ALL-STAR in the Making

Tucked away on the outskirts of Fayetteville is a place where dreams are born. Walk through its doors, and sounds of joy and pain, excitement and disappointment ring true. But more importantly, within these doors are hope, escape and love. Both love of the game and love from adoring fans. It's a classroom for not only the game of basketball, but the game of life. Within the doors of the Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club are hundreds of stories. Stories that leak out into the community and impact the lives of Northwest Arkansas' youth. And it all starts with unsung all-stars whose names aren't plastered in newspapers or on the nightly news just yet, but on the hearts of fans who watch and the volunteer coaches who dedicate their time to making a difference. All-stars like 10-year-old Kiana Thompson. Watching Kiana play during warm-ups may not mean much to fans as they file into the stands with camcorders and signs adorned with green glitter. She is slightly taller than the average player on the court and doesn't take a majority of the shots during pre-game. But what happens when the whistle blows is like a small metamorphosis from a humble young girl into an example of how the game is played. "One of the things that Kiana brings to the team is that some other players are able to see many of the things she does, like boxing out and what we call shake 'n' bake," said Clovers coach Adam Arroyos. Her defense is impressive for such a young age. When the ball comes near her, her hands go into the air in preparation to defend her goal. "Kiana plays aggressively for her age," commented dad, Richard Bryant. And that she does. Kiana boasts several steals a game, which oftentimes lead to a score for her team. In fact, Kiana averages 12 points a game, which some may not deem as SportsCenter worthy, but it is when final scores in her league traditionally end in the low 20s. Importantly, you won't hear her boast about her points but rather about her team — the Clovers. "My favorite thing about basketball is the sportsmanship on my team," said Kiana. "I love to help them out." This speaks volumes about the character of this young player and the future she has as she continues to mature into the game of basketball. "Her parents have done a great job raising Kiana, because beyond being a talented basketball player, she has great character skills that are very impressive," added coach Arroyos. Even though Kiana's desire is to continue to play and excel in basketball, her talent dribbles over into other sports as well. She has won Fayetteville's punt, pass and kick several times in previous years and shines on the softball diamond as well. Inside the doors of the Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club, Kiana is an all-star — outside of those doors, the city may not know her now but they will in the future, either for her talent on the hardwood or for the example she serves as for others.-