eight-year old daughter. "She was pretty bummed because she knew it meant she wouldn't be able to come to games and sit with the team managers, or shoot the ball around afterward with some of the players. They were just as good to her as they were to her brother (Benny)." Brynn is a third-grade student at Pleasant Elementary in Norwalk. Her younger brother by a year, Benny, is in the second grade at Pleasant. The family is very active in Norwalk schools. Wes is a 2002 NHS graduate and was a key starter on the 2001-02 team, which was head coach Steve Gray's first season at Norwalk. His wife, Allison, is a math teacher at the high school. A teacher in the nearby Huron school system, Wes has been helping out as a volunteer assistant with his alma mater for 10 years, dating back to the 2011-12 season. Two years ago, when Benny was in Kindergarten, Gray mentioned to Wes about having his son come to practices and help out in a ball boy role. Benny has been coming to practices and games for the past three seasons, where he soaks up everything that is being said. "During second-grade basketball, he can be heard using coach phrases from practices," Wes said. In jest, Gray said he enjoys knowing that the little kids in the building might listen better than his high school players. "It's amazing how much he listened to the coaches," Gray said. "Benny will repeat things like jumping to the ball, getting to the midline, or getting back on defense and defending with hands high … it's neat to think he has paid that close of attention to what is going on every day." After practice, Benny's favorite part is to shoot around with the NHS players. And he's unafraid to challenge them to a friendly game of one-on-one. Last season, he had a special handshake with 2020 NHS graduate Ryan Sowders. He wears No. 5 during his youth games in honor of 2019 graduate and All-Ohio standout Brandon Haraway. "The boys have never treated him like, 'Who is this little kid?' They've always done a nice job of being very inclusive of him, which we appreciate," Wes said. "It's been really good for him to be around it." It was also last season when Brynn began attending the games and practices after repeated inquiries to do so at home. "Her interests have always kind of varied between dance, sports, horse riding — whatever comes her way, Brynn is interested in," Wes said. Wes noted that Brynn got to be close with team managers Cathy Schnellinger and Baylee Chapin during the 2019-20 season. "She was always excited to come to practice and sit with those girls," he said. "She followed along with them wherever they would go at games and practices. One of her biggest joys of the day is coming to practice and seeing those girls." Never one to sit around, Brynn — who's favorite player this season was the undersized, scrappy Carson Bauman — also began rounding up the basketballs to put back on the rack before and during halftime of the games this season. Gray noted she also was taught how to run the clock in practice. The veteran coach of 20 years at Norwalk also said Benny and Brynn were a welcome addition to daily practice, especially this season. With limited spectators and daily COVID concerns, it was the most challenging year for Gray and most winter sports coaches. Though the Truckers weren't put into a 10-day isolation as a varsity team, they were far from spared. The junior varsity team didn't play a game for over a month because of their own positive exposures and from other teams canceling games. At one point, just 12 kids were available to practice between the JV and varsity, and Wes Sellers himself was finding himself in practice gear to help out. "The enthusiasm and energy of those two kids were something that inspired our players to work a little bit harder at times," Gray said. "It was one of the most difficult seasons ever because everything was in the moment. "Every week you were worrying about the virus and games being canceled, and I honestly thought we'd only play 15 or 16 games this year," he added. "But the most amazing thing to me was how resilient our kids work, and the relationships they've made with Benny and Brynn further shows the character they have." As for Brynn's pleas for the team to keep fighting to extend the season, Wes said he could of course hear it plain as day from the bench. He briefly checked on her between the third and fourth quarters — because he knew what was coming. During a difficult time over the past year when everyone was forced to stay inside and people died from the virus, Brynn's pleas to keep fighting to the end especially hit home. "It reminds you that it's just a game," Wes said. "A lot of times you get so wrapped up in game planning and strategizing that you don't realize how much sports are can mean to someone, and the enjoyment they provide. "Brynn saw the score and didn't want the season to be over," he added. "She was giving everything she had to implore them to try and make a run and keep it going. I think this experience with the team has been good for her and her brother, because it shows them as they are getting older how to treat the next group of kids. They will know how to carry on a positive tradition."