Good Sports: Clovis North Boys' Basketball

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On a recent rainy Tuesday afternoon, the Clovis North High School basketball team is hard at work, learning plays and working on conditioning. But one of their most important lessons of the season would be taught off the court.

"We really wanted to host a varsity basketball tournament, and we've been doing a lot of leadership with our players," said Clovis North Head Coach Tony Amundsen. "And one of the ideas that we came up with is to do some sort of fundraiser for it and just give all the proceeds away to a charity."

So the Clovis North student body ran with the idea. The Bronco players were ecstatic to serve as conduits of holiday cheer for a day at nearby Children's Hospital Central California, a place that hits close to home for some Bronco players.

"I have some siblings that are in there pretty frequently," said Senior Guard Justin Jensen.

"My brother has been in and out of Children's Hospital," said Junior Point Guard Jahvon Johnson. "He has muscular dystrophy disease."

Jahvon's brother, Jordan, doesn't let muscular dystrophy stop him from playing any wheelchair sport he possibly can. Jahvon says Jordan inspires him, and in turn he wants to inspire others.

"No sad faces, just smiling the whole time laughing," said Johnson. "We're having a good time, because they're not always having the best time. So I want to make sure he has a good time."

And for Jensen, Children's Hospital is a familiar destination for his family, allowing him plenty of opportunities to reflect on his own good fortune.

"Just kind of being able to take a step back and realizing what we have, and what they don't," said Jensen. "What we're able to do and what they can't. And be able to try and help them out for a day at least. Take it out of our lives and have fun with them."

And it all puts a little less emphasis on winning games in this weekend's tournament, and a little more on winning in life. Or as Coach Amundsen puts it:

"Perspective. I want them to realize how fortunate they are, and then also to realize how much they can help other people. So it's kind of a twofold thing. We're really excited about it and they are too."