Rancho Bernardo rec basketball league president honored

For his dedication to the Rancho Bernardo Youth Basketball League, George Brashear has been named the 2016 Glassman-Brown Recreational Leadership Award recipient.

“I’m excited ... it’s a nice thing to be recognized,” Brashear said.

The award has been presented to 14 others since created in 2000. Recipients must have contributed at least five years of outstanding, unpaid leadership service to the community through recreation at Rancho Bernardo Community Park. It is named in honor of the late Ed Brown and Stu Glassman, who provided leadership during the park’s early development. Recipients are selected by the Rancho Bernardo Recreation Council.

Not long after Brashear; his wife, Kim; and their sons, Matthew and Michael, moved to Rancho Bernardo from Louisiana eight years ago, Brashear got involved in his new community. Activities included Boy Scouts and Hope United Methodist Church service projects. He is also Beta Engineering’s executive vice president of West Coast operations.

While Brashear played baseball growing up, his boys — then in elementary school — preferred basketball, a sport Brasher said he did not particularly care for at the organizational level, but one he enjoyed playing as a youth on his family’s farm.

However, since Matthew — then third grade — and Michael — then first grade — wanted to play basketball, he signed them up for the RB league. By 2010, the league’s board asked him to join. Within a year, he was its president.

According to Brian Kuck, who nominated Brashear for the award, the league that began in 1972 “was seriously in jeopardy of folding.” He credits Brashear for saving it, though Brashear says that is also due to his fellow board members.

Kuck said since Brashear became president, the number of players has increased 20 percent, a summer camp lead by college basketball coaches and players was added, the league organizes and participates in the Bronco Ball 3 vs. 3 Basketball Tournament and maintains a high school division, which Kuck wrote “is unusual for recreational basketball leagues.”

He credits Brashear with creating a link between the recreational and club leagues that feed into Rancho Bernardo High’s teams.

“George’s efforts are contributing to the pipeline of players for the Rancho Bernardo High School basketball program,” Kuck said.

Kuck called Brashear’s efforts “an inspiration” to other volunteers, adding that Brashear continued even after his boys left the league.

Brashear said due to their high skill level, several years ago his boys joined the club program. Now, Michael is a freshman on Maranatha Christian High School’s varsity team and in the Coastal Elite San Marcos competitive program during the off-season. Michael, a seventh grader, plays in the year-round Bronco Ball program and is on Maranatha’s junior high team.

“I joined the board due to a strong sense of community,” Brashear said. As for why he continued, “I feel the need to be involved and nobody has stepped up, wanting to be president. I stay because it is a great program and I do not want to lose that momentum. ... I’ve put in a lot of time and do not want it to go upside down if I leave.”

He said there are 250 to 300 kids — mostly boys, but a few girls — in the league from third grade to high school, though occasionally there is a first or second grader. The season goes from December to March.

“It’s really fulfilling for me,” he said. “I’ve seen many kids come in knowing nothing about basketball and coached some teams.”

He recalled one girl who came in without any basketball knowledge and when she got older left to play on RB High’s team.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Brashear said. “Kids who really enjoy it can go on and do good things.”

Brashear said when he spots a player with talent and interest he encourages the parents to get the child in a more competitive program than recreational league. “You get to see them grow.”