by Emily McKeehan
Triangle Staff Writer
Thirteen-year-old Garrett Tallant loves basketball. But he found out this summer that he needed surgery on his skull and would be out of the game for a year.
Despite his medical difficulties, though, Garrett is still part of the game, working with the Bryan College men’s varsity basketball team as a student manager.
The son of David and Kristy Tallant, Garrett is an eighth-grader at Spring City Middle School and was diagnosed this past summer with Chiari malformation, a medical condition which causes part of the brain matter to grow outside the skull and seep into the first and second vertebrae.
Doctors told the family that it was probably a genetic problem, present from birth, but the pain and symptoms only showed up within the last year and a half, according to Kristy.
Acquainted with the Tallants through youth basketball camps that he facilitates, Head Coach Don Rekoske was well aware of Garrett’s condition. Rekoske said he knew how much Garrett loves basketball, so he offered Garrett a position with the varsity team.
Kristy said that Rekoske called about the position the day Garrett found out he needed the surgery.
“We hadn’t been out of the doctor’s office an hour, and the phone rang,” Kristy said. “It made Garrett’s day.”
According to Kristy, Garrett was thrilled at the chance to participate with team.
“I can’t play,” Garrett said of his favorite sport, “so I want to be a part of it.”
Garrett’s underwent surgery on Sept. 26 to have the back of his skull restructured in order to allow more space for his brain.
As he recovers from surgery this year, Garrett, who said he normally plays point guard, will only be participating from the sideline, where he’ll be handling jerseys and towels instead of a basketball.
Being on the sideline, though, has done nothing to hinder Garrett’s work ethic, according to junior guard Derek Batt.
“Every time I come to sit on the bench… two seconds later, I’ve got a tap on my shoulder,” said Batt.
Although Garrett so far has only attended one Lions’ game, which was a home game against Tennessee Temple University (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Rekoske said that all the work during the game tired out the recovering Garrett.
“He was a bit sore the next day… but he loved it,” Kristy said.
Sitting under Rekoske this season will be a great experience for Garrett in the midst of the long, hard process of recovery, according to Kristy, who said that Garrett wants to be a basketball coach someday.
“It’s been difficult, but he’s been a trooper,” Kristy said.
Rekoske also said that Garrett never complains, and while he hopes that the team will have a positive effect on Garrett, the 13-year-old basketball fan has affected the team as well.
“He’s a lot stronger than I am, going through what he’s going through,” said Batt, who made up a secret handshake with Garrett during the first game. Batt said that he enjoys having Garrett around and that it gives the team something more to play for.
“It’s hard not to get motivated when a young kid is battling something like that,” said Batt. “You’re always going to play your heart out for your team…, [but] I definitely play harder knowing that Garrett’s out there.”