This athlete never fails to amaze his teammates, fans

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Jersey News Online January 10, 2008 8:00PM

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Brad Hennefer plays basketball for Cherry Hill East High School.

He may be the only high school athlete in the country with Down syndrome who

plays two varsity sports--golf and basketball.

By Bob Shryock

bshryock@...

Brad Hennefer launched a three-pointer from the right side, a few feet

behind the arc, with three seconds to play in Cherry Hill East's pre-holiday

game at Washington Township.

Swish. Nothing but net.

And fans and players from both schools erupted in a thunderous cheer.

Which is something you almost never see, especially since

Hennefer's trey merely cut CHE's final deficit to 26 points (68-42).

But Brad (known by many as " B-Rad " ) Hennefer is not a typical

scholastic basketball player. He may be the only high school athlete in the country

with Down syndrome who plays two varsity sports -- golf and basketball. He has

lettered in golf since a freshman and has won letters in basketball (frosh

hoops, sophomore and junior JV) three years as well.

" Nothing Brad does surprises us, " says Bob Hennefer, his dad.

" It's hard to believe what he's accomplished. It's hard for many to

believe he has Down's. "

Bob taped the CHE-Township game, as he almost always does.

" That shot ranks up there with our thrills, " Bob says. " But

you have to look beyond the shot. When he made it, every kid on the team was

standing and cheering with their arms in the air. Brad's teammates are

incredible kids. "

The three-pointer at Washington Township is Brad's only official basket of

the season although he was 5-for-11, all threes, in a pre-season scrim with

Rancocas Valley, South Jersey's top-rated team. He's been used sparingly in

games, but Bob Hennefer credits East coach Valore and the school

administration with their unwavering support of his son. According to Bob, Brad

is able to take part in " 98 percent " of the team's drills.

Former Gloucester Catholic athletes Barry Coniglio and Steve Mondile played

in an Ocean City, Md. golf tournament with Brad and his dad last fall --

" Scouting for a Cure, " an event run by major league scout Will

to fund a foundation in his wife's memory -- and were amazed by Brad's ability.

With the foursome using Brad's 280-yard tee shots on half the holes, Team

Hennefer finished second in the scramble at nine-under-par. But the 10-under

winning team " borrowed " one of Brad's boomers.

Coniglio, a Mantua chiropractor, went to the basketball game after meeting

Brad and had high praise for the sportsmanship displayed by Washington Township

after Brad scored.

Brad, 19, is defending New Jersey Special Olympics gold medalist in golf and

has won countless medals in three events (basketball and powerlifting). He's

5-10, 155 pounds, and, according to his dad, works out regularly and " is

in very good shape. "

The Hennefers have showed their support for Downs children by founding a

Down's basketball league and starting and co-directing " Golf for

Life " which six of the country's 41 PGA sections, including Philadelphia,

already are embracing.

Brad works part-time at Wegman's mega-market in Cherry Hill and part-time at

Woodcrest Country Club, where his only sibling, Bob Jr., is an assistant golf

professional. Woodcrest is CHE's home course.

Brad is also an accomplished public speaker who has made appearances around

the country including a Golf For Life clinic at Princeton. When he ripped a

280-yard drive at an event in Ohio, former Bengals' all-NFL lineman

Munoz said it was " the most amazing thing " he'd ever seen.

But amazing is the norm for Brad.

Bob Hennefer said his son plans to go on to college (Camden C.C. or Mercer)

" because he doesn't want to stop his education. "

Bob said he isn't sure if he and his wife could have written a better script

for their son's full life.

" It's due to the school, faculty, staff ... and the kids, " Bob

says.

http://blog.nj.com/southjerseylife/2008/01/this_athlete_never_fails_to_am.html