A Shining Ray
ADAMS TWP — A photo request. Life-opening friendships.
Mars High School boys basketball coach Rob Carmody — and his team — will never forget the journey from the former to the latter.
“Seeing the way a sport can positively impact a young person's life ... You can't even measure this,” Carmody said.
He was referring to 10-year-old Ray Chase, a fourth-grader in the Mars Area School District. Ray has developmental issues causing him to be “socially slow and a little backwards,” his mother, Danielle Kuba, said.
Except when it comes to basketball — Mars basketball.
“Ray just became enthralled with that team. He loves watching them. We go to every game we can, home and away,” Kuba said.
“He became particularly enamored with Robby Carmody (now a freshman at Notre Dame). He was fascinated by how good he was. He was entertained by his play.”
After a game during Robby's junior year, Kuba approached Coach Carmody to ask if Robby would mind having a picture taken with Ray.
“Robby has always been an intense player, so serious on the court,” Carmody said. “But he also loves kids. He enjoys them. I told her, of course, he'd be happy to have his picture taken with him.”
Only it didn't stop there.
Robby talked to Ray after the impromptu photo session. Ray met the other players on the team.
Now Ray is affectionately known as Mars' No. 1 fan. He sits right behind the Planets' bench every game.
“I love it when he's there,” Coach Carmody said, laughing. “He's the only one in the gym louder than me.”
Since befriending the Planets, Ray's outlook on life has changed.
“I can't begin to tell you what those kids have done for him,” Kuba said. “He's come out of his shell. He wants to make them proud. He wants to be like them. Whenever he starts acting up or shows bad behavior, I tell him I'm going to call Robby or Joey (Craska) ... He straightens right up.”
Craska, a member of the Mars basketball and baseball teams, has been giving Ray one-on-one training in baseball. Michael Carmody and Craska came over to Ray's house over Christmas break to play video games with him.
Ray took the time to send a letter and candy to Robby at Notre Dame this season.“Robby's given Ray a Notre Dame practice jersey and tennis shoes from there,” Kuba said. “He's never forgotten him. I don't think he ever will.”After Mars won the school's first-ever WPIAL boys basketball championship last year, Robby Carmody took the time to have his picture taken with Ray at the Petersen Events Center, holding the championship trophy.“In such a personal, crowning moment ... he still thought of Ray,” Kuba said, her voice cracking as she spoke.Eric Cunningham, a youth coach in the Mars basketball organization, isn't surprised at the way the bond between Ray and the Planets has evolved.“Everybody has their own challenges in life,” Cunningham said. “If you have a chance to help somebody, help somebody.“These boys have seen the impact a kind hand can have. All of the people involved have benefitted from this relationship.”Mars recently completed a 21-1 regular season, going unbeaten in Section 3-5A. After polishing off that perfect section mark, the Planets took turns cutting down the net.Coach Carmody was supposed to climb the ladder and cut off the final strand.He left that honor for Ray, instead.“He deserved to have that moment,” the coach said. “He's a part of us.”“He's always been so shy, so introverted,” Kuba said. “To see him climb that ladder and do that in front of everybody, with all that cheering ... I couldn't believe it.“They've changed his life. That's not a stretch. That's what they've done.”And Carmody is more proud of that than any win he's ever coached.“Kids can get wrapped up sometimes in what's going on in their own lives. They have blinders on in that respect,” the coach said.“Their friendship with Ray has given them great perspective on life. Seeing that kid become so exccited and engaged in something like this, knowing we helped him along ... The whole experience has been invaluable.“It's the power of sport,” Carmody added. “That's all it is.”
