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 Who knew?
Apparently, Tim Harris and a bunch of other people, but until Tim emailed, I did not know that Harry Blake had plenty of options. "I remember the few times the faculty played the students . . .he had an amazing jump shot." Click "Read more" to read the article Tim sent. By the way, Tim's a Fairfax County Public School teacher himself. Someday, one of his students will be remembering him on the future's version of a webpage.
DeSoto band director doesn't regret turning down basketball career
DeSoto: Band director has no regrets about not playing basketball
12:00 AM CST on Friday, November 16, 2007
By TRINA TERRELL / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
DeSoto High School band director Harry Blake turned down show business and professional basketball to become a teacher.
DeSoto High School band director Harry Blake was named to New Mexico Highlands University's hall of honor for his basketball achievements. But Mr. Blake says he's glad he turned to teaching instead of playing with the Harlem Globetrotters.
The Harlem Globetrotters came knocking at the New Mexico Highlands University graduate's door.
The famous basketball team was mesmerized by Mr. Blake's baton-twirling talents – he was men's national champion – and thought he would be a great addition to their special brand of showtime.
The opportunity, travel and money were tempting, but not quite enough for Mr. Blake.
He decided teaching was worth the investment. He turned down the chance to play on the losing team and perform in the Globetrotters' halftime show on a nightly basis.
"I thought since I had just earned my degree in teaching and spent so much time in working to become a teacher, I thought that was the best choice for me," Mr. Blake said. "I thought it would be great for a half a year or a year, and then I began to think about the one-night stand [games]."
Statistics from New Mexico Highlands, which inducted Mr. Blake into its H-Club Hall of Honor on Sept. 20, indicate he had basketball talent. He once scored 43 points in a game and was all-conference in 1962.
But the 4 ½ decades since the monumental decision to teach, Mr. Blake said, have been worth every penny.
The Sophia, W.Va., native began his career as a high school band director, which led him to Virginia, Indiana and Michigan. He then went on to 12 years of collegiate directing, at his alma mater in Las Vegas, N.M., and at Cameron University in Lawton, Okla.
The former state chairman of the National Band Association and College Band Directors Association retired in 1999, only to return when the opportunity at DeSoto High presented itself in 2001.
Thanks to a partnership Mr. Blake established a little more than 20 years ago, DeSoto got double the deal. His wife, Karen Blake, is now the color guard and flute instructor for the DeSoto band.
She says working with her husband has been an interesting, very rewarding experience.
"We both have a really deep love for music; the kids become family," Mrs. Blake said. "It doesn't come easy for some kids, but we support them and teach them to work hard and do their best."
Mr. Blake and his band staff work 12-hour days five days a week, with 200 students in the band.
"We teach, we reteach, we encourage our students to decide where your career is and what you are going to do," Mr. Blake said. "We don't leave here with kids still asking questions."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-dlfocus_16met.ART.South.Edition1.36b47ad.html
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