ALLEGANY, N.Y. — When Dustyn Green was asked if he would coach a couple of basketball games during Winter Week activities at Allegany-Limestone Middle/High School, he didn’t hesitate to agree.
Green, a self-proclaimed “avid basketball fan for a long time,” coached a student scrimmage as well as an adult scrimmage for “Pirate Basketball Game” Tuesday at the high school gymnasium on Five Mile Road.
While it was Green’s first time to coach teams on a court, he has had plenty of experience serving as an assistant at many of the Allegany-Limestone boys’ basketball games.
“I knew the event was going to happen and I was going to come and watch it,” Green said before the scrimmage. “But no way shape or form did I expect to participate.”
Green, who has a disability and uses a wheelchair, said he had his team work on their depth perception before the game as one of the rules of the scrimmage was for the players to wear a pirate patch over one of their eyes.
“What I’ve got my guys out there doing now is getting used to the one (eye) perception,” Green explained. “The location of the basket (with their vision) is going to be off, and I want their shots to be coordinated with that.”
Dustyn Green’s younger brother, Walker, his mother, Rebecca, and his Aunt Jennifer were at the game to cheer for the young coach and his team.
“I’m enthused with this school because it includes him,” Rebecca Green said. “He can’t play, but they work around him to include him in the game.”
Dustyn Green, 16, said his favorite pro basketball teams are the Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic. On the college level, his favorites are the Syracuse Orange and St. Bonaventure University men’s team.
“My dream is to coach for Syracuse, so we’ll see,” he said. “I’m going to try.”
Student Council advisor Marcia Wymer set up the event for Green, a sophomore, who is not only a fan of basketball, but also a number of other sports.
“Dustyn’s teacher, Terra LaCroix, mentioned to me this would be great because he loves basketball so much,” Wymer said.
Rebecca Green said LaCroix knew her son enjoyed the game because he becomes very vocal and passionate as an assistant at the high school games.
“We didn’t give him a clipboard because we didn’t want him to throw it,” Wymer teased.
Rebecca Green said her son also loves professional baseball and is a huge New York Yankees fan. A highlight of his life occurred when he met Derek Jeter a couple of years ago during a Yankees game against the Indians in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Jeter came off the bus (transporting the team) and signed (Dustyn Green’s) hat,” Rebecca Green recalled.
During a timeout called by Dustyn Green, his players listened respectfully as he instructed them on what he expected to see them do when they returned to the court.
Later, Collin Strade said he really enjoyed playing for his friend.
“He’s a great coach and he knows what he’s talking about,” Strade said before running out on the court with the other players.
