One-handed basketball player showing anything is possible
AURORA, Ill. (BVM) — It is not easy to make a high school freshman basketball team. A lot of kids try out, display their skills, and impress coaches. One would think it is even tougher to make the team when you’re missing your left hand, but Waubonsie Valley High School’s Gavin Halagiere has proven otherwise.
Halagiere is a 15-year-old from Illinois who is a congenital amputee that was born without a left hand. He played baseball up until about a year ago, and also participates in the shot put and discus for track and field.
But the 6-foot-2 teenager’s true love is for basketball, which he has played for five years. While participating in middle school, Halagiere realized he wanted to play the sport at the next level as well.
“I just started to grind every single day, any chance I got I was playing basketball to get ready for the high school tryouts,” Halagiere said.
After trying out, Halagiere was soon notified that he had made the team, which surprised him.
“I was very shocked. I doubted myself a lot, but once they said I made the team it was great,” the 15-year-old said.
In the midst of celebrating making the team, he also went up to those who didn’t and offered words of encouragement, telling them to “keep grinding and keep getting better for next year,” showing just the kind of kid he is.
“Gavin is a very kind-hearted person. He’s very positive, very motivated, I can’t say enough about him,” his mother, Rene, said. “He’s always there willing to help someone out, whether it’s his teammates, his friends, his family, a stranger, that’s just who he is. He loves life and he has a huge heart.”
Halagiere not only made the team, but contributed significantly while coming off the bench for the Warriors. He focuses on some of the finer points of the game like moving the ball around and executing the offense, but is also a more than capable scorer. As a freshman he notched a couple double digit scoring efforts versus Neuqua Valley and East Aurora, helping his squad to a 15-6 record. But perhaps the most important contribution of Halagiere’s game is his leadership.
“I see myself as someone that anyone can come up to and ask for help. If someone doesn’t know a drill we’re doing, I will sit out and explain it to them so we can all become better basketball players,” the 15-year-old said.
Halagiere will reach out to someone who might need help off the court as well, even if they’re a total stranger.
Not only did the opportunity to lead draw him to the game of basketball, but so did the chance to be part of a team. One of Halagiere’s favorite parts of his freshman season was the guys he had around him.
“I didn’t really know a lot of kids going into this year, but after this basketball season I’m friends with every single person who was on the freshman team. We talk every single day, we try to go practice with each other. We built a very big bond and it just makes high school more welcoming,” Halagiere said.
And like he is for them, Halagiere’s teammates are always there for him.
“They have done a lot for me. They’ve always been there to encourage me. I hope I’ve inspired them because they’ve inspired me,” Halagiere mentioned.
Meanwhile, his coaches, Dan Nolan and Ryne Gill, have played a big part in his success as well.
“They’ve been outstanding coaches for the freshman team. All the coaches are just great people who know a lot about basketball and push you to be your best,” Halagiere added.
An outgoing kid now, Halagiere wasn’t always as open about his missing left hand when he was younger. Naturally, he would hide the arm from other kids when they would look at it or come grab it, according to Rene.
When he turned six, his family found a community of other limb-different children. Getting involved in activities with people like him “changed him instantly,” Rene said. Realizing that there were a lot of other kids like himself out there was key to the turnaround.
Halagiere has attended camps throughout his life for limb-different people which have helped his outlook as well.
“Those camps made me realize that I wasn’t the only one out there that was missing a limb,” Halagiere said. “I don’t have to hide it and I should be proud of who I am.”
The 15-year-old has made several friends from the camps that he still keeps in touch with. His family continues to attend them when they can, and as Rene points out, they have positive effects on more than just the campers.
“These camps and communities that we’re a part of are life-changing for children, but also life-changing for parents,” she said.
Rene specifically has gotten involved with a non-profit in Seattle called Giving to Fly which raises money for kids’ families to be able to travel to various places they might need to go to get assistance.
While the camps have had a tremendous impact, Halagiere still credits his parents as the main inspiration in his life.
“They’re always pushing me to do my best and never settle for less. They are always supportive of my decisions and are always there to encourage me,” he said.
His four siblings are also a great support system. Each of them motivate their brother and always are there when he needs them. Halagiere credits a few current NBA stars, including Zach LaVine and Giannis Antetokounmpo, as inspirations as well.
Ultimately, what drew Halagiere to the game of basketball was its quick pace and constant movement, and now he can’t get enough of it.
“Gavin is the one when practice gets over at 5, I’m still in the parking lot waiting for him at 5:30,” Rene said.
As if his love for the game wasn’t enough, the challenge of playing the sport with one hand drives the 15-year-old even more.
“I just push myself. Not a lot of people have that drive inside of them, but it’s just who I am,” Halagiere said. When I see someone that’s good, my goal is to get better than them. Why settle for less?”
Halagiere will continue to play basketball at Waubonsie Valley next season. Although a lot can change in three years, right now he is looking to leave the state of Illinois and hopes to attend Michigan State University after graduating high school. He is still not totally sure what he wants to do in the future, but has considered motivational speaking in the past.
When asked what he would say to a fellow limb-different athlete who might be afraid to try out for a sport, Halagiere exclaimed, “Go for it. There is nothing you can lose. If you try out for a team the worst they can say is ‘Sorry, you didn’t make it.’ And if you didn’t make it you should use that as motivation to get better and be the best you can be. People might see you different, but you’re not different inside. Don’t give up on yourself because you can do anything that you put your mind to.”
Doing anything that you put your mind to is something Halagiere lives by. It’s evident in his effort and leadership on the court, and his amazing personality and mindset off of it. One thing we know for sure is that whatever this incredible kid puts his mind to next, he will be successful at it.
