Her Biggest Fan Trip To State For Amy George Would Get Brother A Visit To Space Needle

Every high school basketball player would love to play in March when the state tournaments roll around.

For teams in the Greater Spokane League that means a trip to Seattle.

And while every player has the same dream, few have more incentive than the Ferris girls basketball players.

A trip to Seattle is more than reaching a goal, it’s to watch Andy George’s eyes and smile light up a room.

“Space Needle,” he says over and over.

Andy is the older brother of senior standout Amy George, the Saxons’ leading scorer. He has Down syndrome.

With Amy starting as a sophomore, Ferris finished third at state two years ago. The highlight for Andy was the Space Needle and monorail.

“For him (the games) are all pretty much the same,” his mother Terri said. “He likes the action. He watches the game as well as we do. He’s totally immersed as we are.”

But after going to almost every game, volleyball included, the Space Needle is still the favorite thing he associates with basketball.

“He gets excited when the announcer announces (Amy’s) name,” his father Charlie said. “He likes to go along with the cheers and cheerleaders.”

“I like having him there to cheer me on,” Amy said. “It’s fun to see him cheering all the cheers.”

Amy has given her brother plenty to cheer about. She started on the Saxons’ state championship volleyball team and is averaging more than 16 points for the basketball team.

“Amy is one of the few girls I ever saw outside playing basketball,” Ferris volleyball coach Stacy Ward said. “I told her college (volleyball) coaches said she could play. The thing is, if one (sport) is in their heart, you can’t change that. I just feel fortunate I got her to play four years. It’s tougher and tougher to do that.”

She started as a gymnast and soccer player. She was about 4 when her brothers, Chris and Paul, now 25 and 24, respectively, made her goalie, guarding the swing set so they could kick soccer balls at her.

“They had no mercy,” Terri said.

Amy switched to basketball when Chris, a reserve on the 1991 Ferris team that finished third at state, had her shag rebounds while he shot. The experience paid off. Despite being 5-foot-7, she can rebound with anyone in the league.

“She has a good post-up game and she has a good outside shot. She’s really worked on her shot,” Ferris coach Art Rojas said. “She’s setting up her man inside instead of just using her athletic ability. She’s taking the time to break her defender down. She’s shooting less and scoring more.”

Amy’s goal is a scholarship, anywhere at any level, to play basketball.

“I like the contact (in basketball),” she said. “In basketball you get more of a chance to be athletic.”

Amy isn’t the only George child ready to leave Ferris. Since he turns 21 in a couple of days, Andy will graduate with Amy this spring.

“They have a real closeness,” Terri said. “He gets in her way sometimes and she gets mad but all-in-all, they’re pretty close. He has always been accepted by her teammates.”

“He breaks the tension,” Amy said. “If there’s a serious moment he’ll do something or say something funny and we’ll all laugh.”

Andy is bright and cheerful and eager to answer questions, although he gets so excited he can’t get the words out.

“Oh, I know,” he’ll say. Or, “Here we go.”

Andy never fails to wish Amy good luck, before practice and games. His advice is, “shoot a basket,” or “steal the ball.”

He said Amy’s advice to him is, “Get out of the kitchen.”

“If I had the worst game, he’ll come up and say, ‘Good game. You tried hard.’ I don’t feel so bad just to hear him say that.”

A trip to see the Space Needle would be good payback.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo