After rival offers its own tribute, Atwater High rallies to win behind a mourning teammate
For the past two weeks, the Atwater High basketball program has placed a seat atop the bleachers with a rose in it before each home game.
The seat is in honor of Steve Parr, who died after suffering a heart attack on Jan. 22. Parr always sat in the same seat at the top in the middle of the bleachers for Atwater home games to watch son Tyler and his teammates play.
“He always sat in seat No. 1,” Atwater coach Kanoa Smith said.
For the past two weeks Tyler, who is a third-year varsity player as a junior, has played with a heavy heart. He says when he’s playing basketball or is at school, life seems normal.
“To be honest, basketball and school have been my escape,” Tyler said. “It’s toughest when I’m at home. After he died, I missed two days of school. The first game after it happened it was weird in the first half. I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Then I was able to focus in the second half.”
Friday night’s game against El Capitan hit differently.
Tyler knew the game would be emotional. He’s grown up with some of the Gauchos players such as Will Bain and Brody Collins.
He had played travel ball with those players since they were in middle school. It was an AAU team that Steve Parr helped coach and put together.
So Parr was overcome with emotion after the Falcons pulled out a 58-53 victory in front of a huge home crowd.
“This team has gone through a lot,” Smith said. “We’ve been shut down twice due to COVID. Mr. Parr passed away. In many ways he was the heart and soul for this group in so many ways.”
After the game, Parr hugged El Capitan coach Adrian Hurtado. He cried in the arms of Atwater assistant Seneca Ybarra. He was surrounded by teammates, then shared hugs with many of the El Capitan parents and players.
“Some of my best friends are on El Capitan,” Parr said. “I’ve known some of those guys longer than my Atwater teammates. We grew up playing together. So there is a relationship there and they had a relationship with my dad. I knew this was going to be an emotional game.”
El Capitan players and coaches paid tribute by wearing T-shirts during warm-ups that had Steve Parr printed on the shirt with words describing him like “strong, handy man, mentor and coach.” On the bottom of the shirt it read: “friend, family, forever.”
“Not only were the coaches and players wearing the shirts, but all their parents were wearing the shirts,” Parr said. “The shirts were amazing.”
Parr said he had to return to the locker room to gather himself after first seeing the shirts before the game. He said once the game started, it felt like any other big game.
The lead changed hands throughout the game.
El Capitan (17-8, 8-2) was trying to clinch the Central California Conference championship with a win and started fast, jumping to a 17-10 lead after the first quarter.
However, Collins picked up his second foul midway through the first quarter and was sidelined the rest of the half.
The Falcons (16-7, 7-3) battled back in the second quarter, with Parr scoring six of his 12 points to help give Atwater a 31-24 lead at the half.
Collins and Greg Mack both scored five points to help the Gauchos pull even at 40-40 at the end of the third quarter.
The score was tied 53-53 with a minute left, but the Falcons scored the final five points. Colton Dukes hit three free throws in the final 8 seconds and finished with 16 points. KJ Ross scored 11 for the Falcons.
Bain led the Gauchos with 18 points, Edrian Figueroa scored 14 and Collins added 12.
The Falcons kept their postseason and league championship hopes alive with the win.
After the game, Parr looked up to the ceiling. The tears started pouring down his face as he was overcome with emotion.
“I don’t know how a 16-year old kid deals with something like this,” Smith said. “He’s done amazingly well. He’s a huge part of our team. He’s a third-year varsity player. He knows the team counts on him.
“He’s the baby of the family but he’s trying to play a leadership role at home for his mother and sisters. I admire him wholeheartedly. I don’t know how he’s doing it. Tyler has always been mature for his age.”
