I liked it when he dunked, she said. He made it look so easy. I wish I could do it.

Greer, a 14-year-old student from Carbondale, who attends Lincoln Junior High, 501 S. Washington St., said she is looking forward to seeing the Globetrotters at SIU Arena tonight at 7:30.

Bacon, the center for the Globetrotters, gave a speech Jan. 7 at the school and showed some of the students a few of the Globetrotter tricks. He also told the students to follow their dreams.

Advertisement

You have to have dreams, Bacon said to the group of students who packed the school’s gymnasium. You also have to have goals in order to go college and succeed.

Greer said she listened to what Bacon had to say and she is disciplining herself to practice hard and study to reach her goals.

The Globetrotters, as an organization, give hundreds of presentations each year to students like these here in Carbondale.

Bacon, a 6-foot-9-inch center, said the students should remember that it takes goals, discipline and good citizenship to succeed.

Bacon said there is one reason he chose to play with the Globetrotters; they make a difference in motivating people to accomplish their goals.

The same is true for Clyde The Glide Sinclair, the 6-foot-4-inch guard and captain of the team.

He said the magic of the Globetrotters is that they appeal to children and provide a positive image for them.

Advertisement*

We are the only sports team that sees the children face to face, he said. We sign autographs after every game. That is something different than anything I know.

Sinclair said every time he goes out to play, he knows he is doing something good for the people who come to watch.

I know I bring happiness to people, Sinclair said. When the lights come on, everybody’s happy.

Sinclair said the entire organization is family-oriented, and for him is like a second family.

While it may be a family, Sinclair said it does take a great deal of work, and even after nine years, he is still learning. He said it takes about two years to learn the basic skills.

You don’t come in as a Globetrotter; you come in as an athlete, he said. You practice the moves about two hours a day, but it is hard to practice because we are playing everyday.

The game at the SIU Arena will feature the Harlem Globetrotters playing the International All-Stars. Sinclair said they no longer play the Washington Generals after 43 years of playing them. He said they began playing the International All-Stars last January.

The International All-stars are people fresh from college, and they want to play ball, he said. It is a little more competitive, and that keeps it more upbeat, which is good for everybody.

The Harlem Globetrotters will appear at SIUC Arena at 7:30 tonight. Tickets are $12, $10 and $8. There are $2 discounts for SIUC students, children under 12, senior citizens and groups of 10 or more. Call 453-5341 for more information.