Shapley has been accepted by his teammates as one of their own.
If you’ve attended a Northeast High School boys varsity asketball game the past three years, odds are you’ve seen Glenn Shapley put on a show.
The Vikings’ team manager, who has been afflicted with cerebral palsy since he was 2 years old, often hits the court at halftime to show off his sweet three-point stroke, using it as a means to entertain the restless crowd before the second half begins.
But Monday afternoon’s experience for Shapley was different. A lot different.
Donning a home white №25 Northeast jersey instead of his normal scorer’s attire, Shapley was tabbed by head coach Ira Stern to join the starting lineup on the team’s Senior Day, the final regular season game of the season against division opponent Freire Charter. Shapley, who walks with a noticeable limp, positioned himself under Northeast’s basket and waited. Teammate Darren Baggett won the tip and fired a pass into the waiting mitts of Shapley, who, after five attempts, was able to convert a layup for his first-ever varsity points.
Northeast led, 2–0, and went on to win the game by a final score of 49–48, meaning that on Shapley’s special day, his points were the difference. It was the perfect script, one the grateful Shapley won’t forget anytime soon.
“That was a really important basket,” he said later. “If I didn’t make that, then who knows what would have happened? I’m just speechless. I love this team and this organization that Coach Stern has put together, and it’s something I’ll absolutely remember 30 years down the line. I can tell it to my kids that I scored in a varsity basketball game and we won by one point. It’s a surreal moment for me.”
The original plan was to get Shapley back into the game late in the fourth quarter so he could attempt one of his patented long-range jumpers, and he even walked to the scorer’s table to check in with a little over a minute to play. But Freire turned a 12-point deficit into one, and Stern’s primary goal was ensuring Northeast (9–10, 4–8) won its final game for playoff seeding purposes (the Vikings open postseason play on Thursday with a 3:15 home game against Edison). Stern apologized, but Shapley understood.
“It happens … that’s basketball for you,” he said. “Most importantly, the team got the win, and I scored two points and we won by one, so it was meant to be. It was perfect.”
Shapley was originally supposed to get the opportunity last week, but the threat of a major snowstorm pushed the game to Monday.
“It was kind of like Mother Nature was saying to wait one more week to get ready for the game,” Shapley said. “I was a little disappointed, but I knew what I had to work on, and it was great having an extra week to work with Coach Stern in practice.”
Shapley has dealt with the cerebral palsy for most of his life, diagnosed at the age of 2. The disease, which is non-progressive, is a group of permanent movement issues that do not worsen in the brain over time but do cause physical disabilities, mostly pertaining to bodily movement and problems with depth perception and communication ability. Though much is still unknown about the disease’s causes, it usually originates from a brain injury sustained while in the womb, and infections, birth complications and poor oxygen supply to the brain before, during and after birth are contributing factors. The United Cerebral Palsy Association estimated that approximately 764,000 Americans have the disease, and about 10,000 infants and 1,500 preschoolers are discovered to have it each year, according to statistics on WebMD. Life expectancy is less than the normal population, but the evolution of modern medicine has allowed those afflicted with the disease to live much longer and comfortable lives.
Though it can impact vision, speech, hearing and language as well as causing learning disabilities, Shapley has no trouble articulating his thoughts, especially when they’re about the game he loves so much. He says his hand-eye coordination is affected most, and he walks with a deliberate, semi-labored gait.
“I’m not in pain,” he said. “I feel great every day I wake up. The only thing I get once in a blue moon are Charley horses. It was a real struggle growing up with CP, especially when people asked me why I walk the way I do. Just to show everybody that I got to this moment, I couldn’t be prouder.”
The pride certainly goes both ways, as there is no shortage of supporters in Shapley’s corner. His mom, Jamie Vileikis, and girlfriend, Becca Gallagher, were in attendance to document the occasion, and Vileikis made sure she got it on video. Tears welled in her eyes when discussing the matter after the game.
“His passion for the game is unbelievable, and the way he’s gotten involved with this team is remarkable,” she said. “For them to give him a minute to play was so worth it. He lives and breathes basketball, which doesn’t come from me. He’s been talking about this day constantly, and he’s been practicing his shot since he was a baby before he could walk. It was always his passion, and I knew he’d carry it through.”
Shapley has been with Stern for all four of his high school years, first as JV manager, then the last three with the varsity team when Stern got the head coaching position. Stern said Shapley tried out for JV his freshman year as a regular player, and the coach knew it wouldn’t be easy to cut him. But Stern knew Shapley wouldn’t be able to keep up with the speed of the high school game, so he approached him about learning to be a manager, something the basketball die-hard embraced with open arms. As a result for all of the time and hard work on the scorer’s table, Stern told Shapley last season that he would suit up in his final home game, a promise Stern kept.
“He’s held his own, the kids respect him and I respect him,” Stern said. “I’m just happy for him because here’s a kid, through basketball, gets to hang out with the ‘cool kids.’ He’s learned a lot, but more importantly, the other kids on the team learned about a child overcoming a disability. Wherever he goes to university, I’ll make a call and see how we can get him involved with the basketball program, because he only brings positive energy to the table.”
Personality-wise, Stern says Shapley is personable, social and loves telling jokes. The two bond over their shared love of the Villanova University basketball program, and Stern said Shapley watches film and often calls him with scouting reports on other teams and players.
“In essence, he’s like another assistant coach,” Stern said. “Glenn is a person I will never forget in my life, and I’ve coached at all levels for 30 years. He’s a person who always wants to compete, and he’s got a great three-point shot. And I have to reiterate, as much as he’s gotten from us, we’ve gotten that much more back from him. He never feels sorry for himself, and I’m so proud to be able to give him this opportunity today.”
And depending on how things go in Northeast’s playoff opener against Edison, Stern is hoping to get Shapley back into another game to see if he can bury a three-pointer. But even if that doesn’t happen, Monday’s special moment will be seared into Shapley’s brain for the rest of his life.
“I’ll always remember my teammates, Coach Stern and this wonderful high school,” he said. “They have been unbelievable with their support. And for anyone with a disability like me, I would like to say to them to keep trying. Keep working hard every single day. There’s no such thing as a wasted day, and the more you try your hardest, the better your life will be. Knowing that at the end of the day you’re doing what you love … it’s just priceless.” ••
Shapley is congratulated by his teammates after his big basket.
It took him five tries, but Shapley ultimately converted a layup for his first varsity points.
It took him five tries, but Shapley ultimately converted a layup for his first varsity points.
Glenn scores two: Glenn Shapley (center) has been a boys basketball manager at Northeast High School since he was a freshman. Now a senior, Shapley, who has cerebral palsy, got to suit up with the varsity team in Monday’s regular-season finale against Freire Charter. Shapley scored the first two points of the game, a contest the Vikings won 49–48. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTOS
